Yorkville enquirer. [volume] (Yorkville, S.C.) 1855-2006, 1875-11-11

Der OF our cltlZenS, VINO were ueslrOus VI neal'
ing sermons from the great Presbyterian d.
vines of this State. They returned highly
pleased with their trip.
Sunday was disagreeable day, and church.
goers stayed within doors without any smi.
tines of conscience. QU1.
GOV. CHAMBERLAIN IN CHARLESTON.
Governor Chamberlain visited Charleston
last week, the first time he has been to that
city since his election and while there be was
serenaded by the Independent Republican
and the Palmetto Clubs, on which occasion
he delivered lengthy address.
He declared that he holds the Office of Gov.
ernor as public trust, and that the only just
basis for a political party is certain view OF
the manner in which the powers of the govern.
ment should be exercised, and the principles
and methods by which public affairs should
be conducted. 1t is not power or Office mere.
ly which party should seek, but power and
Office must be sought as the means and op.
portunity of increasing the purity, the efti-
cheney, the bene6cence of the government.
Holding such views, / conceive that the just
bounds Of party obligation are greatly trans.
cended, whenever public Office is used to pro.
mote personal or party ends to the neglect of
the best interests of the whole people. He
said further that he had refused to be slave
to the demand of party; that he had hon.
estly labored to promote the common welfare
of the people, and if any act of his, in the pur.
suit OF that aim, had hurt his party, then that
party deserved to be hurt. He said, l rejoice
to be able to add that in my judgment, the
day is past iD South Carolina, never to return,
when good will be rejected or wrong accepted,
because done in the name ofany party. Here,
as elsewhere throughout our country, men are
more and more subordinating party interests
to public interests-more and more regarding
good government as an infinitely better thing
than party power-more and more percelv-
ing that in the long run that party will pre-
vail, which keeps most steadily in view the
faithful and impartial discharge of the great
functions of government in the interests of all
the people. Well, I, for one, welcome such q
sentiment. I have valued my party because
thought it the best representation of freedom
and equality, of civil aud political rights, Of
the ideas embodied in our Declaration of In
dependence, and our Republican form of gov.
ernment. My attachment to my party, does
not tend one step beyond this. That is the
full measure of my party, fealty. He declar-
ed the State needed the harmonious working
together of both races, which had been large
ly secured in Charleston, and that the inter.
ests of the two races are identical. He said
that recognition of this fact, and a complete
union of all who do recognize it, is the first
step in the march of this people toward true
and lasting prosperity.
On the subject of taxation be said: .
But, fellow.citizens, all other demands at
the present moment are subordinate, merged
in two great demands first, for a great re-
duction of the burden of taxation throughout
the whole State and, second, for an honest
expenditure of the public moneys for public
ends. Loud cheers.
These constitute good government for South
Carolina to-day. These are the planks of the
platform of the party with which propose to
march hereafter. These are the things which
will open the way to that restoration and re-
construction which South Carolina most needs.
One special word respecting the great sub
ject of taxation. / undertake to say here to.
night that no people in the Union pay their
taxes with greater promptness and cheerful.
ness than the people of South Carolina. Such
conduct entities the tax-paying people of this
State to have their voice heard on this vital
question of taxation. They ought to be heard !;
they must be heard.
l say here tonight this people ought at
once to be relieved of one.third Of the taxes
which they have paid for the last six years.
I say that this can be done without the least
detriment to any public interest. l can sit
down with any man or body of men who will
look at the subject with desire to do their
duty, and can point out in detail, speci6cal-
ly, item by item, the way in which this can
be done. ..r
If the Legislature, at its next session, will
cooperate with me, l undertake to say that
all our State taxation can be reduced below
one per cent. And now, who is there bold
enoug gh to stand up here tonight and say that
this ought not to be done? No man, no man,
dare avow such purpose. [Long applause
While hard times are pressing upon US,
while nearly every man who listens to me, or
lives in the State, is practicing economy, why
should this public extravaganza 60 on? 1t is
wrong that should be prevented, without
delay and without question, and what l say of
the State expenditures applies, l believe, with
equal truth to your county and city expendi-
lures. The time has come when the public
necessities should limit our public expendi-
lures, and not the insatiate demands of indi-
viduals or combinations of individuals, who
climbed into power to grow rich from the
public treasury.
The second great demand, have said, is an
honest and frugal expenditure of the funds
which the people contribute for public pur-
poses. If our taxes could not be reduced, the
grievance would be far less if the people
could feel that the taxes went to support pub
lie interests. If public improvements were
the result of heavy taxation, if our public in
showed the result Of liberal and
bountiful support, if our schools Aourished
under the generous bounty of the State, we
should be better able to endure the burden.
But what shall any honest man say Of all these
great public concernsp Who will show me
public improvements What is the condition
of our public institutions of charity or correc- /,
ton? What shall be, said of our public
schools? Our public moneys are largely
wasted, and that is worse even than the bur-
den of taxation. I
In conclusion, he said "The great results
of good government, are impartial admins
tration Of the law, an economical administra- /