The daily phoenix. [volume] (Columbia, S.C.) 1865-1878, 1874-12-08
CtoI4UMBIA, Sue.
Tues lay Morning, December 8, 1879.
,ascyllR,and, @ Ch4Fylstltss, !.

made by Mr.. Chamberlain while can
didate. and repeated substantially in
his snaugqral 'message. were that he
proposed to act aside tie bounds and
erammels iof party. and bs the Go.
vernon ofthe whole people. Viewing
dispasaionately the policy ahd platforms
OF principles. which were enunoiated
during the canvass, he reoogniz ed the
substantial harmony OF purpose which
vasreached In the result Of the cleo
tion. He professed to depend for sup.
port upon those who opposed. as we'll
Is those WAC supported. his election.
This was the more confidently to be
1eiied upon. because political differ
ences were thus to be held in abey-
ance. and more especially because the
priccipal, present and pressing demand
was for the practice aud enforcement
OF economy aud honesty in the admi.
nistration Of the State Government.
The Justice of this demand, as made
by tho Conservatives of tho State, was
admitted by their political opponents
within it. and all parties outside were
earnest in insisting upon it. Here,
then. was ssfe ground for q newly
elected Governor to take his stand
upon, and great satisfaction was felt
that Mr.. Chamberlain proposed to
make good. honest and fair admins.
tration' the cornerstone OF his policy.
Running our eye over his message,
we find the thought constantly pre-
senting itaelf to his mind, that the main
-oause of the troubles and embarrass-
ments. the excessive taxation, tue
enormous increase OF debt. and the
Generalization OF the public service.
must have been the irresponsible and
worthless character, the ignorance. in
competency and dishonesty of those
snployed in it. He considers the tax
system. for instance, as likely to work
out just result, ''if it could be placed
in tue hands of honest. competent Of
ficers.' and he pledged himself to see
TO it. that 80 far as its workings would
depend upon his appointment Of the
right kind of men to conduct it, no
County should have cause of just COM
plant against him. His references to
the whole system OF contingent funds,
s,hioh the public officers have recently
qrccnEed to be passed for their use
without being made accountable for
.i1em, to the shameful and extrAvagant
wastc. OF the substance OF the people in
legislative expenses, to the fortunes
that have been spent in the public
printing. to the issue OF orders, certi6-
Gates aud warrants on the State Trea-
sury when no funds we're on hand for
their payment. to the ineffiojency of
County School Commissioners, &c..
all have the same meaning. Filling
these positions, or standing behind
these abuses have been men-bad aud
incompetent men. The theory of the
message was, therefore. that such men
must be worked out of the way of
doisg the State harm, and better men
wo ked into their places. Its funda-
mental idea might be construed to be,
i'll the pointed emendation Of John
Randolph, of Roanoke, principles and
raen, in place OF the current phrase,
OF principles, not men.
Increasel as nnr contilence haA h.an
in the Governor, by the sentim ent,
tcne sad purpose of his first message,
wa feel certain degree of apprehen.
zion as to his success in carrying them
into effect. Men surround him who
know. nothing but party and self, and
the advantages and opportunities
which partisanship, rigidly insisted
upon, will give them. They are not,
ana from the nature Of the case, can.
not be reformers, in any Just sense OF
the word. They hate the ideas which
1t conveys. however freq uently and
!usciously they roll the term upon
taeir lips. They are only party hacks,
and corrupt old stagers. who Gun and
will do no honest work. They will be.