The daily phoenix. [volume] (Columbia, S.C.) 1865-1878, 1868-10-25

Sunday Morning. October rs. 1858

oun0aY morning, UcCGDer 20, 1868
The olLate Republican Meeting and
ats sFalsec cArrhiBnnient or our People.
We copy the following excellent
article, with the above title, from the
Charleston Courier:
The Republican party professed
that their meeting, on Wednesday
afterno BON, would be in the interest OF
peace. ghe whole proceedings show
IttoIhave been slauder upon the
Democratic party, and upon the State
and its communities. Randolph had
been killed. No one justified the act.
Men of all parties alike condemned
the deed. The Democratic Clubs of
the District of .Abbeville, where he
met his death, disavowed any SYM
pathy with the act, and declared as
alone responsible the desperate men
engaged, whom they characterized as
alike tkdeaf to the suggestions of
prudence as they are reckless of the
restraints of morality" The whole
press of the State were out-spoken in
its condemnation. The people of the
State expressed their abhorrence.
It was, therefore, evident that what
ever may have been the incendiary
and threatening language of the de-
ceased yet that his homicide was
censured by the Democracy, as we'll
as by the radicals, by the white race
ofthe soil, aswell as by the colored
people. In fact, no condemnation
could have been more emphatic.
If, therefore, any further express
sion of opinion was deemed either
necessary or wise, it was easy to have
convened q public meeting of oil the
citizens, irrespective of party.
But this was not done. The kill
ing of Randolph, by irresponsible
and unknown persons, seems to have
been regarded as too good an oppor-
tunity for political capital to be lost.
AS one OF the speakers said: "The
blood of Randolph left them this
consolation. As the news flashed
across the electric wires, thousands
of men would fall into the Republi.
can ranks. Randolph's death would
thus gain 10000 votes for Ulysses S.
Grant" Or rs the same speaker
more pointedly expressed, the whole
purpose and scope of the meeting:
Remember, whenever n Democrat
comes to you and says he is your
friend, point him to Randoiph's
bloody corpse" "
1t was. therefore, not peace that
was desired, but agitation. It was
not truth, but charge, without the
slightest foundation, against the De-
mocratic party and its principles. It
was not to condemn the perpetrators
but falsely to arraign the Democracy
IL was not so much to deplore the
deed as to array the races. And to
these conclusions we have been
forced by the general tenor and cha
racter of the speeches. PT
I,. Some of the most valued of the
white race have been stricken down
bgscolored assassins upon their farms
and upon the high road, in tho broad
light of day, while pursuing their
peaceful avocations, and yet it never
has been charged upon the Republi-
can party as such. The sad fate of
Rhett, Of Hayward, of young Smith,
OF Columbia, and of others, are but
too well remembered. Republican
orators of all colors, have traversed
the State, disorganizing labor, in
fammatory and insulting in their
appeals, arraying race against race,
denounoing the white race of the
soil. and even threatening the use of
the torch. This meets with no re-
buke from the Republican party. De-
mooratic voters are driven from the
polls, Democratic colored orators are
th!reatened and intimidated, the pre-
mlses OF the white race and the safe
ty OF their families are imperiled by
the incendiary, bnt not one word of
heard. >''''' -
But on the other hand, when those
who suggest the incendinrism and
iniame the public mind, are violent.
ly dealt with by men unknown. in
defiance of all law and order. Il is
charged Immediately upon the De.
moeratic party, and upon the whole
white race of the State, notwithstand.
ing their open condemnation Of the
deed. ifE f5r. -,