The Abbeville press and banner. [volume] (Abbeville, S.C.) 1869-1924, 1885-12-02


Fanatical Zealots on the Subject Of
Negro Education. Attention.
The attention of all lunatics, ungratcful Cit
liens, and those who sincerely believe In the
contiscation of one mans property that an
other may employ literary cotton choppers, is
requested to the message of Governor Hugh
S. Thompson, to the General Assembly of
South Carolina now in session at Columbia.
AS q companion piece to that document we
would also request the especial ard prayertul
attention Of the above mentioned classes OF
our citizens to the pronupciamento which
has Just been issued by five negroes III
Charleston, so.callcd preachers, but who are
in reality, only vile negro politicians of the
mcanest typ ACKNOWLEDGMENT says that
we now pay half a million dollars annually
for public schools. He also says that this fund
Is distributed between 7S,45S white children,
and 99, 565 negro children. He also says:
81 heartily endorse the appeal of the Super.
intendent for prompt remedial measures ana
1 would recommend for your consideration
the propriety of levy1ng. for The fscal year
1886, f0ur mills and a double poll tao for Inc
support of the public schools; one-half the
proceeds of which shall be applied to the eX-
penScs of the school year lSS5-S6,. anu the OH
er half to the school year 1861"
In other words Governor Thompson recon-
mends the levy of a tax for schools Of one
million dollars for next year. Does this prop
osition meet with favor from the already en-
cessively burdcned taxpayers? Do they not
see that the taxes are crawling up every year?
Do they not see that they arc called upon to
shoulder every conceivable burden, from the
education Of the negro to the building OF rail-
roads? Shall the politicians go on forever con-
fiscating our property?
Some of our people seem to be deep
~ impressed with the necessity of ed
ucating our natural born political enemies
who have never neglected to improve any OPP
portunity to swear against us in Court, ara
who have under the guise of hypocritical re-
ligion in the pulpit, maligned, misrcprcsent-
ed and slanderel US at home and abroad on
every occasion.
The mystery of our trucking to the Negro
that Northern sentiment may be Modified a;
that ::i,ic confscation Of the white mans prop.
erty for the education of the negro may Lc
promoted, is still further mystcfied when we
turn to our own soldiers and comrades In
arms. IL Will uOG w lOISoGlcI ludI tLiC "
ernor recommends the levy of a tax Of a mil
lion of dollars for the public schools of the
State, over one half of which goes to
the negro. Here is what he says when he re-
fers to his old soldiers in the war; the follow
ers of Lee and Jackson, the veterans of John
ston and Bcauregard:
"Many applications for aid have been re-
ccivcd from soldiers who have suffered inlu-
ries seriously affecting their health, but ior
whose relief no provision is made by law
The Comptroller-General recommends that
$4,000 he appropriated annually for pensions
to disabled soldiers and sailors, each benef-
ciary to receive $50, unless the aura Der eX-
ccedS 1000, in which case the amount Shall be
divided equally among them. l have no In.
formation as to the number of soldiers and
sailors who would be entitled to receive this
aid, and l am unable, therefore, to say whetll-
er the sum proposed would be sufficient to az
ford any substantial relief; but The matter
we'll deserves consideration by the General
Ass lem hSr Nh line ira i Iom.e &c can ,he T hra ye men 1u.rS Who he
in obedience to her call, have suffered pcrina-
ncnt injury in health or i'll limb; but she
should contribute, If possible, to the allevia-
ton of the wants OF such of them as are with
ont the means of support, and are ncapacl
tated for manua labor by reason Of disabili-
ties incurred in the discharge OF duty"
MOI much carnestness In that. He is not
we'll informed on this question. He does not
know how many Of our old soldiers are cold
and hungry, but he knows exactly how many
negro children there are in the public schools.
He is very earnest in having an additional
quarter Of q million levied for the negroes.
tic says the recommendation Of the Comp
trollcr- General to make an appropriation OF
$4,000 for disabled soldiers observes consid-
eration." This must indeed be gratifying to
his old soldiers, whom he proposes to assess a
half million of dollars for negro schools.
The whole tenor Of the Governors message
is to 60 deeper Ito the pockets Of the people.
lie seems to be especially generous in recon-
mendations for appropriations. He wants
more money for the canal. He wants more
money to build magnificent structures for the
accommodation Of convlcts, instead of rec.
ommending the purchase Of tents and asking
for authority to put them to work on the pub
lie highways. He wants more Circuit Judges
and more Solicitors. He wants a double tax
for public schools. In fact, the whole mes
sage seems to be taken up with recommends
lions for the appropriation Of the peoples
money.