The Charleston daily news. [volume] (Charleston, S.C.) 1865-1873, 1871-06-27
Accepting tho Situation.

= Do we accept the situation? In a certain
sense, 'No;" in another sense, ''Yes." Do
we accept Ulysses s. Grant? No. His ad-
ministration, in whole or in part? No. The
present tariff? No. The corruption and
extravaganza which attend the collection
and disbursement Of the revenues No.
The principles, il any there be, Of the party
in power? No. The centralizing tendency
Of Republican construction Of the Constitu-
ton? No. The infamous Ku-Klux bilf
No. We do not accept these things. Far
from it. On the contrary, we repudiate
them as heartily and sincerely. as you do,
Mr.. Davis, or you, Mr.. Toombs, or you, Mr..
Stephens. The situation, then, Is exactly
the thing which We Dc not accept, never ac-
cepted, never intend to accept; but intend
to war against until che situation ceases to
be, aad a better situation is instituted in lieu
OF it.
But do we accept the Three Amendments?
Yes. Accept, however, is not the word. Its
primary meaning is ssto take with a consent
cling mind, to receive with appreciation or
~"favor," and q well-known distinction is
made between receiving and accepting, as
when an offer of a commission is received
but not accepted. 1t is hardly necessary for
us to say that we do not receive the Three
Amendments with favor, much less with ap-
probation. Yet this is the attitude in which
the Davis s-Stephens party choose to
place all who have given adherence to the
New Departure. 1t is O false attitude, en-
tirely false and unjust. In this sense, we
"accept nothing" as Mr.. Davis (who ought
to. have said nothing) would say. But the
word staccept" was unfortunately chosen,
and does not at all represent the true atti-
tude Of those who occupy the New Depart
ure platform. The Democracy of Ohio put
the matter in the right light when they
sirecognized' these amendments Gas accom-
ssplished facts" to wal against which, at
this time, is folly. To make these amend
ments an issue inthe approaching campaign
is folly. 1t is a waste Of force which, wisely
expended, would. insure success.
We will give these gentlemen, who fancy
they love liberty 80 much more than we do,
an illustration: A British officer in India,
while at the cord table, felt something on
his leg. Looking down, he beheld a cobra
di capeNo slowly crawling up to his body.
Without moving a muscle, without changing
q tone of his voice, he requested a servant
to bring a bowl Of milk, and place it on the
floor. 1t was quickly done, and the venom
GUS reptile, attracted by the odor OF the milk,
abandoned his leg, and the officer was saved
from a horrible death by accepting the sit
s'uetion."
Mr.. Toombs proposes to lay violent hands
on this cobra. We do not. Mr.. Davis thinks
a loud harangue in the open air will do some
good. We do not. Dir. Stephens has an
idea that a number of newspaper articles
will make the cobra uncoil. Wedo not. We
propose to call for a bowl Of milk, and call
in such mild tones that the reptile will not
take the alarm. Recognizing the character
and temper OF the Northern masses, we yield
to existing circumstances, aud propose Dim,
pror0- ruooo Observation-Disclosures ny Ju~ulc.0usTy
adopting means to ends. In that sense, and
in no other, we accept the situation. The
end is, the overthrow of the Republican par
ty, the uncoiling Of the cobra. The means
are, anything but violence or the semblance
OF it.