The Charleston daily news. [volume] (Charleston, S.C.) 1865-1873, 1869-10-29
psrsecut1on for Opinions Sake

persecution for Opinions Sake.
The assertion is broadly made that Mr..
Stoddard was discharged from work aboard
ofthe bark wyman because be was Radical; :;
and the longshoremen are told, with the Vlo-
lence which characterizes the typical dema-
gogue. that, in remaining on strike until
Mr.. Stoddard is reinstated, they are hight
ing against prescription, and vindicating
the right Of every man to have an opinion
and soul OF his own. With the reasons
which caused the dismissal of Mr.. Stoddard
we have at present nothing to do. We ad-
vocate now, and have always advocated, the
fullest freedom Of thought, speech and act.
And we carry out that principle to the end.
We apply it to rich as to poor, to en-
ployer as to workingman; to Dives in the
banduet-hall as to Lazarus at our gates.
We Go not proclaim that the Radical shall
do as he may please, and that the Democrat
shall only do as the Radical pleases, AS
long as they do not disturb the public peace
or encroach upon the rights of others, we
demand for all conditions of men, full and
free liberty of word and deed. And it is be-
cause we apply this principle to all classes
and parties, and not to one class or party,
that we assert the right Of the shipping
agents in this city to employ whom they
wiIl-white man or negro, Democrat or Re-
publican. This is why we condemn the con-
duct Of thelongshoremen who are enaeavor1-
ing to compel the employment OF one par
ticular man or set Of men.
In no place where Radicalism is. supreme
can there be true liberty. The Radical
party carry out to the fullest extent, the
doctrine: To the victors, the spoils. They
care nothing for the character of the govern
ment or the ability of candidates. All that
they insist on is that working Republicans"
only she'll hold every public Office. Weneed
not point to the policy Of the President and
Cabinet to prove this statement. There is
something nearer home than the proscrib-
ing of Democrats in the North and West and
East. We can afford to let pass the recent
order for the removal from Office in Texas OF
all the opponents of bitter-end Radicalism.
Take this State as an example. On every
side there are honest capable and expert
enced men who have been bundled neck and
crop out of office, and their places filled by
boobies or kpayes. And why? Because the
.ofice-holders were not Radicals This has
been the policy in every county and city and
hamlet in South Carolina. Only a few
weeks ago the Radical Union League de-
manded of Mayor Pillsbury the removal OF
all the Conservative policemen in the city
police force = The Mayor bowed down and
obeyed. Twenty or more steady and trust
worthy policemen were discharged, for no
other reason than that they were not Radi-
Gals. This, indeed, is prescription. This is
South Carolina Radicalism. More than this,
we are told that Mr.. Stoddard himself dis
charged, last fall, one man, II not more' oe-
cause he would not vote the Radical ticket.
And now these people strut and bluster and
call themselves the champions of free
opinion.
Whatever of prescription there may be
among the respectable people Of Charleston
has been hammered into them by Radical
principle and practice. White men and
colored men have been employed without
distinction, and so have Democrats and Re-
pnblicans. If, in any one case, there has
been change OF conduct, it is due to that
Radical prescription which in this State has
driven from place well nigh all that isrespect-
able, and has filled the highest and lowest
offices with men whose only qualification is
the fervor of their political faith, and their
undying hostility to all that is true and
pure.