The daily phoenix. [volume] (Columbia, S.C.) 1865-1878, 1872-03-24

Who IL Responsible for Its
The Union. sof yesterdays date, refer:
ring TO the City Hall swindle, which was
defeated by the prompt action OF the
citizens. says:
Whatever suindling there was con-
templated in that affair, cannot be
charged any moro to the Republican
party than the Democratic"
That is an exceedingly lame get-off,
even for the Union. We should like to
know what the Democratic party, that
hadn't q ghost of representative in the
City Council, had to do with the matter.
Democratic citizens exposed the turpi:
sude Of the Council, and have succeeded
In defeating the contamination of the
,ssoslIy scheme; bnt eyen that was in
nowise party action, but was simply
the effort OF business men. interested in
the welfare of the city aud responsible
for its debts. TO save themselves, in COM
man with other citizens. from down
Dighs robbery. We presume the Union
fnds snoh foundation as it may have for
the assertion in the connection of MIR.
Clark Waring with the contract in its
incipiency. Whatever wrong that gen.
teman committed By putting in acsi
tious bid, without making proper csti-
mates, and thus giving oolorjpg of
fairness to the fraud, he did oil 10 his
power afterwards to remedy the evil that
he had helped to cause. That is, more
shan can be said Of any Of tho other
parties.' e.. p ly
But suppose that Mr.. Waring had
been an equa, partner with Mr.. Allen in
svery respect, and had never made any
amends whatever, but had striven, like
the other. to perfect the rascally scheme
could the Democratic party be in any.
wise held responsible for his merely in
dividual action-the conduct Of a man
who occupies no official positionf Is q
political party blameable for the private
conduct Of every individual member OF
ita The fact that Mr.. Allen is R.pub-
Ican does not make his conduct charge.
able to the Republican party; not at all.
The public responsibility for that City
Hall swindle rests upon the City Coun-
oil. They were the servants OF the peo-
pie, the honored guardians of tho public
trusts. and they are the men that basely
betrayed that trust. and, ''for consid-
sration," shamelessly sacrificed the peo-
ple's interests. Some OF them did. al
any rate. and the rest either winked at
it, or were too stupid to see it. For
sheir action, the so-oalled Republioanism
OF Columbia stands arraigned. in 80 far
as they have not denounced it. nor takon
steps to punish them for it. But most
especially do they shoulder the sins of
these mon, when they renominate ror-
ton of them again for Office. and sup.
plement them with their white sympa-
thizers-advisers, bosom friends and
Abettors The State is already bank
7upted by them, and the city will as
surely go to the dogs as night follows
day, if such white men as are now in
domination are elected, under the pre-.
sence OF being Republicans. II the CO.
3ored people are content to sacrifice tho
oity and State tq, crafty the greed OF
these men. upon Them must fall the ro.
A2onsibility. The ruin must be shared
in common, but the white people will
have, at least, the consolation of know
ing that they did all they could to ward
il off, They have stepped forward,
without one dissenting voice, and Of
Tered the hand of union, harmony and
friendship, with view to effect the
common good. If the colored people
will not listen to us-if they disregard
cur entreaties, and the advice, too, OF
their. own best men, and continue to
folloV the deoeitful connsels of in.
sriguing carpet-baggers-they will have
DO one to blame but themselves.
The New York Herald brags high on
Grant, but is nevertheless very uneasy
about his reelection. It shows this by
ifp " SC not ~, n