The daily phoenix. [volume] (Columbia, S.C.) 1865-1878, 1874-06-18
COLUMBIA, s. G.
Thursday Morning. June l8. 1874.

THURSDAY Morning, June IL, 1874.
Cumulative Voting Both tho Compile
ment and Corrective or Universa
Suffrage.
Among the advantages which hav
been claimed for governments of tn
constitutional over those OF the nu
merioal majority. is. that they admit
with safety. Q, much. greater extensio,
of the right of suffrage. The un
doubted evils OF universal suffrage
may be obviated BY. the checking
principle !, they, supply, But as ha'
been we'll said, q aimilsr extension o.
suffrage cannot be safely msde in go
vernments of the numerical majority
without placing them under the con
troll OF the more ignorant and depend
entportions OF the edmnunity. This
very result has come about in South
Carolina, with the further effect to
divide the community strictly upon
party and race lines, One would sup
pose that owners Of the coil aud Labor.
ers accustomed exclusively to work it.
would And their interest in mutual
inter.dependepee. and wonld strive to
promote each Others welfare, Aud
they would bnt folthe ,fac,, that they
are riven asunder by un wise political
arrangement. The rule OF the mere
majority, coupled With universal suf-
frsge. has sufiioed to divide interests
that are identical. and to aiienats feel.
ings that should be kindly and just.
Gan any change ever take place for
the better between parties thus situ-
ated towards eseh- osher2 Nothing can
be more desirabIea. fol- nothing can be
more hustiul no both than that they
shall continue as they are. We have
reached low point. but lower
awaits Us, and, dangers are not far off.
Whatever good impulses may finger III
the dominant majority, are neatralizsd
by the csunseis Of f,'hate, by the, aug-
gestions of interested leaders. by the
exaltatiqn Of the idea Of party sue
cess, which. uniortunately, while it
triumphs over the defenceless minori-
ty, triumphs at the same. time over
justice and right and the country itself.
Something good might be expected OF
the adoption Of tle principle of mi
nority representation. Asa Lesson OF
justice, it would have useful effect
upon minds unused to grant 1t; as
measure Of coaciliaHon, ituould tend
to heal the present unhappy divisions.
1t. too, as we'll as the conohrrent ma
jority, would consist we'll with and
temper universal suffrage, !ni I"
We should be glad, we would oonsi.
der il q hopeful sign Of a peaceful ulti-
matesolption Of our troubles here. II
those halt dosenb men. more or less.
who sway Tho fortunes aid direct the
policy Of the Radical party. would
take up this ,sebene eafnestly and i'm:
press it upon their side. They can do
it it they ohoosa:. II they do not do it..
it will be because they are Indifferent
as to what may come out OF the atti.
tude, q ,pppositiop In which parties
nov sttha TO eaah other. Ind which
threatens the public peace. We wish
we knew how to iponvince them or
appeal to them. We wish they could
understand. while they have the oppor-
tunity OF seeing it. how much better
prevention is than oure-how desira.
ble it is that tho people shall dwell
together on just terms-terms promo.
tive Of the happiness of every GLASS.
condition and color.
In the first Tax.Payers' Convention,
Mr.. Trenholm, of Charleston, dis
cussing the question OF the expedi
ency of the cumulative syatem of vot
ing. made some remarks which We
consider even more opposite and ap
propriate now than they were then
"It is not against universal suffrage,
he said, "that we remonstrate; it il
against theimperfeot application of it
That mode OF practical application
prevailing, notin Soath Carolina alon e
but in oyervFState of this upion aoy.