Year: 1874

These figures do not include interest on the
public debt or the heavy expense incurred
by the military of the United States.


The statement that "it has been openly
avowed by prominent members of the Legis-
lature that the taxes should be increased to
point which will compel the sale of the great
body of the land and take it away from the
former owners" is not correct.


1t is, however, fact that the present sys-
tenn of taxation, like that of almost all civil
lied countries, is based chiefly upon real estate.
In the days of slavery, before the war, it was
not so. Taxes were levied by the large plant
ers, who absolutely controlled the State, upon
trades, professions, free colored persons, a
mere nominal per capita tax upon slaves, and
upon the lands assessed at one-tenth their true
value.


This method of taxing land enabled the
planters to acquire and retain large and un'
cultivated tracts of land, and thus form that
most dangerous of all oligarchies-a landed
aristocracy.


1t was from this class that secession and the
war sprung. Our present method Of taxation
very naturally and properly prevents the per-
petuation of this system, which is so repug-
nant to our Republican institutions.


1t is stated that "the fruit of this policy is
shown in the fact stated by the comptroller
general in his official report-that for default
in payment of taxes for the year 1872 alone
286, ,523 acres of land were forfeited to the
State, and this result proves the fallacy of the
belief that the policy pursued promotes the
elevation of the black population, and the ac-
quistion by them of the lands thus virtually
confscated."


We admit with regret, that it is fact that
there seems to be a combined determination
on the part of the owners of the land to per-
init their uncultivated and unproductive
lands to be forfeited to the State for the non-
payment of taxes rather than sell them to the
colored people. They seem resolved to pre-
vent the colored people from becoming land
owners unless they car control their labor
and political opinions. The colored men have
aborcd long and faithfully, and with but lit
tie remuneration, and have produced as large
crops since the war as any year previous, as is
shown in the statistics and admitted by all
and yet the land holders of the State are not
satisfied unless they can reduce them to a con-
dtion of serfdom or virtual slavery, and con-
troll their labor.


The assessment of property in some coun-
ties of the State has given rise to complaints
and been considered excessive. There is
prompt and complete remedy for all unjust
assessments that may have been made by sub
ordinate officers The comptroller-g general and
the Legislature have politely and patiently
listened to the representations made by those
who consider themselves aggrieved thereby,
and Immediately corrected the wrong where
it has been shown to be such, as is seen in the
case of the county of Marion, that has peti-
toned the Legislature and comptroller-gener-
al for relief.


The debt of the State under the Republican
administration that controlled the State from
1868 10 1872 has been increased from S5,000,-
900 to s16OO00OO, but S6,0OO,OOO of that
amount has been declared by the present leg
isature to have been issued by the officer who
had the matter in charge, without authority
of law, and has, therefore been pronounced
Illegal This leaves the unquestionably valid
debt at 100000. Of this amount So, 5,000,-
900 were issued by the Democrats, and S.
100000 by the Republicans who were in pow.
er from 1868 to 1872 But of the amount
issued by the Republicans, they are only re-
sponsible for s1,7O0,OOO, issued for the "relief
of the treasury" and the "land commission"
The remaining $S,300,000 were issued to pay
the past due interest on the debt that had &C.