The Charleston daily news. [volume] (Charleston, S.C.) 1865-1873, 1870-06-03
The PuttInS-oT Policy.

actl0n, lnlt may Ue put IoTlh W lic peicliH
Convention, must include q recognition OF
the civil and political equality OF all citizens
OF the State. Upon this point there is, we
presume, no difference Of opinion. When,
however, the question before the Convention
is the nomination of candidates for Governor
and Lieutenant Governor, there will hardly
be, in the beginning, q similar unanimity OF
sentiment. Some OF the most influential
journals in the State think it unwise for the
EOpposition party to make nominations as
early Us the 18th of June, and here and there
paper is found to recommend that no
nominations at all be made upon the general
ticket, in order that the Reformers may con-
solidate their whole strength upon the legis-
la.ive and county canvass.
One main argument used by the Putting
of party is that we can act with more GER
tainty when we know the plans OF the enemy.
Under other circumstances such an argu-
ment might have some force, but, in the
present case, its practical effect would be
heavy loss of valuable time, without any
compensating advantage. Four months is
not too long time for the work we have to
do. In one county alone-Union County
has any plan Of organization been adopted.
Nor can we expect that the counties, in gen.
eral, will move until our candidates are in
the field. Take this county as an example.
1t is useless to attempt to form ward clubs
and township associations until we know
who is our standard-bearer, and what is the
banner under which we hope to march to
victory. Supposing that we postpone nomi-
nation until after the adjournment of the
Radical Convention, we cannot possibly get
10 work earlier than the beginning Of Au-
gust. In t,co months the organization OF
the whole State must be perfected; in two
months the State mustbe so thoroughly CAN
vassed that, when election day comes, every
honest voter shall be ready to deposit his
ballot for the sturdy candidates OF Retrench
ment and Reform. Now, is it probable, is it
possible, that this gigantic task can be ac-
complisiied in little over eight weeks? We
say, unhesitatingly, that if the State canvass
do not begin until after the holding Of the
Radical Convention, we shall go into the
contest with incomplete organization and
imperfect knowledge, and shall invite, and,
we fear, deserve a speedy overthrow.
And what are we promised as compen-
sation for lying idle from June to Augustus
a compensation for the loss Of two months OF
precious time? If we wait, zoe SbaN know
uAo are the Radical nominees, and may.
perchance, pick up some defeated candidate
or cast-off dependant of the party. This is
ail, in this direction, that we may hope to
gain by procrastination, BY hesitation, by
putting-of.
But all this we know without awaiting the
action OF the Radical Convention, which as
sembles in July. Governor Scott is TO be
the nominee OF tn, Ring for reelection. The
Missionary Record faunts his nane al the
head of its dingy columns, and every Radi-
Cal paper i'll the State, Qhree, We believe }
takes it for granted that Scott is the coming
man. And looking at the course Of State
politics, at the removal and appointment Of
State and county officers, at the orgapiza-
ton of the militia, at the manipulation OF the
Railroad Rings and at the relations Of the
present officials to the Executive, it cannot
be doubted that Governor Scott desires to he
reelected, that he has been working for
months to make his way straight, and that
he will be the ready choice of the knot of
schemers who control the Radical party.
This, then, is the whole case in nutshell.
If we defer the Reform nominations until
August, we shall know, before acting, who
are the Radical nominees. This is all that
we get in exchange for two months wasted.
But we know already, to moral certainty,
that Scott will be the Radical candidate.
That is to say, by waiting until the heats of
summer we may know officially what we
know extraordinarily to-day. We attach no
Importance to the suggestion that there may
be opposition to Scott, and that we can take
UP lllS llldu WIZ Ol'pOSCu liiIil'
1t is not likely that Scott will he opposed, if
opposed at all, by any but men Of his own
kidney, and to run Mackey or Moses
against Scott, would be, in truth, what the
Augusta ConStRuliona2ist classicaily calls
swapping devil for witch" Nor have
we any desire to take up any man as our
candidate whose claim to distinction is, that
he ran against Scott in the nominating Con-
vention and vas decisively defeated Tie
prestige Of defeat We do not value or desire.
Unless, then, the Convention shall hear
more cogent and conclusive arguments than
those we have discussed, there viii be no Sc
riouS opposition, we take it, to the imnie-
diate nomination of able and honest candi
dates, who may at once open the canvass
with the stirring watchwords of Retrench
ment and Reform.