The daily phoenix. [volume] (Columbia, S.C.) 1865-1878, 1870-10-14
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ca by Generaf Wade FHAtnpfoH W C5l0 0hsl
Ohhflea Hi 6im6nton, Of Charleston - !.
Y sss,at tss,ss 10 CQNu1BlAc October 8, 1,
NIX DEAR Sm: S1ne time since your
letter. asking nsopinion as to the Re.
form ovemetit III. our State reached me.
nd!whifst reasons both OF q public and
private character, have restrained me
from taking ap active part in the canvass
Whi9h has grown ont Of this movement.
l have never had the slightest hesitation
as TO, the course Ishonm pursue, nor re.
1u0fance sln e1pressinga to- my friends
Ehst that course would be. Whatever
differences Of opinion may have existed
among the honest citizens of the State as
TO tho best mode of redressing the griev-
ous evlls under which they have labored
Tor the Last. few years. there were and
nnnld q MD, ~. ne none es to. the existence of
tnose evils, and of the vital necessity of
making a. vigorous effort to reform
them. :Y4t was this conviction on the
patt OF our people which gave birth to
and now lends impetus to the Reform
movement. It was this which induced
the origiRators of this movement, if 7
estimate their motives correctly, to make
an earnest and patriotic struggle to
rescne the State from those who are dis
gracing her hitherto proud name and
dragging her to ruin. No aim Gan be
higher, no object worthier than this,
and though the means adopted to accom-
phsh the purpose are not such as T
should have suggested, I sympathize too
fully with the object in view, to with
hold any assistance in my power from
those whose motives are the same as nv
own and whose judgement may be bet
ter. 1t this movement has for its sole
purpose, what I trust it has, the redemp-
ton OF our State, the nominees of the
Reform party should command the sup
port of every true son Of hers. Tic
effort to save the State deserves success.
even should it fail to win it, and as I
have not yet made it the chief article in
my political creed, that success can
sanctify q cause that is wrong, or Justify
apostaoy from one that is right, I regard
it as my duty to support the candidates
OF the Reform party. Believing that
they are moving in the right direction, I
shall not, from mere pride of opinion,
refuse to accompany them, because they
have taken different road from the one
l should have chosen. I cannot vote
for the nominees of the Republican party,
because, to quote the emphatic, though
ungrammatical language of one whose
nigh Official position in that partY makes
him an authoritative exponen 80 tytrue
condition, as his political chal '>-ren-
ders him fit type of its officials, 'fn some
OF Its departments, retrenchment and
reform is, doubtless, greatly needed.
Some OF Its offices are filed by incompe-
tent and corrupt men, who should he
driven from tile high places they occupy.
More economy in the appropriation and
disbursement of public money should be
praotioed. Because their nominee for
Governor is, to my certain knowledge.
false and treacherous; because this party
is notoriously corrupt. venal and profit
gate, and because, in opinion, any native
white citizen of South Carolina who
votes for that ticket will cover himself
with deserved disgrace. I can we'll
understand how honest and true men
may doubt as to the propriety of the
Reform movement. and question the
sonndness of its platform, but / cannot
comprehend how any South Carolinian
can identify himself with set of
adventurers and plunderers,, who have
made the government OF his State
what on influential radical paper has
justly characterized as ''a disgrace to
civilization" and I am unoharitabIe
enough to believe that none will do
so. except such as have been, or ex.
peot to be. paid for forming an alliance
which they must feel is disgraoeful. 4
could as readily be persuaded that Bene.
dict Arnold acted from conscientious
motives, and in good faith to his coun.
trymen, as that any true son of South
Carolina who venerates the ancient honor
of his State, who is jealous of her past
fame. and desirous of her future welfare,
could, from patriotic impulse, affiliate
with men whose only tie to bind them
to our State is the 'scohesive power of
public plunder." Some of the recent
converts to this new faith-that faith
whose cardinal doctrine it il that the
strongest side is always right-may boast
of their devotion to their State, and. as
proof. point to the scars they have re-
ceived in her defence; but to these beg
to commend reply once made to this
same patriot Arnold, who asked a friend
what the Americans would do with him
ii he was captured. .'They would bury
the leg which was wounded in their ser.
vice with military honors and hang the
rest of your body" was the prompt and
suitable answer. Unfortunately for our
State, this wholesome discipline cannot
be administered to the patriots of this
same stamp among us. who pnrade their