The daily phoenix. [volume] (Columbia, S.C.) 1865-1878, 1874-08-14
COLUMBIA, S. 9.
Friday Morning. August IA. 1874.
Tho Duty OF Conservative Constituen-
cics and Conservative Representa-

4ho Outy OF COn1oEVat1Vo COnStteuen.
olos and Conservative Representa-
tives.
We ind something of liberality and
not a little OF good sense, as applied to
the Conservatives Of South Carolina,
in some views expressed by our Radi-
cal contemporary Of this plaoe, few
days ago, upon the subject of "majori-
ties and eeiee-;!iee They are none
the less tEue. thst they, take somewhat
the shape Of accusations. The thought
which lies below is. that minorities in a
State have their duties no less than
majorities, and that the duties devoly-
ing 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 practical use
OF it. Cor contemporary Justly says
that many OF the misfortunes OF the
Conservatives are due to want of ga.
gaoity, lack OF unity and a neglect
OF the political weapons which lie
ready to their hands. With clear,
overwhelming and almost immoyable
majority against US, officered by a
class of men whose native proneness
to mischief and corruption was brought
into full bloom and vigor by the feel
ing OF power and the sense of immu.
nifty for Grimes. it was not to be e.
pected that We could successful lly con.
test the political control or fill any of
ih5 great Offices Of power.
But we could have gone to the
sources OF power, and beginning at the
bottom, have patiently built up our
structures Of opinions and policy.
Turning from those who could not
be reasoned with. who can only be in
huenced by broad facts, and those
facts such as inhere in asoendanoy and
give assurance OF protection, we might
have fused the mass of our people, the
white race particularly. and almost ex-
saoslvely, into determined organizs-
tion. ready to act as unit in securing
such present advantages as were possi-
ble to it. and to be kept compact and
united to avail itself of future opportu-
mites. From the start. we ought to
have placed, wherever We could do it.
true men in position, to act as the ad-
vance guard, and contend for every
point where justice and right we're in
volved. In the Legislature, we ought
to have had strong men and more of
them, to break the force of the de-
structive measures that have there
been forged. There is inyincibie
power in right, in truth, in duty; and
a man who represents them and has
the true energies of a man, is % power
anywhere and everywhere that cannot
be wholly resisted. Had We put our
best men in the General Assembly,
and the fullest number that ne could
have sent. charged with the imp ortant
task of always protesting where they
could not resist. of working in season
and out OF season, in vindioation of
people temporarily down trodden. and
who meant at all hazards to rise from
their prossration. they would have
commanded the admiration of the
country at large, and secured the de.
votion OF the people of the State whom
they 80 faithfully served. Weare very
far from saying that we have not had
good, faithful and able men there.
But they have lacked system, and
their individuality has been measura-
bly, lost. They should now repair
whatever errors may have been oom.
mitted, and stand together against
frand and corruption, against igno-
rance and incompetency, doing all the
positive and direct good they can, and
preventing all the evil possible to
their best endeavors. Wherever a
true and capable man can be intro.
duced into the Legislature. it ought
to be done. The Counties with de-
cided Conservative majorities ought
not to forego single item of their local
advantages, and where they are nearly
balanced, they should strive by every
fair p,aana IN moka ti,a ho1o.