The daily phoenix. [volume] (Columbia, S.C.) 1865-1878, 1873-11-04
CuETTMBIKi.,,' l, E S. I-''Ull.' Ct
Tuesday Morning; November 4; 1873.
The Policy OF, 90 . scrvatism,

s~as In South Carolina. we have to
bring into view the principles which it
profesBes, the peculiar circumstances
under which it wes invested with its
supremacy. and the natur6 Of large
part OF the elements which compose it.
These things have all been fused toge-
ther, and we have as the resultant an
anomalous political structure. with more
show of strength and permanency than
it really possesses. Its base rests on
popular dogmas, furnished ready made
to baud by. the national Republican
party of tho United States. Its shaft
was reared and fashioned by agencies
which were active and vigilant in their
work, operating in secret leagues. and
through practised emissaries. who in
fused into all It's joints the ooment OF
party and racs bitterness Of feeling. 1t
is crowned by prejudices Of triple thick
uess and double iron-plated ignorance.
on whose crest sits e stolid, immoyable
sable sphinx, grinning defiance and
breathing revenge. Look at it. It is
ugly, monstrous and repulsive. But it
has only the remains of its capacity for
evil. It is carefully compacted through
ont, bat its materials are of nature to
give way with the lapse of few years.
You. will not find trace OF justice or of
enlightened intelligence anywhere in it.
Whatever of good there may have been
in'its professed foundation principles,
thoae that were distinctive->-t that is, and
differenced it from othcr parties and
organizations-have done their work
and had their day. The whole affair,
as it now stands, begins to look shaky,
and appears ready to topple. Internal
oorrosions and solf-destroying corrup.
lions hive eaten away it's solid part.
It is a problem of interest to the peo-
pie what policy they had best pursue in
reference to the monster which yet
dominates the State, and whose excesses
increase as its real power diminishes.
Shall they sit down and wait patiently
till it dies? Shall they content them
selves with furnishing it the rope with
which to hang itself7 Will they retire
from the political field altogether? They
will not, and should not. They will
steadily maintain what organization they
have, and embrace every suitable oppor-
tunity to enlarge and extend it. They
shonld act more in concert. They
should not lose sight of each other, or
give way to the baneful tendency to
isolation. As taxpayers and property
holders. as citizens who wish to see the
country restored to prosperity and to
proper security of its rights, Us heads Of
families who acute]y feel the degrade.
ton of society, and whose duty it is to
recover it to decency. propriety and
honor, as the heritage of their children.
they are bonnd to give their influence
towards the re- establishment of good
government aud the overthrow of bad.
This they can do In many ways. We
need not particularize them. They are
obvious enough. We will refer only to
one or two. They should 80 conduct
themselves as to detach from the Repub-
!ican ranks and propitiate many who are
possibly honest and good, but were too
weak TO resist the attractions OF power
and Embellishments of favor. Many are
there by the merest chance, aud when
The party comes TO its death struggle,
will, OF course, descrtit. Besides these,
there may be others who have thought
i. practicable to work some good for the
country and themselves in its ranks,
shat they could not do elsewhere Mis-.
taken, OF course they are, as wus the
lamentcd Orr in the fatal step which he
took. It is not the place for patriot.
All who are really patriotic must inuvitu-
bly, become aware of this. When the
tug comes and the tests are applied and
the scales fall from their eyes. they will
seek those places where their honest
purposes and good intentions can be
carried ont'successfnlly and honorably.
The coloreds people, too, should be
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