The Camden journal. [volume] (Camden, S.C.) 1866-1891, 1871-07-06
THE JOURNAL.
CAMDEN s. c., JULY s, 1871.
The New Depurture

The New Departure:
"Tke Stone srhich the builders rejected, as
become the ehead Of the corner"
It is but year ago that q Convention as
sembled in Columbia at the invitation Of the
Press Conference, to take "New Depar-
ture" in the politics of the State, upon the
basis of the resolutions of that Conference.
The Convention adopted the principles en-
braced in those resolutions, in the following
language of its own: -.
First The. Fifteenth Amendment of the
"Constitution of the United States having
"been, by the proper authorities, proclaim!
"ed. ratified by the requisite number Of
Estates. and having been received and ac-
"quieseed in as law, in all the States Of the
"Union, ought to be fairly administeredand
faithfully obeyed as fundamental law.
5,'".Second The vast changes in our system
"of government, wrought by the interna-
"tional war between the two sections of the
Estates and following in its train, are SO far
incorporated into the constitutions and
claws of the States and of the United States,
as to require that they be regarded as &C
"cemplished facts, having the force and OBJ
hgation Of law"
This step, taken by Convention Of the
peop]e of old South Carolina, was justified
in the Address of their Executive Commit
tee by the following argument: The infa-
nous character of the government of South
Carolina was attributable to the unhappy an
tagonism of the races, produced by "oir-
"cumstancss and the machinations Of self
"ish and corrupt political adventurers,"
whereby was srrayed practically, "the whole
"of the one race in political hostility to the
awhole Of the other race" One race own
ing all the lands, the other furnishing all
the labor and controlling. absolutely, the
power of the government; q -subjection Of
capital to labor, necessarily producing ruin
and disaster, and tending 70: bloody conflict.
It was shown that there was no hope of
abolishing universal suffrage, and that the
attempt, under the most favorable eircum-
stances, would light the fires Of "a civil war
"ferce, bitter, bloody and disastrous. -
The only alternative was the adoption of a
policy. which would abate the sharp antago-
nism of races, and "enable the good people
ofboth to combine for the purpose Of good
government" 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 60
vernment to be obtained, as they supposed,
hyTyiefding that privilege? --
Of course, unless reason were dethroned,
it was impossible that men Of intelligence
who really desired the good Of the State
could hesitate to give their adhesion to
party which promised the hope Of relief at
the expense only of that which had become
. mere abstract sentiment. It is true some
pharisaical and distatorial Democrats ex-
hausted their fierce rhetoric in denouncing
the movement and its leaders, but these
were sustained by the sufrages Of the patri-
otto, practical and honest people ofthe State,
with pnanimity never commanded by any
other movement, that Of secession not ex-
osptsd.
This platform is now commencing itself
tothe great Democratic Party Of the. coun-
try, and promises to be the foundation stone
Of their platform in the next canyass-the
vsntage ground from which to fight the bat
tlepf freedom: IF any thing were needed
to demonstrate the wisdom and patriotism of
the people of South Carolina who inaugura-
ted and sustained this movement last year,
it Is this action Of the Dnmocrats of the
North under the lead of their, best and bra
vest champion, the lamented Vallandigham.
The Reform party failed Of success by
reason of the stupidity, ignorance and pre-
judioe of the great mass of the voters, which
rendered them ready victims to lying and ma
lignant demagogues. The Democracy have
the advantage Of addressing their arguments
to the consideration Of the great American
people, too intelligent and too honest to be
seduoed to their own ruin by the cunning
arts Of political tricksters.
FOR THE JOURNAL.
M Editor: I.see an article in your last
weeks issue, calling upon the. good people
of Camden to unite against that hydra, In
temperance. It is most timely call Well
might the writer appeal to parents, philan-