University of South Carolina Libraries
COLUMBIA, S. d Friday Morning, February 27,1874. A Suspicions Family Arrangement. Those who have kept the ran of affairs in the Legialatnre may remember the introduction of a favorable report, on the 13th inst., by Mr. Whittemore, from the Finanoe Committee, on a bill to make appropriation to pay churns held in trust, to the amonnt of $215,000, by J. Woodruff and A. O. JoneB, against the State. The bill provides that tbey shall be paid out of the taxes to be levied aud collected for the fiscal year commencing November 1, 1871. The report was accompanied by no specifi? cations whatever, an to - persons to whom the claims are doe, the considera? tion, the amonnt, the date, or any other particular concerning tbem. There was great surprise felt and expressod at tbiB doubtful mode of proceeding. The bill coming up subsequently as a special order, it was recommitted, with instruc? tions'to bring in a list of the claim?, with all necessary specifications. It came up, yesterday, as a part of the nn fioished business of the day before, ac? companied by tho following meagre statement: List of Claims Pbesented.?Noa. 11 to 783, House of Representatives, $115, 001.18; Nos. 5 to 45, Special Joint Com? mittee, $15,718; Nos. ?, ?enate, $42, 335.08; bdls payable, $11,945.74. Total, 3215,000. Mr. Donaldson characterized it as an insult to the intelligence of the Senate, and moved to strike out the enacting claase of tbe bill. Smalls was not in favor of striking oat, but coald not vote for the bill as now presented. It looked deaidedly fisby. There was no certainty that there were not included in it claims which had been already paid, and it was pat oat of the power of aay one to de? tect it, if saob was the case. The pre? sentation of Booh a paper from the Fioanae Committee, if that was tbe one from which it came, was cause sufficient to discharge it, as un?fc for its duties, jffe bad claims himself included in the bill, and was not afraid to have them seen. Nasb said be knew that pay cer? tificates, running from 11 to 783, could not be dae; some of tbem mast have been paid. Jeter was for striking oat the enacting olanse. The whole matter is uncertain, and smaoks of fraud. It ia u otep -srhioh wo nro called upon to take in the dark. Cain considered it a home matter, as had been said by the member from Georgetown, when it was first introduced. He said that be held no olaim of bis own, but bad some in charge which ought to be paid. Gail lard argued that the Republican Print? ing Company bad got frightened at the hue and cry against them, and hud con? cluded to cat matters short. Besides, they had oeeu nnrrie?, and iiu? uul had time. The Legislature took a recoaa of several duys, and persons interested were absent. He was ready to pay tbe claims now, and against striking out the enacting clause. Mr. Duncan urged that tbe Sonate has, by a large majority, ordered these claims to be minutely specified, and this is tho poor answer. It bad been said that there are thousands of fraudu? lent bills payable. Tbey are hawked about tbe Htroots. It was necessary that every Senator should see what was pre? sented, and guard himself against impo? sition. Who knows that tbey are genu? ine? He would not obarge that there was any thing wrong, but this bit of paper is enough to arouse suspicion. Tbe excuse of the Senator from Charles? ton, os to laok of timo and opportunity for the oommittee to get and submit fall iaformation, was of a piece with the list itself. There had been no urgency, uo hurry in the matter. This paper is tantamount to a refusal of information. Tbe plain English of it is, that those who are interested do not mean to fur? nish it. He could not understand why any Senator, with a legitimate oluim, should want -a trustee, and if a trustee is employed, be ought to be compelled to make tho same showing that tbe principal should. Mr. Jones believed in taking caro of one's self. Other cluims had gone through easily; there waB no reason or justice that this one should have a harder road to travel. Mr. Hope said that other claims bad been ordered to be paid, without requiring minute statements. Hd bad