The daily phoenix. [volume] (Columbia, S.C.) 1865-1878, 1868-05-24
"The stats-1 am tho state"

Mercury to never cease? Has it but
sneers and denunciation for any and
every effort not originating with its
adherents? Have the bitter lessons
of the past but served to intensity
that extreme violence, which is the
grand centre from whence have ra-
dated all of our present woes? "No
COMPROMISED" Compromise of what;
of honor, truth, virtue and charity {?
Not so; but to make those just con-
cessions which the spirit of the age
demands to rise above mere faction,
and demand ''in the parliament of
man, those precious boons we have
entitled ourselves to, by broad and
comprehensive craftsmanship, based
upon charity for the faults of others,
and rod Of iron for our own. The
very essence of craftsmanship is
concession. We do not live in some
Utopian realm, in which each indivi-
dual is sovereign of every other,
but among men struggling in every
conceivable phase and avenue of
life, thinking, sentient beings, whose
opinions and views must be con-
suited; who hold an interest in the
body politio, and will vindicate it,
irrespectivelof would-be oracles, come
they under whatsoever guise. The
Charleston Mercury is not the State,
nor the city of Charleston, nor the
low country. We had hoped that SEQ
tional spirit, with its awful lessons
still fresh upon us, had been exor-
cised at least for the present, and
given place to resolute determine
tion, strong in its very want of pas
sion, to make the best use possible
of every means left to us. The moral
sympathies of our fellow-men must
be concentrated into an active power,
working for our deliverance; the very
agencies seeking our annihilation
must be rendered innocuous, or
turned into weapons of offence. To
hesitate is to be lost. It is not only
national question with us, but one
of far greater moment in a local
sense, entering into our very house
holds. 1t is not o mere matter of
opinion with us. The great States
of the North, with their vast pre-
ponderance Of the white element,
may calmly await the course of
events, and speculate upon the
chances of mere party; but will
philosophical indifference to results
on our part. give bread to our fam
ishing people? Will it take from the
number of pauper criminals, who are
thronging our jails? 1t is we'll for
those who feel not grim want, to deal
in hair-splitting niceties Of political
machiavelism; but as of the people,
we speak from their great heart,
when we demand that there be peace.
Have we the capital to furnish en-
ployment for the needy? Look
around us and see how many are
living from hand to mouth. 1t is
the capital and enterprise of those
Identical malignant and devilish
enemies" which the Charleston Her
cury SO glibly assails, that are to
recuperate this desolate land. Are
the utterances of Fessenden and Ross
malignant and devilish? We're the
transcendent abilities OF Chief Justice
Chase employed otherwise than to
strict impartiality andjustice? Should
it not be our firm resolve to enfold
with the Democratic party every great
and good man, Regardless of antece-
dents, if he became the champion of
our cardinal principles, and let minor
differences be ignored. A man can
not unlearn his whole life, and who
is free from error? Let us be salts
fed to make the best of him for our
mutual benefit, that his independence
and our right conception will allow.
The almost daily "bulletin of or
ganizaticn, published by the Pho-
nir, is the best reply to the charge of
not representing the State; and we
have yet to hear of any influential
paper, which has not cordially en-
dorsed the platform enunciated. The
Mercury, we will meet cheerfully, to
forward our common veal; but will
ever oppose its unwarranted attacks
upon the Convention of the people,
and the measures taken in their
wisdom, to Danish the jealousies and
warning interests, ever engendered
by narrow-minded and short-sighted
lepislation And wbiIa wa hol;aya