The Charleston daily news. [volume] (Charleston, S.C.) 1865-1873, 1870-06-06
The consolidation" Theory.

Lieutenant Governor, by the June Conyen-
ton, will so solidify and consolidate the
Radical party as to make it extremely dlf-
cult for the Reformers to elect either men,
bers of the Legislature or county officers
They argue, therefore, that no nominations
should be made, and that each county should
drive the best bargain that it can, or make
the best fight that it can, upon the general
principles laid down or advised by the Con-
yention. Of all the ad captanduna argu-
ments directed against the nomination OF
general ticket, this is, in our opinion, the
weakest and most puerile.
The consolidation Of the Radical party"
which fills the minds OF the weaker political
vessels with uneasiness and alarm, is neither
more nor less than an expression OF the de-
termination of the corrupt leaders OF that
party to stick squarely together They are
anxious to secure the plumber OF the last two
years, and TO crafty their craving for more,
and still more, of the money and credit d
the people Hitherto they have led the COL
ored voters whithersoever they pleased, and
they believe that stump speaking, an occa-
sional barbecue, IN appeal to the gratitude
of the colored people for favors they have
not had, and, perhaps, q strong dose OF
'sloyal militia" will enable them once more
to sweep over the State, like The Sirocco, OF
whose consuming breath Senator Cain spoke
so savagely, before he 'lung to the breeze"
for reelection, the name of r. K. Scott.
The simple holding of the Reform Conren-
ton will consolidate the Radical party; for
there are more vacancies to be filled than
those on the general ticket and not one OF
the leaders is willing to give up a title OF his
power.
We can understand that if there were no
other Radical otfice-holders or office seekers
in South Carolina than those who hope to
be elected Governor and Lieutenant-Gover
nor, it might be highly proper to allow the
elections for those important offices to so by
default. That might disarm the Radicals,
and enable the Reformers to carry, with
ease, all the county elections But in every
county in the State there are score OF Rad
ical candidates for every office that is to be
filled at the fall elections. Only one man
can be elected to each office, but the aspir-
ants are numbered by the dozen, and every
authorized candidate will he interested in
consolidating" his county, not for the sake
OF Scott or Moses, but to secure his own
election. We ask this simple question: Will
it be any consolation for Radical office
seeker in Charleston, for instance, to know
that he is to be dickered out of his place
while the candidates for Governor and Lieu
tenant Governor walk quietly over the course?
The party will unquestionaLly be consodaL-
ed, lust rs far rs the united efforts of all the
Radical candidates, from Governor down,
can consolidate it, and this consolidation
will take place whether We do, or do not,
| nominate our candidates and give battle
upon the general ticket.
And we must not forget that the Radical
Ring know full well what would be our OBJ
iect in confning the contest to the counties
, They know that if we obtain a Reform ma
iority in the General Assembly we can hold
the Governor in check, and obtain some
thing like decent government. In arguing,
therefore, against general ticket we say in
effect to the Radicals: We will generously
give you one point, in order that we may, at
your expense, score two points for ourselves.
But are the Radical leaders so imbecile
that this game may be played with safety!
We see nothing in their past conduct to make
us think 80. They are sharp enough, too
sharp; and we cannot fool them, though, as
political ostriches, We bury our heads in the
sand, and, in fancied security, whistle our
songs of victory. The Radicals understand
this dodge. And we are inclined to think
that they had rather lose the election for
Governor than lose the election Of working
| majority Of the rieuGcrs vi the General AS
sembly. The Missionary Record has al
ready sounded the note of alarm, and we are
firmly convinced that, if we abandon the
contest for Governor and Lieutenant Cover
nor, with the hope of strengthening our po-
sition in the counties, we shall count without
our host, and he mserably and fatally de-
ceived. Whatever we may do, or may not
do, the Radicals will make streng fight in
the counties. The elections there are as i'm
portant, and as necessary to them as they
can possibly be to us.
The Radical Ring will strain every nerve
to consolidate their party. And, aSsnredly,
the fight will be hard one. Therefore.
must we set organization against or-anizl-
ton, consolidation against consolidation,
stratagem against stratagem And we con-
fess that we do not see that we have even a
chance of succeeding unless we set leader
against leader and give to the Army OF Re-
form all able and competent head. Without
this, We are in danger of being whipped in
detail-wiIhout this we give up the Governor
and Lieutenant-Gover and cannot count
upon as many Reforners in the new General
Assembly as there were Democrats in the
highly corrupt and eminenlly disgraceful
II. ~ II.