University of South Carolina Libraries
COLUMBIA, 8. C. Titeelay Morning.April &1, 1874, Reform by Peaceable j?tean?. The Union asserts that Oer? Korshaw used these words, in his addresB to the -Va&ieiary Committee of Oongress: "The Tax-uPayers' Convention resolved, at its last oession, to submit to it no longer. ?There is do other mode of redress left us but au appeal to foroe." We hrauded thia ee a misrepresentation. The Union, by declining to correct this, repeats it. Th? report that we have seen of Qeu. Kerahaw's remarks is different: "Geu. Kershaw followed on tho same side, who, after recapitulating the evils .of the present Government, said that the iuiquity was so hard to bear, so op? pressive to the tax-payers, that It wus the opinion of many that there wus no resource left but forcible resistance by the tax-payers. There was a limit to human endurance, and no oue could say, knowing all the fuels, but what that limit was at band in South Carolina. They had oome up to Oongress hoping for the relief they had vainly struggled for at home. Let them have a thorough inquiry by Congress into the wrongs complained of, and if nothing more should oome of it, the moral effect would be good. The memorialists were going home to do their best to conciliate public Bontimeut in the State, and they truBtod for all the support from Con . gross that that body could feel justified m affording." " It wilt be seen that be did not say that anything had been resolved upon by the Tax-Payers' Convention. He did not ??? $py4Aat there is no other mode of re .1 ' dreflSJbat an appeal to foroe. His state? ments ><are essentially different from these. (He -Iii? ted at trouble as likely -to come out of ike corruption and mic xisoie prevailing here. This corruption and its possible oonsequences were the grounds upon which he based his ap? peal to the Government for relief. He desyati-to anticipate and prevent colli ? ? ^iriaifl of any sort. He asked at least for thorough inquiry into tbe wrongs com /r/u/y2?d of, urging that some good moral ??ffect might result from it. What good motive can any one have for opposition .to investigation? If the Constitutiou is ?so /peculiar since it has been tinkered that under it the Government can only interfere in tbe affairs of a State to pro? duce anarchy and uiisgo-ernrucnt, but not to .remedy any evils, it surely can dud no constitutional impediment to . "uecirv which is invoked iu the iute ? rests of peace, and in order to secure its moral influence for good. General Kershaw declared, further, that the me? morialists would do their best upon their return to conciliate public senti? ment. There is nothing revolutionary or threatening iu all this. Tbe Conserva? tives are not amenable to the strictures of the Union in obarging npon them a readiness to resort to foroe and indul? gence in threats. The militia clans are gathering in Elgefield and other Coun? ties, as iu 1872, but the desigu is to startle the rural colored mind, and make the r?ce rally aud vote "solid" in the next elections. The Conservatives look ? on, and deoliue to give them any capi? tal, in tbe shape of abase aud threats. But they do mean to make an issue with this rotten government. They do mean to correot some of its abases. They cot submit forever to outrage. They - will require the tax to be moderate, the assessments upon property to be ad va? lorem, according to tbe Constitution, and the money to be expended for pub? lic objeots, and not to pamper rogues. They nail for no bogas reform. They demand tbe genuine article. And they will have it, too. If it comes through the means of the better olass of Repub? licans, it will be none the less accepta? ble. It is time they were showing their hand. The job is a heavy one. Those who mean to undertake it must bo up and doing. There must be reform in South Carolina. To What Dae. The Union dilates upon the prosperity of Anderson Coanty, attributing it ''to the good effects of Republican rule in this Stato." It is comfortable to learn that there is prosperity somewhere. The peoplo of Andereon, aided by their ' fine soil and climate, know how to win success against the wind aud tide of bad government. And they are somowhat out of the track of its main influence. It is ioo thin to oredit Republican rule in this Stato with anything good. What says the Conservator, the Andorson 'County Republican journal, in italics? '?'We must gel rid of tricksters?me must de freed from the government of rogues" -Here is a differenoe of opinion, and most people, including candid Republi? cans, will side with the County journal. "The government of rogues" is as little likely to bring prosperity as to reflect . honor npon a State. a ^e>? 