The daily phoenix. [volume] (Columbia, S.C.) 1865-1878, 1874-03-08
COLUMBIA, SIC.
Sunday Morning. March 8, 1874.
How Shall We Get Relief.

h1uu!J mhuo ny tue NOttnern press
touching appropriate and effective re-
medies for our unparalleled troubles,
while they tend to show how deep the
evil is. how it affects tho whole body OF
the American people, unfortunately fall
short OF the mark, and reach not the
core Of the disease. As long as an
ignorant population, schooled only in
party tactics, and voting only for party
and personal ends. predominates in
such numbers as it does here. under
the rnle Of nniversal suffrage and under
the guidance of thievipg adventurers,
there Gun be no relief from evil, no
escape from bad government. The
stupendous wrong which results to ma
terial interests. to political tranquility,
to moral integrity and to the advance of
all true civilization, cannot be justly
conceived. can never be adequately
known, by those who have not witnessed
it. AS it is the result Of most extra
ordinary combination OF circumstances,
so it cannot be e1tirpated by ordinary
cauees. As we demonstrated yesterday,
the system which ruins us and disgraces
republican government, is purely artifi-
cial stolid ignorance, massed in un-
reasoning leagues. and directed by
sdroit rascality, is it's foundation. The
property Of minority Of the people is
usedto sustain it, and tho strong arm OF
military. power pphclds it. There are,
it will be seen, four factors in this ugly
resplt-rignorance in voters, unscrupu-
lousness in managers. the property OF
the citizens. paid as unwilling tribute,
and the moral power OF the General Go
yernment. represented by tho presence
Of it's aoldiers.
II the United States Government
would withdraw its garrisons, and vir-
tually say to the people, manage your
affairs for yourselves, we believe that tho
mischievous element, which makes tri-
butary to its own ends both the property
OF property holders md the suffrages of
the humber olssses-particular!y the
colored-wonld not find it wholesome to
continue the business any longer. Once
the flag under whose folds they securely
follow their depredations was removed
from their worshipping gaze, chill
would strike their hearts, and they
would fold up their tents and steal 81
lently away. They would require no
urging or driving. Force to move them
would be as unnecessary as it would be
ill,advised. Conscience would be free
to operate, and stung by it's lash, they
would abandon the field Of their illicit
gains, and leave the victims, whom they
would no longer have the power to de-
lude. The military is u welcome pre-
sence amongst us. Our people have no
---.,c:c.c - -.aLA nf ti,a anidiara and
the officers and gentlemen whom it is
pleasure to meet. But uuder the shadow
OF the flag which has innocently pro-
tected them, have crept and grown to
power and influence class of men who
have poisoned the fountains OF our po-
litical life. and brought shame, poverty
and infamy in their train. 1t will be
great relief to get rid of them. and we
know no way 80 likely to effect this end
"a way at once peaceful and efectual-
as to remove the symbol Of power under
which they mustered and ruined the
prosperity of our people. Onco the
field was clear, o union of honest men,
Of all parties, oolors and creeds, could
be entered into. The natural alliance
between intelligence, character and ho.
nesty. whether in Republicans or Con-
servatives, with the Woodworking and
voting people. would be again practica-
Ike, and in time would DO consum mated,
10 the good Of all.
The more We examine this mode of
relief, the more it grows IN our regards.
We pnt it forward, as they say in The
Legislature, sin good faith." 1t is the
only way by which the foundations OF
the monstrcus edfice OF corruption can
ne undermined in any reasonable time.
Il contemplates no violence. It would