The Charleston daily news. [volume] (Charleston, S.C.) 1865-1873, 1872-04-17
The Cincinnati Convention.

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The Cincinnati Convention.
At the time Of the organization OF the
Reform party in South Carolina, two years
ago, we ventured to { .Jress the opinion
that the example then BET would be follow
ed in other States, and that, all the country
over, the faithful citizens Of the Republic
would be found banding themselves together
for the publication c? the government. 1t
is true that the Reform movement in this
State was a failure; partly because OF the
frauds at the polls and in %canvassing the
vote, and partly because the Democracy
themselves nominated a gubernatorial can.
didate, instead OF contenting themselves
with sustaining any liberal and capable man
who might lave been nominated by the Re.
form Republicans. But the Conservative
movement in Virginia had been splendidly
successful; the Liberal Republicans OF Mis-
souri,, with the aid OF the Conservative
| Democrats, won a grand victory for Am
nesty- and Reform, and in this Palmetto
| State public! opinion was 30 ripened and
strengthened that the people are ready to-
day to cooperate with any body OF citizens
who are honestly DESTROYS OF giving the Com
monwealth a pure and frugal government.
The Democrats Of South Carolina will not
become members Of the Republican party.
Their aims and purposes are higher than
those of mere politicians. They do not
seek office. They demand intelligent and
| equal legislation. They demand the cleans
ing of the public service from the corruption
or the ignorance which extends from the
chief places to those OF least moment.
They demand the reduction Of the public
expenses to the lowest point, and the faith
full collection and distribution OF the moneys
OF the State. And what the Democratic
minority demand in South Carolina, the
Liberal Republicans strive for in the North
and West. In these glowing words, Senator
Carl Schurz, at the New York meeting, ex-
planned the objects Of the Liberal Republi-
can movement:
sWe shall rally for q common effort those
whose convictions OF duty are not at the dis
posal of personal or party dtctslion. We shall
insist and take good care that none of the
logical and legitimate results of the war be
imperllled; that the settlement Of past differ
ences, as embodied in the constitution, be
maintained; that the equality of human rights
be held inviolable; that the national creditors
be assured their dues to the utmost farthing.
But we shall insist, also, whatever the behests
of those who attempt to rule US, that those
whom we have overcome In the civil war
shall be treated with a policy Of impartial JUS
tice, appealing to the best impulses of human
nature; we shall insist upon the employment
Of those legal and moral agencies, which are
calculated to revive f~raternal feeling among
all the people, and q patriotic spirit of nation
ality throughout the land; we shall insist that
the flag of this Republic wave over all Its citi-
zens as the symbol of equal rights and equal
protection; we shall insist that the robbers be
| discountenanced who suck the marrow Of the
| Southern people, under whatever party name
they may do it.; we shall insist that corruption
be crushed wherever it may appear; we shall
insist that the people be relieved Of unneces-
| sary burdens, and all forms Of odious oppres-
| sion: we shall iasist that ours is a constitution
al government, whose fundamental principles
and established forms must be sacredly main.
tanned at any cost, and whose laws, constitu-
tionally framed, are higher authority than the
pleasure OF any maj or any party we shall
| insist that the self.government Of the people,
the very foundation of republican institutions,
shall be kept inviolate in its legitimate sphere !;
we shall insist that the insidious and unconstt-
tutlonal intermeddllng of the central power
with local concerns and individual rights shall
be stopped we shall insist that the public ser
vice of the country is Instituted for the com.
mon benefit of all the people, and nothing
else, and that it must cease to be slaVisI ma
| chinery 10 partisan Interest or the aspirations
| of personal government; we shall insist that
the dangerous and unrepublican system be
broken down By which the will of factions or
men in power can impose itself upon the
masses of the people we shall Insist that
every public servant shall be held to a strict
account under the laws of the eountry we
shall insist hat there shall be no slavery nor
involuntary servltude in this country, neither
moral nor physical"
This is a platform upon which the citizens
of South Carolina may safely stand-one
which they can cordially and cheerfully sus-
tain. And If the Cincinnati Convention
move upon this line, and the National De-
mocracy refrain from committing the error
which mainly caused the defeat OF the South
Carolina Relormers in 1870, a vote will be
cast in South Carolina for the candidates OF
the Cincinnati Convention which will aston
ish the men who believe that there is moth.
ing left of life or Of energy in this persecu-
ted but hopeful State.
We may expect, Ct course, that an effort