The daily phoenix. [volume] (Columbia, S.C.) 1865-1878, 1874-01-27
s. 10,
Tues lay Morning. January %, 1874.
sHpertarss Of Harlmony In the convein
tion.

The day fis near Sat hand when th
people will meet to elect additional dele
gates to sthe; Taxpayers Convention
It is q duty upon the wise and faithful
discharge ot Ahioh the most impozsan
results will hinge. We have watched
the currents OF, opinion concerning th'
composition and duties Of the oopven
tion with absorbing interest. Their.
are two risks to be run. bnt good judg
ment on the part OF the people in the
choice OF delegates and in the instruo.
tioas they give them, If reflected in
their aotion in the convention, will suf-
fice to obviate them and secure lasting
good consequences. We find strong
senHe of the necessity OF prudent action
generally prevailing, coupled, however,
with apprehension, in several influential
quarters, that this may bs missed,
through some distrust now prevailing
amongst the people, and from the in
PRODUCTION of matters into tho conven-
tion which had better be left untouched.
There is undoubtedly soms opposition
to the call Of convention. But it is
instructive and agreeable to note that
1t springs not from want of percep-
tion Of it's possible usefulness. There
are persons. here and there, who hold
the opinion that mastery inactivity is
tho true course to pursue. and that if
we keep hands off. the Radical party
will go to pieces of itself. without as
sistance from any quarter. If there
was no other reason for convention. it
is enough that it will suffice to arrest
this weak and fatal delusion.
IBntiwe are not concerned with that
point now. We have to face that sort OF
objection which results from unfavora-
BILE recollections Of the convention last
held, and from anxiety lest some OF the
same topics shall come up again, and
the same sort o. discussion. and the
same >(eo-called) manipulation OF the
Sond question, shall be repeated. An
impression Of this kind has gone abroad.
whether Justly OF, MT, it is not our pro.
vince, nor is it material. to determine.
We have seen It in several journals and
in communications to journals, and We
have heard it in conversation. It has
served to neutralize what would other.
wise be q strong and enthnsiastic de-
1aand for q convention. The apprehen-
sions to which We refer are shared in by
some of our best, most capable and
most far.seeing citizens. They want a
convention. but are seriously disin-
.olined to have one run in the mould of
the lost.
The bonds are touchy subject. It
is not believed that the convention can
treat them gi!h any good effect. The
people don't'care to have delegates come
here and take action upon them. Not,
OF course, that they are satisfied, or
have reason to be satisfied, with the ad.
justment which the General Assembly
has made. Bat u great many persons
give it some credit for the work of
scaling the public debt, and for repu-
dating the conversion bonds. They
think it blow in the right direction i;
and they would prefer, at any rate. to
wait and see what will come of the pro.
position to scale. They see no harm in
delay. But. apart from that, the COM
mnnity at large don't like capitalists to
consider and discuss what 40 clearly
affects their own private interests in a
convention of the people. Everything
which can be distorted into "bearing''
and ''bulling" bonds, by which their
value may be affected, they sternly rule
out of place there. The general public
would prefer to have questions which
just now touch them moro closely,
which are moro easily handled, more
readily comprehended and are less aft
LATED with special interests, form the
staple of the action of such body.
Asain, it is not forgotten that certain
objectionable statements we're accepted
by the convention from parties who
we're not entitled to preponderatipc
influence in its counsels, or in giyine
sEana n ita octi0p