The daily phoenix. [volume] (Columbia, S.C.) 1865-1878, 1870-02-16
&c, I D.
Hi sS1a s iS. 1870.
Ths HEas Yssaes of shs TlnleaL..


The TEas 1ssaes oS shs Tinies.
The Aissiopary Record, we presume,
may be regarded ias . fair representative
OF the, color1d people, edited as itisby
one OF their nnBaher, and one who is 0
Senator from Charlsston. In recent
lnn1nbes oe that naEsr. we notice that the
editor sge-s 10 . recent statement OF
ours, and evidently miscoilstrues our
language. We said :s'We are disposed to
get tho negro ont OF politics by conced
sssha olsiE aeAhaA may be claimed for
him, 10 the end that we may harmoni-
ously unite in promoting the public
good. !, This language the Record quotes,
iii orslerto show what it claims is the de-
liberaee purpose of the Democratic
party, viz: to deprive che negro "of
half or all his power to command any
power in the politics." This is not the
impression We designed to produce, nor
is it the proposition that we were set
ting forth. When we say that we de-
sire TO get the colored mans case out OF
court, we mean no abridgment of his
rights, privileges and immunities as o
citizen according to the law. We mean
that it is well to be done with the colored
mans case. in order that the public
mind and energies and thoughts may be
directed into more useful and productive
channels. There are questions of finance,
OF education, of material development,
Of the general weal, which might more
appropriately commend public attention
than, the sser-reourring theme of the
merits and the demerits of the colored
man. We notice that Parson Gain ex-
presses Che distrust which he and his
colorod iellow-citizens feel for such as we
are. This is perhaps natural, and yet we
cannot but think that honest men, whe-
ther white orcolored, whether Democrats
grraiiealsia might wsii understand understand each
other. We deem it very natural that the
colored man should be a radical. We
regard it equally natural that the white
southetner shonld be anti-radical, De-
naocrat OF something else.
Lat each retain what party connections
he may prefer, and yet is it possible for
both to unite in order to advance the
welfare of the State. What the colored
man wants now in this State is not unlike
what we all want. It is certainly to the
interest OF us all to have good govern
mont and cheap government. 1t is
certainly TO the common interest that
our Legislators be men who are honest
and intelligent. II is surely to the COM
mon interest that the public funds be
judiciously expended the State and
County officials be incorruptible-tha
they should not steal. It is surely to the
interest Of us all to have pure and good
men in public Offices, and to have the
common good promoted-to the end that
we may have, in South Carolina, harmo-
ny, peace and prosperity. If Parson
Gain could throw aside his doubts and
suspicious, he might see that this is all
the anti-radicalists want-all the sus-
pected Democracy require. AS for our
selves, we are disposed to deal with
political questions in a perfectly candid
way. We do not claim to be more par
tial to the colored man than to the white
man. the fact is, all things being
equal, we prefer the white man. But
this preference, we trust, will never
induce us to fail to concede to the
colored man all that honesty, fair dealing
and candor shall require of as. That he
is part Of the body polite of the State,
we held aud maintained long ago; and
We are prepared to say now that, as such,
he mast be considered as fairly entitled
to share in the government of the State;
and We represent the sentiment of many
of our people. when we say that we inf
nitely prefer to see an honest colored
man in Office, rather than thieving,
plundering or recreant white man. And
this Ia the simple reason for this
opinion-a black skin is at all times
better than black heart. Give us, at
oJl <;s,,ae a h1ocI- ,,;llor pofhor tbop a