The daily phoenix. [volume] (Columbia, S.C.) 1865-1878, 1871-04-26

patriotic Citizen Of tried fidelity to the
State, his letter will be read with interest.
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ssTho Presidential EIections.'
The article appended on this subject,
from the Washington Patriot, will COM
mend itself to the judgment Of many.
The Democratic address recently issued,
whilst clearly indicating the spirit in
which the next national canvass should
be waged by tho Democracy, does not
assume to 10y down q specific platform.
In this the authors of the address acted
wisely. The special line Of action should
be left for future action. The Patriot
says:
s.One conclusive reason against plat
form building is to be found in the utter
uncertainty into which tho ndministra-
tion has plunged everybody as to the
condition Of public affairs year hence.
Who can tell what unexpected auxiliaries,
driven away by disgust, and i'm patience,
and bitter disappointment, may fill our
ranks and claim our sympathy aud rc-
spectful consideration? There are now
men, willingly conceded leaders in the
Democratic staff. who year or two ago
were honestly Republican. IF things go
on as they are now doing, there will be
many more, and just in proportion to
their numbers is the necessity of the de-
velopment of generous and cordial com
munion. Our stakes ought not to be
driven down so as to fix too narrow
limits. Who can foresee on what rock,
BY the insane ambition Of the President
and his military cdmariAa, all that is left
Of constitutional liberty will be wrecked,
or on what lee shore, by bad navigation,
we may be drifting when the autumnal
gale Of 1872 begins to blowf If the
President carries the new ssedition law
for that which wrecked the Federalias
of 1899 was naught to this-recklessly
into execution, and declares reign Of
military terror in the South, then, in
the great and awful crisis which that
contingency implies. we know we shall
have help from without. When we see
Nation and the Erening Post preachers
of power like Mr.. Beecher-organs Of
excitement like Hdrper's IVeekly-to say
nothing of grave Senators and able Rep
resentatives-boidly md vehementiy OPP
posing the initiate outrage on the Con
stitntion, have we not right to hope for
their aid, or ought We to be so self-reliant
as make it impossible when the wrong
is consum mated. and the breach is
made, and the actual assault at hand?
..Thus looking to the future, arc not
our counsels of prudence invigoratod by
the sense of the necessity of entire aud
compact union in our own ranks? The
great truths on which we agree, and
which, as if by the light of nature RAJ
3her than our own agency. are stamped
upon our banners, are too sacred and
essential to be endangered by difference
Of opinion on minor matters. Like the
great emblem on The Ld6druns of old,
the restored Constitution is ours, and
we need no refined doctrines, orthodox
or heretical, to stimulate or impede the
onward march to victory. AS the De-
mocracy has no candidate, let it have no
platform yet. When the Republic and
constitutional liberty arc in danger, let
MS have no orators or newspapers assum-
only Democratic doctrine The time is
not distant when the national council of
the party will meet, where every State is
to be represented thoroughly. for there
will be no disfranchisement there, whence
the intelligence and honor and patriot
ism of the South will bo heard as it
never has been for long years, and lis
toned to; when no rival aspirant will
disturb the peace; when neither fanati-
cism will alarm nor sectionalism disturb
us, for the ruinous work of both is done;
when, in short, the great principles
which the condition of the country thus
admonishes us to announce will be de-
]iberately proclaimed, 80 that all shall
hear and understand, and the leaders
chosen who are to conduct to victory
over host like some Of those we read
of yore. encumbered with spoils and
plunder, and wearied to death by the
load Of false doctrine and personal un-
popularity they have been carrying so
long. Again, we say: No candidates!
No experimental platforms! No dis
turbance in the line of the great array!'
"THE ALLY OF THIEVES. The Ntw
York Eueniag Post, (Republican,) after
allowing how South Carolina has been