The Charleston daily news. [volume] (Charleston, S.C.) 1865-1873, 1867-10-03
kIBERAI.lSlI.
~ @' he Charleston Rtiiy N,,,s !:

| 10 sac f:d"vf ~ ne Charleston ftiiiy HeicS:
notice i'll late issue uf your paper sev,
rai well-eoncerud and well-written leaders o
radIcaiIsm and agrarianism. They uro augge:
i've ot important thought on a subject ,
great moment 10 every patriotic citizen or tli
country. When tile writer in question: after pre-
missing that the contest recently terminated .
this continent 'was merely Il contest between n,
Greok and Roman IDEAS of government ;" thus cIo
q'lcntly adds Collision took place, alld with III
| eiash of IDEAS came the eiush ut arms and wit
! tho clash OF nrns came tho overthrow Of the Gree
luca, there are few, perhaps, whu realize that W
nre virtually fe-cnacting history that history i
actually reproducing itself.
| The prevailing tendency of all government q
the present day is 10 liberalism. Li6G,1y ! il TIN
| ely that grecta the from all quarters of thu
globe 1t is painful to note that this is all 5uro,r
IL IL not that liberty which is Justly the eyrosur,
Z" e''il'Zat'on, which cOusists in tho security utl
impaired Of all personal! and railtive rights, dis
| covers and signali2es, amid medley OF prosse
Instincts, what is divine and ecvating in Tie con
Hsitntin OF man, and which, through all The dc
felorments OF past ages. has contributed to the
Acknowledgement Of human thought II has lis
living, bleeding type in 3oxieo a. it is md in il.
history as it has boon from the date of the con
quest of CoRrEs.
Inc iossil history Of that country consistin. OF
the splendid remains of ancient grandcur-ediflccA
OF mperlshable granite wrought in nil the ngen,,.
itF Oh neutrality-suspicious. in agriculture,
anu tho arts and scic;lces-attests u civilization
fully abreast with the progress of the enlightened
world, introduced by the Tolteca in the seventh
century, and advanced nnd perfected by the Az
tees who followed them six hundred years later:
While III their half romantic legends were revealed
the existence or codes. nnd rubrics and rituals yet
in force during the regency OF the nIontozup,os.
But what is Mexico now?
The Frants suLjugated Gaul and stamped il a
nationnl character with the COURAGE of their own
excellence. The NOrmana overrun England and
gave it it's constitution and tho most cultured no
billtY Ill tho wol-l. Spain conquered Moxico, and
tho fatal legacy OF its own dcgenorncy has been
entaiied upon that ill-starred country; and where
ever, Ill ancient as well as modern or mediayal
times, the history Of conquest llas been written
tho lesson il the came. The question il inyoIuu-
tary: Are We drifting to this
There Is but one antidote for auarcliy The con-
dltlon or Paraguay was analogous to the present
condition of Mexico. Unbridled passion and say
age vengeance WAS Tie supreme law to which tho
ihuoieilt. hybrid, and almost Gnete Paragnenos
appealed Ill extreme cases; hut DR.. FRAScrA as
sued the dictatorship, and wieldod the iron scep-
tire OF despotism with too much severity to admit
places. Extreme cases Try principles The peri
phcry il fire; the ctntre is safety So. under tbr
calling lash OF tyranny, government settles down
to point clnidistaut from anarchy below 10 abso-
iutIsm above, provided the constituents of gov
erhment have attained to that stage OF civilization
which reason and morality alone can perfect We
DO not hold that this would no present panacea
ior Mexico; but we do hold that despotism cruel,
eIactIng, systematic, so il be reasonable il the
only civilzing influence which can safely affect the
destinics Of such a country.
For tile American people, however too mucL or
too little rule will he alike intolerablo We must
bo careful that, in avoiding CharybIis, wo do not
founder oI :Scylta. Party organizations nre ntis-
pensable To popular governments, when thoy have
Just sufficient power TO discover truth; hut they
must lie restrained, and they m,lst bc intelligent.
me liBhtnings Of truth produced by their col
people. Titus circnnlsancei, tl.eir mutual expo.
snres Of corruption and voniality would be in tho
highest degree beneficial to republican institu-
lions, where everything should tend to the de-
velopmont or those healthnll ideas which secure
individual righta in the palladium OF written con
stitutions.
The policy OF America, as developed By rudical
legislation, is experimental. TIE extension or tho
elective franchise to the illiteraie froetmel Of the
Southern States-to a yast floating population
without fixed interests excitable, ndoIent, credu-
ous-will no d >ubt prove the most egregiuus po-
hical blunder every committed by sllrcw,l and
practical people. Where the voice OF the people is
proclaimed tho voice OF God, il should assurely
be modulated by prudence and wisdom, and
should possess tho loast possible amount OF the
shrick of madness and the yell OF savagery And
what will bo the divine voice in our midsi2 Tho
intelligence Of ten States s under duress The
best men of these States arc excluded from tho
polls because OF crimes against the Constitution,
which In turn is most grieTously, because compla-
Gently, riolnted in the said exclusion. Tho voico
Of the nogro will provailin the South bocause that
element is predominant. They aro ignorant of
tho privileges or corrrlatiyo responsibilities of
froodom. They do moi comprehend the worth OF
moral character nor education, nor pecuniary in
dependence. They arc not progressive Thoy
are not able to live above law. Lod on by un-
whitc men, they will revol in drunken
orgies over each temporary success achieved by
their radical adheronts; but the excess OF the OWL
must surely work it's own cure. Slow Us may be
the process OF Development reaction complete
universal, i5 inevitable.
Tho fundamental principle OF liberty, as it was
upon tins continent, is already dead It may re-
produce itself. II mny como forth motaniDrphosed
and clad i'm tho rogalia of higher
and mo1e enduring IDEAS II this should not be-
future ia typed in tue tregcal history OF Mexi-
co; aud it is certain that before this fundamental
principle can bo reproduced, q great change must
take place in the American mind. We must in
crease in loyalty. We must learn to idealize con-
stitutional liberty. Our political institutions must
bc 30 remolelled and constructed as to mako tho
inculcation Of sentiments Of reverence for Law the
first and most especial Of chldhaod's lessons. No
longer must what is rnfiian, recklessy Of law, or
whnt wo may term tile tomority Of treason, arouse
the enthusiasm Of Americans. The character OF
tho State partakes OF the character OF its constt-
uents. With WOW TO tho elevation Of tho for
MGR, IsocRATEs thus admonishes DEMoSIcUs, with
respect to his civil duties: "First exercise piety
toward God not only in sacrifices, but al1o in the
preservation Of oaths; for tho former indeed may
be an Indication of abundant wealth, but the lat
ter is n proof Of integrity of character. Honor
the Deity always indeed, but especially in the sa
cred righto appointed by the State; for thus shal
you both appear offering sacrifice to God and
obefing the laws.
The American people cannot, and surely will not
allow their liberties to be made the jest of peril
Gus experiment. Whatever We may think, II ia cer-
tain that no constitution SUIT this country In
Which the just equilibrium butwesn ihe citizen and
the State ID not properly preserved and where the
moderated freedom Uf each individual IN not se-
mar alntr IlIa baa acF;np ~ ho