no reason to doubt that these olaims aro legitimate, and would vote ugaiust tho motion to strike out. It was thon put to a vote, and the mo? tion was lost, there being ayes 10, nays 18. Mr. Smalls next moved to reoora mit, with order to print tbe olaims in full. Mr. Molntyre moved indefluito postponement of tho motion, and it was passed by 14 ayes to 13 nays. The bill being then beforo tbe Senate, Mr. Maxwell said he was ready to vote half a million, if fdiown to be dae. Bat be woald not take this leap in tbe dark. Mr. Cardozo moved to poetpooe further oousideratiou until Monday, and mean while to have tho claims and accounts printed. Mr. Nash stated that the friends of tho measure had promised to exhibit every thing on tbo third reading. With that understanding, be was willing to vote for tbe bill. Upon being pat on its passage, tbe bill pasaed by the follow? ing vote: Yeas 18, nays 9. Yeas?Mosers. Andrews, Cain, Clin? ton, Corwin, Gaillard, Holliuahoad,| Hope, Jervey, Johnston, JoneB, Loo, Martin, Mclntyre, Nash, Owens, C. Smith, J. M. Smith, Whittemore?18 Nays?Messrs. Cardozo, Dioksou, Donaldson, Duncan, Duvall, Holoombe, Jeter, Keitb, "8mallBrWilson?9. In the platform of tbe party now in obarge of tbe State Government, it was solemnly pledged to tbe people that tbey would entertain no claim to which j tbe least shadow of suspicion could at ' taob. Charges of corruption have been freely made on all bands, in and out of tho State, by Republican speakers and' writers, as well as by Conservatives.! These bavo been so stoutly contradicted, ; that some weak and unthinking people' have hesitated to credit tbom to tho full extent. Recently, in view of tbo heavy! indictments in tho Northern journals,' and by Republicans in Congress, and. repeated all over tbe couutry, and eBpe-j oially emphasized by Republicans in; this State, and held up as warnings and! arguments for better behavior and more1 decent and honest legislation, there have been pat forth at the same time! strong denials of guilt and abundant promises of amendment. The Tax-! Payers' Convention, which a few days' ago took action in tbe interest of good, and pare govern moot, and sent forth! publications to tbe world, picturing bat! faintly tbe profligacy and wantonaees! of the present administration, has been roundly abused as having exaggerated tbe true condition of affairs. But what'; in all its proceedings?what in tbe cen-' sures of tbe New York press?what in' tbe pictures of tbo evils which exist here, to be found in Mr. Pikw's book? what in tbe denunciations uttered at, Washington or elsewhere, can compare witb Bach a monstrosity as the Senate of' South Carolina brought forth ycdter-: day? Wo wonld rather praise than; I blame. Wo desire always to be just. We like to bo forbearing. Only yesterday, wo had some words of commendation for the action upon the. Marion oomplaint. We believe there' arc some Ropnblicans who wish to do! right from their point of view, and; others who are very much and justly alarmed. But there uro others?and enough, it seems, to c .rry even tho most atrocious meut>uros, if they but have money in them?who havo no idea of fair and honorable doaliug, uud who prefer present und immediate emolu SiCHtS f Jr t?C222Cl?C3 *" nnv m.-\t\ nf t.\\a country, or of their own party ovo?, or to auy sense of juatico or houor. The disonse is too deep-seated for cure. Thuir tendency is downward, and down they must go to disgrace and destruc? tion. We are surprised that tbo Repub? lican Printing Company, which already has such a load of obloquy to bear, should tamely consent, in this crisis of tbeir fate, to take on additional burthens of shame, and mostly, wo suppose, for others, who are afraid to shoulder thorn themselves. It is tim : rather, in the popular phrase, to "unload." Certain it is, that the transaction of yesterday is without a shadow of excuse or justifica? tion, und will stick, like tho spirit of Ncssus, to all who were engaged in it. $215,000 of tbe people's hard-earned money voted away, and not a single ac? count rendered, not a word of satisfac? tory explanation uttered! Tho boot claims in tbe world, passed with such marks of fraud