The Charleston daily news. [volume] (Charleston, S.C.) 1865-1873, 1870-06-28

meeting of the Union Reform Convention,
and fears the consequences to the State.
This is plain enough. From public jour
nal, however, something more is to be de-
sired than bare declaration that 'Ortho-
doxy is my do1y, and heterodoxy is any
other mans dorH" and we expected that
the Democrat would be able TO spin out q
stronger thread Of argument than that upon
which it hangs its fears and its regrets.
The Democrat says, frankly enough, that
it ''despises the whole CUnion Reform par
''ty) coucern, v and yet it admits that among
the members Of the Convention were ''some
''noble soldiers, who had stood in the front
''of the battle for the defence of Carolina,
oand won for themselves imperishable
''honor." Surely these are not included in
a sweeping denunciation of what is con-
temptuously called ''the whole concern?"
And why does the Democrat insist that new
wine should always be put in old bottles?
The old leaders of the State the "names so
"familiar to the State on occasions of this
s.kind," do su, .ain the Reform moyeme ent.
They recos4lze its Importance and acknow-
ledge its necessity, just as they recognized
the necessity and importance, yfce gears ago,
Of abolishing slavery aud OF repeating the
ordinance Of Secession.
Moreover, these old leaders know and feel
that it is time that younger and fresher men
should step to the front. They desire that
every convention should represent the whole
people, and the Reform Convention was
truly representative body, including among
it's members old men and young, white men
and colored men, soldiers and politicians,
mechanics and merchants, planters and pro-
fessional men. Now, we hardly think that
the Democrat will claim that body OF nnli-
ticians alone, or o; sold leaders alone or
of merchants alone, or Of mechanics alone,
or OF whites alone, could represent, fairly
and justly, the living, breathing South Caro-
lima of the active and vigorous present.
The Democrat objects to the platform OF
the Convention, because it means nothing
''but change of men," and makes ''no is
''sue CT principles and measures with any
'other party against which it is to contend" !"
This amounts, we submit, to no objection at
all In State elections, such as the cleo
tions for which the Reform party is organ
lied, there is nc ~urely political issue. Ques-
tions Of tariff, OF revenue reform, OF consoli-
sdation as opposed to decentralization, of
Free Trade as opposed to Protection, enter
into the National canvass, but do not enter
into State canvass. Nor is the question
of negro suffrage a disturbing element in
these elections. The Constitution of this
State, under which constitution we live,
makes the negro the political equal OF the
white man. This bars discussion upon that
point What, then, remains? Nothing but
the issue between good laws and bad laws,
between intelligence and ignorance, between
honesty and corruption, between economy
and waste. This is absolutely all that is left
as the ground upon which to fight the politi-
cal battles of the State. We admit that,
when the relation OF parties is so changed
in South Carolina that the State is sure to
be honestly and decently governed which
ever party win, we may abandon the contest
upon matters of State policy. fight out the
campaign on Federal ISSUES, and rest con-
teat in the knowledge that, victorious or de-
feated, South Carolina is safe. But until the
coming of that happy time, charity must
continue to begin at home-we must look
first to our own veal and that OF the State.
The Democrat commits q grave error in say
ing, what is wholly untrue, that 'the Conven-
s.tion sought TIE counsel and cooperation Of
s.the most unreliable and proverbially dishon-
sest classes or people ofthe State" There was
neither consultation nor cooperation, direct
or indirect, with any class or set OF men sus-
pected OF dishonesty or want OF trustworthi-
ness, and this the Democrat must know, or
ought to know. Nor does our contemporary
strengthen its cause by calling Judge Car
penter "a 'earpet-bagger, who came here
for spoils ant Office" That gentleman came
to Charleston as the holder OF Federal Office,
and did, as we have reason to know, give
up highly lucrative place to accept the
Il