The daily phoenix. [volume] (Columbia, S.C.) 1865-1878, 1871-01-12
NEMESIS.
SrARrANpURa, January 6, 1871.

EuitOT or Me fHRntE-DEAR DIR:
There is an article in the Daily Union.
of the 1st, signed "Truth." which 1
wish to notice. The writer of this
article is we'll known, though he seeks
to disguise himself under the signature
of on unsupported virtue. The piece
bears unmistakable evidence of having
beon written by late disappointed
office-seeker; this is seen not only
in its malignity, but also in it's die
ton. I would want no better evil
dence of the pedagogue than the word
"kuklustic. This is the ear that be-
trays tho ass under the lions skin.
If the devil is not shnmed by this
"Trnth," then there is no truth in pro-
verbs. The whole piece sounds so like
fiction, that it seems almost absurd to
treat it seriously; nor would it be SO
noticed, were it not that, like most ro-
manccs, it is "founded on fact" 1t is
true, that Anthony Johnson was mur-
dered, and that in most brutal man
ner; but out of this, ''Truth' has weven q
theory wonderful for its ingenuity. In
abusing our town paper, the Spartan, he
says any one WHO has been close
observer of the iEHammatory articles
published in this sheet. aud has witnessed
tile fearful outrages and horrid tragedies
that have succeeded, cannot fail to trac,
in them the relation of cause and effect.
How can you say so, "Truth," for if it
had been so. you would have taken
Johnson's place long ago? No public
journal could have let your evil deeds
go unnoticed, and the Spartan would
have deserved oil you say Of it, had it not
prescribed you. Mindful of its duty to
tho public, it would have directed its
shafts against you, and not against poor
Johnson, WHO was too ignorant to do
harm. If this had been SO, Truth, ;"
you never would have turned Rndical.
You would have remained good Demo-
crat, and courted tho favor of that
bloody minded journal. More than this,
yon would not havc dared SO openly to
betray its secret. and SO expose it to the
ignorant public. The state of society,
as shown by "Truth." is certainly do
plorable, but everybody does not see
through the same spectacles. Innocent
people, when they ore serenaded Of night
by party of young men, do not take to
the woods, aud then report society dis
tnrhed by X. K. s; but the wicked fec
when 10 man rnrsnc. SO Truth" had
more than one fact to start his narrative
on. In conclusion, he wants to know
the remedy. 70 reach the remedy, we
must know the cause. The cause is
simply because the low cannot be en-
forced. But why cannot the officers of
The law enforce the law? Because they
are not supported by tho people; and
they are not supported by the people
since they have not the confidence of
the people. There is not that sympathy,
that community Of interest, existing be-
tween them that there should be. When
we are cdfIed upon by set OF irrespon-
sible men, men without character for
honesty, men publicly convicted of
felony. set of arrant knaves-when we
are called upon by these to enforce the
law, good people hesitate, and think
whether it is better to endure lawless-
ness, or be led by these irresponsible
thieves, they know not where.
Already, Spartanburg expresses her
condemnation of these acts of violence.
Already have her good citizens pledged
their support Of law and order, and when
our rulers shall give us officers who are
men of nerve and character, who have
the confidence of the people, then, and
fear not till then, will these atrocious
crimes cease. SPARTA