and trickery, would stink in tbo nostrils of all decent and honest people. This transaction, if consummated, as seems likely, ought to be incorporated us an appendix to tbe address to tbe people of tbe State, or in tbo memorial to Congress from the Tax-Payers' Con? vention. It is a thing whose enormity all can understand. It is u corollary worth a hundred arguments, however strong they may be. Reply to tlie Memerlul of the Tax Payer*' Convention. * Tbe following is tbe reply of tbe Stato Central Republican Committee to the memorial of tbe Tux-Payers' Conven? tion to Congress: To the Honorable the Senate and House of Representatives of the United States? Certain oitizens of South Carolina, styl? ing themselves "The Tax-Payers' Con? vention," having memorialized yoar honorable bodies to grant tbem reliei from unjust burdens and oppressions, alleged by tbem to have been imposed by tbe Republican State Government, we, tbe undersigned, members of the i State Central Committee of tbe Union Republican Party of South Carolina, i beg leave moat respectfully to submit to yoar honorable bodies the following 1 coaoter-atatement and reply thereto: Tbo memorialists of tbe Tax-Payers' Convention state "that upon tbe re* i ooastrnotion of tbe State-government i * * * it was intended by Congress * * * that tbey would become par? takers of tbe rigbts enjoyed by oitizons of tbe United States and other State go? vernments. Tbe memorialists have only then selvos to blame that the intention of Congress in this ro^poot was not carried oat. Tho Republicans of this State earnestly invited tbem at that time to aid by their intelligence and experience in tbe work of reconstruction, but they contemptuously declined, assigning the same reasons that wire afterwards given by General Wudo Hampton, in tho Democratic National Convention of 1863?that tbo reconstruction Act? woro unconstitutional, null and void. They then relied upon tbe promise of Qen. Blair, tbo] Democratic candidate for Vice-President, that be would overturn them with tbe sword. Tho statement that "tbe auuual expenses of tho go? vernment have advanced from SiOO.UOt) boforo tho war to ?2 000,?.01) at the pro seut time," is entirely incorrect, und the items of expenditures giveu to illustrate and prove this statement, are wholly in? accurate and untrue and skilfully select? ed to deceive Tho your 18G5-GG is given iu auch a mnuuer ns to convey the impression that tbe expenditures under its bend arc for two years, especially wbon 1873 only is giveu at the head of tbo other column, so as to show that it is unquestionably for ono year. Why was not 1872-73 given to corrospond with 1865-66? In tho ucxt place, the appropriations and expenditures of 1865-GG, ander the Pro? visional Government established by cx President Johnson, uro no criterion whatever of the regular annual expenses of this State Government before tho war. That was tbe year immediately after tbe war, wheu tbere was an unset? tled and chaotic condition of things, and tbe expenses of tbe State Govern? ment were, therefore, exceedingly light. Tbe presence und supervision of the military nlao relieved the State of a large portion of her usual regular ex? penses. The items of expenditures given for 1873, are totally and wholly incorrect. The period alluded to is evidently the tiecal year beginning November 1, 1872, and ending October 31, 1873. At tbe beginning of that fiscal year, tbe pro sent administration came into power. The previous odmiuistration left debts of two or three previous years, amount? ing to 31,233,096, which tho present ad? ministration bad to provide for, iu addi? tion to their own regular uuuual ex? penses. These annual expenses dunng tho fiscal year above referred to, were, as shown by tho appropriations, $1,184, 376, which, with the deficiencies of $1,233,996, made a sum of $2,418,872, which tho present administration was called upon to pay duriug the fiscal year 1872-73. Of this amount, $1,719,728. 37 was paid, leaving a balance of $ti'J9, 143.63 unpaid. We present n true statement of the appropriation of the fiscal year before the war, boginuing October 1, 1859, und ending September 30, 1860, and tho iisoal year begiuuiug November 1, 1372, and ending October 31, 1873, that are properly chargeable to those respective tiscal years: 1139-00. 