The daily phoenix. [volume] (Columbia, S.C.) 1865-1878, 1868-08-09

Z
action and to assure. the peace and
good order OF society. The election
or q Democratic Executive and a
majority Of Democratic members to
the House of Representatives would
not give to that party organization
the power to make sudden or violent
changes, but it would serve to check
those extreme measures which have
been deplored by the best men of
both political organizations. The
result would most certainly lead to
that peaceful restoration of the
Union and establishment of fra
ternal relationship which the country
Desires lam sure that the best men
Of the Republican party deplore ,s
deeply as I do the spirit of violence
shown by those recently admitted 20
seats, in Congress from the South.
The condition of civil war which
they contemplate must he abhorrart
to every right-thinking man. ,.
have no mere personal wishes
which mislead my judgment in re-
gard to the pending election. No
man who has weighed and measured
the duties of the Office of President
of the United States can fail to be
impressed with the cares and tolls of
him who is to meet it's demands. It
is not merely to float with popular
currents, without policy or a pur-
pose. On the contrary, while our
Constitution gives just weight to the
public will, its distinguishing feature
Is that it seeks to protect the rights
of minorities. Its greatest glory is
that it puts restraints upon power.
1t gives force and form to those max
inns and principles of civil liberty for
which the martyrs of freedom have
struggled through ages. 1t declares
the right of the people
''To be secure in their persons,
houses and papers against unreason-
able searches and seizures. That
Congress shall make no law respect
ing an establishment of religion or
the free exercise thereof, or abridg-
ing the freedom of speech or of the
press, or the right of the people to
petition for the redress of grievances.
1t secures the right of o speedy and
public trial by an impartial jury"
No man can rightfully enter upon
the duties of the Presidential office,
unless he is not only willing to carry
out the wishes of the people ex-
pressed in q constitutional way, but
is also prepared to stand up for the
rights OF minorities. He must be
ready to uphold the free exercise of
religion. He must denounce mea-
sures which would wrong personal or
home rights, or the religious con-
science of the humblest citizen of
the land. He must maintain, with
out distinction of creed or nationali-
ty, all the privileges of American
citizenship.
The experience of every public
man who has been faithful to his
trust teaches him that no one can do
the duties of the Office of President,
unless he is ready, not only to undergo
the falsehoods and abuse of the bad,
but to suffer from the censure of the
good, who are misled by prejudices
and misrepresentation. There are
no attractions in such positions
which deceive my judgment, when I
say that great change is going on
in the public mind. The mass of
the Republican party are more
thoughtful, temperate and just than
they were during the excitements
which attended the progress and
close of the civil war. As the energy
of the Democratic party springs
from their devotion to their cause,
and not to their candidates, may,
with propriety, speak of the fact that
never in the political history of our
country has the action of any like
body been hailed with such universal
and widespread enthusiasm as that
which has been shown in relation to
the position of the National Demo
cratic Convention. With this, the
candidates had nothing to do. Had
any others of those names been se-
lected, this spirit would have been
perhaps more marked. The zeal
and energy of the conservative masses
spring from q desire to make q
desire to make change of political
policy. and from the confidence that
they can carry out their purpose.
In this faith they are strengthened
by the cooperation of the great body
of those who served in the Union
army during the war. Having given
nearly 10000 commissions to the