The daily phoenix. [volume] (Columbia, S.C.) 1865-1878, 1873-08-02
The Nrv Pnrsy-Letaer from Mr.. C;ros.-
beck, OF Ohio.
C1SCINNAr1. Nav 5. 1873.

My DEAR SIR: I have your letter OF
April 23, and should have answered it
sooner, aud have no sufficient apology
for not doing 30. Permit me to Bay that
the reply have to make to it is not for
publication, but personal to yourself and
those at whose suggestion you have
written. 1 believe the historical Demo.
cratic organization il spoiled. Blunder.
ing constantly during the last ten years.
aid shattered by many defeats, it sur
rendered finally at the last Presidential
election. 1t cannot recall that surreu-
der. or the concessions then made, anu
it has no longer strength enough Iol
victory in this extremity. II will like.
wise lay aside the old organization aud
enter into n new one. Tie new organiza-
tion should accept the r.uults of the war,
as WIS done at Baltimore. and it should
accept them in good faith, and 80 as to
command the confidence Of the peol | :.
TIE recognition should be something
more than a recast of the old QUE.
There ahould be no exclusiveness abou,
it, nor should it be merely Democratic.
1t should be made up of present Demo
crats. Of former Democrats, and of al
Republicans who are offended by the
policy and tendency OF the present Adj
ministration. The new organization
should be the joint work Of Dsmocr
and Republicans. and both should be
equally at home in it-neither the suest
OF the other. You ask, what s6oull j
be lis name? Call it the Liberal Demo
cracy; that will mean the free, uuseltish
government OF the people; aud now, as
to its doctrine or principles, you nsk iu
this connection how the question Of ne
al, l~o
question is no longer before Us. Negro
suffrage is the bloody coneummation Of
great war, and nothing short Of wur
can undo it in our day. In my opiDiou.
it will endure in this Government Us
long as general suffrage. I comprehend
the objections to it, and think it was
granted too soon to Tint part OF ou:
population recently emancipated. All
should make some preparation for this
day. We deny suffrage to the foreigner
for time, in order that he may prepare
for it, and We have schools for all, on
the theory that nll should prepare for it;
but it is granted, and it cannot be re-
called; nor do think it wise. in such L
Government as this. to keep permanent
~ 30 large part Of our people in nu in
ferior. degraded condition. Slavery was
always danger.
To hold this population. now tres. in
a degraded condition, would bea greater
danger und always trouble TO US. Say
we have adopted doubtful policy: it Is
done; accept it, aud on all such ques-
tions admitted to be of doubtful expe,li-
ency, shall for the remainder of my
Lille, If perchance must, ever strive at
least to bs tolerant, generous and hu-
name. rely for good voting as much upon
the heart as upon the head. I concur
in what else you suggest. The new or
ganization should oppose all forms OF
monopoly. This is too plain to need
argument. Monopolies are an Outrage
and an offence against the people. The
new organization should oppose central
ization, and it should advocate home
government in all its local affairs. and to
the utmost ezten: that it is practicable.
You cannot keep people free, sturdy
and intelligent without nome govern
ment; 1t is home government that traius
US, teaches us reliance and developes
manliness. Take it away, aud the free
man disappears. Centraiizs power at
Washington. aud WE are transferred to
outside management No longer rn-
ing ourselves, We must be governe' =.
pending upon Washington, We 10 our
selt-dependence, and the free c,Lizen
soon drgenerates into a mere subject,
whose whole duty it is to obey the law,
and whose only desire it is to be amused
in id!eness. You refer me also to the
question Of free trade. The new organi-
zation should make it one OF its cardinal
doctrines There should be no eqnivu-
cation or double meaning about this. 4
prohibitory tariff is in plain contrudic.
tion to the character Of our Government. .
We are all equal in rights, privileges aud
immunties. There should be no disori-
mination, no favoritisn, no partialities,
personal or financial: anI as a CONNER.
cial policy. q prohibitory tariff is behind
the age-alnost barbarism-and be-
longs to the times when nations were
walled and commerce without wings.
l believe have substantially answered
your letter. The new organization may
properly antagon!Ze the party now all
ministering our affairs at almost every
point. While this is so, it should not
undertake to be everything at once. or
push reform without some regard to i'm
mediate consequences.
Changes that shock by their abrupt.
ness, are not always just or fair. Wo
should. never forget sound principles;
and we shoull move toward tbem crn