The daily phoenix. [volume] (Columbia, S.C.) 1865-1878, 1874-06-12
( OLUMBIA, S. c..
Friiay Morning. June IL, 1874.
show Your Hands.

take doleful ew of the prospects OF
their party. One says that 1t will soon
be like piece OF Limburger cheese in
the hot sun. unless the rank and file
open their eyes and keep them open
Again it says: I'VE have just about
got to the end of our rope" Aud
again: The administration influence
at Washington has told us very plainly
that if we do not elect O Governor that
the Republican party and the Federal
Administration can respect and sus-
tain, and who, in his canvass. will see
that tho Legislature is OF the right ma
terial, why, then, some means will be
taken to turn us out upon the streets
as sure as the autumn sun rises and
sets. We all know to our cost what
this Radical party is and what it has
done in South Carolina. We know,
too. that in social and political affairs,
as in mathematics, the sum Of the
whole is equal to the sum of all its
parts. The political action and con-
duct of party will express the average
of the intelligence aud character Of
the men who composs it. 1t is as GER
tAin. then. as anything can be, that the
Radical party here will do again ex-
actly what it has done before, unless it
undergoes some wonderful and salu-
tary ohapge. Now is it likely that any
such change can be introduced into it2
if 80, by whom and how?
We have made study Of the spirit
and purpose Of the leaders of this
party. We have carefully considered
the ntterances OF their public speakers
and the views, comments and speoula-
tions of their writer's. As just prcced,
ing the meeting of their nominating
convention IN 1872. 80 now, We are
treated to voluminous dissertations
upon reform, to fiery inveoiives against
corruption. to passionate thrents Of
direful consequences, if the Ethiopian
does not suddenly chan ge his skin. or
the leopard his spots. What does all
this amount to? 1t goes into one enr
and out Of the other. The motives
which are appealed to are shallow and
without authority. Men get used to
and become hardened by scolding
often repeated. No one, no matter
how grand q rascal he may be, how
conscious that he daily cheats the peni-
tentiary or the hapgman's rope, cares
the anap of his fingers for suoh vitu-
peration. he has conceit enough
either to think that they do not apply
to him, or the cunning and dupiicity
to suppose that lie cannot be caught.
And the rank and file for whom these
lectures are chiefly meant. and who,
being but tools. are less guilty than
the fellows who mislead them, patu.
rally think that reform should begin
with those who most need and most
preash 1t. AS Humbert. the colored
member of the House from Darlington,
said when Elliott came down to lecture
in the bran new role OF reformer
"Let desc Congressmans begin by un.
loadin demselves fust.''
Unless this diarrh@, OF wordy re-.
form, meaning nothing, be arrested
unless some practical measures be de
vised locking to the satisfaction of the
Just demands aud TO the paci6cation oi
the people. who begin to loathe them
selves for supporting q government
which robs them and is the disgrace oi
the whole Countrywide whole thing
will appear to be only clap-trap. We
want none Of your so.called reforms,
based upon what is demanded by your
political necessities in Washington.
Don't look abroad to learn what to do.
Right before you is your work. Why
don't you develop and popularize mi
nority representation by cumulative
voting, and indoctrinato your party
with it us tardy act Of justice and
right to the minority in the State?
Why don't you bring your batteries to
bear upon the abuses of the Executive
Department, in placing villains in
office andin pardoning criminals out oi
the penitentiary? Why do you not in.
sist that the spirit of the Constitution
shall no longer be violated by allowing