The Charleston daily news. [volume] (Charleston, S.C.) 1865-1873, 1870-01-03
Friends Falling OHt.


History. we are told has its vindications
But sometimes the vindcationS follow the
record as closely us the moral follows the
fable. OF this truth the Radicals OF East
Tennessee now furnish an Illustration. None
have been commended more loudly than
they. Disciples OF Brownlow, armed and
mercless regulators of loyalty, examples OF
Il partisan devotion to which no official
honors and revenues could he denied-it
seemed, for q long time, that no atrocities
committed by them, no deeds OF spoliation
or of blood, could eclipse the lustre of their
public services. The "rebel outcries
&gainst these villains were of as slight avail
as the spots and mists that seek to stain the
brightness OF the sun.
But now it is the Knoxville correspondent
of the New York 7stJune who denounces
the Republican politicians OF Tennessee, as
"men whose prime quality seems to have
"been treachery to party and to country;"
as men s'recrcant to every principle Of honor
.:or of patriotism, and ''t6e most corrupt
s:of modern times in comparison to their
"natural ability"
In his anger the Tribune writer confesses
the utter unworthiness of the Republican
leaders. ':These are the men," he says,
"who have passed and placed upon the
CLOCKS statute after statute for the oppres-
tsisn of those who failed to agree with them
politically. They have plandered the pub
"lic treasury, until we are almost on. the
"verge OF bankruptcy, and our free schools,
(which should he in full blast have been for
scrsome time suspended" This is bad enough
and damaging enough. For the question will
at once occur: Why, then, did Repubicanism
ally itself with such men, confer office upon
them, and further in every way their foolish
and wicked policy? And why, after sane
tioning their enormities for so many years,
does it expose and denounce them now? Yet
even this question need not be asked. With
q simplicity that is suggestive of lunacy, the
tribune correspondent goes on to tell why
he now denounces his compatriots and
bosom friends These he cries, "are the
"men who, when it was ascertained that
"the sceptre was about to pass from them
sforever commenced intriguing to keep tie
"'riag' in power, or to break up the Repub-
scan party OF the State. These are the
"men who now, mrtng tu,&e1 Mci backs
"upon those arith achoDa Mey once acted, and
"having succeeded in placing their enemies
ain power, prate about prescription, and
"speak of the policy of the Republican party
"as being too proscriptive. If these treacher-
''ous men had proved true to their professions,
"pursued the line of duty, instead OF being
"led by their incrdinate ambition, tie Repub-
"lican party Of our State arould hare been
"in power xoer, and would now command
"the respect Of the nation and OF the State.
GAS it is, we are degraded in the estimation
.sof our friends and. utterly despised by our
"enemies, who will spare no opportunities
"during. this convention to keep US down. "
This is truly lamentable! We feel it at
the hearts core. That the party should have
wallowed in bloody mire with these swine,
for years. soliciting nothing but their. COM
pany, and should at length have been de-
serted, is an event that might draw tears
from stone No crime that they might not
have freely committed-perjury, burglary,
arson, murder! No crime that they did not
commit with iml1anity; yea, with laudation.
They were defended; they were encouraged;
they were gorged with plunder and with
blood. Alas! all in vain "They acted with
"us," cries the Radical, not rejecting that
he is making terrible revelation. "They
"turncd their back against US, he bitterly
adds, not observing that he is giving even to
these demons the semblance OF virtue.