The daily phoenix. [volume] (Columbia, S.C.) 1865-1878, 1871-05-23
BAD1oAn M1snu1E.-.Ths New ,Yo.k

iFt6une says: y -
HOut correspondents have now been
so'long In .th disturbed districts Of tho
South, that we can form from their let
ters q distinct idea OF the state OF, society
in that unfortunate part OF the Union.
1t is melancholy picture that they
draw for 49, The most intelligent, the
influential. the educated, the really use
full men of tho South. deprived OF all
political power. have come to look upon
! themselves as the outraged subjects of q
despotic conaueror. Tuxed aud swim
died bt o horde Of rasoally foreign ad-
ventnrers, and by the ignorant class.
which only yesterday hoed the fields
aud served IN tho Kitchen, they cure
nothing for politics except to throw of
the oppressive yoke; they have no i,rte.
rest in national affairs; they wouli call
themselves of either party. provided
their rulers were only of tho other. The
refnse of Northern cities, who went
Southwark aftor the war, out ut. elbows
and destitute of character and cdncu-
ton, now roll i'll splendid carringcp,
drink rnre wines, glittor with diamonds
as big as Fisk's, and steal taxes ns fust as
| ii New York Street Commission. It is
no wonder that the impoverished planter,
growing poorer every day, the ex-Con-
tederate officer, who fought 40 bravely
| for cause in which he honestly be-
lieved. the profe .sional men, nccus-
| toned all their lives to hold ofTioe npd
lead the public sentiment of their com.
munisies, look on such things with ran
cdrous hearts. They might submit to be
ruled by soldiers who had beaten them
in battle; but here they are plundered
by suffers and camp-followers.
This is miserable statc Of things
indeed for q republican government-u
bnrlesque upon the suffrage, when the
only restriction upon voting is thnt the
votes shall NOT be cast for the most intel
lgent and virtuous citizers We have
often warned our party in Congress Of
tho inevitable result Of the vindictive
method of reconstruction. We have.
told them, and We tell them agnin, that
there is only ono way to restore the
Union-universal amnesty aud Impartial
suffrage. We shall oontnue TO urge
this policy; but in some pluces Southern
people are doing their best to defeat it. :"
H. V. Rsdfield says, in his Columbia
letter in the Cincinnati Commercial:
Now, I have no prejudice whatever
against q negro, simply because he is n
negro. They cannot help their color any
more than we can help ours, or Adam
could help his, whatever it was. But
do soy that it is utterly impossible for n
man to read law two or three years, pruo-
tice two or three years, nDd then be fit
for the position Of Supreme Judge.
don't care what his color is, or how smart
he may be. AS for Wright, lie is not
overly smart. II he were whits aud
lived in Ohio. he might siand some
chance of being Justice of the peace. It
is said, but I dou't know how true it is,
that he has never delivered but one
opinion, and that was written for him by
Attorney General Chamberlain. give
the report as heard it, though hope
he has delivered dozen and written
them himself.
confess to feeling vague sense Of
something wrong when 60 into the Su-
preme Court room and see this young
and inexperienced negro presiding over
some Of the first legal minds Of the
South. In front of him 1 see row of
white-headed veterans, some of whom
weSe giants before he was born. Men
who had occupied high positions on tho
bench and rendered decisions hOuornbie
to themselves; aud beacon lights in iuris.
prudence, look out of place standing be-
low this young negro and addressing
arguments to him which, in many in.
stances, it is clear, in the nature of
things. he does not understand. He
lacks age and experience, two essential
qualifications to position on the bench.
no matter how brilliant man may be by
nature. Brilliancy is not learning, and
keenness is not depth. There is no
royal road to legal learning. There is
but one way that it can be obtained, aud
that is by plolding. aud to plod takes
time. Take the case home to Ohio.
What young man is there in that State
who was admitted to the bar in 1865. and
who has been mixed up in politics to
such An extent since that he has Ind lit
tie experience in active practice, WHO is
now fit for the position Of Supreme
Judge? think an attempt to hoist such
man upon the bench there would meet
with breeze Of rehuke not easily gotten
over. If he was q negro, am certain it
wonld. Now, the lawyers md property.
holders of South Carolina nre lust as
anxious to have q competent Supreme
Court as they are in Ohio. Why should
they not have it? Is q negro put over
them to- make them feel their degrnda.
ton and cause them to lose their self.
respect? Do they not feel it ten times
more keen than Ohio wuuld. and would