The Anderson intelligencer. [volume] (Anderson Court House, S.C.) 1860-1914, 1872-08-22
HOYT & CO., Proprietors'
Tie Duty Of Democrats in the Present Crisis.


Hon. Jeremiah S. Black, of Pennsylvania,
has written the following letter to Mr.. Welsh,
of the Baltimore Gazette. Judge Black IS
lifetime Democrat and an eminent statesman,
and his views and opinions will prove interest
ing to the people:
YORK, Pa, August 8, 1872
Ny DEAR SIR: promised the gentleman
who delivered your letter that would answer
it fully and as soon as could consistently with
other engagements. I am fulfilling that prom
ise. IF take more time and space than might
be expected you will please remember that
and a great many other Democrats are IN po-
sition which requires something more than
mere definition, We cannot avoid mlscon-
struction. without furnishing a rather full ex-
planation. I admit that the next President
must be Grant or Greeley. The circumstances
of the political situation limit our choice to
these two men as strictly as if nobody else we're
legally eligible We must weigh them against
one another, and like practical men decide the
case before us in favor of the best. Even if we
find no good in either of them, we must take
that one who shall appear to be least bad.
1t is undeniable that the leading measures OF
the Administration are not only unconstitu-
tional, but anti-constitutional, showing not
merely contemptuous indifference to consGitu-
tionai- obligations, but settled hostility to
those rights of the States and those liberties OF
tie people which the organic law was mace to
secure. The President's appointment OF officers
and his general exercise of public authority,
under the influence of men who paid him large
SANS of money, are scandalous ontrages, and
the effort to defend them has combined with
other like causes to extinguish among his sub
ordinates all respect for those rules of morality
which used to be held sacred When we con-
slider what these men have done in the North,
and add to it the large-handed robberies per
petrated in the South by the retalners OF the
President, with his direct aid and assistance,
we are compelled to acknowledge that no other
government now in the world is administered
so entirely for personal and partisan purposes,
or in such complete disregard for the rights and
interests of the general public This demor-
alization is not confined to the Executive
branch, the tide of corruption rolls In upon the
Legislature, and IL some places it has risen
high enough to touch the feet of the judiciary.
Even the rank and file of the Presidents party
have become debauched, let us hope not alto
pether, but certainly in fearful degree. Acts
which in former times hardened criminal
would hesitate to whisper in the ear OF his ac-
complice can now be openly advocated by q
political leader, not only with safety, but with
3 tolerable chance of being sustained by sort
of public opinion That love of liberty and
Justice which used to pervade the whole COM
munity now "reneges all temper" and yields
without resistance to the unprincipied dema-
pcp1es vino would enthrone fraud.
Make the hoar leprosy adored place thieves,
And give them title, knee and appreciation,
With Senators on the bench.
IF General Grant had been equal in mind
and heart to the exigencies of the times he
could easily have made himself great public
benefactor. He might have purified official
and political morals by simply setting the ex-
ample in his own person Of a clean-handed de-
yotion to duty. His own obedience to the laws
would have restored them to universal suprem-
acy. All the objects of the Constitution as re-
cited in the preamble would have been accom-
plished but for the distractions with which he
himself impeded them. Unfortunately the in
terests of certain rings were in conflict with
the interests of the country, and they by large
presents seduced him. into their service The
public contracted to give him the salary which
his predecessors had been content with; the
rings offered him more; he accepted their
bounty, fell over to them, and took the Govern
ment into his hands as "a Black Republican
job"
that his political life is very symmetrical. He
was in the ranks of the radical abolitionists for
a good many years. That is bad; for such as
sociations would have natural tendency to
debase him. But we must not forget that,
though he was with them, ne was not always
of them. BE refused to be partaker in their
worst iniouities; he had none of their diabol-
icaI hatred for the Constitution he did not
lend his lips to their ribald blasphemies, and
his feet were never swift in running to shed in
nocent blood. Before the great conflict began
his opposition to the designs of the abolition
lists against the Federal and State governments
impeIled him to the opposite heresy of the Sc
cessionists. Like the Roman father, who killed
his daughter to save her from worse fate, he
chose to destroy the Government rather than
see It dishonored and violated by lawless force
When the war was hagrant he provoked the
EXTREMIST rage of his associates by exerting
himself for peace which would have left all
the people in possession of their constitutional
liberties. After the close of the contest he was
the advocate of regular and legal as we'll as
honest government for all parts of the country.
I have good authority for saying that he never
gave his approval to any form Of kidnapping
or murder by military commissions. In short,
although he did join the abolitionists in their
adeyils dance,D he never learned to keep step
with his partners, and we all know that when
he could not stop it he left it and denounced it
with becoming indignation. On another point
he @ ought to have credit. The friends of reli-
rious freedom owe him an old debt of gratitude
for the zeal and ability with which he resisted
the church burners when banded together, in
the secret lodges of the Know Nothing order.
r. is but reasonable to believe that his opposi-
t;on saved the country from the great danger it
WAS once in of being subjugated by that infa,
NOUS organization. He has often been accused
' Of COMPLETELY in cheats of one kind or another,
but in eyery case he has triumphantly refuted
the charges. For this, and for other reasons, |
conclude that his personal integrity is without
a stain. He has many times spoken of the
Democratic party and its most honored mem
bers in harsh and abusive terms These are
faults of manner and of temper, which, when
mended, are always pardoned. We will not
permit cur judgment to be disturbed by con-