The Charleston daily news. [volume] (Charleston, S.C.) 1865-1873, 1870-08-01
A Word to the south Carolina Re-
publicans.

The respectable Republicans, who have
made South Carolina their permanent home,
must, if they have an ounce Of worldly wis
dom, support with their votes the Progress
siye party, whose watchwords are Union
Retrenchment Reform. They may hang
back until the last moment, and go with re-
luctance to the ballot-box; but they must
vote with that party which alone, in this
State, promises them q faithful and capable
government. which will protect all men,
whatever their color or condition, and en-
able every class to live in honesty, decency
and comfort.
No sacrifice of political principle is de-
manded OF any Republican who sustains the
Union Reform party. All that lie is asked
is, to protect his own interests, to work for
his own good, to disavow all connection
with the rogues and dolts who are openly
repudiated by the independent Republicans
of the Northern and Western States.
The cardinal doctrine Of the National Re-
publican party, during the past ten years,
has been the emancipation OF the slaves,
and, its radical corollary, universal, or i'm
partial, suffrage By the Thirteenth amend
ment to the Constitution OF the United
States, involuntary servitude, except for
crime, is abolished; and, by the Fifteenth
amendment, the denial OF the right to vote
on account OF race, color or previous condi-
ton is absolutely prohibited. These amend
ments are recognized as a binding portion OF
the organic law Of the country. up to this
point thers Is no difference between the
South Carolina Republican and the South
Carolina Democrat. The only distinction
between them is, that The Republican, OF
his own accord, fought and voted to engraft
these principles upon the Federal and State
Constitutions; while the Democrat fought and
voted against them, although, now that-not-
withstanding his opposition-they are the
law, he accepts them as such, and yields to
them an implicit obedience This is the only
distinction. And the Republican who works
with the Democrat as Union Reformer no
more compromises a political principle than
does the Republican Congressman who, upon
a particular measure, votes against his Re-
publican colleagues and, as a matter OF
course, accepts the result of the voting
whether it be in accordance with his own
opinions, or contrary to them. On the
other hand, the Democrat, in obeying the
laws Of the country, no more compromises
his political principle than did the Jacobltes,
who, after years Of disaster and defeat, be-
came the loyal subjects of William or Anne.
1t is well-settled principle that the laws
must be opeyed, whatever may be thought
OF their wisdom or justice. The choice is
between obedience and revolution. This
last is not dreamed of by the Democrats OF
the South They must, therefore, and do
obey the law. When, then, the honest Re-
publican and honest Democrat unite in a
crusade against corruption and vice, they
occupy the same ground, and neither can
Justly be said to act inconsistency, or to
abandon political principle.
;. 1t will be said, however, that there are
other questions which divide Republicans
from Democrats and make it difficult for
them to work together as political allies
anu trends. Free Trade, as opposed 10
Protection, is not a party issue, for there
are Republican frec-traders and Demo-
cratic protectionists The same may be said
Of the new-fangled notion Of Woman's Suf-
frage. In truth, the only national question
which divides the two parties at this time, is
W :; ,r the General Government shall be
supr &c, or whether the States shall control
their own affairs, being, as States, wholly
independent Of the interference OF Congress,
within the limits prescribed by the United
States Constitution. This is the one
great question which divides Republi-
cans and Democrats, but upon the State
canvass in South Carolina it has no
bearing whatever, nor does it in any
sort or shape affect the adherents Of either
side in their connection with the Union Re-
form party. The work before this people is
the regeneration of the State Government
not the contraction or expansion OF the
powers Of Congress; so that the oply antas-
onising question is out OF sight, and should
be out Of mind, while the good people OF the
State labor and strive to obtain govern
/ nent which shall be neither Democratic nor
Republican, but the worthy representative
Of all South Carolina.
There being no valid party reasons why
the respectable Republican should not march
with his friends and neighbors under the
banners Of Reform, he is. free to act as may
be best for his own interests. for the securi-
ty Of his property and the welfare of his