Year: 1872

lection, about two cents on the dollar. This
tax will cripple the industry and retard the
growth of the State in every respect


Capitalists will not come here and invest
their money, and the citizens of this State
who have got money will be compelled to
leave, as their property will not be remunera-
tive under such heavy taxation. Not only
will the property holders feel it, but every
poor man will feel it. He will have to pay
higher for the rent of his house, more for eve
ry article of food that he consumes, and will
receive less price for his labor. To illus
trate to you how this tax affects the poor man,
1 will repeat to you a conversation that l
heard upon the cars. One gentleman-l
think he was from Winnsboro- said to anoth'
e., "the taxation is enormous, and l cannot
stand it. I cannot carry on my business,
meet my obligations and support my family"
The other gentleman replied, "it's all easy
enough; will tell you how do it. I will
make the damn niggers pay it. Last year
paid them seventy-fve cents day for their
labor. This year I will not pay them but ff-
ty and if the State government increases the
taxes next year, I will not pay them but twen-
ty-fve cents day" .....


Now, my friends, this illustrates the situa-
ton exactly. If the property holders Of this
State are heavily taxed, they cannot afford to
pay the laboring men so large prices for their
labor. Thus, all of you are Immediately and
vitality affected by the terrible burden of tax
alton, which has been heaped upon you BY
the misconduct of our State officers. But l
must pass on.


THE PUBLIC SCHOOLS.


Another, and, in my judgment, quite as se-
rious result from this financial mismanage-
ment, has happened to the people of this State.
In 1869, the Legislature adopted thorough
and extensive common school system by which
it was intended to reach every child in the
State, and furnish him or her with the means
of education. The working of the whole
school system has been paralyzed for the want
of funds to carry it on. Teachers who, in
good faith, engaged in teaching, were unpaid,
and had to be discharged. Our schools have
dwindled, the education of our children is
neglected, and we are to-day scarcely any
further advanced in education than we were
in 1869.


Thus, fellow-citizens, civilization itself and
the elevation of the colored race Of this State
is retarded by the misappropriation of funds
of the State by our public servants. This Is
q loss that we cannot estimate. 1t is loss to
be felt for years to come. In this particular
department of the State government the Re-
publican party specially prided itself. 1t was
made the theme of our speeches four years
ago, and then two years ago, that intelligence
was to be disseminated everywhere, and the
people educated and elevated. But l say to
you to-day, and say it with shame for the
Republican party of the State, that all of these
promises and these just hopes and expecta-
tions are disappointed. Not that the Repub'
lcan party, as whole, did not desire it, but
because the means provided for these ends
have been diverted to other channels, and our
institutions oflearning are left to dwindle and
die from starvation.


OUR PRESENT EMBARRAssMENTs.


At this moment we are in the most deplor-
able condition. There is said to be no money
in the Treasury, although nearly one million
dollars of taxes have been collected since JAN
uary last Nearly all our public officers are
unpaid, and our various institutions for the
insane, deaf, dumb and blind, and even our
ponitentiary, are suffering for the necessary
means to sustain them. All drafts upon the
public Treasury are dishonored. Ilearn that
even the quarantine upon our coast, unless
aided from other sources than the State Treas
ury, must be broken up, and our people left
exposed to many foreign and malignant dis
eases.


But, fellow.citizens, I fear I have wearied
you already. (Cries of "Go on. Go on!
T am certain that I have exhausted myself
have given you but an outline of the conduct
of our State officers during the last four years.
There is an infnity of detail that I have been
unable to mention for lack of time. I have
said enough to show you that we must have
change at Columbia. As I said i'll the outset,
it has given me great pain to speak of these
men as I have been compelled to speak. But
the truth must be told, in order that change
for the better may come. am no candidate
for office myself, but I call upon you, I call
upon all the good men of this States, of every
class and condition, white and colored, to
rouse themselves and effect change in the
management of our State affairs. I call espe-
cially upon the Republican party, Of which 1
have been member since its organization be-
fore the war, to purge and purify itself Let
no personal considerations, no personal at
tachments, no preferences, control you, but
unite upon honest and capable men for office.


This is the only way out Of our present en-
barrassment. Let all unfaithful, dishonest
public servants be driven from every place of
power let honest men come to the front, and
let US do what we can to redeem ourselves.
If this is done we can safely predict long
career of prosperity and happiness to the
people of South Carolina. If we cannot do
this, but the same set of men are to be re-
tanned at Columbia that have mismanaged
our affairs for the past four years, then say
to you with anguish more than can express,
"God help the people Of South Carolina" !"
[Long, continued applause


From the Detroit Free Press.


THE HISTORY OF GOV. SCOTT OF s. G.
LETTER FROM EX-ATToRNEY.GENERAL


A. WILLIAMS.