The Manning times. [volume] (Manning, Clarendon County, S.C.) 1884-current, 1900-01-10

each other in battle fought shoulder to
shoulder for the flag.
What we are able to give is but pit
tance, but it helps and we should give it
cheerfully. Last year you appropriated
for pensions to Confederate soldiers and
widows of soldiers the sum OF SIoo,o 900. !
recommend like appropriation this year.
1t is important that this appropriation
should be expended and distributed wise
" and in such manner as TO meet the
intention of the appropriation. The Sc
lection of good, competent, and conscien-
tious township and county boards, men
who know the conditions and are ac-
quainted with the needs Of the applicants,
IS of very great importance. It's difficult
to get men to work without pay, and
while in this case it seems that good men
might be found who would be willing to
serve without compensation, suggest
that you consider the wisdom and advisa-
bility of allowing the members of the
county and township boards one dollar
per day for not exceeding two days for
this service
AS YOU will see from the report of the
Comptroller General, there were on the
pension roll the past year 7,G5S pension
ers. OF this number 2,eIo are widows of
soldiers The total amount disbursed in
pensions was sos, $3.50. The widows
were paid s5S,4I2 and the soldiers $780,
$3.50.
DIRECT TAX.
Under the provisions of the Act Of Con-
gress August 5, 1861, direct tax was I'M
posed upon the citizens Of the United
States, and part of it was apportioned to
and assessed upon the State of South Car
olina. Direct Tax Commissioners were
appointed to demonstrate this law. but at
that time no part of the State of South
Carolina was under Federal control. In
November, 1861, the whole of the parish
Of St. Helena, and all of that portion of
St. Luke's, which was composed of IS
lands, fell into the hands of Federal
forces, and the Direct Tax Commission
ers established themselves at that point,
and under the administration of the law
all of the property belonging to the citi-
zens OF those two parishes was sold and
bought by the United States, and resold
under the provisions of that Act, and Of
other Acts ameudatory thereto, and these
citizens were entirely divested of their
properties. Later upon the determination
OF the war portion of the direct tax as
sessed to the State of South Carolina was
collected in Charleston and III some other
lower counties of the State. The pro-
ceeds arising from the sale of the lands in
Beaufort went into the Treasury of the
United States under the different laws re-
lating thereto, and have been disposed of
bv the United States Government in &C
cordance with those laws.
A number of school farms, consisting
each Of I6o acres, carved out of the plan
tations entirely in St. Helena parish, were
reserved from the early sales, and leased
BY the Government, and rents collected
and separately kept, and at the close Of
the war the Government found itself in
possession of these school farms, OF num-
ber of houses and lots in the town of Beau
fort, and number of lots in what was
then known as Port Royal City, a myth
cal city sought to be laid out and estab-
lished by the Direct Tax Commissioners,
and which, though thoroughly laid out
and projected, failed to become city,
and is now part OF three plantations in
St. Helena parish.
By special enactment (Act of Congress,
July IS, 1865 it was directed that these
school farms, houses and lots in Beaufort,
and lots in the city of Port Royal on ST.
Helena Island, should be sold and the
proceeds invested in bonds of the United
States, and the interest used under direc-
ton of the Secretary Of the Treasury in
the support of schools, without distinc-
ton of color or race, on the islands in the
parishes of St. Helena and ST. Luke's
and by subsequent Act of Congress, ap-
proved March 5, 1878, it was directed that
in addition to these funds the rents de-
rived from the lots Of school farm lands
should be likewise invested in such bonds
of the United States, and all Of these
bonds retained by the Secretary of the
Treasury as a fund for the use and sup
port Of free public schools in the parishes
of St. Helena and St. Luke's, South Car
Dina, in equal parts, the interest Of
which should be annually expended to
increase the efficiency of any free public
schools established and sustained in said
parishes by authority of said State, ifsuch
school shall exist otherwise at the discre-
ton Of the commissioners herein named,
and special board of three commission
ers, directed to be appointed by the Secre-
tary Of the Treasury. removable at his
pleasure, each to receive salary of 500
pei year for his services in administering
this fund. The Act concludes with the
following statement: This Act shall be
subject to amendment or repeal at the
pleasure Of Congress"
From the proceeds of sales directed by
these Acts of property formerly belonging
to citizens Of Beaufort County there was
realized sum of money iu the neighbor-
hood Of SIS, 900, which money, in obedi
ence to these Acts, has been invested in
bonds of the United States, and these
bonds are now in the Treasury of the
United States, and the interest, though a
mere pittance, after the payment Of the
salaries OF three commissioners, is added
to the school fund for Beaufort County,
and continues to be SO applied to this
day.
An Act of Congress approved March ?,
1891, was passed to refund the money col
lected by the United States under Direct
Tax Acts, and a provision was made in
the 4th section OF that Act to make some
partial compensation to the citizens Of
Beaufort for the loss OF their lands and the
actual direct tax, with the penalty ard
interest, has been refunded to the citizens