The Charleston daily news. [volume] (Charleston, S.C.) 1865-1873, 1870-08-16
The Work Of Two Months.

meQLS WHICH lOllONeu III luo 'teiAn "a oiiS
Scott administration, and are its only claim,
if claim it be, upon the support and conf
dence of the people. The leading minds Of
the State were either discouraged by the
failure of earlier efforts to bring about the
adoption Of practical apd progressive poll
cy, or else awaited gloomily the coming of
some. new revolution which might accom-
plish for them what they would not attempt
for themselves. The people had lost their
confidence in themselves, and liz their old
leaders Without purpose without any
fixed line Of action, weighed down by exces-
sive taxation, oppressed by unjust laws,
bankrup. of gladness and cheerful expecta-
ton, rich only in poverty and the calmness of
despair, they looked forward to the re-elec-
ton OF the Ring candidates as settled fact,
and did not dream of entering upon can
vass which had not the slightest chance Of
success. They preferred to throw them
selves upon the mercy Of their antagonists;
for as they thought, whatever was thus
gained, however little, would be clear
profit to them and to the State Nor was
the dependency Of the people without cause.
They saw, and knew, that any canvass con-
Quoted upon the basis Of that OF le6S, when
our people fought so gallantly a losing
fight, could not possibly terminate success
fully. And they saw no prospect that any
other policy could be adopted, with any GER
tainty that it would commend itself to the
support of whites and blacks alike. 1t was
necessary to lay anew the foundation OF the
political temple, and no man ventured to-
point out him. who should be the master
builder. The constant and persistent argu-
ments, and the hearty words, ola few journal
lists did, at last, set the people thinking. They
we're made to feel the necessity OF change,
and of working to secure it. Next came
the Press Conference, which at any earlier
period would have been premature and with
out result. That Conference, representing
majority OF the anti-Radical press OF the
State adopted q declaration Of principles
which was plain and frank recognition
Of existing facts and existing laws. At
the same time the Conference invited the
people to assemble in convention in June,
for the purpose OF organizing an opposition
to the corrupt Ring which, encircling the
whole State, was crampiug the energies and
paralyzing the industries Of the people. The
action OF the Press Conference was very gene
rally approved OF, bat here aud there it had,
upon the ground Of eXpediency, active and
formidable adversaries. But day by day the
people showed more clearly their apprecia-
ton OF its sound common sense and honesty
of purpose. What lukewarmness, what sub
tlety of reasoning, what hopelessness OF
feeling, what sharp autagonism, was over
come before the State Convention could
meet, it needs not now to tell. The Conven-
tion met in Columbia on the day appointed,
representing, for the first time in South Car
olina, the interests OF all races and all classes
OF citizens. Several counties had no voice
in the councils of the Convention; more than
one delegation was in favor OF doing moth
ing; but the work of the body was pushed
forward, and, thanks to the noble courage
OF half-a-dozen eminent men, the Union Re
form party was formally organized, and
made its formal appeal to the sympathies
and the good sense Of the people. That
convention finished its work two short
months ago, and in that time much more
than enough has been done to prove that
the Union Reform party can, will and must
win, if the people take the trouble to make
it successful.
|! What has been done in these eventful
months: The up-country was cold and
drearily apathetic; now, it is full Of life and
energy, and the fire ofits enthusiasm stretches
down toward kc coast. Judge Carpenter,
our candidate for Governor, Was compare
lively unknown to the people; now, his
progress through the State is q long series
of personal and oratorical triumphs. Gene
raj Butler, our candidate for Lieutenant
Governor, was disqualified from holding
public office; now, he is, by the action OF
Congress, free man, and arragns the
guilty Scott upon charges which damn him
in the estimation OF all decent people. The
leading men OF the State were opposed to
the Reform movement, or did not care to
support it; now, Kershaw and Butler, and
Carpenter and Conner, have at their backs
the Bonhams and Perrys, and .Wardlaws and
Mannings, and Dunkins and Desaussures
and Rutledges of the State. 1t was hard to
find an old party chieftain who would publicly
declare his adhesion to the party OF Reform;
now, one must hunt during summers day
to find half dozen notable men who do not
warmly support it The masses OF the peo-
.ple we're careless and Indifferent; now, they
are awake and their hearts beat high with
hope. The freedmen were sceptical and
timid; now, they join the party by hundreds
every week and attend the Reform meetings
by thousands. The papers OF the North,
Democratic and Republican, paid no heed to
the effort making in South Carolina to OBJ
tain an honest government; now, the DEM
ocr,.ic ;orrna]s defend the wisdom OF the