The daily phoenix. [volume] (Columbia, S.C.) 1865-1878, 1868-07-12


party" the suggestion has only
served to remind me of a memorable
remark, uttered when faction ruled
high in Rome, that "Cesar had a
party, and Pompey and Crassus each
o party, but that the common wealth
had none.'' Aiming only, as the
representative Of the people, to
stand by the rights of the common
wealth, may not pertinently make
the application to my own case?
Constrained, in occupying my po-
sition as the Federal Executive, to
abide in silence wrongs and encroach-
ments of the most insidious, as well
as desperate, character, or some
times, when incapable of arresting
them, permitted only to employ fu-
tile protests; compelled, with only
the privilege of remonstrance, or the
terrible alternative of counter-revo-
luton, to resist revolutionary pro-
lects; obliged to stand in the atti-
tude of mere spectator, whilst the
Invaluable time of the nation has
been wasted in causeless assaults
upon myself and Office for the bene-
fit of party, cannot complain if
the people, while witnessing the
scene, have not been able to make
my cause thoroughly their own-the
defence Of the Constitution and laws
their own battle.
Until, however, the peoples repre-
sentatives will recognize more plainly
the imperative needs of the country.
by tightening the burdens of excess
slve and onerous taxation, and pre-
venting successive imposts upon the
same article, beginning with its crude
state, and following it through its
several stages of manufacture to its
final use and cost-the people being
thus made to pay extortionately and
ruinously these accumulated taxes;
until the time appropriated in Con-
gress to partizan schemes is devoted
more to legislating for the peoples
wants, the nation will have to be con-
tent with the mere delusive hope and
promise of better times, since mere
party politics will continue to be
considered of greater moment than
the study and practice of political
economy and the reduction Of tariffs,
and the making of a President of
more consequence than the diminu-
tion of national Indebtedness and q
return to sound currency and specie
payments.
With the people. then, must rest
the correction of whatever is wrong
IN the respects indicated; and if their
public servants find them careless of
their responsibilities the people
will not do their duty in seeing that
their representatives perform theirs.
no Executive will ever have power
successfully to defend their rights.
and few will care to incur the oblo-
guy consequent upon the attempt.
am now, however, as I have ever
been, in the hands of the people, and
at their disposal. My struggle for
the Union and the integrity of the
Government began long ago. Con-
scious of having honestly discharged
my duty, and satisfied that the con
test in which 1 have been compelled
to engage will, in the end, at least.
lnure to the benefit and, indeed,
safety of constitutional liberty and
human rights, can well afford. I
think, to look calmly on the present
and await patiently the verdict of the
future. Whilst 1 know that the struo-
gle for the rights of the people and
for Difference to the Constitution. is
not yet over, yet believing that with
the late palpable failure to do vio
lence to that great instrument and
the executive Office, the worst that
faction can for the present do has
been accomplished. I would ONLY.
in concluding this brief statement of
my views and feelings, express the
hope that in the selection by the
Convention of n candidate for the
Presidency, whose duty it will be, if
elected, to preserve, protect and de-
fend the Constitution, and to execute
the laws made in pursuance of its
provisions, the public good, and lead
ing and well-defned principles will
not be sacrificed to the mere purpose
of party ascendancy.
In conclusion, gentlemen, permit
me to thank you most earnestly for
the kind expression of your abiding
confidence in me as public servant,
and to assure you that the approval
of the people is all that is requisite
to make me feel that the efforts I
have made to restore Union on the
basis of justice and conciliation have
not been altogether in vain. Leaving
my cause and myself in their hands.
should the continuance and the con-
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