The Charleston daily news. [volume] (Charleston, S.C.) 1865-1873, 1869-12-08
A Coat of Many Colors.

work. It betrays the inspirations OF vari-
Gus minds. Parts of it are Radical, parts
Conservative Republican, parts CHOSE which
do not call for action) Democratic. Yet all
are ingeniously joined and stitched into q
certain semblance Of unity. It is only by
putting the remote portions OF the fabric
into iuxtaposition that the difference OF tex
ture and quality is made to appear
Thus, for example, in dwelling on our do
mestic affairs, the President mentions as one
OF the conditions essential to the peace and
prosperity Of the country 'the union of all
'the States, with equal rights, indestructi-
"ble by any constitutional means" OF this
condition he says. in the next paragraph,
that sit cannot be attained by special legis-
.'lation, but must be regarded as fixed by
"the constitution itself, and gradually ac-
"quiesced by the force OF public opinion" :"
Yet in the beginning Of the message the in
reference of Congress with the. legislation
OF some of these coequal States is not only
justified, but even demanded, and Congress
is urged to deprive Georgia OF her rights.
although she has complied with every condi-
tion illegally imposed by that body upon her.
Thus the Presidents delverance about the
States amounts just to this-that they have
rights but none which Congress is bound to
respect
Tie President in his exordium, prpclaims
| it to be matter of national thanksgiving
that we have "a population OF forty millions
''of free people," Yet he, in another para
graph, charges it upon one of the States as
o crime that she has admitted to seats SOHO
members who are disqualified by the Four
teeuth Amendment Putting this and that
together, we learn from our Chief Magis-
trate that enfranchisement and disiranchise-
ment are equally q blessing-the first gift
of Providence, the second benefit from
Congress, sort Of counterweight to the
former.
The references TO the case OF the freed
men are curious. The President inferen-
TALLY asserts, and then virtually denies,
their right to hold office. He asserts it
when he says that Georgia violated the con-
stitution when she unseated tho co!ored
members of her Legislature. He virtually
denies it when he limits the duty Of govern
ment to its citizens to 'Me protection Of per
"son and property, without reference to
Original nationality, religion, color op poll
'tics; in rsturn demanding OF them only
obedience to the laws and respect for the
"rights of Others" Eygibilly 10 office is
dexterously thrust out Of sight when q prin-
ciple applicable to the whole country is
enunciated, and when nothing must be said
to enfranchise the victims Of Congressional
policy at the South, sor Of race-averSion in
California In regard to the laboring freed
men, the President coolly AYERS that no
complaints are heard Of lack OF industry
"on their part, when they receive fair remu-
sneratlon for their labor" Yet 1t is the
same (!) pen which records the fact written
not less distinctly upon the surface OF the
country than upon the archives OF the gov
ernment, that the work OF protecting and
'tostering free labor" (amOn5 other things
'has not met with tn success in oil particue-
Glars that might have been desired"-a mild
way of coniessing that free labor has not
done all that was expected from it, even
with the aid Of the immense and wasteful
patronage of the government. And this is
precisely the fact
On Cuba, the President has word for
the Junta, and word for Spain, and a word
for Sickles and Fish. He rides upon three
horses ut once, and. as our Yesterdays telo-
gram from Washington indicates, is likely
10 get u fall.
The tariff is another matter, in regard to
which there is u paragraph or two OF hep
less maundering. The President undertakes
to be everyboly's friend. He favorS labor
this with tho national debt :eduction, Is
the trump card the Radicals hope to play Of
the present session OF Congress. I!s ID
friendly to agriculture, commerce end man
uiactures. lie likes protection, because it
will not disturb .lny Of the industrial inter-
ests Of the country. Bat he likes free trade
also, for it will furnish US other markets for
the sale OF our surplus products. But as
civilized governments can play at this SELF
ish game as well as we, he recommends that
we turn our attention to our neighbors to
the south OF us, and to China and Japan.
With them We may-perhaps-make the
partition offered by the FrencAman TO the
Indian: "You take de buzzard and take
.de turkey; or take de turkey and you take
de huz5ard."
President Grnnt spoke the truth when he
said he had no policy. He drifts with tho
| tide.
AHoFHEI wrinkle OF the Bond Ring is to
make all 6oan AMI Trust G mpunles pat
nf lnt