The daily phoenix. [volume] (Columbia, S.C.) 1865-1878, 1871-04-25
Address OF tho Democratic Members OF
st ConRresa.H .,.is 49,

fully acquainted with the actions and de-
signs Of those who control the Radical
party, and We feel called upon to utter q
few words of warning against the alarm
ing strides they have made towards tho
centra!;EGtion Of powor &c The hands of
Congress and the Executive. The time
and attention of the Radical leaders
have been almost wholly directed to do
vising such legislation as will, in their
view, best preserve their ascendancy,
and no regard for the wise restraints i'm
their reckless and desperate career. The
President of the United States has been
formally announced ns q candidate for
reelection. The declarations of bis self
lsh supporters have been echoed by
subsidized press, and the discipline Of
party Inns already made adhesion to his
personal fortunes the supreme test of
political fealty. The partisan Legislation
to which we refer was dccrccd and
shaped in secret caucus, who're the cx-
trcmest cOunscls always dominated, mud
was adopted by subservient majority,
II not with the intent, certainly with the
elect to place in the hands Of tho Prcs-
dent power to command his own reno
mination, aud TO employ the army, navy
md militia, ut his sole discretion, rs a
means Of subscribing lis porsonaI nmb-
ton. When the snd experience Of the
last two years, SO disappointing to tho
hopes and generous confidence Of the
country, is considered, i'll connection
with the violent utteranccs and rash pur-
poses Of those who control tho l'resi-
dents policy, it is not surprising that
the grnyest apprehensions for the future
peace of tho nation should be enter
taincd
at time when labor is depressed, and
every material interest is pnlsird by OPP
prcssivo taxation, tie public Offices have
been multiplied beyond all precedent to
servo as instruments in the perpetuation
Of power Partisanship is tue only test
applied to tho distribution Of this vast
worth nre openly discarded in favor of
trucking submission and dishonorable
compliance; henco enormous defalcations
| and widespread corruption hnve fol-
lowed as tho natural consequences of
| this pernicious system. BY tho official
report of the Secretary Of tho Treasury,
it appears that after the deduction of nll
proper credits, many millions of dollars
remain from ex-collcctors of the internal
revenue, and that no proper diligence
has ever been used to collect them. Re-
forms in the revenue and fiscal systems,
which oil experience demonstrates to be
necessary to frugal administration of
the Govern mcnt, as well as a measure of
relief to m over-burdened people, have
been persistently postponed Or wilfully
neglected. Congress now adjourns with
out having even attempted to reduce
taxation, or to repeal the glaring imposi-
tions by which industry is crushed and
impoverished. The treasury is overflow
ing, aud al excess Of $50, ,000 600 Of re-
venne is admitted; and yet, instead Of
somo measure of present relief, barren
and dclusive resolution is passed by the
Senate to consider the thrift md excise
systems hereafter, rs if the history Of
broken pledges and pretended remedies
furnished any better assurance for flu
tnre legislation thnn experience has lone
in the past.
Ship building and tho carrying trade,
once sources of national pride and pros
! perity, now lnnguish under O crushing
load Of taxation, and nearly every other
business interest is struggling without
profit to maintain itself.
| Our agticnlturists, while paying heavy
| taxes on all they consume, either to the
| Government or to monopolists, find tho
prices for their own products SO reduced
thnt honest labor is denied its Just re-
ward, md industry is prostrated by in
vldious discrimination. Nearly 200, 900.
QUO acres OF public lands. which should
have been reserved for tho benefit OF the
people, have been voted away to giant
corporations, neglecting onr soldiers and
onrlching n handful Of greedy specnl,l-
tors and lobbyists who are thereby en-
ablcd to exercise most dangerous and
corrnpting influence over State md
Federal legislation. If the career OF
these conspirators bo not checked, the
downfall OF free government is inevit-
able, and with it the elevation of mill
tary dictator Oh tho ruins of tnc re-
public.
Under protcnso OF passing laws to cn-
force the fourteenth amendment, and FOR
other purposes, Congress has conferred
the most despotic powers upon the Exc.
cutivc, aud provided an official machine
ry, by which tho liberties Of the people
are mcnnccd and the sacred right Of local
self government in the States is ignored,
if not tyranicnlly overthrown. Modelled
up to the seuition laws, 40 odious in his
tory, they nro at variance with all tho
snnctified theories Of orr institutions.
Aud the construction given hy these R;l-
| uiCpi intcr1rctCrS IN tbn f,,rI.,,,,Ib n