Edgefield advertiser. [volume] (Edgefield, S.C.) 1836-current, 1872-01-25

for all State offices, as we'll us FOR all local
Offices in those election Districts whcle
the Democracy are in y hopeless mirori-
ty: but in consideration OF the Demo
Gratis giving up all Offices OF pro!ii--thc
beloved places which the Radicals so
londly aforc,-it might he that few un-
Objectionable Democrats would he al
lowed to get seats in the Legislature,
control of which is altogether desirable,
as that is tho mill which grinds tic fear
fnl taxes under the new dispcns;Iiion.
The balance OF power policy herein
proposed, is called "passivcism' by the
Democrats of Tennessee and Missouri.
It is known among Radicals however Iii
those States az the "Possum Policy" n
name first given to it by the witty and
talented, but debau"hed editor of the
Missouri Democrat, an influential Radi-
cal journal, published at st. Louis. But
never mind the name. The policy has
defeated Radicalism in both those great
States. n each Of which nearly one hun
dred thousand Democrats represented
and prohibited from voting at the very
time that the handful of voting Demo-
Gratis successfully put it into practice.
Why brood in despair and whine Jerc-
miads over "tho hopeless situation Of
South Carolina" when no one is disfran-
chiscd, and where every true white man
NAV cast his ballot as balance Of pow
cr. and where Radical rule, bad as it
is yet is Paradise compared with the
pandemonium which rcigned supreme
in Tennessee eight, and in Missouri
nine dismal years.
The North Democracy are
almost unanimously in favor of applying
this "Possum Policy" in the next Presi-
Dental election, and the Radical Presi-
dent makers dread it above all things.
Mr.. Alexander II. Stephens, Of Georgia,
and other Southern Statesmen, who OPP
pose it. are doing no good and much mis-
chief. In Tennessee and Missouri the
Republican office-seekers who relied on
Democratic support, styled themselves
Liberal Republicans, and advocated the
acknowledgements of prescribed Demo-
cratic voters, thus making the platform
nc we'll rs the nominations for all offices.
Under the 14th Amendment to the
Constitution of the United States every
Southern man who held an office before
the war. is now prohibited from holding
any office whatever in either the State
or Federal Governments. How light the
task for South Carolina Democrats to in
duce n sufficient number of influential
Radical Office seekers to try for every
place in the State Government. on lib
eral Platform, favoring removal OF this
disfranchisement. True such Liberalism
would really be office-seekingism, but
why carp at politicians professions o.
faith as long as his works are right
"Hell is paved with good intentions il
the DEVILS word can be taken for it,
It seems almost certain, from late indi
cations in Congress, that amnesty" as
it is dubbed, will not be granted to for
mer ofIice-holders at the present Session
of Congress. If it he not done, then il
refusing to do it Radicalism is diggin!
its own grave, if the Democratic party o
the whole Union shall unite with th'
Liberal Republicans in carrying out TIT
"Possum Policy" in the next Presiden
tial election. Several thousand proni
nent Republicans are signing for Grant
quarters, or for Cabinet office, For
eign Mission, or some other coveted prize
and would readily embrace Liberalism
Democracy, or anything else to succeed
An octave could be written against tn
folly of Union Reformism, or Democrat
protesting Radicalisni, as Il remedy 10
our relief; but as this communication !
already too long, for the present let
suffice to contrast the plan OF campaig
above proposed with the programme