Edgefield advertiser. [volume] (Edgefield, S.C.) 1836-current, 1872-04-11

voters wers prescribed, yet nearly al
our Democratic newspapers in Soutl
Carolina seem either actually to. oppos
Passivism, or at best to give it but
lukewarm support. Still most of thes
same papers can swallow even tho "Nev
Departure" without any nausea
\ This present course of our local Demo
cratic press Ihust arise from modification
at the blunder it committed in 1870, when
instead of. recommending the Democrac!
of the State to adopt the Passive Policy
which was then being piactised in Mis-
souri,. and which had been 80 successful
in Tennessee tho year before, it advisee
Democrats to profess Radicaiism, under
the new name of Union Reforinism.
It's fact that the electioA of 1870 wal
the firstopportunity offered to the Demoo'
! racy of South Carolina to recover con-
troll of the State, since the Congressional
reconstruction business commenced, and
it is equally fact that the opportunity
was thrown away by the incompetency
or corruption of the State press, for it is
notorious that "Unien Reformism" was
the bantling of the Press Convention OF
South Carolina, which. assembled al Co
Iumbia in the spring Of 1870 ;Nand It is
likewise but too painfully true that
South Carolina Union Reforn1ism was
the mother of "New Departureism,"
which has almost, If not quite destroyed
the Democratic party.
Until the press of South Carolina ad-
vocated acquiescence in the infamous
18th and 18th amendments to tho Federal
Constitution, the "New York Worlf'
and the Chicago Times" were the only
influential Democratic organs in the
whole United States that ventured to do
such a thing, and both of tho papers
named among well informed, honest
D0mocrats, are recognised Us mere mouth
pieces of Democratic Bondholders Of the
war'debt. The 18th amendment not only
proscribes Southern ants 6ellum office
holders, but 1t also declares that the Fed
era1 war dsbt must be paid, and shall
not be repudiated except by a majority
large enough to alter the Constitution.
AS the Democratic party was rapidly
regaining strength in 1870, and was in
favor of either wholly repudiatinG. tho
war debt, or at most, paying only por-
ton of it, the Bondholders became
alarmed, many of them professed' ultra
Democracy, having previously bribed the
"New York World and "Chicago
Times" to persuade the Democracy to
cease opposition to the l4th amendment,
it is feared they also paid some South
Carolina editors, if not somo South Caro-
lima Office-seellers, to do likewise. The
sacredness of prescription and the war
debt made no hcadway in Democratic
ranks until the press Of South Carolina
gave the doctrine responsibility. Then
most of the other Southern States es-
poused it, thinking they could safely fol-
Low wherever South CaroliHa could lead,
and the result is New Departureism, de-
moralization and defeat of the Democra
cy in every Nor9rn State except New
jersey.
The thinking people of South Carolina
never deliberately fell i'll with Union Re-
formism, or rather they never intention
ally professcd Radicalish by voting for
the Union Reform candidates i'll 1870.
The plain truth is that they were broken
hearted, and like all men, when lost i'll
despair, they were ready to coniide III
any one who had the courage 10 offer to
lead them out of their troubles. a few
trnsted leaders, having designs of their
own, or of their Orncrs, 10 accomplish
by taking advantage efthe public distress,
without giving the masses time to reflect,
changed South Carolina from her old
position as pilot of the Democratic party
to that of it's assassin.
1t is hard to tell whether South Caro-
lima now commands most, pity or con-
tempt, among her sister Southern States.
Her old Office of leader of the South is
gone forever. She justly forfeited it by
her craven stupid course in 1870. Hun
gary endured Austrian tyranny with
manly consistent foritude for twenty
years, protesting, arguing and contend
ing for her constitutional rights all the
while, and at last recovered them. Ire
land has refused to acquiesce in Englands g
expressions for more than six centuries,
and she is fast having one abuse after
another corrected; but poor, self-degra-
ded South Carolina could like the hand
that smites her in five years, and her
Confederate Generals could take tho most
prominent part in recommending her to
try to defeat Radicalism by embracing it
to attempt the overthrow of all army
by fighting in its ranks, instead Of against
them. Shade of Roman Calhoun, how
are the mighty fallen2 Tho proudest
constituency Of the continent once, now
without almost any sense of fortitude,
consistency or self respect, by following
unskillful or faithlcss guides.
Individual wealth, and even constitu-
tional safe guards may be recovered by a
conquered people, but self. respect, when
lost, is seldom regained. Contrast the
character of South Carolina before the ad-
vent o. Union Reformism and since. The
New Englanders hated, but they also ad-
mired and feared South Carolina up to
1870. but since that, to her, ill-fated yeal,
they have only spit upon her. Before
1870 our Carpet Bag and Sealawag OPP
pressors dreaded us, but now even they
regard.us, our rights, our complaints, OF
our wrath, as beneath notice. There was
a time when the name of South Carroll
nian presumed responsibility among
strangers, but since Reformism, our very
freedmen are sorry for us, and patronise
us. Their dogs bark at US az low charac-
ters, and the buzzards as they fly over
would seem inclined to befoul us if the
friendly rain did not appear disposed to
try to wash away our ineffable and self
imposed disgrace. Until she professed
Union Reformism, South Carolina COM
manded the respect and sympathy Of
good men throughout the civilized world
but her sbject attitude in exhibiting that
harlotry has placed her too low to feal
another fall.
It is believed that the Charleston Ne,os
sounded the first bugle note of Unior