The Anderson intelligencer. [volume] (Anderson Court House, S.C.) 1860-1914, 1874-05-07
The Present Duty of the Republican Leaders

The Present Duty of the Republican Leaders.
We do not know what the committee upon
! the judiciary may report to the House of Rep
resentatives in regard to the statement OF the
taxpayers of South Carolina. But everybody
knows, and those who do not know suspect,
the real condition of that unhappy State.
Private information confirms puplic report
that more deplorable situation cannot we'll
be imagined 1t does not dispose of the sub
ject to say that the former voters of South
Carolina brought the evil upon themselves.
Evil enough, indeed, they did bring, and it
would be long, under the most favorable cir
cumstances, before they could hope for relief.
But the State should suffer no evil which Con-
gress, or the Executive, or the Republican
party, or public opinion can rightfully and
lawfully remove. Judging from the best in
formation that we have, we do not believe that
the movement Of the taxpayers is, in the Or
binary sense, merely political; 1t is very prob
able, for it is very natural, that they do not
feel kindly toward party under whose ascen-
dency they are, as they think, robbed. But
their appeal to Congress and to the President
shows that they cherish no sullen hostility, and
would gladly combine with the better Repub-
licans to save themselves from the worse. The
Hon. T. Y. Simons, who spoke for the tax
payers, said that while "the average values for
taxation before the war were over $500, ,OOO, 900,
they now amount at an excessive valuation, to
only S150,0O00O0. The annual average of
taxation for State purposes has increased from
100000 to over S2,500000. The State debt
has been enlarged from S5000,000 to over
S16,0OO,O00, and perhaps S22 100000. Under
the process of con6scation, 1882 acres of
land and 309 buildings have been forfeited to
the State in one year from inability to pay the
enormous taxation. The sums thus raised have
been devoted to spolation and plunder." He
alluded to the catalogue of railroad frauds,
furniture frauds, land commission frauds, elec-
ton frauds, sinking fund commission frauds,
and pay certificate frauds. He further said
that the "votng population of the State, that
which wields the political power is in the
hands of the non-tax-payers, constituting
large and fixed majority, who are banded to-
gether and persisteutly refuse the taxpayers a
fair representation for the protection of their
property and interests; that the people who
pay the taxes have substantially no voice in
Ievying or expendng them; that those who
levy and expend the taxes neither contribute
to them nor feel the weight of them that
there exists on the part of those in authority
a combination to confscate property under the
pretence of taxation, and deliberately misap-
propriate the enormous sums thus raised that
owing to this conspiracy and their supreme
control over the various departments Of the
local government there was no mode of redress
by peaceful agencies within the limits of the
State The condition of things in South Caro-
lima was exceptional and abnormal. 1t had
never arisen in any other Commonwealth since
the advent of the American Union. The Re-
publican form of government, as contemplated
by the trainers Of the Constitution, and guar
anteed by its fourth article, did not exist in
the State The power of Congress was invoked
because those who conspired together against
right, deluded their misguided followers by
protesting to have a charter for their misrue
and corruption under the sanction Of Congress,
the Executive and the Administration" He
closed with an earnest appeal for a committee
to investigate, whereby the true situation OF
affairs in South Carolina might be made known
to the whole country, and it might be ascer-
tanned whether this conspiracy and combina-
tion, fatal to the welfare of every section, ex-
lists, and that remedy commensurate with
the evils might be applied
When the Republican party adopted the
policy of reconstruction which the situation
demanded it was seen and frankly acknowl-
edged that great risks were taken. One of the
most obvious was the possible mastery OF the
new majority of the voters by sharpers and
demagogues who would mask all their action
under the name of the party, and represent all
opposition as proceeding from sullen rebels.
This is what we now see. And can nothing be
done? Are our resources exhausted in saying
that it is all verv sad, and that nothing can be
done about it? The fundamental conditions
of reconstruction, especially equal suffrage, its
cornerstone, will of course remain unchanged.
But why should Congress, or the President or
the intelligence of the Republican party be
deaf or blind to the serious suffering and wrong
which undenably exist in the State? 1t Is
from them, from the dominant party that re-
lief can alone come. For the situation is such,
as we have before represented, that If the
colored voters could have plain evidence that
ecutiye and Congress did not sustain nor ap-
prove the leaders who mismanage the State,
and if this could be certified to them by the
character and acts of the officers Of the general
government in the State, the beginning Of re-
lief would be perceptible. The remedy is not
matter of theory, but of practical statesman
ship, Of skilful administration. If the Presl-
dent and Congress were firmly resolved that
the enormous corruption and misrule in South
Carolina should cease their disposition would
soon be known in the State, and every honest,
patriotic citizen in it would be inspired to CO.
operate heartily. First, for the welfare OF the
country, then for the interest OF the party, the
Administration should range itself in sympa-
thy with those who are wronged in South Car
olina, and to this end we hope that the judlcla-
nv committee will recommend the investigation
which is asked-Harpers Weekly.
No THANKS TO RADICAL RULE THE
Columbia Union is confident that "the upper
and middle counties of the State arc on the
high road to prosperity" and this pleasant pros.
pect is attributed to the beneticent influence OF
South Carolina Radicalism. With decent and