The Anderson intelligencer. [volume] (Anderson Court House, S.C.) 1860-1914, 1874-09-10
The Duty of Conservative Constituencies and
Conservative Representatives.

we ma something vi llucidlIty auu ioV s
little of good sense, as applied to the Conserva-
tivcs of South Carolina, in some views ex-
pressed by our Radical contemporary Of this
place, a few DAYS ago, upon the subject Of "ma-
iorities and minorties" They are none the
less true that they take somewhat the shape of
accusations. The thought which lies below is,
that minorities in State have their duties no
less than majorities, and that the duties de-
volving upon the minority in this State have
not been faithfully discharged. When this
thought comes back to us in this way, it is time
to heed it, and to make the best possible prac-
tical use of it. Our contemporary justly says
that many of the misfortunes of the Conserya-
tives are due to a want of sagacity, a lack OF
unity and neglect of the political weapons
which lie ready to their hands. With 4 clear,
and almost immovable majority against us,
officered by class Of men whose native prone
ness to mischief and corruption was brought
into full bloom and vigor by the feeling of
power and the sense of immunity for crimes, it
was not to be expected that we could success.
fully contest the political control or fill any OF
the great Offices of power.
But we could have gone to the sources of
power, and beginning at the bottom, have pa
tiently built up our structures OF opinions and
policy. Turning from those who could not be
reasoned with, who can only be influenced by
broad facts, and those facts such as inhere in
ascendancy and give assurance OF protection,
we might have fused the mass of our people,
the white race particularly, and almost cxclu
siyely. into determined organization, ready to
act as a unit in securing Such present advan-
tages as were possible to it, and to be kept
compact and united to avail itself of future op-
portunities From the start, we ought to have
placed wherever we could do it, true men in
position, to act as the advance guard, and con-
tend for every point where justice and right
were involved In the Legislature, we ought
to have had strong men and more OF them, to
break the force of the destructive measures
that have there been forged. There is invinci-
BILE power in right, in truth, in duty; and Il
man who represents them and has the true en-
ergies of q man, is power anywhere and eve
rywhere that cannot be wholly resisted. Had
we put our best men in the General Assembly,
and the fullest number that we could have sent,
charged with the important task OF aways pro-
testing where they conld not resist, OF working
in season and out of season, IN vlndlcatlon or
people temporarily down.trodden, and who
meant at all hazards to rise from their prostra-
ton, they would have commanded the admira-
ton of the country at large, and secured the
devotion of the people of the State whom they
so faithfully served We are very far from
saving that we have not had good faithful aud
able men there But they have lacked SYSTEM
and their individuality has been measurably
lost. They should now repair whatever errors
may have been committed, and stand together
against ignorance and incompetcncy, doing all
the positive and direct good they can, and pre-
venting all the evil possible to their best en-
deavors. Wherever q true and capable man
can be introduced into the Legislature, 1t ought
to be done. The Counties with decided Con-
servative majorities ought not to torego Il sin
ele item of their local advantages, and where
they are nearly balanced, they should strive by
every fair means to make the balance lean to
their side. We are satisfied that they CAN in
crease the Conservative representation and I'M
prove it's quality. This is the duty of the peo-
ple. They cannot escape it, and they ought
not to try to escape it. Not until they have
done their best will they stand acquitted before
the country. When they have done it, they
will become relieved of responsibility, and
their representatives become charged with It,
1t is likely to be grave. We trust that no man
will assume it inconsiderately. The highest
motives should operate here. Cyphers are not
wanted; men who are not alive to the situation
are not wanted. The cxigencies likely to arise
will demand qualifications of craftsmanship
and manhood We are approaching great
change, and possibly the solution of our veNed
and vexing political problem We shall re-
uuire capacity, experience, vigor, character
patriotism and courage. Let those who have
them not, either stand or be pushed out OF the
wav.-C Columbia PhGnir.