The Charleston daily news. [volume] (Charleston, S.C.) 1865-1873, 1870-04-05
s:Tho Nation" and South Carolina Pol
itics.

new mOFeElCut - ulily I'LL lp0ou'o"o Pi'''' ''A
thrusting back the colored people into at
least political slavery.
No other line of defence was open to the
party in power. An admission that reform
in high places and retrenchment everywhere
are indispensable to the prosperity OF the
State-would cut the ground from under the
feet of tEeir party. To acknowledge that
the white people are sincere in their public
pledge Of equal civil and political rights to
their colored llow-citizens-would be to
hasten the inevitable doom OF South Caro-
lima Radcalism All that was left the cor
rupu band was to raise the old cry OF Rebel
Democracy, and VOW that coterie OF irreso-
lutte journalists were trying to whip into sub
lection the intelligent masses, as we'll as the
master minds of the State. But the iniquit-
Gus follies which clique OF adventurers
have deliberately and persistently committed,
are notorious outside of South Carolina, and
what Radical official here has not the hon
esty or the courage to say, spoken brayely
and manfully by The Nation-the able, dig
nilied and philosophical head OF American
Republican journalism.
Tile Nation, in its issue OF Saturday last,
uses these words: "That there is need enough
':that somehow South Carolina should get q
s'new government is not doubted. There is
''no dispute among observers Of its perform
''ances, that the Legislature which has just
s'been adjourned was one Of Tie most corrul't
''assensJlageS that erer legislated for State,
'tand one OF the most contemplate in point
:sof ability" This is no frothy statement,
so. called, OF Democratic press, but the
calm and unbiased declaration OF the rep
resentative Republican newspaper. Aud it
| is the very need that somehow South Caro-
''lina should get new government" which
unite1 Republican and Democrat, white man
! and colored man, in the great cause OF Re-
generation, Retrenchment and Reform.
The same paper, The Nation, discusses
the action of the Press Conference and the
broad platform Of the CITIZENS PARTY. 1t
says:
'.The so-called anti-Ratical editors Of
'South Carolina have set Il precedent which
''nany of us may live to see generally fol-
'lowed, by assembling in conference to de-
'cide upon the line Of political policy which
''they shall unite in urging upon the voters
''of the Stale. Hitherto the Conservative
''papers of South Carolina have not been
speaking with entirely accorlant voices;
''maniiest as it has been for some years that
'thc negro absolutely must be made friend,
''there was still left, here and there, q bitter
s'the end-'a square fight on white mans
'plat!orm'-nntil, paradventure. u national
success for the Democratic party should
s'give the Conservatives Il chance to make
s'Over their reconstructed State. In the con-
''ference, however, more polite views pre-
s'vailed, and the platform adopted is all that
''anybody has any right to ask for. The
''attendance of editors, though numerically
'tsmal, is said to have represented the feel
''ngs and opinions OF nearly all the coun-
'ties in the State They began by passing
'resolution to the effect that the conference
recognized The legal right of all the cili-
"Zens, white or colored, to suffrage, and
''proceeded to pass another to the effect that
s'thcre ought to be mo limitation OF the right
"'to hold office except such limitations as
"'are imposed BY personal character and
fitness A convention is to be held which
'will organize party pledged to these dog
'mas, and acting in the hope of getting
government which shall afford some de-
".gree of security, prosperity and good
government These proceedings seem
promising, and we are not disinclined to
s.'believe that they are taken in good faith.
s'South Carolina events have logic, whether
''or not there is much sense and logic in the
sSouth Carolina Democrats and how other
"conclusons could have been reached it is
''not easy to sce"
Surely this expression OF opinion is more
valuable and more trustworthy than the
penny-a-line vituperation OF venal politi-
clans! TIE Nation has always been, and is
now, the organ Of the responsible and re-
spectacle Republicans ofthe Northern States.
IL fought manfully for the political cmanci
patton Of the freedmen, and would don its
arnor tomorrow were their rights threat
ened Or their privileges endangered. But it
treats its old opponents as an honest foe
man should, and with no grudging or carp
ing spirit says frankly that 'the platform
| iadopted is all that anybody has any right
sto ask for" The Nation has no fear of
Democratic success or Radical defeat. 1t
sees that South Carolina has need OF new
government; it declares that the platform
gives all that anybody can properly ask for;
it speaks of these proceedings as promising,
and is ''not disincined to believe that they
''are taken in good faith
Well, indeed, may The Nation say that
"South Carolina events have logic" That
hard and infexible logic forced the public
mind to its present conclusions. A long and
bitter experience taught the people that they