The daily phoenix. [volume] (Columbia, S.C.) 1865-1878, 1869-10-15
80 49, .sTaEn, the spis, Alared., !,

ssdt ioafHFn the spis ,Ala9Esd," 9 r., l,.y
10 The political ndstion Of the country,
Moth, South, East and West may 168
aeSighatSd If the; c8t present. serio.
eonio,oFderii Vie know not whether we
shp9ld most laugh aor; ;ery at il. Upon
iSs issss whole RsEhaRs tAs %sditssiye sdsi, 81
Carlyle, when he was made Chancellor
ot, Oxford University, would be the best
policy for all parties, who, having de-
foffnitiestC conceal, think the blindlfold-
ing of ,theis own eyes, the most infallible
method OF hoedwinking the public. AS
We belong to none of these parties, and
advocate freedom of speech and OF the
press under The Federal Constitution, we
think u our duty, as conservatOrs of the
pRblio weal NOT, as magistrates but as
patriots, to look keenly about us in every
direction, and to discuss questions of inn
portanoe De they happen to arise in On
age when jngBlery and necromency are
pEominently sbrought; forward for the
amusement of the people.
We are most interested, just now, with
the prospect before us, such, for all the
w0rldI IaSiwoke up the genins of q Beattie,
when he ssrnek the strings of his harp to
ldeseFibeJa thunder. atorm-h q bit of
the winds rising Rapidly and shrieking
Aefca1y, the heavens covered all over
with q, Understanding mantle of clouds,
black es midsnight, and the rain pouring
down the blue ridge with q sound like
that cf thunder, and sweeping through
the;valleyS of the beautiful land, where,
httle less than century ago, full of con-
.fdence and hope, we commenced the ex-
pertinent Of free institutions.
A fine chance prevailed, just after the
surrender OF Confederate arms, to con-
soiidate the Union--by which we do not
mean the, eonfoupding of the depart
ments of government, and eliminating n
monarchy or empire out of them, with
such man. as Gen. Grant at it's head,
who could rule it, if not by wise poll
cy, yet by the sword, but we mean the
restoration of the Southern States to
their place in the Union, under the old
Constitution, without conditions. If
peace-an honorable peace-had been,
as is now pretended, the grand desidera-
tun, for the country, and, alorg with it,
union and good fellowship between the
sections. that was the period to accom-
plish the Iobjeot under the force of a
single consideration, viz: The obvious,
common, great and*increasing interests
OF all sections 10 be secured, advanced
and 'peFPetuated by peace, and by peace
only This desirable result has thus far
Been defeated by the obstinacy, reckless
ness. mad ambition, and all-grasping
avariee OF artfal, designing men, without
> patriotism, humanity or forecast, who
would, regardless of the interests Of mil
lions, soil their country for that mess of
gpttage represented by d paltry Office.
Sdch, men do not know what principle.
what honor what public virtue, what
'c6nstit4fional law, the only basis of sta
'ble free government the only hope for
the future, are. To all appearance, these
attn of tnanliness have passed from
: the stage Of American affairs.
q IL :. Who knows, or who ct the South cares,
What is happening now at Washington,
NO longer the capital of the Union of
States, but OF great hocus-pocus, non
descript, central government, with Pre-
sideht who only smokes cigars or amuses
himself at waterin g-places at the public
expense: with q Federal court shorn of
its ancient laurels, and sitting submis-
siyely dc the feet of the military Gamaliel
OF the age, ready to be kicked or tro1den
ppdeE the heel at his pleasure; and,
though last not least, with Congress, no
longer subseryient to the will of the peo
pie of the States who created it, but one
which ihphdently assumed all the
powers of the Government, from the
root up to the trunk. and from the trunk
through all the branches-a great, over
shadowing upas-tree that fills the air with
.ppisop, and which is ready only for the
axe and the bon fire, when our foresters
OF the greenwood are prepared to ply
their weapons. An administration that
is more than suspected of specializing in
the funds, aud which goes out OF its
sphere for the avowed purpose of 1neanly
intermeddling in State elections, the
moro especial province of the people of
the States.
''Turn the spit, Alfred!" It is useless;
for, while the cook has been meditating
on the fifteenth amendment, the goose
has been burnt to cinders!
Neto Orleans Times.