1 The Louisiana planters are doing their best to dam tbe Mississippi where7cr it overflows. Final Hearing of lite T?x-Pijrer?' Caae Before tlie toirimHtei-Skckli olWhlt was Said py Treasurer Cardoza and Han. Tho?. Y. Simons. Tho correspondent of the Charleston News writes, under date of Washington, D. C, April 15: A final hearing of tbe representations of the tax payers' committee, and of the counter-memorialists on behalf of tbe State officers of South Carolina, was bad to-day, before the 8ub-Judiciury Com mittou of tbe House, Messrs. Tromaiue, Eldridge and White, of that committco, being present. Tho final argument on behalf of the counter-memorialists was made by F.Li. Oardozo, State Treasurer, who went over the question of taxation, saying that not ouly the basis, but tho systum under tbe reconstructed State Govern? ment is now and strange to the tax pay? ers of tho Stato, though a basis aud a system familiar throughout the Nottheru aud Western States. Ho denied that tbu taxation is unequal or unjust, and argued to show that tbe ruteuf tax since tiio war is les9 than it is in the States of Alubami, Arkansas, California, Dela ware, Florida, Kansas, Lnuisiuuu, Ne? vada and North Carolina; that tho en? tire levy for State purposes is only eight aud one-half mills to the acre for the past six years. He proceeded to show that tho entire cost per capita for govern? ing tho State is less than in a number of the States, aud gave from tho census of 1870 figures showing that the cost per capita in Arkansas is $1.96; California, 31.53; Connecticut, S3 48; Kansas, $2.22; Louisiana, $3.07; Maine, $2.15; Maryland, $2.20; Massachusetts, $5.08; Nebraska, $2.13; Nevada, $7.02; New Hampshire, $3; Rhode Island, $2.25; Virginia, $2.32, and in South Carolina only $1.87; and that tbe eutiro cost per capita for carrying ou tbe State for the six years between July, 1868, aud Octo? ber, 1874, was ouly $2.30 per auuum. He hold that under the circumstauces, the taxation in South Carolina is not so excessive as to be complained of, but that, ou tbe contrary, it is reasouable. He referred -to tbe charges of tbe tux payers about tho extent of tho public debt of tbe State, denying that it oould be equitably stated at over $10,000,000, and gave figures desigucd to show that only $1,300,000 of tho debt was partly attributable to the now State Govern? ment. He said the Legislature had de? cided that $6.000,000 of the debt is ille? gal, and have refused to pay either interest or principal, and contended that of the remaining $10,000,000, $5,000, 000 had been funded before tho war, and $3.700,000 Of the remaining $5,000.000 was a floating debt left by the old and funded by the new State Government. Iu response to questions by Mr. El? dridge, Cardozo said the question of the $6,000,000 repudiated by the Legisla? ture is one that the courts will have to decide, and admitted that he thought the courts would not sustain the Act of the Legislature in deciding that they are au illegal indebtedness, lie also admit? ted, iu response to other interrogatories by Mr. Eldridge, that tbe new State Go? vernment had accumulated a floating debt of $4,000,000, and confessed that the debt of the-State, supposing all the funded indebtedness is legal, is about $20,000,000. He exemplified the financial calibre of tho State authorities, by stating that $6.000.000 of the bonded debt was hypothecated in New York to raise funds to carry on tho State, aud that, inasmuch as the money so raised was ouly forty per cent, of tbe face value of the bonds pledged, tho Legis? lature have it in contemplation to make the holders of those bonds (long siuca forfeited) exchange them, two for one, for now boudr, thereby reducing the volume by one-half. I do not pretend to sny what the sub-committee thought of this financiering scheme, but there is uo sort of question that it would be good for tbe Stato, provided the bolders of the bonds so sought to bo attenuated