The Charleston daily news. [volume] (Charleston, S.C.) 1865-1873, 1872-07-15
The Liberal Movement in South Caro-
lima.

South Carolina occupies an exceptional
position in the sisterhood OF States. The col.
ored voters have 80, 900 majority, and no re-
form movement can succeed which does not
obtain Is, 900 colored votes, and the entire
white vote. With a few exceptions, the
whites are Liberal Democrats. Most Of them
are enthusiastic advocates Of the Baltimore
nominees; all OF them are ready to vote for
Greeley, as opposed to Grant. But, 80 far,
not single Republican OF prominence has
declared his intention to espouse the Libe-
raj cause. 1t is possible that men like
scburz, Cox, Gilbert G. Walker and Charles
Sumner might change the aspect OF affairs
il thew could devote themselves to this State;
but, as things stand, Mr.. Greeley could not
obtain more colored votes in South Carolina
than would be given to a Democrat. The
leaders OF the negroes, to whom these look
for guidance, are Grant men. They slander
and misrepresent Mr.. Greeley. in every imagi.
nable way, and persuade their illiterate
hearers that they run risk of being return
ID to slavery if the Liberal candidates are
successful. Thus, the negroes on the coast,
who hold the balance OF power, are kept SOL
idly together on the side Of the regular Re.
publican candidate.
A number OF influential members OF the
Republican party are striving vigorous-
" tu purify the State Government They
are, nevertheless, the staunch supporters Of
the presen' administration. Most OF them
are actual or potential office-holders under
the National Government. They are guided
in their opposition to the Scott-Moses Ring
by the tacit or expressed wishes OF President
Grant, far more than by love OF reform for
it's own sake. 1t would cost them their
official heads to raise finger for Greeley.
They are ready enough to talk and write
against Scott, Moses, Neagle and Parker,
and to demand the election OF good men In
October but it is Indispensable that they
should, upon all occasions, chant the praises
OF Grant. Even Mr.. c. C. Bowen, who, in
other things, has them at his beck and call,
could not persuade the colored voters OF the
low-country to support the Cincinnati ticket
He has convinced them that they should
fight to- tho Loot aso1not tho Columbia Ring:
This they will de. But he cannot, for the
reasons slready given, induce them to wage
war upon Grant
With these facts before them, outsiders
can understand why it is that there is no
Liberal Republican party in South Carolina
They will also see that such movement, as
soon as organized, would repel the Radicals
whose cry is Grant and State Reform, and
force them into new alliance with the cor
rupt crew whom they are now denouncing,
and whom, il let alone, they will probably
overcome. A Liberal organization would,
OF course, receive very nearly the entire
white vote, and the Grant ticket would be
elected by the usual thirty thousand majorl-
ty. For the sake Of casting q complimentary
vote for the Democratic Republican candi-
dates, the Conservatives Of the State would
have sacrificed every hope OF accomplishing,
within few months, something substantial
in the way Of local reform.