1872-73. Salario?.f 81.IUI) $191,989 Contingents. 7J.0U0 47 ODD iFroo .Schools. 75.U?0 809,000 Idtato Normal Suhool. 8,704 25,000 Uoar, uumo auu ?iiu?... 3 ?SS 15,999 Jafiitary Academies.._ !H> 0(H) Military Comiugencieti. . 1?U.??0 20 000 B?per Hospital. ;t,ouo Siatu Luuatic Aaylum_ 77,500 Normal and High Bohool, 5.000 I Jurors and Countable*.... 00,000 Stato Orphan Avvlum, col. 20.000 'Stato Penitentiary. 40.000 Sundries.".. 131.427 444,787 $018,231 $1,184,870 1 Remember that tbe appropriation of 1850 60 represents gold value. By tbe census of 1860, there were iu South Ca? rolina at that time 301,214 freo papula lion and 402,406 slaves. By the census of 1870, there woro 705,606 freo popula? tion. Now, "romember,", in t?e elo? quent language of another," that in '00, 402,4'J6 souls now a part of our body politic, votera amenable to our laws, tho cost ot governing whom is now chargea? ble to the government of our State, were 'in I860 chattels, merchandise, with not one civil or natural right which white ? men were bound to respect, In 1861), the slave was no charge on the State go? vernment, save when ha was hung lor soroo petty misdemeanor ami tho Statu compelled to pay his loss." It would be, therefore, but. just and proper to di? vido the amount appropriated iu 1850-60, viz: $618,231, by tbe then froe popula? tion, 301,214, and it will be fouud that the cost of governing each citizen was $2 05; and then divide the amount ap? propriated in 1872-3 by tbe freo popula? tion now, viz: 705,606, and it will bo found that the cost of governing oacb citizen is$1.67?$2.05 in 1850 0U, during boasted Democratic period, and $1.67 in 1872-3, under tbe so-called corrupt Ra? dical rule?a difference of 38 cunts per leapita in favor of tbe latter. So that if 'the Democrats had the same number nf ;freo citizens to govern iu 1859 GO, that the Republicans bad in 18/2 3, it would Juave aost tbem $261,616.30 more than it has cost us. 1 Tho State having been organized upon a free basis, necessarily created a lurge luumber of officers, and, therefore, a /larger amount of salaries. Wo are not jashumud of tbe fact that our appropria? tion for schools in 1872-73 is four times greater than in 1859-60. Ignorance was jibe corner-stone of slavery, aud essen? tial to its perpetuity, but knowledge pre 1 vents tho existence of that "sum of all villainies." Now in every hamlet and village of our State tbe "school-master Jis abroad." In 1857 the nnruber of Jsoholars attending tbe freo schools was {only 19,356, while in 1873 tbo number i of scholars attending the aohpols was - 85,753, (of which 87,218 were white, 46,535 colored.) It will also be observed ' that there were no appropriations for the State Lunatic Asylum and Peuiton- \ tiary iu 1850-60. The Lunatio Asylum i was then supported by the friends of its wealthy inmates and tho Counties. 1 Bot in 1872-73 this was found to impair ( khe-effloienoy of the institution, aud the < State assumed its support and made I liberal appropriation for its unfortunate ' pationtB. The erection of tho Peuiton- , tiary was not begun until after the war, 1 and there was, therefore, no appropria- i tion for it in 1850-60. Tho appropria- 1 tion in 1872-73 for military purposos ( was but $20,000 Wo had no occasion , to appropriate $130,000 for military i noademies and contingencies, in order : to furnish nurseries to train tho young : to strike at the nation's life and to pur? chase material for tho war of secession. There was no appropriation iu 1859-60 for a colored Stato orphau house. The colored orphans that were then uucurod for wero freu, but '.heir parents, when living, were heavily taxed tc jupport white orphans, while their own children, , after their death, were ncgleoted. To dhnw the unjust and adroit manner iu which tho statement of expenditures hue been manipulated by the memorial isls of the Tax-Puyoru' Convention for ] their purposes ol deception, wo furnish a ntatumeut, carefully compiled from the ofliciul records of the expenses of the State Government before tho war and the first three years after: 1851-52, S463.021.73; 1852-53, $482,974 67; 1853-54, $533.123 20; 1834-55, $481, 883 29; 1S5D-56, $501,145.98; 1856-57, $608.294 85; 1857-58, $1,036,924 39; 1858-59, $?08,608.02; 1859-60, $967, 963.57; 1865-66, $266.248.01; 1866-67, $474 453.57; October 1, 1867. to April 30. 