The daily phoenix. [volume] (Columbia, S.C.) 1865-1878, 1868-04-18
COLUMBIA.
Saturday Morning, April 18, 1868.
Tho True Issues before the Country.
The New York World says:


The following letter was addressed
to the members of the National De-
mocratio Committee by their chair
man. It has got into the papers at
the West, and we therefore re-pub.
lish it, desiring especially to signalize
to our readers the clear sagacity
with which Mr.. Belmont sees and
states the issues upon which and the
methods by which the Democracy
may win an easy victory in November:
"NEw YORK, March 2, 1868.
tDEAR SIR: I have forwarded to
you the call Of the Democratic Ma
tional Committee for the holding of
the next National Convention in the
city of New York, on the 4th OF July
next. You will please confer with
the State Central Committee of your
State, to the end that she be fully
represented in the Convention by
the number of delegates to which she
is entitled.
"The National Committee is very
desirous that an earnest appeal should
be made to the conservative clement
throughout the Union, which has not
heretofore acted with the Democratic
party.
"We call upon every Democratic
voter to unite with us in our efforts
to save our free institutions from the
lawless despotism which now threat
ems the very foundation of our Co.
vernment.
"It is only by the united action of
all who love the Union and the Con-
stitution, that we can hope to drive
from power in the next Presidential
election the radical party, which, by
its representatives in Congress, has
attempted to usurp the functions of
the judiciary and executive branches
of Government, and which, by pro-
figacy and corruption in the manage
ment of our national finances, con-
tinues to burden our people with
system of taxation which must end in
public and private disaster, unless
arrested by wise, sound and eco
nomical policy, such as Democratic
administration is sure to give us.
81 hope you Will lose no time, in
order to cause such measures to be
taken in your State rs will bring to
our aid in the contest before us the
combined strength of all those who
are opposed to Congressional usurpa-
tion and negro supremacy, and who
wish the restoration of peace and
unity between all the sections of orr
common country, under the blessings
of the laws and the Constitution, for
which our brave soldiers and sailors
shod their blood and the nation
poured out its treasure.
"AUGUST BELMONT, Chm"
The issues of the great contest at
hand are and should be these, and
these only or chiefly:
1. Opposition to Congressional
usurpation.
2. Opposition to negro supremacy.
3. Immediate restoration of the
unity and peace of the nation.
The method of victory is to COM
bine the strength of all those, what
ever their past party ties, who nnite
in that opposition and this demand.
We take occasion to express our
hearty concurrence in these views Of
our able Democratic cotemporary.
The South Carolina Democracy will
take the field on these issues, and
will promise to carry the State. The
success of the National Democracy
lies in the adoption of conservative
policy on the negro question. Let it
take an extreme position On this sub
ject, and we excite anew the sympa-
thies of the North and the world in
behalf of the "poor negro" and en-
danger the success of our party. But
plant ourselves on the rock of quail
fed suffrage-on the right of The
negro to some participation, accord
ing to property and intelligence, in