would bo 'consenting parties to the trans? action. Cardozo closed by laying tbe entire blame of the present condition of the State upon the Democrats, who, he said, refused point blank to help the Republicans to make the new Constitu? tion, or to take auy part iu the recon, Btruoted State Government. He "pero? rated" by calling upon the tax payers to sympathize with und aid the non-tax paying majority iu reformiug the abuses complained of, and which he admitted exist, but uro as much chargeable to tbe Democrats as to tho Republicans. Hon. Thos. Y. Simons, iu behalf of the memorialists, then closed for tbem iu au argument of upwards of half an hour in length. He adverted briefly to tho action of tho Tax-Payers' Conven? tion of South Carolina, to tho causes which had led to its organization, and disclaiming for the convention that it was assembled for any partisan purpose whatever, or to effect auy political object, then proceeded to set out with some elaboration the mauy wrongs, fruuds and outrages which have been committed under tbe name of law aud republican government again?t tho de? fenceless tax-payers of the Stute, wrongs which, he represented, would not be tolerated iu auy of the free common? wealths of tbe North, and to ameliorate which tbe eotTerers now iuvoked the sacred right of petition, that tbe Ameri? can Congress, the Executive of tho na? tion and the people of tho whole coun? try might have their attention drawn to tbu subject, and tbeir moral influonce and discountenance bo given to stay the hand of tbe spoiler. He represented the condition of affairs in tho Stute us having reached a orisis whero not only ruin and bankruptcy threatens, but the very exiBtonoe of free government is without recognition. Referring to the question of reconstruction, he sot forth how gronnd)p*q is the statement of the counter memorialists, that tboy appealed in vain to the intelligent and property owning whites of tho Stato to help them form tho new government. Those peoplo had been deprived by the Con- j gross of tbe privilege of participation. They were nndbr disabilities. Tbey were denied all voice and audience, and the effect of this state of things was to I instill into the minds of tbe enfran? chised freedmen that the property owners were under the ban of the go? vernment itself, and were not entitled either to confidence at home or at the foot-stool of tbe nation. He disclaimed any sentiment of rcproaoh iu alluding to these matters of history, and said they had been adverted to to repel tbe allegation that tho memorialists aud those tbey represent declined to partici? pate in the work of reooustruoting tho State, and to dispose of the appeal to political prejudice reported to by tho counter-memorialists. Suppusii g their allegation true, it wob no argument iu favor of spoliation and plnuder uuder the form of law. It was sufficient, how? ever, to say that the leading men of the State wero uuder political disabilities by tho reconstruction Acts, and that uo invitation was exteuded to them to par? ticipate. Referring briefly to the main ciiises of complaint iu thu memorial, he showed thut the representations of thu other side wero based ouly upou the luxation for State purposes, omitting tho separate County tax levies, and also in cases of cities the municipal levies, all of which swelled the assessment to over twelve times what it was before tho war. He showed, also, that the assess? ment by the State assessors placed tho large area of unproductive land in the Stato, in many instances, at five times its market value. Such lands wero taxed alike with the producing areas. He quoted from correspondence by lending Republicans and from editorials iu load? ing Republican papers in tho North, showing that the condition of the tax? payers of South Carolina is such as to excite in the minds of tbe writers the gravest apprehensions as to the effect of the unfortunate facts upon the character of the Republican name and tbe welfare of tho country. Iu this particular con? nection, he quoted at some length from speeches of ex-Attorney-Oeneral Cham? berlain and District Attorney Corbin. He showed by the history of the legisla? tion under the new State, that the Stato officers have been governed by no law in the expenditure of money, but that they have squandered it lawlessly, waste