The Charleston daily news. [volume] (Charleston, S.C.) 1865-1873, 1870-06-07
ssCan't be Beat"

L
ands, of intelligent men in South Carolina
who are so cowed so dispirited, so despon-
dent, as to believe that no opposition candi-
date can beat Governor Scott, the forthcom-
ing nominee of the Radical party. The State
militia haunts their dreams, and in their wax
ing moments they remember the fraud-invit-
| ing provisions Of the election law. Sixteen
shooters and statutes, in unholy combina-
ton, are more than they can bear, and they
come to the conclusion that certain divlnl-
ty does so hedge about ''his EXcellency, the
s'Governor," that any attempt to oust him
from the high office he dshonors must end in
disaster and defeat.
We are not disposed to underrate the
strength of Governor Scott. The purse
strings are his, the appointing power is his,
the official position and influence are his.
With him will cheerfully labor all those poll
teal Radicals who have something to be
thankful for in the past, or something to look
forward to in the future. Upon his success
hangs the fortune of more aspirants than we
should like to count. We admit all this, but
we will not admit that Scott cannot be de-
feated. And this for two reasons-frst, un-
less we have possibility of defeating Scott,
we have not probability OF electing ma
jority of the Legislature; second, ue haze
not tried.
AS we have already endeayored to ex-
plain, the abandonment OF q contest upon
the general ticket need not be expected to
materially weaken the Radical strength in
the counties The movement on the State
ticket and the county ticket will be one and
the same If we win in the election for Gov
ernor we shall have, besides, the majority in
the Legislature. We may elect q powerful
minority in the General Assembly without
defeating Scott, but that powerful minority,
or majority, can only be gained as the result
of tho organized work and energetic unity OF
action, which nothing but general can
vass will secure. If each county be allowed
to work after its own interests, without adj
vice as without help, the consequence will
be, that the white voters will stay at home
and the colored men will vote the Radical
ticket. Itmay be the story of the Whttemore
reelection with slight variations. And not
to nominate a candidate for Governor against
r. z. Scott is an abject confession OF weak
ness, an avowal that the white people OF
South Carolina, working for all that they
cherish and value, cannot change fifteen or
twenty thousand votes
There was wise-acre once-he may not
have been South Carolinian- gravely
declared that until he could swim, he would
never 60 into the water. This is the case
with the opponents OF nomination. They
have not tried to defeat Scott. They do not
know that they cannot defeat him. ALI that
they say is, that they will not make contest
uniesS Mey are sure Of acinni''g. We SUBJ
NIT that certainty is barred in politics as
well as in betting. There must he some
hazard or there can be no struggle for the
mastery. Is this Scott political Brobdig
nagian? Even if he is, we can serve him as
the Lilliputians served the daring CULVER
We can make pluck and tinesSe take the
place OF brute strength. Looking at it quiet
ly, it is shocking evidence Of demoraliza-
ton that any citizen or any journalist should
be found to advocate course whose main
feature is the abandonment OF the key OF our
own position. How can the people be arous-
ed from their apathy, without contest?
How can we enkindle the old ardor in the
popular breast, if we have not contest! I!
How can we win at oil, If we have not con-
test
A faint heart never won an election, that
is sure. Andit seems that We have not
reached that depth Of gloom which inspires
q people with desperation. Wear only just
low enough to be flat and dull, to wipe eyes
and suck thumbs, to Groom over departed
splendors and say-ScoH can't be beat
We have still faith in this people. Give
them candidate, and they will do their part.
They will work we'll if the Convention give
them the material. The public, no more
than the Egyptians, can make Dicks WITHOUT
straw. The June Convention holds in its
hands the destiny Of the State. Whatever
it may do will be acquicsccd in, and made
the best Of But, unless we have q general
canvass, the heart of the Opposition to the
Scott Ring will be cut out, South Carolina
will slide nearer to RadicalisH as the only
organized party, and the people themselves
WILL in large numbers, toss heads and tails,
whether they shall join the dominant party
before or after the elections. And all this in
spite OF the sporadic success which, in some
half q dozen counties, will crown the local
ticket.
Out With It: