The Anderson intelligencer. [volume] (Anderson Court House, S.C.) 1860-1914, 1871-07-13
The New Departure.

"7Aes stone sgJlichs tic builders rejected is BE-
come theshead OF the corner"
E tits but year ago that Convention as
sembled in Columbia at the invitation of the
Press Conference, to take "New Departure"
in the politics of the State, upon the basis OF
the resolutions of that Conference. The Con
yention adopted the principles embraced in
those resolutions, IN the following language OF
its own:
.Fast.~ The Fifteenth Amendment of the
Constitution of the United States having BEEN.
by the proper authorities, proclaimed ratified.
By the requisite number. OF States,and having
been received andsacquiesced in as law, IN all
the States of the Union, ought to be fairly. ad-
minStered aud 3iithfullyIabe aslfundanlen-;
Second. The vast Changes in our system Of
government, wrought by thesintefnational war
wanbetween the two sections Of the States; and
following in its train, are: So far incorporated
into the constitutions and, laws of the States,
and of the United States, as to require that
they be regarded as accomplished facts, having
the force and obligation Of law" 80 - -.
This step, taken by a Convention of the peo-
pie of old soutt. Carolina, was justified in the
address Of their Exec cdtiyel Committee by the
following argument: The infamous character
of the government of South Carolina was at
tributable to the unhappy antagonism OF the
races, produced by "by circumstances and the
Vaccinations Of selfish and corrupt political
Adventures" whereby. was arrayed practically,
Nthe whole of the one race in political hostility
to the whole of the other race" One race
owning all the lands, the other furnishing all
the labor, and controlling, absolutely, the power
of the government: a subsection of capital to
labor necessarily producing ruin and disaster,
and tending to bloody conflict. 1t was shown
that there was no hope Of abolishing universal
suffrage, and that the attempt, under the most
favorable circumstances, would light the fires
of n civil war. "fierce, bitter, bloody and disas
trous." The only alternative was the adoption
of policy which would abate the sharp antag-
onism of races, and 'enable' the good people of
both to combine for the purpose Of good gov
ernment." The question resolved itself thus: !:
Should they continue. to endure the infamous
government imposed upon them, enjoying the
poor privilege Of protesting against its legality
or strive for better government to be obtained,
as they supposed, by.yielding that privilege?
: Of course, unless. reason we're dcthroned, it
was impossible that men of intelligence who
really desired the good of the State could hesi-
tate to give their adhesion to a,party which
promised the hope of relief at the. expense only
Of. that which had become a, mere abstract SEN
timent. 1t is true some pharisaical and dicta-
torial Democrats exhausted their fierce rhetorle
in denouncing; the movement and its leaders,
but these were sustained by the sufrases of the
patriotic, practical and honest people of the.
State, with uGanimity,ney commanded by
any other movement, that Of secession not ex-
cepted. s....s..
the great Democratic party of tire country, and
promises. to be the foundation stone OF their
platform in the next canyass-.the. vantage
ground from which to fight the battle of free
dom. If any thing, were needed to demon
strate the wisdom and patriotism of the people
of South Carolina who inaugurated and sus-
tanned this movement last year, it is this action
of the Democrats of the North under the lead
of their best and bravest champion, the lament
ed Vallandngham.
The Reform party failed of success by reason
of the stupidity, ignorance and prejudice OF
the great mass of the voters, which rendered
them ready victims to lying and malignant
demagogues. The Democracy have the adyan-
tage of addressing their arguments to the con-
sideration of the great American people, too
intelligent and too honest to be sedlicedlto their
own ruin by the cunning arts of political
tricksters.- Camden. journal. -