1868. $340,415; balance, $265,727.96 ?$600.142 96. These figures do not in? clude interest ou the public debt or the heavy expense incurred by the military of the United States. The statoment that "it has been open ly avowed by promineut members of the Legislature that the taxes should be increased to u point which will compol the sale of the great body of the laud aud take it away from the former own? ers," is not correot. It is, uowvver, a fact that the present system of taxation, like that of almost all civilized countries, is based chiefly upon real estate. Iu the dayt, of slavery before tho war, it was not so. Taxes wore levied by the largo planters, who absolutely controlled the State, upon trades, professions, free colored persons, a more nominal per capita tax. upon slaves, and upou the luuds assessed at ono-touth their true value. This method of taxing land ena? bled tho plauters to acquire and retaiu largo aud uncultivated tracts of laud, aud thus form that most dangerous of all oligarchies?a lauded aristocracy. It was from this class that secession aud the war sprung. Oar present method of taxation very naturhlly and properly prevents the perpetuation of this sys? tem, which is so repugnant to our Re? publican institutions. It is stated that "the fruit of this policy is showu in the fact, Btated by the Cent ptrollor-Gon oral in his official re? port, that for default in paymeut of taxes for the year 1872 alone, 268,523 acres of laud were forfeitud to the Stute, and this result proves tho fallacy of tho belief that tho policy pursued promotes the elevation of the black people und the acquisition by them of the lands thus virtually confiscated. Wo admit, with regrot, that it is a fact that there I seems to be a corabiued determination I im the part of tho owuerB of tho laud to permit their uncultivated aud unproduc? tive lands to be forfeited to the Stute for the non-payment of taxos, rather tbau sell them to the colored people. They suem resolved to preveut the colored people from becoming land-owners, unless they can control their labor und political opinions. The colored ninn have labored loug and faithfully, and with but little remuneration, and have produced us large crops since the war us in nnj year previous, us shown iu the statistics and admitted by all; and yet tho land-holders of tuo State are not sa tislied unless they can reduce them to a condition of serfdom or virtual slavery, au.l coutrol their labor. The assessment of property' in some Counties of the State has givuu rise to complaiuts uud been considered excess? ive. There is a prompt aud complete remedy for all unjust assessment* ihn! may have been mado by subordinate of ticors. Tho Comptroller-General aud the Legislature have politely and pa? tiently listbiicd to the representations made by thoso who consider themselves aggrieved thereby, and immediately cor? rected the wroug where it baa beeu shown to be such, as is seeu in tho case of the County of Marion, that bus peti? tioned tho Legislature and Couiptrollor Geueral for reliof. Tho debt of the State, under the He publican Admiuistratiou that uoutrolied the State from 1863 to 1872, has boeu iu creased from $5.000,000 to $16,000, 000; but 36.000.000 of that amount has bwou declared by the preseut Legislature to have been issued by tho officer who had tho matter in ohurge without autho? rity of law, and has, therefore, beeu prouotiQced illegal. This leaves the un? questionably valid debt at 310,000,000 Of this amount, $5,000,000 wero issued by the Demoornts and $5,0J0,O00 by tho Republicans, who wero in power from 1868 to 1872. But of the amount issued by the Republicans, they are only really responsible for $1,700,000, issued for the "relief of the treasury" nud tho "Land Commission." Tho remaining $3,300,000 woro issued to pay tho past duo interest on tho dobt that had