The Charleston daily news. [volume] (Charleston, S.C.) 1865-1873, 1871-09-09
Collapse Of The Republican.

lished as a party paper, its capital being
subscribed chiefly by prominent officers Of
the present State Government The Colum-
5ia Union, and The Republican, although
managed independently, were owned by the
same association. A desperate effort was
made at the outset to bring The Republican
into public notice; but its tone was uni
formly go offensive to conservative citizens
that its circulation, outside OF official circles,
never attained respectable dimensions. Fed
eral advertising and State advertising, and
county advertising and city advertising,
were bestowed upon it with lavish hand, in
confirmation of the announcement that II
was the official paper Of the city, the county,
the State and the United States. But, for
commercial and popular purposes, its value
was so inconsiderable that it failed to obtain
at the hands OF the community that steady
support, without which no press can hope
long to thrive. For some months The Re-
publican has been known 10 be in a
languishing condition, and yesterday it gave
up the ghost. Its last words will be found
reproduced in another column.
At the beginning Of it's brief career, our
defunct contemporary became the champion
and disseminator OF all the ''isms' OF New
England. 1t strove hard to build up bar
rier of hatred and distrust between whites
and blacks, between the laborer and the
capitalist, and while crying peace was
the rabid apostle of prejudice and discon-
tent. This malignant policy was steadily
maintained until Mr.. Myron Fox became the
responsible editor, when milder and more
conciliatory spirit at once began to mark its
columns. The Republican became, at times,
an outspoken opponent of official corrup-
ton, and during the municipal canvass OF
the past summer its fearless and manly
course contributed largely to the coup de
grace which has happily been given in this
city to the Riff Raft Ring. Nor, in enumerat-
ing its laudable traits, must it be forgotten
that our late contemporary was warm and
intelligent supporter of the justice and ne
cessity OF minority representation, and was
a consistent advocate Of popular education.
Agricultural and industrial topics were often
with practical sense and dis
cretion. Politics and sociology, however,
hardly ever failed to develop the peculiar
New England ideas which evidently formed
the editors highest type OF civilization.
In the main, The Republican was edited
with pungcnt ability. However prejudiced
and unfair, il was seldom prosy. And The
News, which was honored with a full share
Of apostolic blows and knocks, can bear
witness to its adversary's nimbleness In po-
litical discussion. The little we know, PER-
sonally, OF Mr.. Fox is altogether in his favor;
for we have reason to believe that he was
honest, and that, upon more
than one occasion, he refused point'blank to
be bribed, when he might have "sold out "
to Ring in "the party" without exciting
o shadow of suspicion.
For a party organ OF the stamp OF The
Republican, there is no room in South Caro-
lima. The Conservative masses are not in-
clined to give such journal any degree OF
countenance or legitimate support; and the
Radicals hereabouts are neither willing nor
the pickings from the public
cofIers-to furnish tho funds to sustain q
paper. Besides, the Conservative press will,
as heretofore, honesty strive to maintain
the rights Of all classes, and to promote the
advancement, moral and industrial, OF the
whole people. They may, moreover, be
trusted to be more than just and generous in
their dealings with the classes who have
been taught by The Republican to regard
all Conservatives with suspicion and dislike.
Such course, at least, is what The
CHARLESTON News will continue both to
preach and practice.