The daily phoenix. (Columbia, S.C.) 1865-1878, April 21, 1874, Image 3
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.