The Fairfield herald. [volume] (Winnsboro, S.C.) 1849-1876, 1868-08-26
Horace Greedy.

In the same proportion that Greeley
grows lngubrious, the Democratic ionrn.
ais become eager and animated. The
I 'Iorld darted upon its antagonist the
minute he slank away, and expedited
his retreat with vigorous uis tcrgo-
terrible fro in the rear. Abiding to
Greeley discontinue, it says:
wv are neither pleased nor sorry
that the Republican leaders have at last
a realizing sense Of their weakness and
insecurity. Activity will no more save
them than supincncss, so it matters lit.
tie whether they prosecute their cam
pa'gn! IN a sanguine spirit Of confidence
or with the spasmodic energy Of despera.
ton. In fact, everything they have
done tor the last ten months is symp.
tom OF decrepitude. but most of all the
nomination Of such man as General
Grant. Why did they go out OF their
party to nominate him? Simply be.
cause their party had so sunk in public
confidence tina: they had no hope OF sue.
cess with any of their old leaders But
the nomination of Grant has not helped
them. In every election which has
been held since it was determined on,
tho party has lost ground. And now,
after sighting all their old leaders for a
neophyte, and found that he is weak
candidate, they begin to feel the necessi.
ty OF casting aside all that is most char.
acterislc in their policy. Observe how,
IN the following paragraphs. the 1Ei.
o"nc attempts to befog and shift Tho is.
sue:
"srhis is the real and only question:
says Frank Blair. 1t is idle to talk of
bonds, grecnbacks gold, tho public faith.
and tho public credit. Wo must have
President who will execute the will of
The people by tramp'ing into dust tho
wsu,potons Of Congress kno,vn as tho
reconstruction acts. l wish to stand be.
lore the convention upon this issue,
but ats oac aohich embraces evcrything
clSc.'
"Frank was entirely right; this is the
real and only question this does EN-.
brace everything else. Shall tho con.
sttulional amendment, now soiemnly in
corporated in tho foundation Of our law.
remain? For this amendment Is the
Congressional plan Of reconstruction.
The subsequent measures were adopted in
order to secure the success of the amend
ment; and now that the amendment has
become part OF the Constitution, and
IS proclaimed by the Secretary OF tho
State, the military bills are of no further
effect; they pass out OF existence. Mill.
tary rule at the South, in all tho States
which have adopted The amendment, is
Mt an end. IL was never intended to be
more than temporary. and its aim having
been accomplished, it ceased.
"The real issue now before the peo.
pie, that which they mus, decide at the
next Presidential election, is-Shall the
fourteenth amendment stand as a part
OF the fundamental law of the land?
"Ont OF the general wreck of the re-
construction acts of Congress, the I}i.
6une deems 1t useless to try to save any
thing but the new constitutional amend
mcnt. II therefore represents the sta
bility Of that amendment as the chief.
and, go Tar as regards reconstruction, the
solo issue OF the canvass We will not
stop to remark on the dishonesty of this
representation; our object is merely to
call attention to tho great change Of
base which the fears OF tho Tribune I'M
pei It to attempt. There is nothing in
the fourteenth amendment which for
bids tho exclusion OF every Southern
negro from the ballot box. IF they arc
excluded, the States will havo proper.
tionally fewer representatives in tho
lover branch Of Congress, but the
amendment permits them to regulate tho
elective franchise as they please. The
fact that the Tribune tries to retreat to
the position its party occupied before the
reconstruction acts were passed, is a
significant indication of their great un.
popularity, and such a confession of
weakness as we did not expect from that
quarter"