The daily phoenix. [volume] (Columbia, S.C.) 1865-1878, 1872-07-06
S. G.
Saturday Morning. July 8, 1879.
Local Reform In south Caroline.

smclFo pHSeb Wlltteu Oy MT. w. II. Ir6u'
holm. of Charleston, copy Of which is
before us. The question is one of vital
and absorbing interest, commanding the
anxious and earnest thought of every
citizen who has spark of affection for
his State, or prudent regard for his own
individual welfare. Tho writer, in his
preface. well says:
''The magnitude of the interests in
volved is beyond computation; it in.
cludes the public faith and honor, the
value OF all property and the fruits of the
labor Of the people of the State for gene
rations to come; it embraces personal Sc
curity. the public peace and all the other
essentials Of civil liberty"
It is impossible, indeed, to exaggerate
the desperate condition of affairs in our
State, and the paramount duty Which
devolves upon each and every one of her
citizens to use his best exertions for her
relief. The cause is not hopeless, but
the emergency is great. There needs
dispassionate judgment. prompt deci-
sion, and an unqualified determination
on the part of the white people to sub
ordinate every minor consideration of
political prejudice or preference to the
all absorbing necessity of wrestling our
State Government from the clutches of
the robber crew who have for four years
held her in their relentless grasp. We
must look calmly upon the obstacles in
our way, and, not undertaking their
magnitude, put forth sufficient effort to
remove or surmount them.
Such. in brief, may be said to be the
nature and purpose of the pamphlet
under consideration. It is remarkably
concise yet thorough and lucid review
Of political events since 1865, as they
have effected South Carolina, and con-
duced to her present situation, and con-
cludes with some strong and practical
suggestions as to our present policy. It
is easy, people say, and very truthfully.
to, see mistakes after they are made. and
many are disposed to feel quite petnlant
when the mis-steps made by the white
people of South Carolina, while the pro-
cess of reconstruction was going on, are
spoken of. It is not 80 easy, though, to
acknowledge mistakes manfully; and it
is still less easy to attribute ones i'll sue.
cess to its rightful causes. These
thoughts occur to us as we read Mr..
Trenholm's explanation of the failure of
the Reform movement in 1870, in which
We entirely concur. It deserved success,
but it failed. Why? Says Mr.. Tren-
holm:
''The principles OF the party we're
unexceptionable, and it's platform was
broad enough to afford impartial place
to every citizen. It was quite right to
begin by bringing as many Democrats
as possible upon that platform, and then
to invite the, Republicans to an equal
share in its privileges. This. however,
should have, been the limit of the
movement; there.the party should have
halted and entrenched themselves, and
left the open field to the Republicans.
Had the ReformeFs been content to pre-
serve an attitude. instead Of attempt ng
4 to execute movement, they must have
exercised q decisive influence in the
ooAuuc1 VI PuOkic duaIESS LuOuBN tQey
may not have been able to put one Of
their party in Office. The party. too,
would have grown by gradual dccessions
to its ranks, irreconciIabie Democrats
would have gravitated toward it slowly,
perhaps, but surely. aud discontented
Republicans would have found it ready
refuge.
''The power OF the party would have
been felt throughout the Republican
ranks; its mere existence would have
encouraged the minority of the Republi-
cans to revolt against the tyranny of
their radical element, and it would
either have impressed greater conserva-
tism upon the Republican policy or pro-
noted an open conflict. in which the
Reformers could have made good terms
as auxiliaries.
"All the advantages of such position,
however, we're lost the moment the Re-
formers took the field with candidates of
their own: the Republicans rallied to
Sheir party standard and to the defence
Of their party ascendancy, and the con.
servatiye minority. of the Republicans
were helplessly mustered in under the
radical and aggressive element, which