The Anderson intelligencer. [volume] (Anderson Court House, S.C.) 1860-1914, 1874-06-11
The Duty of the Republican Party.


though the discernment has been rather slow
and tardy. It has required long time and
abundant evidence to convince this influential
organ that its party was doing wrong in protect
ing and defending the miserable caricatures upon
republican government, holding the rod Of iron
over an oppressed and burdened people. But
even this partisan journal Is now convinced
that great evils are existing in the South, and
with entire frankness the declaration is made
that it is the business of the Republican party
to correct these evils and destroy the instru-
ments of torture. We have faith that such
declarations will produce good results, if not
here, certainly among the rank and file of the
Republican party elsewhere. We make an
extract from recent editorial of the Times:
If it were possible for both the political
parties of the day to unite in the endeavor to put
right whatever may be wrong in the condition
of the Southern States, it would be an excel
lent thing for the whole country. But COM
bination of this kind on such a question is out
of the range of probability. The Democrats
may rejoice over the troubles which arise in the
Southern States, simply because they hope
those troubles will supply them with that op-
portunity which neither time nor the wisdom
of their leaders appears to create for them.
They can never deal as party, with questions
arising in the South. They are the cause Of
most Of the difficulties which prevail there, and
if they.were allowed to pursue policy of their
own, they would simply run the risk of produ-
cling civil disturbances scarcely less formida-
BILE than those which confronted us in 1861.
Even State Rights-whch always ought to be
reverently observed within constitutional limits
they construe to include the right of seces-
sion. They are disqualified from approaching
this subject by the insane course which they
adopted for so many years, and which misled
the South into the fatal error of attempting to
overthrow the general government The only
party which can protect the States in the exer-
else of their proper functions, as it has hitherto
defended the existence of the Federal Govern
ment itself, is the Republican party. 1t can
never be suspected of pushing State rights to a
ruinous point-to that point at which the na-
tion would perish, and medley of indepen-
deut governments alone remain. It may be
trusted to preserve liberty, while it would also
preserve that principle which undoubtedly lies
at the basis of the constitution, namely, the
maintenance of central power capable at
once of repelling enemies from without and
enemies from within.
For these reasons we have been anxious to
bring before the consideration of the Republi-
can party the evils which are alleged to exist
| in the South. We have no desire to see politi-
cal capital made by the Democrats out of those
evils. 1t is the business of the Republican par
| ty to deal with them, and that can be done
without calling upon Congress for any new leg
islation. Take South Carolina as an example.
IF we can believe the evidence before us in rela-
ton to that State-and it seems impossible to
reject 1.-THE negroes have not been behaving
we'll. Now, if they once understand that the
Republican party will notstand by them through
thick and thin-wili not countenance any at
tempt to establish organized corruption in
South Carolina or any other State-it cannot
| be doubted that the warning would have very
salutary effect upon their minds. Indeed, the
remonstrances which we have already uttered
upon the subject have not been thrown away.
| The Republican journals in South Carolina
have quoted our remarks, and have plainly told
the colored people that the Government of the
State must be reformed, or they will loos the
support of the great party which gave them
their freedom and their political rights. The
party will not and cannot justify measures which
lead to the wholesale confscation of private
property. South Carolina necessarily suffered
punishment during the war, and it was pun
ishment which she had provoked, which she
deserved, and concerning which there was moth
ing more to be said than that State in the
Union which wantonly forces on war must
take the consequences. But the present mis-
rule in South Carolina is not to be regarded as
a "war measure" 1t is An evil to be redressed
and it can only be redressed by the party in
power. The Republican party is in favor oi
honest government, and is and always must be
foe to corruption. When the colored people
in South Carolina are made to understand that
we shall hear no more of wholesale con6scation
as a means of carrying on local government.
We need waste no words on the puerile alarm
of few Republican journals when questions
like these are discussed. They seem to think
that it is a very dangerous thing to tell the
truth. We believe, on the contrary, that it is
a very dangerous thing TO conceal it. There
has been no public question for fifteen years
past with which the Republican party has not
shown itself fully able to cope. But it has
hitherto dealt with such questions in spirit
of true patriotism, and with perfect fearless
ness. It will deal with the turmoils in Arkan-
sas and other States in the same manner. Il
will not try to hide them away in holes and
corners. If Republicans in the South wish to
receive support, they must act as we wish and
expect Republicans in the North to act-that
is, with good faith and due regard to the
responsibility which every party owes to the
people who put it in power. Here and there
Republican paper may think that this is very
dangerous doctrine to pronounce. We cannot
help that. We have not labored to suppress
Tweedism ip this State merely that we may
give either an open or covert support to Tweed
ism elsewhere Nor can we see that corrup-
ton, when it is practiced in the name of Re
publicansm, is in any degree better than
corruption when it is practiced in the name OF
Democracy 1t is our duty to condemn it
wherever we may happen to find it.
-Itis a serious matter to hire farm Ia
| horer who is under contract to another party,