fully and criminally. Referring to the promises made by the more thoughtful of the leading Stato officers of reform, Mr. Simons showed that they were made but to the ear; that the fatal experieuoe.s of the past six years has shown this, und that they have uo power now to delude. True reform consisted iu taxation uloue for honest purposes of government, an honest and economical expenditure of the public moneys, aud the protection of the rights of property, iu the exist? ence of a Republican Government iu fact. Tho return to right aud justice would be the end of conspiracy; would result iu the termination of the rule of the rapacious spoilers, and render fur? ther spoliation of an oppressed people impossible. Knowing aud feeling this to be bo, the counter-memorialists come up here with the cry of Peccavi on their lips, aud beseech Congress not to inter? fere, but to sanction, by non action, the enormous and incessant outrages which, under power of u combiued ring, the very existence of South Carolina, us well as the welfare of every section of the Union, is imperilled. Iu conclusion, Mr. Simons said: "Wo appeal to Congress now, because there is not only a failure to protect property within its limits, but u conspiracy for its ruin aud practical confiscation, and which eilectuully prevents any other re? medy or redress. All that wo now ask is a committee of investigation, whereby the true situation of affairs in South Carolina may bo made kndwu to the wholo country; und it may be ascertain? ed whether this combination and con? spiracy, equally fatal, although under the forms of law, does exist, and then that the remedy commensurate with tho evil may bo applied. To this, as Ameri? can citizens, we are certainly entitled. We invoke the aid of Congress, because there is no other power which those in authority over us will recognize or heed. Wo invoke this nid, because tho ring iu South Carolina delude their misguided followers, and profess to have a charter for their misrule under the sanction of Congress, the Executive and the admi? nistration at Washington. We invoke the honest and moral sentiment of every section of this broad land. We oan, God willing, do no less. We havo exhausted every effort within the limits of peaceable agencies at borne, we now make an honest aud contldont appeal to you. Whatever be the result, we feel that wo have fulfilled ono of those great duties which are suporior to life itself, aud which, whilo commending our coarse and ourselves to the judgment of all honest men and love a of true liberty, will stand us acquitted before God, our consciences and posterity." ?-????? The Triumph of Love.?When Prince Fred marries an English girl, we Huuii have to puii down Bunker Hill mouument, to be in tho fashion. From Woolwiob, England, wo hear that, in consequence of the Duko of Edinburgh's splicing with a daughter of tho Czar, two Russian guns und carriages, tro? phies of the Crimean war, have beeu re? turned to the Royal Arsenal from Col ohestor, where they have stood as pub? lic monuments fo*r about seventeen years. It has been noticed that several other trophits of a similar character have been surrendered by local au? thorities of other towns, and that they are on their way to Woolwich, where they will bo broken up. Thero are very few Russian guus exhibited at tho Royal Arsenal, and these are, generally speaking, only such as aro remarkable for some peculiarity?one having a can nou'ball from a British gun lodged in tho muzzle aud jammed fast. Crrr Matters.?Subscribe for the Phoenix. You can buy tbe best prints at R. C. Shiver's, for ten cents per yard. Cash will be tbe rale at tbe Phcentx 1 office hereafter. ?lteul laces reduced to one-half tbe re? gular prices, at R. C. Shiver's. Italian veil laces are going off rapidly, at 25, 35 aud 50 cents a piece, at R C. Shiver's. The City Couuoil meets to-night, for the purpose of electing officials., Tbe cindidutes cun bo counted by the hun? dred. Now is the time to boy a stock of real laces; the eutire stock iu that depart m iut is marked down to half tho regu? lar prices, at R. C. Shiver's. The PuuJNIX job office is complete iu every respect, aud cards, Joosters, pro-1 grammes, bill-heads, etc., are turned . out with alacrity. A largo quantity of stock has V n drowned iu the lower part of Ricbluud, by