The daily phoenix. [volume] (Columbia, S.C.) 1865-1878, 1872-07-30

political arena, was invited, as our
readers know. to be present at the Radi-
cal demonstration in this city on Wednes-
day. He sent his regrets-he has quite
q crop OF regrets-with some remarks
on the propriety OF his old friends. the
Democrats, prior to 1860, voting for
Grant and Wilson, adding that could he
be present at the meeting his speech
would be IN appeal to those OLD friends
to do 30. he preeents Gree ey and
Brown as lifelong Republicans. and
wants to know if the old Democrats can
vote for Greeley. Republican, why may
they not vote for Grant, Republican?
Other things being equal, for this very
good reason: if Democrat has to vote
for Republican it would be more
agreeable to vote for ''life-long one"
than for one who had deserted the
Democratic party and joined the most
ultra and proscriptive division of the
Republican party, as General Grant has
done. That is pretty good reason.
But there is O better:
Greeley was separated from the Demo
Gratis prior to the war chiefly on the
question Of slavery. That is now dead,
and can be the basis of no issue between
parties. Since the war his sentiments
and opinions have been in sympathy
with the Democratic principles-equality
of States and people, respect for local
State authority, general amnesty, the
prompt liberation of all men under re-.
straint for political offences, the pacifica.
tion of the country, and the lust and
honest administration OF its affairs, in
conformity with the Constitution.
Gen. Grant. who WAS Democrat, and
voted for Buchanan, is an ultra Radical
whose administration pursues the policy
That repression of the South is essential
to the safety of the Government. See
the 1nnumerable arrests of white South
erners IN nearly all the Southern States
as means for this repression, this stiff.
ing OF the voice OF the South. See Gov.
Orrs own representation of the horrible
condition Of his own State of South Ca
rolina, brought about by the Ku Klux
prosecutions and Gen. Grants support
OF the carpet-baggers' administration,
their stealing and general oorruptions.
A more terrible picture Of bad govern
ment and public distress could hardly be
drawn. See in North Carolina, and in
deed all over the South, the rigid and
interruptions measures taken to bring
Southern people into subiection to the
Grant power, and to force them into
voting for Grant for reelection.
Which Is it best for Democrat to vote
for, Greeley. the old Whig, now battling
for liberty, or Grant, the old Democrat,
now stralning the vast powers entrusted
to him by corrupt Congress to oppress
and degrade the people?
We cannot see how any Democrat, old
or young, or indeed how any American
citizen Of clear intellect and unbiased
Judgment, could hesitate single instant
IN declaring his preference for Greeley.
Power is power, aud men are too often
inclined to propitiate it. Birthrights
have been sold for mess of pottage be-
fore now, aud men may again repeat the
foolish transaction for pre~ent advan.
tage at the cost of life of regret and
sorrow. But the wise man and the firm
man cannot be brought to repeat the
folly in the case here presented; for that
would be the greenest of all we have
ever heard Of, fraught with the least pos
sible good, aud entailing q world of NOR
tihoation for any sensitive and proud
man, without one single rny of consola-
ton.
Gov. Orr asks question quite charac-
teristio of those who support Gen.
Grant, and quite appropriate to his arbi-
trary rule. The Governor inquiries:
'Are these old-line Democrats con-
trolled by passion or judgment2 Is not
their hostility to Grant an unquenchable
hate of the Government he represents,
or an antipathy to him as the successful
leader of the Union forces to victory
over us?"
Grant is looked upon by suoh slavish
followers as Gov. Orr as the embodiment
OF all the power Of the country. To
support him is loyalty, to oppose him
disloyalty. That is the cue for the Grant
Radicals. Their leader is the imperial
representative Of the country. To speak
harsh Of him is seditious-not to vote
for him is disloyalty most grave and un-
pardonable. Loyalty without liberty is
corruption-is degradation into the dust
OF slavery-not "chattel slavery" but
slavery far worse. The slavery OF one is
that of the body; that of the other is the
slavery of the soul, the extinguishment
OF the last ray of mental light which
elevates man above the brute.
The cor" of Gov. Orr. e., or "an.
tipathy to him (Grant) as tho successful
leader of the Union forces to victory
over us"-is insulting to the South. His
first inquiry was injurious to himself: his