The Charleston daily news. [volume] (Charleston, S.C.) 1865-1873, 1867-09-19
WHY DODGE THE ISSUE.

ever much we may differ with MIN, II ne VIII
only boldly assert what he believes to be true,
and having asserted it, will boldly defend his
position. With such q man we may differ,
but for such man we must feel respect II
the so-called party of progress, the self-styled
friends of liberty, the Radical party, would
only follow this course, it would not receive
our approval, but it would receive our admira-
ton for honest, persistent consistency. When
the South felt most bitterly toward those VINO
were opposed to her institutions, she respect
ed the men, who following the radical theo-
ries of her opponents to their logical conciu-
sion pronounced the Constitution of the
United States league with He'll. But the
South in common with all honest men has al
ways despised those time-servers who adopt
n course because it will probably prove popu-
lar, and reject conclusion, because an election
might be lost on the issue.
If the Radicals would remain true to their
principles, we certainly should say nothing.
If the American people should decide in favor
of tyranny in any shape, we would regret the
fact, but we would feel poor consolation in
knowing that the flag which was once the en-
blem of the freedom. of the North and South, in
becoming the shroud Of the one, has become
the winding sheet Of the other. We do how
ever complain that the party, which HENRY
WILSON has openly proclaimed, will rule the
country for twenty years, intends to rule by
fraud and by practising constant deceptions on
the people The people are to be deceived by
the shadow, while the initiated grow fat by
the substance, the public Offices.
The Radical party claims to be based on
freedom to all men, freedom Of ell thought, and
freedom Of the press in every part Of the
country. Freedom of thought with it means
simply freedom to think as do the leaders of
that party. Freedom of the press is such
freedom as was recently tolerated by mill
tary officer in General OaD's District, and free
dom to all men means only freedom to all ne
groes without discrimination, and to all white
men not born and raised in the South, to vote
for such white Radicals as the loyal leagues
may nominate under the influence of North
ern gold and Northern political manipulation.
We ask for fairness and candcr. We ask
that issues should be broadly and distinctly
made If the Radical party is honest in its
views, then it should be earnest in their
application. 1t pretends to advocate political
and even social equality between the races.
1t claims that the white may possibly be equal
to the negro if he is only true to the principles
of the party. It insists that the two races
con live in perfect harmony with each other,
having equal political rights, and. standing
shoulder to shoulder in the competition for
bread, side by side in the schools, the church.
es, the workshops and in the halls Of legisla-
ton. 1t overlooks the fact that this course, if
successful, could only succeed by producing an
amalgamation of the races, contamination
never to be wished for by any one, whether
white or black. who loves his race. This re-
suit would prove to be equally injurious to
the white and black races, producing as it
would, men inferior to the white in intellect, to
the black in capacity for work, and to both in
health and morals. 1t is certain that the sober
sense of both races would reject this solution
of the question, and wisely would it be rejected,
because if such solution could be had both
races would certainly be destroyed.
With this cry the Radical has led the North
into every measure of oppression with which
the South is now cursed. With this cry military
governments have been continued for nearly
three years of peace, and Heaven can only
know how much longer they will last With this
cry the yearly expenses of the United States
Government have, in time of peace, increas-
ed nearly fourfold. With this cry the South is
being reconstructed by tyrannical legislation
contrary to the Constitutions of our States and
of the United States, and opposed to the views
of the President and half of the members Of
the Supreme Court.
Here the willy politicians of the party desired
to stop, but the more honest men, who are
foolish enough to believe that words mean
something, and that conclusions follow pre-
misses, insisted that their crafty leaders should
follow their own teachings. This dose was not
easily swallowed; but the leaders had taught
the lesson, and they could not shut the book
whenever they might desire so to do. The
physician was at hand, and he insisted that the
medicine should be taken, or that political
Heath would be the result The leaders swal-
lowed, but swallowed with gulp, and at the
ast session of Congress agitated the question
Of ssmanhood suffrage" Connecticut did not
ike the agitation, and elected Democrats in
place of Republicans to office. This showed
he leaders that logical results sometimes pro-
luce political annihilation. The North had be-
gun to think, and to follow out Radical
heories to their final consequences. The
Northern man did not wish an amalgamation
of the races, nor did he wish Congress to usurp,
1t his home nd his freside, the same powers
hat it had usurped in the South. The ques-
ion being agitated and the minds of men be-
ng awakened to the dangers of despotism at
home, the Radicals began to see that the issue
would be the loss or preservation of liberty at
the North, and also that whenever this ques-
ton was fairly made, the lovers of liberty
would triumph They foresaw their own fall
IN the return of sense to the North, and they
lelt that whenever the contest at the North |
should come between liberty and radicalism
liberty would surely triumph. In Ohio tho
party adopted the doctrine of smanhood suf-
irage as portion of its political faith, but in
pennsylvania political shrewdness triumphed
over political honesty, and it was rejected as a
party doctrine The California elections took
place. anu the Conservatives elected their
ticket. Maine followed, and the Radicals lost
votes-ohio has since endeavored to change
the issue, and to avoid the question which ia