The Charleston daily news. [volume] (Charleston, S.C.) 1865-1873, 1871-04-20
The Governors Plea.

Tho aanlauatiaas at- Gavarnar Saatt-in no.
gard to the political and financial condition
| OF the State, printed in The NEWS OF yester-
day, are highly satisfactory as far as they
20. They announce that the State debt is
only So, 600, 600 instead OF SIG, 900, 900; that
there will be no difficulty in obtaining in
| extension of the time allowed for paying the
tax of 1871; that the May Convention, if
steered clear Of politics, is likely to do far
more good than harm; that there is i better
political feeling in the State than at any pre-
vious time since the accomplishment OF Be-
| construction; that the representation OF mi
norities is necessary and right; that, in
appointing officials, regard will be had to
the fitness and qualifications OF a moi rather
than to his claims as a mere politician.
This is q rose-colored view to take Of the
situatioH, and the people would like to be
able to pin their faith to the statements Of
one who can evidently be jolly undor the
most depressing circumstances. But the
events of the past three or four years have
made this a sceptical people. The act is
now the interpreter Of the word, in the
case of Governor Scott no less than in that
OF Leslie or. Crews or Whittemore. How
far, then, are the semi official declarations OF
| Governor Scott confirmed by the most trust.
worthy information previously in possession
| OF the people?
In the first place We would correct one
| erroneous impression. Governor Scott says
that he believes that a large majority of the
whites ''are Republicans at heart, for the
treason very easily understood, that the chief
tissues of the Democratic party, so far as the
Estate was concerned, are absorbed in the
"Fourteenth and Fifteenth amendments to
ssthe Constitution, or are settled by the war"
We admit that, in this State, the negro ques-
ton is settled IS q political issue. The
amendments to the United States Constitu-
ton, which give the colored people their
freedom and the right to vote, are now in
operation in such u form that they cannot
be abrogated except by another revolution.
We hold, then, that the majority OF the
whites in South Carolina do recognize the
civil. and political equality Of the colored
race, and have no thought OF receding from
the position, in that regard, which they oc-
| cupied during The Reform canvass. But this
does not make them Republicans, as the
words of Governor Scott appear to suggest.
Whenever there is, in State or Federal
affairs, a political canvass, the whites will
yo,e en- a,osse against the Republican party.
A purely Reform movement may be kept
clear of politics, aud in such a movement
Radicals and anti Radicals may work aud
vote together, but wherever politics. enter
into the canvass the whites will vote square
w against Radicalism. And for obvious
reasons. A recognition Of the political
rights of the negro does not read a man, or
any set OF men, out of the Democratic party.
New York stands to-day where South Caro-
lima stands, and so do the great states OF
the West. Tie Democracy OF the present
as far as can be judged from the action
of separate States-are fatty opposed to
arraying that purity against negro suffrage.
On the other hund there are important ques-
tioas on which the Democratic party will
Claim the support OF the whites, and of the
blacks, in this and in every other State. We