The daily phoenix. [volume] (Columbia, S.C.) 1865-1878, 1872-05-28

nation of the Republican party in this
County. Anniversaries always suggest n
| retrospect. Let US glance at the promises
and anticipRtiOns Of four years ago, ind
then look to see how they have been full
| filled. The young party of 1868 resolved
| upon vigorous campaign against the
abuses fostered by the pro slavery spirit
which had 30 long ruled the State. It
determined upon an honest, economical
but liberal government of the people by
| the people. Education was to be en-
couraged; tho children Of those kept in
Ignorance for the conservation of slavery
we're now to be furnished with free
schools; every encouragement was to be
extended to those desiring to own land; ;
taxation was to be equalized and all the
people were to bear it's burdens; integri-
ty, morality and competency were to be
the qualifications for office; all distinc-
| tions of class and color were TO be swept
away; tue moral, material and political
standing of the people was to be elevated
by freedom and equal rights. In fact q
political milleni 1m was looked for, and
South Carolina was to exchange her bad
eminence, as the hot-bed of treason and
slavery, for one Of loyalty, good govern
ment and prosperity. How have these
expectations been realized? How have
these promises been made good2 Are
the people educated? Let our schools,
closed for half the year and languishing
for means the other half, answer. Are
the people elevated to higher moral
plane? Let our thousand grog shops be
taken as an evidence of moral purity
Have integrity and capability been the
qualifications most sought after in filing
Offices? Let the state of our finances be
the reply. Have our rulers redeemed
ths State from violence? Let martial
law and United States soldiers, the keep
ers of the pence, tell the story. Have
the burdens of taxation been equalized?
Ask the merchants who are paying
licenses to State. County and town.
Undoubtedly the Republican party
has been God-send to individuals
Some who never earned n dollar by ho-
nest labor have been lifted to high places
and now roll in wealth. Some whose
impudence and reckless folly should at
once have consigned them to merited
contempt have seized upon the stations
of statesmen. Utterly without shame.
devoid Of any ability save cunning, des.
tituto of personal or political principle,
they have thus prostltuted the noblest
political organization of any age. Who
have been the greatest sufferers from
this disregard of promises. this neglect
of sacred duties, this wilful porversion
of the designs of the people? It is not
the merchant, whose enterprise has been
dampened; it is not the banker. whose
just expectations of the profitable en-
ployment Of capital have been thwarted; /;
it is not the great planter, whose lands
have become burden to him. No!
Of
ferers. 70 find these, we must seek the
hut, where be almost longs for the flesh
pots of Egypt; in the children growing
up in Ignorance; in the youth corrupted
by the license and excess born of politi-
Gal chioanery, will be seen the true VIC
TINS of the mismanagement and short
comings of our party. But there is re-
served a yet more serious evil to be borne
chiefly by the same class. It will be
| found in the loss of confidence on the
par. ot the groa: body Of the people of
the United States in the capacity and
willingness of the colored race to select
suitable rulers and produce commend
able local government. That confidence
was born of earnest desire. At one time
it seemed that the very life of the coun-
try depended upon the virtue and fdeli-
ty Of the colored man, and the expert
ment Of universal suffrage seemed to be
the only panaoea for our many ills. The
feeling that this experiment hss failed is
spreading with suoh Iapidity that, unless
checked soon by change in the conrse
OF our party in the South, it will create
q reaction fatal to the rights and privi-
leges of the colorsd race. The enemies
of that race are alert to take this tide OF
feeling at it's flood. For years they have
been apparently inert and hopeless.
This is only part of their game. They
have watched with intensest glee the
fulfillment of their predictions Of the
bad results to spring from negro suf-
frage. They willingly bear their present
ills. nay, gladly bear them, though os-
sentatiously grumbling; for, in every
act of fraud, every waste of means,
every increase Of debt, every job of ex-
travsgance and kna7ery, they see the
weapons with which to overturn all that
has been secured to the emancipated
race. Beaufort Republican.
The Greeley letter was very neat
production, and is an evidence of the
want Of common sense 30 easily charged