The daily phoenix. [volume] (Columbia, S.C.) 1865-1878, 1872-11-15
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Friday Morning ) November Ii, ;l872.
Rsforn AkaIn.

day. touching the, Inherent difficulties
OF reform. It was shown that in the ma
ths q, things, they are hard to over
como, and as regards our own State,
they we're seen to be next to iDs1perable
onsthe part Of those who are identified
With the abuses which require reform,
and whose public conduct gives little
encouragement to hope that they mean
any genuine amendment. It is just
pesstble that: they may fnd some check
In tie impoverished condition of the
State. It is mine now nearly ex-
hausted.. The newly-found plaeers of
phosphate ores. from which much was
expasted, yield but insignificant returns
to the public treasury. The process of
depletion has been rapid. as the demands
upon it have been in inverse proportion
60 the revenues which have gone into it.
The former have increased, as the latter
have diminished. Our resources are
rapidly drying up. We are fully sensi-
Oia OF whatever meriG there may be in
the Sangrado practice of blood letting
; and drinking cold water. Extravaganza,
swandgng. bribery, corruption and
freud, bare dEsiped ,us pretty effectually.
Tkete! will soon be little left to lay taxes
upon $50, our reformets may play at
re6aTnatjens for the lack of, something
hettAr:tts do just as Jonathan Wild
sometimes ceased operating on the high.
way, to play gentleman in the drawing
room.
Real reformation proceeds from men
Who Gnel the abuGes under which the
community suffers to be intolerable.
Wickliffe and Luther were earnest and
oenseieptious in the stand which they
made. against the friars and the Pope.
The former toiled steadily by his writ
Iaga asnd Luther was ready to face
legion OF devils, for the cause which
Ehey espoused. Sir Samuel Romilly was
fully sensible of the cruelty OF the ori-
minal laws Of England. Originating in
cartier and ruder times, he knew them
to be out of place on the statute book at
the beginning OF the nineteenth CEN
&ury. He exerted himself with perse-
verance. and effect against their longer
continuance upon it. To him his coun-
try owes the repeal OF nearly 800 enact
Enents inficting the death penalty for
slight and trifling crimes. he lived not
to see his noble work fully accomplished,
hxt he knew that he had laid sure founda-
4ions. and substantial improvement in the
penal laws went forward from that date.
His perseverance,, his Zeal and his sin
cerity admirably seconded hie ability,
and his fame is assured in the great work
he accomplished. A more modern in
stance Of genuine reformer may be
mentioned in the person OF Richard
Golden. He united with Mr.. Bright,
Mr. Villiers and others IN league to re-
peal the oppressive corn laws. They
took saite of rooms in the Strand for
one kuHdred years-an evidence, at
least. as Mr. Uopden SAID TO u friend OF
ours. OF their earnest purpose and perse-
veranoe. But it required only few an
nual motions for the repeal OF the laws,
and vigorous debate on them, before Sir
Robert Peel gave up his opposition to
che measure. and participated in the
anA action by which it was passed. It
is q monument to the fame of Richard
Golden.
We can look only to good and bold
men with any confidence for the redress
OF grievances. Men must be really and
fully sensible Of evil before they strive
zealously for it's overthrow. In this
State hope points only in one direction
fos reform Of existing abuses. We turn
our eyes to the minority in the General
Assembly. Upon them devolves, in this
emergency. grave responsibility. By
steady, united, Systematic and perseyer-
ing action, they may be of some service,
II not in directly passing good laws, at
least in aiding to prevent the passage OF
bad ones. Informing themselves tho
ecaghly Of the requirements of the
hour, and OF the possibilities of good
which. in their peculiar position, they
may be able to effect. strengthening