The Charleston daily news. [volume] (Charleston, S.C.) 1865-1873, 1869-04-30
CHI A'RLE Es TON.
FRIDAY MORNING, APRIL 80, 1869.
Reaction.

The huge and incongruous politic& or
ganization which calls itself the Republican
party of the United States, has at last, after
decade of continuous effort, made itself
master of every department of the National
Government, besides controlling, as well,
the subordinate governments Of large ma
jority of what were once the sovereign
States. With the consummation of it's tri-
umph, the cohesive force which has thus
far bound together the discordant elements
of the party, has suddenly become centri-
fugal pressure, and the signs that forebode
the coming of great political breakup
are of character hardly to ~ mistaken.
The hosts of those who have been disap-
pointed in the division of the spoils, and
who are always the earliest and bitterest
foes of an administration, were never 80
numerous and so vengeful as now. These
alone would constitute formidable party
Of opposition. But apart from these, there
are in every Northern State thousands of
honest men who have hitherto ranged them.
selves under the Republican banner, but
who are at last heartily disgusted with the
e1cesses of their party, and who are band
ing together resolutely for reform. Thu
rallying cry under which this movement
seems chiefly to be taking shape and gath
ering strength is the just and popular doc
trine Of. Free Trade. A powerful League
has just been organized at Boston, which
numbers amongst its members some Of the
most influential men in New England. 1t
opposes special legislation Of every kind. 1t
announces its belief in the propositions
that every man is entitled to the results of
his own labor, to sell at will in the nearest
market and buy in the chaanoa ,-=tha! -
|--rvzv- IureIicrcuUo Will tuo industrial
efforts of the citizen is an infringement of
his natural rights; the reciprocity Of trade
gives to each nation, under system of
mutual exchange, the greatest results from
the least expenditure of toll {; that all raw
materials, machinery, fuel and lumber
should be admitted duty free; that such
customs duties as it may be necessary to
impose should be levied For revenue e1clu-'
sively, and not for protection that cur
rency Of real value should take the place Of
deprecated paper; and finally, that govern
ment appointments should be made on the
sole ground of fitness, and not as thereward
of party services. In New York, the Free
Trade. League has also set vigorously to
work in yindication of these doctrines, and
at the West and Northwest they are
already accepted with ardor by the Chicago
Tribune, the Cincinnati Commercial and
host of minor journals. At Brooklyn,
Henry Ward Beccher has openly repudia-
ted, at q Free Trade meeting, the heresy Of
high protective tariff which he has held
and maintained SO long. The New York
Tribune snaps and snarls at the new move.
ment, sedulously avoids the publication Of
the speeches made, and of the resolutions
adopted, but no longer charges that the
League is instigated by British gold.
All these things point TO q change in pub
io sentiment. A happy and healthy change
indeed would it be if it should sweep away
the corruption which has fastened itself
upon every department Of the government,
together with that system Of legalized rob-
berry, miscalled protection.