The Anderson intelligencer. [volume] (Anderson Court House, S.C.) 1860-1914, 1871-07-27
Let Us Learn Wisdom from the Conduct of
Our Enemies.

Inere IS an OlQ Latln maxim: j: FdS eSI et w
hoste doceri-"it is right to derive instruction
even from an enemy"-which many of our
people will do well to pause and consider. If
our extreme Democratic friends will view the
political situation in all its bearings; if they
that there is present around them and future
before them if they will bring their prejudices
into subordination to their calm and sober
Judgment, and view things as they actually ex-
list, they cannot fail to see what the Radical
leaders regard as the strongest political posi-
ton for the Democracy in the approaching
contest.
In speech made some months ago. Senator
Morton sounded the keynote of the campaign,
as viewed from Radical standpoint, when he
asserted that the position of the Democracy, in
the next election, would necessarily be one of
opposition to the accomplished results of the
war. The wish was father to the thought. 1t
is perfectly natural that Senator Morton, as
one of the exponents of the principles of the
Radical party-a party which can only exist
by tanning the expiring embers of the fires of
hatred kindled by the war-in keeping before
the people the issues of the past, should be
glad to hail the Democratic party as faithful
co-adjutor. And should that party not seem
inclined to accommodate itself to the pleasure
of himself and his party friends, it is not to be
expected that he or they will fail to misrepre-
sent it, and employ every means possible in
order to place it i'll false position before the
country.
The leaders of the great Republican party
having taken snuff, the lesser lights Of that
party now feel it their bounden duty to sneeze
accordingly. The leading Radical papers of
the North have correspondents travelling
through the length and breadth of the South,
not for the purpose of obtaining fair view Of
Southern sentiment, and of properly represent
ing to the people of the North the aims and
aspirations of the Southern people, but for the
purpose of manufacturing political capital.
AS we have already stated, it suits the plan
of battle arranged by the Radical leaders for
1872, that the Democratic forces should occu-
DIV a certain position; that they should go into
the Presidential contest with certain set of
principles emblazoned upon their banners in
Short, that they should occupy the revolutiona-
ry platform Of 1865.
Recent events go to show that their wishes
in this respect are not likely to be realized;
that the masses of the Democracy wish to dis
card old issues and 60 into the next canvass
upon platform in accordance with the times.
This does not suit the Head Centres OF Radi-
calism. Their only hope of continuing in
power is in keeping alive the feeling OF bitter
ness engendered by the war, and in forcing
into the next Presidential canvass issues which
all intelligent and rejecting men regard as
settled.
This feeling on the part of our political op-
ponents is clearly shown by their conduct in
sending correspondents into every part of the
country for the purpose of interviewing" men
of the Robert Toombs, A. II. Stephens and
Linton Stephens stripe, and in representing
their views as those of the entire Southern
people. Toombs and Stephen have been great
men in their time, but tn. time has passed.
They have lived too long. Like the Confede;
rate note, they represent nothing on Gods
earth now, and naught in the waters below it,"
They belong essentially to the past, and the
new generation that is springing up around
them, while it respects them as men, has no
confidence in them as political counselors.-
This, these Radical correspondents well know,
for they mingle, more or less, with men OF ey-
cry shade of political opinion but to give
fair and impartial version of the views OF the
Southern people would not advance their party
interests. Hence, they suppress such views az
do not suit their purposes, and represent the
opinions expressed by few extremists as those
of an entire people. They wish to make the
impression North that the spirit of the rebel
the South are still waiting for the appearance
of some angel to roll away the stone from the
mouth of the sepulchre where the Southern
Confederacy lies buried; that they are longing
for favorable opportunity to raise anew the
red hand of war, and strike again at the life
of the nation. Under the influence of such
representations as these, they hope to stay the
progress of that returning sense of justice and
respect for constitutional right which would
prompt the people of the country to say to the
still advancing wave of Radicalism: "Ihus far
shalt thou come, and no farther"
By parading the views Of such men as Toombs
and Stephens before the country, the Radical
papers evidently hope to prevent the adoption
by tho Democratic party at large of the move
ment commonly known as the ''new departure"
or failing in that, to bring about feeling IN
the Democratic ranks which will result in the
division of the party into two factions.
It is a favorite saying both among Radicals
and extreme Democrats, that the new depart
uren movement makes the two parties alike in
principle. No assertion can be more false. 1t
is true, that as regards the binding force OF the
reconstruction acts, and the rights secured to
certain class of our citizens by the recent
amendments, there is no practical difference.
Yet the Democratic party, upon platform
made up OF live ISSUES, Is separaleu Ironi Tue
Radical party as far as the cast is from the
west. The one is the party OF the Constltu-
ton, of Law and Order; the other Is a party
which recognizes the binding force and efficacy
Of no enactment which is in conflict with its
own will. The whole career of the Rcpubli-
can party has been signalized by usurpation,
and marked with blood. Its very name is a
falschood Claiming to be the only true party
of progress, bearing alott, as q party distlnc-
ton, name which no mere party has right
to appropriate but which is the common prop
crtv of all the citizens of free country, it has
prostitutcd the influence acquired by the use OF
that name to the basest purposes, and to the
if claims to be the sole champion. Between
such party end the Democratic party, on any
platform, there is a deep and impossible gulf
Among the number of Northern corrcspon-
-. =. tl; +;n,a +rrvolinr i'm the South is one,