The daily phoenix. [volume] (Columbia, S.C.) 1865-1878, 1874-04-03
{ COLUMBIA, IS. 6.
Friaay Morning. April 8, 1874.
A New Spirit.

No such or similar event has occurred
in American history as the movement of
the taxpayers of South Carolina to re-
cover their lost liberties and to restore
to the whole people the benefits of de-
cent and honest Governments. No State
has ever before been placed in 80 dire or
30 peculiar Q condition. Tits such as to
justify the most strenuous endeayors to
eaeane from il. Extraordinary evils de-
mand extraordinary remedies. It is
eminently to the credit of those who
devised the rresent scheme. that they
have taken it In the broad light of day
before the forum OF enlightened public
opinion. 1t means peace, free dis
cussion. calm judgment and candid con-
olusion. We are not without confidence
that some direct and not remote relief
will be accorded to its prayer. But
whether it fail in this respect or not. it
has already had, and must continue to
have. wide and wholesome moral
effect. It aims to move those higher
influences which. in their course, COM
mand the lower, and draw them in their
train. AS we have had occasion to say
before, no cause can be considered hope
less which Is vindicated on this wide
arena, which commands warm interest
and awakens generous sympathy.
AS matter Of course, it's success
could but be distasteful to the Radical
ring OF legislative and Official plunder-
ers. from whose grasp of greed and in
science. from whose touch Of corruption
and ruin, it is designed to extricate the
iatuTests, honor and good name Of tae
State. They affect to treat the matter
as originating in love OF ofics. and as
an effort to recover political power.
Knowing nothing OF any motives of
action but suoh as are base or supremely
selfish, they naturally fall short OF
just conception OF this high and pa.
triotic movement. Not from them do
We expect the ability or the Willingness
to fairly measure anything grand, good
or patriotic. They are joined to their
idols-party. plunde. and pe!t. Be.
they might at least abstain from positive
misrepresentation OF obvious facts.
MIR. Porter only did even Justice to the
cause Which he 30 handsomely. repre-
serted, when he said to the President
that he and his colleagues appeared be.
fore him in the interests of peace, good
order and honest government. '.It
matters little to U.s." he truly said.
'swhether the administration be Repub.
Ecan or Democratic, 80 that it insure US
an economical. honest government.
suoh as our condition imperatively re-
quires."
It is, however, no less pleasure than
g duty to recognize the fact that in the
ranks Of those who stand arrayed politi-
cally against the conservative people OF
the State. there have recently appeared.
on the part Of some, evidences of bot
ter. more liberal spirit. and of higher
and more patriotic purpose. The
utterly hopeless condition of the ooun-
try. under the sway OF ignorance and
prejudice. guided by fraud and yillainy,
is patent to their minds. They know
what their experience has been. The
disappointment of their hopes in the
past does not iustify their renewal in
the future. except under guarantees of
amendment and pledges of reform,
which shall not be mere empty sounds
We commend their endeavor to breathe
the breath of purer life into tho party
organization to which they belong. We
should be pleased, indeed. if they could
carry with them any considerable body
of followers into the light of the truth
of the real situation. We will not say
they cannot. Let them continue to
raise their earnest voices and make their
manly protests They have honestly
lsignaled the breakers upon which tho
Eship OF State must infallibly go to pieces
annless placed nnder better pilotnge. In
| this connection, we have only commend
alton for the language of one of our
CITY contemporaries in its issue OF yes
&terday, when it said: