The daily phoenix. [volume] (Columbia, S.C.) 1865-1878, 1869-12-16

VIII 10 sAuEulSuSus iOr' one year, at
four dollars The above rates go into
eftect on the first OF January, 1870.
State OF Affairs An South Caroiina-The
s.s c:loss Duty Refore Us.
Wehave in South Carolina what may
be called s'pretty'' state of affairs.
Here in the capital Legislature is in
session. and according to the acknow-
ledgment Of some of its members of the
majority, it is more intent upon provid-
ing for the officials than the interest of
the people. To the standard of money,
or private gain, almost every measure is
brought; and the great question seems to
be, how can money be made out of tho
State. Matters OF education and of sub
stantial advantage to the State give way
TO the more attractive concerns OF bonds
and stocks, But turn from the capital,
where fortunes are making by the know
ing ones, and what is the condition of
the State? An incendiary fire greets us
with unwonted frequency. And who is
responsible for this? We believe that
Gov. Scott is, to q great extent. He it
is who, in his proclamations. throws out
those ambiguous words to the State, the
fruit of who'll may be realized in the
flames that consume the Clubhouse and
the private dwelling. Let the sober
citizens of South Carolina look upon this
picture, and let them consider what their
duty is If in South Carolina we are to
have q condition OF order and law and
prosperity-if we are to have wise laws
properly administered-ifw we are to have
honest officials. who regard the public in
terests- we are to have State fit to
live in-we must offer to the present
regime the front of steady, firm and
persistent opposition. We must repudi-
ate the suggestions of those time-serving
men who, though pretending to oppose
the present political anomaly in South
Carolina, are yet, for lucre or place, aid.
ing and abetting the foes to the common
veal. We repeat it, that the duty before
US is plain. We must resolve not to give
up South Carolina to the rude grasp that
is now laid upon her. Fixing upon o
policy that is moderate and acceptable to
the sober sense of the people, we must
pursue it perseveriDgly and steadily until
a wise, yirtuous and IN intelligent
rule is established over South Carolina
a rule which recognizes the claims of
both classes in South Carolina. and
which looks to the moral and material
development of the State-a develop
ment not sought to be attained by arti-
fetal and illegitimate methods, but by
those solid means which leave capital
and labor and enterprise, unfettered by
hostile enactments, to do their good
work AS our readers know, We ore no
cxtremist-no alarmist-no sensationist.
We appreciate the true mission Of jour
nalism. We say what We feel, and what
we believe is justified by the fact and
the testimony. In this spirit speaking
for State endearcd to us all-speaking
in behalf of a long-suffering people, we
tell them that in South Carolina, looking
to her Legislature where the impudence
of the carpet-bagger, conjoined with the
ignorance and prejudice of the negro, is
making laws, and raising money, and
creating Offices, and voting away money.
and in general running riot in crude
legislation and partial enactments-look-
ing, we soy, to her Legislature, where all
this is done, and looking, too, to her
Executive. in whom a willing ally is to
be fouud-the duty of the great mass OF
our people is obvious. It is by organi-
zation. and resolution, and spirit, and
work, to build up the political power,
that will change all this. When the
time comes for change of rulers, let no
man weakly say that we are in minority
and are powerless. There is power in
pluck, and there are resources in de.
termined will. Even in virtuous effort,
there is a success. We summon the men
of South Carolina to tho patriotic duty
before them. That duty, briefly stated,
as to redeem Tie State.