The Abbeville press and banner. [volume] (Abbeville, S.C.) 1869-1924, 1878-10-16

cd effort to resist tyranny and opprcs-
sion from whatever source.
We are not informed whether the gen.
tlcmcn made any effort to ascertain the
! true raiuc Of our lands or whether they
acted from inspiration. They certainly
did not act from personal knowledge.
BE this rs it may, however we can show
facts in q few figures, which will satisfy
every impartial mind of the great error
the Board have fallen into and Of the
great wrong they have inflicted upon
the honest people Of .Abbcrillc County.
| We will mention the sales on three OF the
most important Sale DayS--onc in l''6'
ono in 1877 and one i'll 1873, when the
largest sales were made, which, we be-
lievc, will be sufficient to carry convic-
ton.
On Sale Day in October, 1876, the olh-
GERS of the Court sold 1924 acres, and
executors, &c, sold +,&'3 acres, making 4
total of 6,451 acres, i'll Is tracts. The total
amount received for these lands was
81, 942.O 90, or nearly Sl.S5 al acre.
On Sale Day in. December, 1877, 5,52j
acres, in 20 tracts, were exposed to sale,
realizing ST., H. 90 or al average of S2.lS
an acre.
On Sale Day in January, 1878, 3,42l
acres, in II tracts, were sold for $500. or
S2.4Sl cents an acre.
Or, on the three Sale Days 15,4o3 acres
were sold for s35,3Sl, at al average Of
600; al acre.
The lands in each instance embraced
| valuable tracts near -Abbcvillc Court
| House, as we'll as some of the best farm
ing lands in various sections of the
County.
From the above, it will require noSolo-
man to sec at a glance that our land-own-
crs themselves have put a fictitious price
on their own lands, largely in excess
of the true money ratur.
The Act to reduce all Acts and parts of
| Acts providing for the Assessment ana
Taxation of Property into one Act, ana
to amend the same, Section 10, Sa,ys:".\ll
real and personal property shall he val
'.ucd for taxatian at its true value in
.smonev. which, in all cases not 9TH
.'erwise specially provided for in this Act
'shaN be held to DC the usnat selling price
"of similar property at the place ~hcrc
she return is to DC made"
1.-THE DemocraticS State Board Of Equal
| iZation can harmonic S5.l0 an acre with
the above law and with the figures given
above, VIC would like to sec them do it.
From our W stand point, We arc clear
" of opinion that these gentlemen have
| exceeded their authority and violatcdthis
law in assuming to raise our assessment
to more than double ''hc usual selling
price,"
We have shown the assessment as
made by our own people; We have shown
1.-THE usual selling price," VIC have shown
the assessment made by the Democratic
Board of Equalization; we have shown
the law on the subject. Form your own
conclusions.
We shall pass unnoticcd their unblush-
ing disregard Of law when they declare
that no lands shall be rated below three
dollars an acre. If they are to
the office Of Dictator end perform acts
detrimental to our people, contrary to the
express provision of law, We arc unable
to do the subject justice.
This is 4 grave matter which deeply
concerns every citizen, not only ON ac-
count of the large amount involved, but
also on account of that which is dearer to
us-our rights. Our ancestors would mo-
submit to Il trifling tax on their tea.
Will their sons submit to an excessive
and arbitrary tax on their very hearth
stones? Will our people, (too poor to
pay three hundred dollars a year to sup
port the State University at which u
poor young men may be cdncatcd,) viii
lingly submit to the dictum Of The State
Board of Equalization, who would cX-
tort from us annually eight thousand dol
lars more than our share of the State
taxes? We pause for Il reply.