the high water. Planting is inter? fered with materially. Pat., at tho Pollock House, yester? day, inaugurated the summer season, by serving okra soup for lunch. It tasted natural. The wings to the new Lunatic Asylum, upou which work has been suspended for several years, are to be completed nt once. Messrs. Howie ?V Allen have the contract. Treasurer Cardozo has returued tuuch to the delight of the numerous holders of State paper; but whether or uot they will receive auytbing more than a bland smile, remains to be seen. The ice cream season is approaching, uud Mr. J. C. Dial advertises freezers, water coolers, etc. Everything in the hardware line, however, can bo ob? tained ut his establishment. Mr. C. F. Jackson, the "leader of low prices,'' is doing a driving business. He knows what the people waut, and selects accordingly. Mr. Starke Porter, who has numerous frieuds throughout the upper portion of the State, is to be found behind Mr. Jackson's counters. St. Nicholas?Scribner's illustrated magazine for the boys and girls?is oue of the best publications of tho kiryl pub? lished iu America, Tho matter is va? ried?suitable for children of every uge. Send for a speoimen copy. Tho sub? scription price is S3 a year. Tho handsome aud accurato portrait of Gen. J. 13. Kershaw, painted by Mr. W. P. Hix, of this city, is to bo sent to Richmond, Va., at the request of a num? ber of promineut citizens of tho capital of tho Old Domiuiou, and will be cx hibited at the jewelry establishment of Messrs. Mitchell Sc Tyler, iu that city. This portrait is universally admired. The weather, like busiuess, is terribly out of gear. Tho raiu poured almost iu cessaiitly Saturday night and Sunday; while late Sunday afternoon thero was a dense fog. Yesterday morning it wus muggy, rainy and cold; later in the day the suu came out; after which, rain and sun agaiu. Passengers by the different railroads report tho same kind of wea? ther all along the various lines. De? spatches from the West reveal a terrible state of thing?, resulting from high water. SuiU-mSB Party.?Thoro was n very pleasant social gathering, last night, at tho private boarding house of Mrs. S. J. Wyatt?the occasion hieing the celebra? tion of tbe anniversary of the wedding of Mrs. John Sanborn, of Boston, who has been spending tbe winter here. Tho lady appeared to be much surprised as well us highly delighted. Quito a num? ber of friends from tbe vioiuity of "the bub" were in attendance. Refreshments aud musio by a fine string baud made the time pass delightfully. The Phoenix.?Our name sake, tbe Phoenix Hook and Ladder Company, bad a pleasant gathering, last night? tho cause beiug (ho presentation of a| handsome silver trumpet to Capt. J. L. Little. Tho trumpet is of silver, tastily ornamented, the bell lined with gold. The iucription is as follows: "Presented to Capt. J. L. Little, by Phcoaix Hook aud Ladder Company, No. 1, Columbia, jdolivered by cx-Capt. John deans and Capt. Little. The company bavo a fine apparatus, which is kept in tip-top or? der. Tho members expect to join in the firemen's tournament in Charleston, on tbe Ith of May. Tho state of mind of tbe inhabitants of Delta, a villago on the Mississippi, opposito Vioksbarg, on retiring to rost at night, can perhaps be hotter imngned than described, when it is stated that tbe level of tbo water is considerably higher than the level of tbe Und. The town is bodged in by levees so com? pletely that the river is compelled to go around it for the present, at leaBt. But to dream of crevasses and freshets must provoke tbo most horrid night mares among tbe people. Phgenixiaxa.?There in no revenge eo complete as forgiveness. Black silks can be bought for $1.50 a yard?a great bargain? at B. C. Shiver's. Asparagus for gout and celery for headache. A good axiom?let every man grind his own axes. The greatest glory is not in never fall? ing, but in rising every time we fall. Men would not livo long in society if tbey w^re not tbe dupes of eaoh other. Let another man praise yon. Don't praiso yourself. Repentance without amendment is like continually pumping without mend? ing tbe leak. Thuow Jonah Overdoard.?The fol l owing circulur has been sent to tho local lights of "The Party" throughout tbe State, by solus of the frightened ring-masters who are anxious to an loud: "Colombia, S. C, April 10. "Hon. - ?Dear Sir: Presuming that you are hostile to the thieves who are running riot with the 6ubstanoe of the people, and degrading the positions which in the past have been preserved immaculate, we (a committee of Repub? licans) have taken the liberty to en? close yon this circular, asking your at? tendance at a meeting to be held at the State House, in Columbia, on the 3d Monday in May next, at 12 M., to de? vise meaus whereby an honest Execu? tive may bo secured. Advices from Washington say that Moses nuist be supplanted. Let us save tbe party be? fore it is too late. Por obvious reasons, no names appear to this paper." List or New Advertisements. Meeting Independent Fire Co. John C. Dial?Freezers, etc. Meeting Palmetto Lodge. Meeting Richland Lodge. R. C. Shiver?Calicoes. D, C. Peixotto Sc Sons?Auction. Capital B. Sc L. Association. Hotel Abbivals. April 20, 1874.? Wheeler House?S Koppel, N Y; F At kisson, O B Warwick, USA; W Dud? ley, Charleston; A Pope, NC; F Q O Blake, A Wyman, Mass; Mrs Davis, Miss Davis, R I; ? A Darling, city; W A Whitten, N C; W S Powell, Md; BF Hall, N Y; J S Browning, Charleston; F H Barnhart, USA; James R Aikon, Winnsboro; E Leverick uur1. lady, Mrs White and maid, NY; J M Westmore? land, Pa; W A Bradley, Ga; B F Bryan, N C; E S J Hayes, Lexington; John M Ellis, Ohio; Mrs A B Nettleton, Pa; P Darmheim, O L B Marsh, F M West, N C; J D Catbart and wife, N Y; John J Hemphdl, Chester; Mrs S D Brawley, Charleston. Tornado in Pickens County.?The Northern section of our County was visited on Thursday evening, 9th inst., by one of tho most destructive tornadoes that has ever passed through this sec? tion of country, except, perhaps, that of 1865. Tbe course of the storm was from the South-west to North-east, and was about a half mile in width, and as far as we have beard, eight or ten miles iu extent. We visited the residence of Mr. W. G. Field, on Friday evening, after tho storm, and found him, with forty-seven citizens of tbe neighbor? hood, hard at work repairing bis da? mages His fine young apple orohard of 2U0 trees or more was entirely de? stroyed; tbe large and stately shade trees, topped and trimmed years ago by tho venerable head of the family, who has since passed away, were all, with one exception, blown down, two of them on tbe dwelling. Over 1,000 p nels of fenoing around tbe plantation were blown down, aud every building on the plaoe, save the dwelling, was un? roofed. Corn to the amount of over fifty bushels was blown out of the crib, and several hundred bundles of fodder carried off, and was not found at ail, and everything presented the appear? ance of destruction and rain. Huge trees were piled in every conceivable direotion. There was a knoll of several acres where there was not a single tree left standing. Mr. F.'a loss in his orchard and timber is estimated at $1,000. The storm passed over Davis' Mountain, on the West side of Twelve Mile River, and over Reese's, on the East side, and struck Porter's Chapel, a new Methodist Church, carried the whole top, including wall plates, dear off, and prostrating all the timber in the vicinity, passed on to Major Ambler's, whero about 1,000 panels of fencing and many of bis fruit trees were blown down, but fortunately no buildings were damaged. How much further than Major Ambler's it extended, we have not been informed, nor do we know the ex? tent of damages done by it. I Pickens Sentinel. Expensive Foneuals ?One of tbe onriosities of Now York is tbe mania among very poor people for expensive funerals. The Star states that a fune? ral took place a few days eince, from a shanty in Ninety-Sixth street, at which there was a grand hearse, containing a handsomely-mounted coffin, and some thirty well-appointed hacks. It is cal? culated that tbe funeral cost $600, while the shanty from which it proceeded was not worth $200. The old soldiers of tho First Empire hold their annaal banquet in Paris on March 20. Tbe traditional loaf of army bread was on the table, adorned with a branch?this time entirely budless?of the celebrated ohestnut tree of 20 Mars. Of the 3,000 who were alive in 1852, scarcely a hundred remain. Toasts were drunk to the memory of the great Emperor, to the Army of Austerlitz, to Marohal Do MacMahon, and to the re? surrection of tbe glory of ihe country.