ac? crued previous to their accession of power, aud to redeem the bills of the Bank of tho State that had beeu issued before tho war, and also to redeem the "bills receivable ' that had beou issued by the Democratic Administration of Governor Orr, previous to recoustruo tion. The Republicans, therefore, found, on their accession to power, iu 1868, a funded debt of $5,000,000 and a floating dobt of $3,300,000. whioh they funded aud increased $1,700,000, for vhioh nluDO tbey aro responsible?mak ng a totul of $10,000,000. A constitutional araouiimont was proposed iv tho General Assembly, at its suasion in S71-72, to prohibit the increaseof the Hinte lebt, unless with tho conaeut of two-thirds ?t the -qualified votors, whioh amendment las boon adopted, and is now a part of our irgauio law. Tho Stale has issued bonds amounting to ?700.000 for the Land Commission, aa above cferrcd to, to purchase lands for sale in unall farms to tho froudmen. Thia bone? jont object has accomplished mnoh good. The. statement that "tho appropriation in >no year for tho work (t. e., priuting) done, jr to bo done, by these two officials (i.e., ,he Clerka) amounts to $175,000, exclusive of (100,000 for publishing the lawa," ie wholly ucorroot. Tho presont Legislature, dur? ing tho session of 1872-73, mado appropria ions of $150,000. for priuting and advortis dk the lawa, au follows: For Publishing tho following works, or lororl bv the pruvioua General Assembly of L870-71 and 1871-72: 5 volumes or tho fSta lutea of the (State, (embracing a period of thirty years;) 3 500 copies Iteviecd statutes; 3.000 copies of Ku Klus trials; 5,000 oxtra re? ports Joint Special Investigating Committee; i volumes Supremo Court. Decisions; 1,000 extra copioa. of reports and resolutions of tho General Assembly, and sundry books ind documents ordered by the Executive Departments, $250,000; advertising tho laws in almost all tho nowspapors of the state, ordered bv the General Assembly of 1870-71 *nd 1871-72, $75.000; ror tho regular printing [or the fiscal yoar 1872-73, $100,000; ror ad rortieiug tho laws passed at tho session of 1872-73, $25,000. Total, $150,000. It will beacon that these, appropriations, though made in ono year, aro for work ink-rod and performed during a poriod of threo years. Tho works for wnich the ap? propriation of $250,000 was made, wero ex? traordinary, ami will not probably occur igaiu fur t wont y years. Thus it will bo seen '.hut tho appropriations that are properly jhaigoabk- for work dono during the ?acal year are $125.000, instead or $575,000. It is Hated that tho total appropriations ror pub? lic printing mado by tho Legislature or South (Jarohna, during a period of sixty years, from 1800 to 1850, is $271,180. This state? ment inj not correct; but even i.' it were, ib it a ciuau for b< astfalnoss, that but that amount was expended for priuting during the sixty years, that tbe people were kept iu ignorance and no public information dissemi? nated amongst them for their enlightenment and otevation? Wo think not. It ia stated that "tho committees have re? ceived large suma as compensation for re? porting favorably on private bills." What? ever oorraptiou may exist in tho Legislature is to bo attributed to tho Democrats aa well as tho Republicans. They never hesitate to oiler bribes when they have a private bill to pass. LI u v corruption existed long before the ad von', of tho Uepub.iean party of this State into power, only it was carried on then with tho artistic skill of more experienced opera? tors and was nit easily seen. The reference to the Judicial Department calls for a special notice. Tho Judges of the Supreme and Circuit Courts of this Htate number eleven, eight or whom are natives, t'noae gnat lumen neld positions or truat and honor during the days of tho Confederacy, but have shown tho patriotic wisdom, since tbe war. to adopt tho situation and lend their learning and influence to aid the work of reconstruction. For this course, thoy have been pursuud with unrelenting hate and vigor, and every possible insult offered them by thoaa wtio do not desire to see tbe work of reconstruction successful. VI the remaining three, one