The weekly Union times. [volume] (Union C.H., South Carolina) 1871-1894, 1886-01-22
Tho Legislature Again.

"Our acts our angels are, be they good or i'll,
They are the shadows that stand by us STILL"
The recussncy and recrsancy of the last Cen
eral Assembly to tho organic law Of the State,
on one hand, and the establishment on the
other Of unauthorized construction, will shad-
ow its acts for generations to come: it will be
obronicled dark era in our history. 1t has
made sons Of Hagar of the tax payers, by de-
nying their inh nheritance-representaticn before
taxation. II hns conferred upon another class
the privilege of entering and enjoying the pub
lie Treasury as their own convenient wants
may require, and thus establishing socialist,
and agrariau demands upon tho tax payers,
without law or Limitation, and fastening upon
public bounty an unlimited number Of consum-
ers Of the fruits Of the public industries. Such
practice marked the era of the beginning Of
'he end Of the greatest Republic memorialised
in the annals of the world. When ambitious
and aspiring and designing leaders of parties
commenced supplying their followers with
corn from the public granaries, then indivi idual
energy, and activity, and enterprise began to
sink into slothfulness, and ijlen ess, and depen-
dence, and the lofty Roman saw his world-re-
nowned and unbonnded Republic-whose citi-
zenship was guarantee and passport among
every other people-begin to relax her disci-
plnc and by degrees 10 receive and wear in 81
lent misery, those very chains which she had
laboriousy linked for others of every surround
ing country for centuries before. Now only
magnificent remains Of the arts and architect-
ure ofthat wondrous people, which the eloquence
of Cicero, nor the dagger Of Brutus, though
sxerted for tho freedom of Rome and the world,
could not save.
There is but one saving element which may
rescue us in this beginning of the recreancy of
our lcaders-it is that powerful and conserv-
ative element of our country, the farmers and
m cchanics, ifthey would and could only unite
and speak in one loud tone to these reckless
spoilers-no further.
In addition to the above aud before men,
toned admitted wrongs and mischiefs, would
mention emission to do, by the General Assem-
bly,, what they ought to have done.
First, the reduction of the rate Of interest on
money to seven cr-cent, and providing to have
but one rate Of interest for all, and operating
equally upon all--equality being the basis of
our system and guaranteed in our organic law
everywhere.
Secondly, q great reduction of the number
Of paid ofice-holders. This has been pledged
in every democratic platform since our govern
ment was restored under Wallace.
Thirdly, great reduction Of taxes especially
on land, and-the establishment Of an intelligent
system Of land taxation. The present system
is carricious. unfair, and factuating. Hun
dreds of thousands of acres of land are not
taxed at all, because they have passed to the
forfeited list, and that list is continually grow
ing. while the amount Of taxes on property in
| creases from year to year. 1t is within my
memory that the whole Of the taxes of this
| county amounted 10 but little over five thous.
and dollars they now exceed fifty thousand
dollars, and the cry is more ! more !! while the
ability to pay At the former period wss much
Fourthly, the condition of the roads should
have been regarded aud mproved-especiaily
| the ores from West Spring and Cross Anchor,
and from rinskney and Worthys Ferry to
| Union.
These grave acts Of omission and commissi on
by the last General Assembly, justify the re-
'~'" '''"NS ~ ib0 III NY HTSt COmmu-
| nication, and the statements which have made
In reference to them in my second and third.
The endorsements which have been given them
by various presses in the State, some of which
have never before heard the names of, only q
single one to my knowledge being in disap-
proval, all confirm my opinion of their truth
and justice, and they comfort me.
Other tongues are speaking and other pens
writing on these subjects, pointing to wrongs
and remedies, and one address was made at
Clarendon, by d. II. Tillman and published in
the Ners and Courier Of the 18th, which I
would particularixe rs containing q strong
plain indictment against present abuses, and
an appeal, which think impressive, to that
powerful, but apaihetic class Of our State which
disposes Of the veal, and has fixed many q woe
by its supineness and torpid indifference to
our situation.
may trouble you again by an appeal, in
the nome Of duty and self preservation to that
class, to whose interest and welfare my life has
been devoted. B. II. RICE.
DR.. DANIEL DEcLISEs.-Memphis, Tenn,
January l6.-Some time ago the First Presby-
terian Church Of Columbia, s. c., extended q
call to the Rev. DR.. Eugene Daniel, one of the
L. H. IL