The Charleston daily news. [volume] (Charleston, S.C.) 1865-1873, 1868-08-25
THE CAMPAIGN.

A CAIM AND IMPARTIAL REVIEW OF THE PRoS-
pEors OF THE cANvAss-TF CONCLUSIONS OF
THE ROUND TABLE.
We have already given our readers some
specimens of the admirable style in which the
Round Table reviews the progress and events
OF the Presidential campaign; and ne are sure
they will thank us for transferring to our col
umns the following leader from the last num-
ber of that sterling and spirited paper:
THE PROSPECTS OF TIE CAMPAIGN.
The Presidential campaign, SO far has. con-
sisted of preparation rather than Of conflict.
The complaints have been sharpening their
| arms, measuring their distances, and accumu-
| latipg their resources; but neither has yet ac-
tually taken the field. Trumpets OF defiance
and fish-horns of vituperation have been sound
ed on both sides in manner sufficiently dis
credtable, and the respective candidates have
been so satisfactorily proved to be the basest
| of mankind that neither would seem to pos
sess any moral advantage over the other. The
mouth pieces OF each fairly contest the palm
for pre.eminence in blackguardism; and MIR.
Greeley's La Crosse Republican Is neck and
neck with MIR. Pomeroys La Crosse Demo-
crat. ,.e~..r ~
Superhcially speaking, the chances Of the
two parties may appear to be relatively un-
changed, and the probability, therefore, would
seem to be vastly in favor OF the election OF
General Grant our e9ascsen Non vas vas eey ea
ton, that, in selecting Governor Seymour for
their standard-bearer, the Democrats had set
the seal to their own defeat. Did we judge
merely from indications on the surface, this
conviction might remain unchanged. We have,
however, become persuaded that there ls
powerful under-current OF popular dissatisfac-
ton with Radical rule and Radical measures
which is gaining rather than losing strength
with the passage Of time, and that, conse-
quently, the chances, which at present we es-
Innate as nearly even, may incline, In Novem-
Der, in victorious degree, to the Democranc
side.
It ia plain that-notwithstandin the assist
ance OF some of their old time allies, the. ire
eating zealots Of The South-the efforts OF the
Radicals to afix to the Democratic cause the
stigma OF disloyalty, or, in general, OF attach
ment to dead and gone unpopular issues, meets
no sympathetic response from the great BODY
Of the people. The civil war is not to be
fought over again, neither is slavery to be re-
vived. There are repudstors among RePuDh-
cans as we'll as among Democrats, and the
respective advocates Of free-trade and protec-
parties. La word there is no distinctive prin-
ciple or measure IN either side which is likely
to outweigh with the bulk OF voters their con-
victions on the subject OF reconstruction. Sub
stantially speaking, those who believe in and
would perpetuate universal negro suffrage Will
vote solidiy on one side, and those VINO dlsoe,
lieye in universal negro suffrage, or would
leave it to the regulation of the States them
selves, will vote on the other.
Assuredly, no Intelligent man can credit that
there would be less danger to the national
honor, 80 far as the public debt is concerned,
in the success Of q party which counts General
Butler among it's most influential leaders, than
would arise from the victory OF its rival. But
in point Of fact, no immediate question OF mn
ance will be determined either one way or the
other by the Presidential election. Prospec-
lively, there may be looked for that mitigation
OF public burdens, or that aggras alton OF them,
which becomes respectively natural when o
man trained in public affairs or man Ignorant
OF them-both being admitted to be equally
patriotic c-accedes to commanding and in1u-
ential position. In the absence Of specific
pledges, or, indeed, Of any definite or u1check-
ed control bearing upon matters OF exchequer,
30 far as preference attaches TO either, the De-
mocratic candidate should manifestly be the
tavorite. But theg outrageous blunders
relating to this momentous subject, their
utter want of anything Like settled or, perma-
nent policy, the enormous injury they have In
Aicted upon nearly every business interest in
the country by their proorastnations, their un-
certainties, and their ignorance, undoubtedly
have persuaded thousands OF sober-minded
men that on this ground alone any possible
change in administration would be change
for the better. Most certainly, no conceivable
party or policy could be worse than those that,
by refusing to reform the civil service, have re-
| fused in tune OF unprecedented public bur-
dens to save the country sixty five millions or
dollars o year; and who,- by their conniyance
with Whiskey frauds, have impoverished the
Treasury to an amount equal to more than half
the entire present annual revenue. Now, all
this cheating, imbeciity and folly may be in
separable from loyalty and hatred Of Copper
heads and disinterested love Of negroes; but
they are, being Of very palpable injury to the
national interests, while their inevitable ad-
iuncte are o., but theoretic advantage, it seems
prefer, apart from oil other issues, to rid them
selves OF the whole load Of such good, bad and
doubtful qualities together. s:t
But the election hinges upon reconstruc-
ton, to which all other questions, however
important, are evidently to- be reckoned as
subordinate. The Republicans, well knowing
their vulnerable side, deprecate this view. Of
the case with refreshing simplicity. The is
sue Of reconstruction, say they, is closed by
events. Reconstruction is o thing accomplish
ed. Hence it is inadmissible, or at least un-
profitable, to discuss the wisdom Of the pro-
cess. In other words, premium should be
offered for all future time to encourage rancor-
GUS, precipitate aud unconstitutional lesisla-
ton with the promised result OF vitiating every
established element Of the United States Gov
ernment and insuring it's early overthrow. The
national history has been eventful and unique,
and, particularly Of late years, has presented
unexpected viclssitudes; but we do not yet be-
Eeve that Americans are prepared without re-
vision to accept solution OF their great social
and political problem which, irrevocable there
after, without bloodshed, involves the mega
ton Of hitherto cherished and signally i'm
portant principle Of their constitution.
Already ne hear from numerous points &C
counts OF collisions which have been repeated
ly foreshadowed in these columns as inevitable
il political equality by many deemed unnatu-
ral and which in any moderate view vas at
least premature, were forced upon the superior
race Of the Southern people. Already the re-
suits Of an amazing want OF statesmanship, to
say nothing Of ordinary tact or generous feel
ing, are becoming critically manifest. Al
ready crazy fanaticism is e1ulting over second
ary symptoms that, it fails to see, may prove
the medicine to have been even worse than the
disease. The remarkable unpopularlty OF Gen.
Grant meanwhile appears to increase from
day to day. Whether it is that the peo-
Die instnctively realize the impropri-
ety in q republic Of placing military man as
chief ruler over territory alphabetically free,
but which his sword has just subdued, or that
the commander-in-chiefs personal charaeteris-
tics beget a constantly augmentlns dislike, it
is certainly true that for no military man ever
presented as q candidate for the Presidency in
this country has there been 30 little genuine
enthusiasm. The weakness OF some parts OF
the Democratic platform and the ridiculous in