The Charleston daily news. [volume] (Charleston, S.C.) 1865-1873, 1866-12-14
CHI A RI ES TON.
FRIDAY MORNING, DECEMBER Il, 1865.
MR. RAYMOND

Our readers will remember the feelings Of
kindness inspired by the very manly position
taken, year ago, by Mr.. RA xsaoND, in support
OF the present Government. His courage in
separating himself from the party of which he
had been an acknowledged leader, and his firm
ness in sustaining himself in that position
through the many stormy scenes Of the last Con
gress, induced towards him a feeling of regard
which went far to overlook the many acts of
hostility he had exhibited to the South, and to
make him, in public regard, one Of the most
prominent men at the North
tazt Nth fsslipgs ;meeSe @ serrox than Of
ing exhibition in the Radical caucus at Wash-
ington, and Of his purpose to return again to the
ranks Of that party. His purpose to return
was Of itself sufficient to dispel much Of the
illusion thrown around his character, but the
humiliations through which that purpose has
been pursued rendered the fact greatly more re-
pulsive.
1t is not our purpose to make heroes Of North
ern men. We are not inclined to hero-wor-
ship, and if inclined we could find characters
here among ourselves more fitted to inspire the
feeling; and our experience Of the treatment
to be expected from men of position at the
North when under the influence Of the power
full motives their political fortunes often give
them to disregard their obligations, would be
sufficient to deter us from again erecting politi-
cal idols in that quarter Of the world.
It were but fair to say, however, and it were,
perhaps, all the use that we will ever have the
power to make of Mr.. RAYMOND, that he fur
nishes us with clear and forcible illustration
Of the nature and strength Of that party, which,
from the circumstances Of our history. has
come to act upon the subject Of our fortunes.
In charity to Mr.. RAYMOND, if the fact were
not sufficiently probable from his intellect and
character, it is to be assumed that he intended
firmly and finally to breast the surges Of the
Republican. party upon the Constitution and
the liberties Of his country; and that he was
fully aware Of the animosity his action had in
spired, and the difficulties, almost insuperable.
through which he must labor to regain his
standing in that party. It is to be supposed.
therefore, if, in the face:of these obstacles, he
felt impelled to re-enter, it was from q conyic-
tion Of the necessity Of re-entranc-efrom an
assurance that with that pa=ty was the power:
that all outside of it must fall under the strides
Of dominion;s and that bad and unbecoming and
painful as must be his experiencesaain working
his way back to that rganization, it were bet:
ter than those perils and privations he must
encounter in his efforts to sustain himself With
out. sss a4 , .
In this we find confirmation of The idea We
have always entertained and advanced upon
the subject Of that organization, now moving to
disturb and subvert the liberties and fortunes
Of our country. We have not thought that it
was subject to the control of individual intelli
gence or volition We have believed that .it
rolled, and was destined to roll on, Of motives
Of it's own; that its power consisted in it's ex-
preston of the tendencies of such population
as l, had become aggregated atthe North under
the Influences Of horizontal suffrage. From
this view4of the subject we have had little re-
gard ,toSthe individuals who seemed to act as
the leaders Of of that party, and we have not par
tioipated, therefore il the feelings Of hostility
e people ct the n North which have, perhaps.
been too common =, o among US here We have
not regarded them as ju,1s upon The subject
Of their political actions. We have believed
the: i wss the condition q political promii-.