The daily phoenix. [volume] (Columbia, S.C.) 1865-1878, 1874-07-24
COLUMBIA. S. G.
Friday Morning. July a, 1874.
A Lifeless Document.

Committee have put forth lame ad.
dress to the people, the most meritori.
Gus part of which is the faint and
reluctant admission that the party
pledges have not been redeemed, and
that corruption and extravagance call
for reform and publication. The
blows which they deal to this reckless.
ness and ruin are not of the sledge.
hamme. orde--are not snch ns men
would deliver who deeply felt or meant
to exterminate the evils which they
describe. How soft is the impeach.
.nent ;n The to!!o~;ug oaFeiuiiy-picked,
-abundantly-hedged and fnlly-guarded
expressions:
"That the pledges given to the peo.
ple.in our party platform of 1872 have
not been fully redeemed; and that, in
many instances, sound policy has been
discarded and reckless extravagance
manifested, We cannot deny. What
oauses have led to our present oondi-
tion may not be herein discussed. Il
is sufficient that we should all reooo.
Hise the fact that our Government
-needs reform-thorough reform and
publication. The attention OF this
country has been called to South Caro-.
lima; the American people demand
:that mal.administration shall cease and
good government be at once inauRu.
rated; tho National Republican party
admonishes us to at once retraoe our
steps and vindicate by our action the
integrity OF Republicanism; while the
National Government insists that con.
trltion for past errors cannot be con-
: H1aered5 1nlesa accompanied by the
: selection OF public officers whose cha.
Sraeters will be guarantee of elevated
and enlightened craftsmanship in the
future"
The remedy pointed out to cure
these evils is. Of course, reform. This
reform must consist mainly in the
choice of better men in responsible po-
i'aitions. The duty of inaugurating
and carrying it through is placod upon
the shoulders of the black aud colored
PEOPLE. They are charged with the
guilt of producing the present condi-
tion of affairs in the State. Upon
them are devolved, therefore, the duty
and responsibility of redeeming the
State from disgrace. That duty rests
peculiarly" upon them. Alas for
reiormi Alas for justicel Has it
como to this, that the poor victims
-who have been bought and sold as they
never were in the days Of slavery. who
were the mere tools OF more cunning
and interruptions men in crucifying
the honor and burying the credit of
the State. in riding rough.shod over
the liberties, rights and property of
the people-must they now be told,
by some OF those who led them astray,
that they are the guilty rascals who
must hasten to shrive themselves and
pnrge and live olsanly? This is the
monkey scolding the cat whose paws
ho has made a convenience in drawing
. the chestnuts from the fire. for his
own sweet tooth to crack, charging
,npon him the guilt of the act. and re-
quiring him to do go no more forever.
Passing by this injustice, we see upon
what slender thread reform is made
to hang. The oolored people who
have been put through the tactics oi
corruption, whose habits, views and
hopes have all been formed according
to this model, are now suddenly to un-
dergo conversion. and by their own
nnaided, unsupported moral strength,
to enter upon the new, untried line oi
political purity. Truly they nigh,
say the punishment is more than they
can bear. the duty too high and diff.
cult for them to discharge. Here is
the indictment which the Executive
Committee have drawn against the
colored people-here is the unreason.
able and impossible progremme which
they put before them:
'The Executive Committee would
make no race distin ctions, but it can
not longer be denied, and it would be
criminal longer to withhold the facts
that the present condition of affairs ir
our State is made chargeable to the
colored race, who represent not only
the Oraat hulL ne Pa,rl,I;aou. 49,