The Pickens sentinel. [volume] (Pickens, S.C.) 1871-1903, 1876-08-17
PICKENS, s. O., THURSDAY, AUGUST IT, 1876

errors are now q present public ca
lamity, but they were never doubtful,
never Invisible. They were neces-
cary and inevitable, and were tore-
seen and depicted when the waves of
that fictitious prosperity ran highest.
In a speech made by mo on the
Oath of September, 1868, it wae said
Of these taxes: "They bear heavily
upon every mans income, upon every
industry and every business in the
country, and, year by year, they are
destined to press still moro heavily,
unless we arrest the system that
gives rise to them. 1t was comparae
lively easy when values wore doub-
ling, under repeated issues of legal
tender paper money, to pay, cut Of
the froth of our growing and ap-
parent wealth, these taxes; but when
values recede and sink toward their
natural scale, the tax gatherer takes
from us not only our income, not
only our profits, but also o portion of
our capital. | do not wish to exag,
gerate or alarm. l simply say that
we cannot afford the costly and ruin,
GUS policy of the Radical majority of
Congress-. We cannot afford that
policy towards the South. We cans
not afford the magnificent and OPP
pressive centralism into which our
government is being converted. We
cannot afford the present magnificent
scale of taxation" 10 the Secretary
OF the Treasury said early in 1865:
"Ihcro is no royal road for gov
ernment more than for an individual
or corporation. What you want to
do now is to cut down your expenses
and 1.-Two within your Income. | would
give up all the legcrdcmain of finance
and tinanciering, | would give the
whole Of it, for the old homely max
i'm, 'ive within your incomc.'" This
reform will be resisted at every stop,
but it must be pressed persislontly.
We see to day tho immediate re-
prcsentatives of the people in one
branch of Congress, while struggling
to reduce expenditures, compelled to
confront the menace of the Senate and
tue Executive, that unless the objec>
tionable appropriation be consented
TO, the operations of the government
Hereunder shall suffer detriment or
Cease. In my judgment an amend
ment of the Constitution ought to be
devised separating into distinct bills
the appropriations for the various do
partments of the public service, and
excluding from each bill all appro.
priations for other objects and all
independent legislation. In that way
alone can thereyisory power OF each of
the two houses and of the Executive be
preserved, and exempted from the
moral duross which often compels
assent to Objectionable appropriations
rather than stop the wheels OF gov
el nment.
An accessory cause, enhancing the
distress in business, 10, to be found in
tho systematic and insupportsble
ini0govornment imposed on the States
of the South. Besides the ordinary
effects OF ign GRANT and dishonest ad i.
ministration, it mas inflicted upon
them enormous issues of fraudulent
bonds, the scanty avails of which were
wasted or stolen, and the existence OF
which is a public discredit, tending
to bankruptcy, or reputation. Iaxcs,
generally oppressive, in some instan-
ces have confScated tho entire in
come of property and totally des-
troyed 1ts market value. 1t is i'm,
possible that those evils should not
react upon the prosperity of the
whole country.
1he nobler motives of humanity
concur with the material interests of
all, i'll requiring that overy obstacle
bc removed, and complete and du-
rable reconciliation be had between
kindred people, once unaturally es-
tranged, ON the basis, recognized by
the st. Louis platform, Of the Con-
stitution of the United States, with
its amendments, universally accepted
as final settlement of the cOntro-
yer6les which ongendored civil war.
But in aid of n result so beneficial,
the moral influence of every citizen,
as well as every governmental author
ity, ought to bc exerted, not alone to
maintain their just equality before
the law, but likewise to establish
cordi%l and fraternal good will among
cltiZcns, whatever thoir race or color,
who ara NOW nnitinn In thn an