The daily phoenix. [volume] (Columbia, S.C.) 1865-1878, 1872-03-21

That ws sfs Cursed viii ths i most Sc
shamelessly corrupt State Governmont
ever foisted upon s free people. is sor-
rowfolly acknowledged by all. How
are we to.Is rid AZ it2 fAs a oontempo-
rary tsSit-hoS areswe to be saved9
how.is The State @ besresoued from the
clutches or the vuultures that are rave
nously feeding upon her PROSTATE and
apparently lifeless body? It can only
be done by concert OF action between
the honest elements Of both races and
political parties, against the unprinoi-
pied vagabonds who now control the
government. t-'''"" "''-- -''.'
The question next follows, how can
this concert Of action be brought about?
We failed. in 1870. in our judgment.
from the faotthat the misdeeds OF our
rulers were not so foul. so numerous,
nor 80 patent. but what they could. in
great measure, be hidden from tho ino1.
perienced eye Of the oolorsd people.
They made plausible promises OF re-
form, too. within their own ranks. which
the oredulous populaoe believed to be
sincere. What there were, too. OF ho-
nest and intelligent Republicans pre-
!erred to risk the harm 10 the State Ta-
ther than the ruin OF their party. which
they conceived would follow from the
snccess of the reform party, supported
almost entirely by the old white Demo
oracy. We did wrong in taking the ini-
tiative upon ourselves, aud identifying
tha movement so entirely with the white
people OF the State, and particularly
with their old Democratic leaders. We
should now profit by our experience.
There is no ooncealing, now, the glar-
lug frauds. which individuals, calling
themselves Republicans, have perpe-
trated upon people that blindly trusted
them. They have shown their promises
OF reform to be bare-faced lie. The
honest men Of the party are disgusted
with the management of our State
affairs, and they do not hesitate to say
80. We will allow them this time to
make the first step. Let them make the
fight with their party, and We will give
them our support at the polls. We-the
white people of South Carolina -c.n
act as q balance of power, and thus elect
tho host Of the Republicans TO- Office.
If We can place the State in the hands
Of honest Republicans, what more need
good citizens care for; and if. in nll
cases. va cannot be satisfied in this re-
speot, we will ask OF our colored citizens
their su1frages for such representation
of our race as is fair and Just. Lot our
young men, too. como forward in the
arena. They, as a rulo, arc ripe for the
occasion. They are men of tho pre-
sent-fully oonsoious and deeply im-
pressed with the living issues that are
now upon us. Their ninds are stamped
in the mould OF our new life, and are free
from the orotohets and bent of day
that is gone.
With all love and reverence for their
Justly honorod sires, let them. however,
step to the van and shoulder the respon-
sibilities OF the hour. We differ with
our contemporary as to the "fallacious
spirit of Orr. Melton, Dudley" go. we
can't stomach the dose, and go with
them to the Republican party, but We do
not regret that they have loss sensitive
olfactories. Doubtless, a hope of po-
litical preierment Was the prime motive
OF their detection; but they arc in q con-
dition now to be Of service to the State,
and we trust they will We can't be-
lieve that man loses his honesty like
his shirt. These mon have been true in
the past; We believe they will continue
80. We wonld bo rejoiced, at least, to
see suoh at the head OF our State Co.
vernment, and exercising controlling
influence in the Legislature. Tho end
of public plundering would soon follow.
The colored members of Congress, it