Was selected as the candidate ror Governor in 1870, by the party which the tax-payers represent, and the learning and ability of th? other two* havo never hecu questioned. Tho allusion to the Exceutivo Department, being general, calls for no specific answer from us. It eiaiply amounts to thia, when dlYOstod of its aplceu and misrepresenta? tions?that the Republicans arc iu power and coutrol tho State, and they do not. Their compUmts remind ua moat forcibly of tho reply of that profound ami astute states? man, l'rinco Bismarck, to the Papal hierar? chy, who C3inplaiued of tho oppressive na? ture of tho Prussian lawa. "Uufortunately," says he, "you are neon itemed to complaiu ot oppiossiou whou uot poriuittod to lord it over others." Tho gentlomen'who havo asssniblcd in thia convention, constituting themselves tho pe? culiar representatives of the ao-oalk-d tax? payers, are uui wua? iuu) wuui? ubtci lux COUUtry believe. They aro the nroniinont politicians of the old regime?tho former ruling element of tbe State?who simply do firo to repair tho power they lost by their folly of secession. They aro not endorsed by the masses oT tho sober, thinking white Democrats of tbo State, who look upon their action aa unwise and ill-timed. Wo will state a well-known fact in proof of this. The Democratic members of the Legisla? ture, numbering thirty -one, hold a caucus, and unanimously resolved not to participate in the proceedings ot tho convention, and addressed a let tor to tho Prosideut, advising against tho calling of tho convention, as un? wise and injudicious. Tlio President replied, regretting that they had not informed birr of their intention previous to tho meeting o! tho Executive Committee, .bat had already called the convention together. Tho Republicans admit the oxistenco ol evils amongst them. Thoy acknowledge the\ havo committed mistakes and errors in tht party, which they regret. But tlioso error* and mistakes are buiug daily corrected, ant they soo no necessity whatever to reaort tt the desperate remedies asked for by the con. vention of tho so-called tax-payers. Then are enough ablo and good ri m among thoai who havo thu present charge uf tho Govern meut iu their hands, to right every existing wrong, and thoy aro dotermiued to do eo. In ibis work, tho diiVjjultioa under wbicl they havolaoored have been naturally great and have boon increased ton-fold by tbe dc termined hostility aud opposition of tho Do mccratic party over since reconstruction I'll in is their third effort to regain power First, they expected it through tho olecti i of Seymour and Blair; second, through tin midnight murders aud assassinations of Ki Kluxism; and, now. ttiirdly, by tbo distortioi and miarepresoutation of facta, iu order t< oreato a public sentiment in their favor, ant obtain reliel from Congress. Itelyiug upou tho justice of our canse, wi submit these facts to a candid aud impartia public, Samuel J. Leo, Chairman pro (em., c. A swails, W. M. Thomas, Joseph Crews, H H. Ellison, P. It. Rivers, John R.Cochran Robt. smalls, E. W. M. alaokoy, John Lee H. L. Shrewsbury, George F. Mclntyro Wilson Cook, John II. McUevilt, O. Smith A. W. Hough. Y. J. P. Uwens, H. J. Max well, Thad. ?. Andrews, P. C. Fludd, J. S ?MobU-v, M. L. Owens, E. S. J. Hayes, C. M Wild or. Drs. Greene, Lindley and Bentley ?entli'mks: I consulted your Dr. Lind ley at Greenville, S. C., in December for what my physician called oonsnmp tion, as that disease prevailed in m; family. Ho, (Dr. L.,) aftor a thorougi examination, advised mo to use yon medicated honey. I have dono eo, ant you would be astonished at tho result My throat and lungs are sound am well-all tbe soreness and pain gone I would uot take all the money you hav over mado in your praotioe and tbe sal of your valuable medicine, for what i has done for mo. Very truly, JOHN DAVENPORT, Laareos O. H., ?. O. January 10, 1874. City Matters.?Subscribe for the Phojnix. I Cash will be the rule at the Phoenix office hereafter. A. A. Gilbert, Esq., editor of tho Sumter Watchman, is io the city. Mr. Sulzbaoher has some queer but good tobitcco. Tho Legislature will eleot Regents of the Lunatio Asylum, to-day. Weather