The Charleston daily news. [volume] (Charleston, S.C.) 1865-1873, 1870-09-01
Presiden, Grant and Reform.

FItSlutHt anu IStlOIhhs
President Grant does lot like the Reform
movement, and, az the instigatlon OF Attor-
ney Genera! Chamberlain, he has, with char
acteristic imprulence, put himself on record
as an opporen. of tie people OF South Car
olna in thei: earnest endeavor to obtain an
honest government ior their impoverished
State. The President does not, it is true,
venture to defent; tie corrupt clique which
how rules South Carolina. Even in Wash
ington it is known that the Scott govern
meu1 is shame and disgrace to any civilized
land and the Chief Executive Of the United
States is noe ignorant Of this miserable truth.
But, with the President, d contingent dan
ger 10 the party which elected him is Of
more consequence thar the comfort and wei
fare OF the people OF South Carolina. Throw
ing aside one more golden opportunity, the
President as be had already done in Ten
ressee, in Virginia and ia North Carolina
casts his lot with the enemies OF good gov
ernment, aIi marsha,s the forces OF the
United States on the side OF dishonesty, prof
| ligacY rdproscription. Political prudence
as Wei as regard for the interests of the
country, should have caused the President
to hold himself aloof from heated political
canvass in Southern State. Even ''upon
''the beach at Long Branch President
Grant might have learned that Governor
Scott has no supporters but among the ig-
norant ant! vicious; while the Reform cam
didates are sustained By the property, the
intelligence and the purity OF the State,
nearly without exception. The Reform
party do not oppose the National Admins
traitor. They do recognize those accom-
p!ished facts which have been considered
the cardinal principles Of the Republican
party. Their platform is one upon which
a!l honest men, white or black, Democrat or
Republican, car aud do stand. National
politics anu national Issues Go not, in any
shaDe OF form, eater into the canvass. And
it was expected tha. the administration
would rema;a neutral in the struggle. It
was not desired that President Grant should
stump the State for tue Reform party, but it
was expected that he would keep his mouth
shut and curb Ills somewhat unrIly pen.
This course would have assured to President
Grant, and his government, the kindly feeling
Of the people, and would have been power
full element o. strength in the elections OF
1872. But President Grant is thorough
Bourbon in his incapacity to learn or forget,
and issues his p'0uuncioD,eato, or letter to
Acknowledgement Chamberlain, il these
words:
81 never opposed the reelection o. Gov
ernor Scott, nor spoke disparagingly o. him.
On the contrary, only look Upon the So
called Reform movement in South Carolina as
device to give the control Of the State to the
enemies oil the party which has supported me,
and which supported OR armies and main
tanned the Union"
We NIGH. reply TO this curious effusion,
that the leaders of the party must know,
better than President Grant can know, what
are the rea; purposes of the Reform move
inert It has been declared again and again
that the sole object of the Reform party is,
to obtain just, capable and frugal govern
ment, which will protect oil interests and all
classes. That is the whole story; and no
declaration by the President can change
black to white, or make five OF twice two.
The President knows the exact nature OF the
struggle He knows, however he may feign
ignorance, tia. sixty thousand honest white
men, supported by the honest colored men
of the State, are lighting against band OF
thieves and robbers, who have in two years
doubled the State debt, and made official
life rotten to the core. When the Reform
ers go into power the State will be ruled by
pure men, instead OF by rogues and adventu-
rers The Union Reform party intend ''to
'tgive the control OF the State" to decent
men, OF good character and untarnished
reputation, and we are not ready to believe
that such men mus. necessarily be the ene-
mics Of the party (which supported Gene
''ral Grant, aud which supported the Fede-
''ral armies, AMI maintained the Union. ;"
Must all honest men be opposed to the Re-
publican party Must al! thieves and vaga-
bonds fad III the Republican party their
sanctuary, or the:r natura. home: Is intes-
rity to be i'rinaa .facie proof Of hostility to
President Grant? Shall cheating anu tilch-
ing he consiese;; proof OF orthodox Re-
publicanisn? We think not But President
Grant, with all Tie facts before him, assumes
that the opporents of the Scott government
that is, OF o corrupt and proaigate State
administration necessarily he the op-
ponsnts of the National Republican party.
And what is the character of "the Scott
'pa.ty," to- which President Grant gives at
least negative support? 1t is denounced
at home by both the supporters and the OPP
, ponents Of Governor Scott. The Scott party
admit that their whole administration needs
reforming, and promise that the reforming
: shall be done by themselves-that unclean-