The Lancaster ledger. [volume] (Lancaster, S.C.) 1852-1905, 1870-06-09


political equality of all classes. Jus
ticc required it, to enable the colorcd
people to defend their rights at the
ballot box. Good policy required
it, toput an end to the conflict with
the National Government. This idea
of civil and political equality was,
and is still, the fundamental princi-
| pie of the Republican party, and is
as fully endorsed by me to-day as
when first united with the party IN
! South Carolina. But while | have
seen no reason to change my views
on this fundamental principle, I adj
init that / have been at least more
wildly impressed at the facility with
which corrupt, ignorant, self-seeking
Adventures can control mass of
Ignorant voters nnaccustomed to po-
litical life. ----. -...--.------
No one can regret more sincerely
than do, that the Republican party
and the State Government have fall
len into such hands as they have
No one can regret moro than do
the frequent violations of law by our
executive officers while pretending to
defend tho law. No one could be
more shocked than | was at hearing
of our. Chief Magistrate publicly
proclaiming Winchester rifles the
best law for n great commonwealth.
And no one would more heartily
unite with any honest effort to rescue
both our party aud our State Gov
crnment from the clutches of those
who now control them.
am very we'll aware that in so do
ing ! should be violently assailed for
dcscrtion of party. But while | adj
init the necessity of parties in free
governments, do not admit that nv
first allegiance is due to any party.
1t should be the prime duty Of any
government or any party to promote
the general welfare of the people
Nnd whenever party or govern
mcmt becomes too corrupt, or from
other causes fails to do this, it is
high time that good citizens should
unite to substitute something better
The Radical party in South Carroll
M has clearly shown that, with it's
present organization and leaders, il
docs not govern for the good of the
people and the general prosperity of
the State. Then it should be aban.
doned, or very "radically" changed.
am glad To observe that the press
OF the State seems generally to have
come up to the good Republican
principles of "cquality in the eyes
of the law" for all classes, honesty
and capacity in office, &c. These
are principles to which good Repub-
icans will certainly not object. If
they are bona fde on the part of our
former antagonists, can see no good
reason why good Republicans should
not unite with them IN order to res
cue the government from the hands
OF those at present ruling the State
for it's ruin. 1t will not be an aban-
donmcnt Of the principles of our
party, hut only union with our for.
mcr foes who accept our principles
and join us to rescue the State from
corrupt and incapable hands.
But very great care should be ia
ken in n movement of this kind not
to be humbugged. In some of the
states such movements have been a
mere "sham." In Virginia it NAV
he considered grand success. But
IN Tennessee il seems to have result
ed in throwing the government into
the hands Of the "irrcconcilablc"
Democracy. The same would doubt
less have been the result in Missis.
sippi and Texas had it succccded.-
Rather than have such result In
South Carolina, it would he better TO
suffer still longer the evils of the
Pr"s''Ht p"~cru"-"1. Our expnr;-
ence of the old Democracy has not
been such as to make MS trust too
implicitly to simple professions. Be-
fore consenting to support the "Citi-
zens party" we should know some
thing of the men who are to be put
forward by that party as their stan
dard bearers. As the condition of
our support, we should require to
have men who can be trusted to
maintain the principles the party
Processes not the old Democratic
leaders coming forward in new gar
mcnts for the sake Of getting the
power into their own hands. We