The news and herald. (Winnsboro, S.C.) 1877-1900, 1878-04-11
A MEASURE OF JUSTICE.
PROPOSED RELIEF FOR THE SCR
FER ERS RYTHE "DTRI;CT TfI."

A Bill In Congress to Reimburse the
Coast Planters for Property Wrong
fully Takon from Them During the
War Tho Action of Congrussnan
Aiken and Senator Butlcr.
The Washington correspondent
Of the Charleston No,ys u,eI C0uri>
er, writing under date Of April 2,
says:
On the 22d Of Novcmb CT last Mr..
Hunter, of Virginia, introduced "a
bill for the relief Of owners and
purchasers of land sold for direct
taxes in tic insrrrectionary States. ~
Possibly littlo explanation is
necessary just here.
On the 5th Of August, 1861, Con
gross passed al act to provide in
creased revenue from imports to
pay interest upon the public debt
and for other purposes, and levied
a direct tax of S20,000,OO0 per
annum to be apportioncd among
tho several States and Territories
of the United States, including the
District Of Columbia, and each
State and Territory being advised
of It's pro rutu, it was allowed to
collect that amount. The States
that were in rebellion and could
not be reached at the time were
advised that the levy would be
collected rs soon as tho United
States Government assiimed or
recovered control Of the same.
Under the provisions Of this act
commissioners wore appointed, who
proceeded at the earliest practicable
moment to institute the levy and
collect tho tax, and wherever lands
were deserted or abandoned by
their former owners they were at
once seized upon by the govern
ment, through these commissioners,
and sold to the highest bidder, the
government, however, requiring
that all lands that did not bring
ten dollars per acre should be bid
in by the commissioner and hold as
property belonging to the govern ;
ment. In many instances tho sales
of the lands were SO excessive that
the amounts received were vastly in
excess of the levy.
The entire amount demanded of
! Virginia, South Carolina, Florida
and Tennessee amounted to only
about $G90,000, and yet the sales of
the lands of our scacoast, the only
portion Of the State at that time
within the reach Of tho government,
amounted to $370,00O, or more
than half of the entire amount de-
mandcd Of these four States.
Thousands Of acres Of this land
that were bought in by the govern
ment at OF below $40 per acre were
by order of Congress subsequently
sold to freedmen ut tho old govern
ment price of territorial lands, to
wit, $l.25 per acre. Congressional
Legislation, however, from time to
time allowed the original owners
to come forward u propri0 persona,
(and not othcrwise) and redeem
these lands by paying the taxes. In
South Carolina thousands could
not, would not, and never did, come
forward and redeem their lands
In the other States many original
owners did do so, after ther lands
had been sold as government prop
erty to freedmen. Tho question
then arose, whose property was it?
The freedmen had bought tho lands
under the law; the original owne,
under the subsequent or prior law
had come forward and claimed his
property by complying with the
law. Thon who wore to bo the final
owners?
The States of Arkansas, Tonnes
see and Virginia have reclaimed
over 100000 worth Of their lands,
by the owners appearing, in person,
paying the taxes, and getting pos
session of their property. South
Carolina to date has reclaimed little
or nothing.
Last week Mr.. Aiken introduced
q resolution authorizing and in
structing the judiciary committee to
inquire into this matter, and enl-
powering them to send for persons
and papers, in order that the whole
m q tta1, 1ninht ha lnil intallinantlu Y