The Charleston daily news. [volume] (Charleston, S.C.) 1865-1873, 1868-10-19
THE STATE DEMOCRACY.
Address of the Central Democratic Club
to the Democratic Party of South
Carolina.

Felo,r- Citizens The election for President
and Vice. President of the United States is now
close at hand. The great principles involved
in the contest, the magnitude OF the interests
at stake, and the influence which this State
may have on the result, make this proper
occasion to lay before you brief address.
| The tendency AMI purpose OF the Radical
party, as NANTES cd in words and acts, are the
absorption of the liberty of the individual; the
destruction OF States; the subyersion OF the
| constitution. and the erection upon the ruins
of individual and public liberty, grand, grind
ing consolidated despotism. Already 1t has
mado rapid strides in that direction. Little
now is left for it to do but to fuse Into one
mass, and then crystalize into permanent form
its various ACQUISITIONS OF usurped power. Its
capricous acts; its wanton cruelties; it's cor
rupt practices: its enormous burdens you have
| felt and do know. Against these and more
than these you are now called upon TO con-
tinue resolutc fight with the peaceful, though
potent, weapon oil the ballot. Tho Democratic
party here and everywhere are striking with
YOU for the principles otliberty, and the forms
Of Government to which we have been accus-
toned, for a written constitution: a F:deral
Union and distinct existence o. Tie Statez.
Surely, then, tho principles Of the contest
are important, and the interest great Arouse,
therefore, to the magnitude the emergency,
and spare no efforts for success. When the
time for reg islratlon shall come, let no man
fail to appear, and none fail to vote. Let each
one remember that his individual vote may de-
eide the election in his own District, and that
the electoral vote Of the State may turn the
scale in favor OF the Democratic party.
Cur people must not despond, nor relax
their efforts. il there should be failures else
where. On the contrary, they will have reason
TO hopa. and much to stimulate them to in
creased energy, for it is yet possible to win
State elections are influenced, nD1 sometimes
controlled by local issues; and it has ofteu
hapceped that these 20 one way, and III few
weeks thereafter, in the samo place, the Prcsi-
dental elections another. This may be the
case in the present canvass; and, indeed, we
have reason to hope so. Recently we have re-
ceiyed reports from oil parts OF the State,
which induce tue belief that South Carolina,
with proper effort, will be carried for Seymour
and Blair. Let not the failure to do 80 be as
crbed 10 you.
The canvass in which you are now engaged
is full of excitement which will probably con-
tinuc and increase to the end. We trust there
fore. that it will not be amlss to drop you q
word OF caution. The criminality OF few, and
perhaps the indiscrction of many have placed
it in the power OF malice and mlsreprescnta-
ton TO iniure us, and seriously to damage the
common cause. We urge you, therefore, no5
only to prevent violence, but to abstain from
fine snpearauce OF it. We are dealing with n
false and subtle ioe-proiiic in inventions AID
| yenomous in purposc-a foe who fully UNDER
stands tho temporary profit OF nimble lie,
~. .lich too often achieves its end before the
| truth can even buckle on her arnlor.
We need not urge upon you the policy and
the duty OF treating, with great kindness and
forbcarancc, the colorcd population OF The
State. THIS You have ever done, and will COLI
tinue to do, as long as You are permitted. We
have no doubt you will make manifest the un-
truth of the IN llicious charge, that by force
YOU have compelled their votes or by intimi-
dation kept them from the polls. Their minds
are rapidly opening 10 the truth that the va
grant white man from the North, as well as tho
renegade OF the South, who live by dcceivlng
and plunderiag them. and who have been
driving them to destruction, arc not true
friends, and are unworthy of confidence
and support. With fair opportunity
thew will return to you, rs their estrange-
mont is owing entirely to the false teachings
and malignant efforts Of the Northern emissa-
~. It cannot Lc forgotten that the State vol
UNFAIRLY. in 1866, invested the colorcJ l'opula-
lion with every civil right; and that the Demo-
cratic party, in convention in April last, recog-
niZed them, under the preylous action OF the
the State. as an integral clement in the body
polite, and expressed its willingness. When III
lower, 10 cutranch!sc them TO the extent which
the public veal and their OWN good might war
| rant. Tho uosition then taken by the COnYen-