The daily phoenix. [volume] (Columbia, S.C.) 1865-1878, 1872-05-30
COLUMBIA. s. G.
Thursday Morning, May 80, 1872.

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Reform In tho State Government.
Even the Radicals themselves are now
forced to admit the rottenness and ex.
travaganoe Of our present State Govern
ment, and are crying Justify for reform.
The iniGuitiss of the Financial Board,
the,venality, corruption and profigaoy
of the General Assembly, and the spirit
OF jobbery and plunder which has per-
meated every department of the Co.
vernment, with the exception OF the
Judiciary, is manifest to all and denied
by none. How is this state Of things to
be ohanged2 We confess our inability
to solve the problem satisfactorily. But
we know very we'll now it is not to be
done. There is no hope from the ma
iority OF the Radical leaders in this
State. No rogue nor band of rogues
will ever regenerate themselves. AS well
might you expect fgs of thistles as
honesty or genuine reform in the Go
vernment from Scott and. those who
have been associated with him in and
out OF the General Assembly. Two.
thirds OF that body we're rotten to the
core. They were ready at all times,
and did repeatedly sell their votes and
sacrifice the dearest interests of the
commonwealth to their sordid greed for
money. They now prate for reform
with the loudest, and each would have
the people believe that he is not to
blame for the bankruptcy and general
ruin which has been brought upon the
State. Scott and his personal henohmen
would lay the responsibility upon the
Legislature. who. in their turn, charge
Scott and the Financial Board, and SO
we have it. The truth is, all hands
joined in plundering the State, and are
equally guilty. The whole crew, from
Scott down, should be hurled from
places of power and trust. and would be
in any other community than South
Carolina or some equally carpet-bag-
ridden State.
It 10 Herculean task. These worth
less men form large majority of the
leading Republicans in the State. They
have the ear and confidence of the
oolored people. the great masses of whom
cannot understand, or will not believe,
the frightful condition into which the
State has been brought by means of the
men they have placed in Office. The
hands of the native white citizens are
tied. They have no access to the colored
people, who have been drilled to distrust
them and turn deaf ear to their entrea-
ties. The battle for refdam must be
fought by Republicans. There are, We
believe. some honest Republicans in
South Carolina, who have influence with
the colored people. They mnet inangu-
rate the struggle to purge their party
and redeem the State. Every intelligent
colored man who has the future of his
race honestly at heart cannot but apprc-
oiate the dangers which threaten it from
continued corruption in government
notably under its control. There are
some OF these intelligent colored men in
South Carolina, and to them, with the
oorporal's guard Of honest white men
who have identified themselves with the
Republican party, We have to look for
whatever beneficial change we may have.
They have no light task before them.
They must begin early and work hard.
The work OF reform must begin in the
Counties. It will be too late when the
nominating convention meets. for if they
remain idle now, that convention will be
composed Of the very men who composed
the late corrupt Legislature. The same
venality which Influenced them as men,
bers Of the law-making body, will sway
them in their nominations. They will
place the very same crew in Office which
has ruled tbs State for the last four
years. The same men may not fill the
same Offices, bnt the nominations will be
from the same set. It will be the same
old ring. though perhaps different seq
ments Of 1t may be thrust into promi-
n6nCo. Scott NAV ehnff1a os;da hpt on