delightful, yesterday?just cold enough to be pleasant. Hoyt'o German cologne is sold by W. C. Fibber, druggist. Hughes' boat arrived, yesterday, with thirty bales of cotton, consigned to Messrs. R. O'Neals & Son. The Governor has appointed G. K. Terry, of Colleton, Dr. James H. Nor? man and Wm. H. Jones, of Horry, No? taries Public Mr. Solomon presents another list of prices of provisions to the world of con? sumers, this moruing. His establish? ment in centrally located. The remains of the Rev. John Bach man were deposited in a vault specially built in St. John's Lutheran Church, Charleston. Tho bill to charter the Oongaree Manufacturing Company passed tho Se? nate, yesterday, with sundry amend? ments. Mr. Burke's family, the immigrants about whom the Union-Herald com? mented so* freely on yesterday, found a home in this city. Work has been commenced on tho new engine house for the Enterprise. It is to bo located on Richardson, near Medium street. Why the position of Alderman of the city of Columbia is so eagerly sought after, has at last leaked out. The City Council havo oreated a Committee on Light. Citizens oomplain that daring the past few nights, gates have been re? moved from their hinges and spirited away, signs changed, etc Where's the police? One of the largest loads of boots and shoes which has been brought to this city in years, passed the Phoenix office, yesterday, on the way to the stores of the Messrs. Ehrlich. It consisted of eighty-five casee. The stock varies in size from doll 7s to largo 13s. Mrs. M. A. Snowdeu, well known iu connection with the Confederate Home, in Charleston, is getting op a raffle for a number of valuable articles of jewelry and eilver-ware, in the interest of that charitable institution. The proceeds of the raffle are to be devoted to the educa? tion of two young ladies from this County. The articles can be seen at Dr. Fisher's drng store. Parker's Hall was well filled, last eight, to witness the pathetic drama of T. S. Arthur's "Ten Nights in a Bar . room." The rendition was tip top, WUen we couaiuer luni, must ui um jici formers uro amateurs, tr.d that the re ; hearsals have been so few and recent, i The play will be repeated this evening, ! when a few hours will glide pleasantly i away from those who attend. By spe? cial request, the performance will open , with the petite comedy, "The Happy [ Pair," to be followed with an overture ; by the orchestra. ? Revenue officials oreated considerable r excitement among liquor dealers, yester ' duy, by visiting their establishments r and inspecting empty whiskey barrels. It seems that the liquor dealers had all i carefully erased the revenue stamps, J but throngii ignorauoe of the law, and, . wo firmly believe, with no intent to do. ' fraud, neglected to erase the marks - made by the gauger. Certainly empty ' whiskoy barrels, with the stamps erased, > canuot be used to the disadvantage of I the Government. Tho dealers have, on - this occasion, like mauy others, beeu [ offenders against the law without any * knowledge of the fact, and we presume ? i that there will bo no prosecution, but 1 simply an exaotiou of compliance with j 1 the law in future. 1 List of New Advertisements. 1 S. W. Irwin?Milk for Sale. J. Hardy Solomon?Good News. H. & S. Beard?Auction. 1 Nervous Debility.?A depressed, I irritabile state of mind; weak, nbr - vous, EXHAUSTED feeling; NO ENERGY ? or ANIMATION; confused head, weak ' MEMORY, OFTEN with d El 11wt ati no, in? voluntary DisoHARUES.?The oonse _ quence of excesses, mental over-work or . indiscretions. This nervous debility finds a sovereign cure in Humphreys' .' Homospathio Specific, No. 28. It Y tones up tho system, arrests discharges, i dispels the mental gloom and despond r enoy, aud rejuvenates the entire system; ?j it is perfootly harmless and always ef ;, fioient. Price $5 for a package of five ?\ boxes and a large $2 vial of powder, lt which is important in old serious oases; e or $1 per single box. Sold by all 0 druggists, or sent by mail on reoeipt of 1 prioe. Address Humphreys' Specific homoshathio medicine COMPANY, No. 562 Broadway. N. Y. For sale by Geiqkr & McGregor, Columbia, S. O. Deol7 flflm