The daily phoenix. [volume] (Columbia, S.C.) 1865-1878, 1874-03-31
COLUMBIA, S. C.
Tuesday Morning. March 81, 1874.
The Prospect improving.

The Prospect Improving.
There is much to be deduced, as We
showed in our last issue. from the EN-.
phatio language Of the President, that
while he and Congress could not di.
reotly cure the evils of South Carolina,
che was q sovereign State, and the mat
ter rested entirely with her people. The
President surely could not mean that q
sovereign State was also helpless. He
meant to direct the minds of the com.
sz;s:ee and the people whom they rep
resent TO the power which resides in
their own hands. And this construction
is borne out by the expression Of his
hope, given to the committee on part.
ing with it: that .thet tween Congress and
himself, something might legitimately
be done to afford the relief sought" "
When the people, therefore, rouse them
selves, and. Under discreet guidance,
make those exertions which necessity re-
qpiressand their sovereignty imposes.
the President, and We hope Congress
ALSO; will look with favor upon the
effort, and lend snoh helping hand as
; they can: WeNare far from placing an
unfavorable ! Interpretation upon the
Language of the President.
The reference which President Grant
made to some remarks OF member OF
the Tax-Payers' Convention, which had
given him pain, serves to show SEN
\ tsitiveness which We are constrained to
respect. We should have been pleased,
indeed, if he had been content to re-
-gard these structures as uttered in the
heat Of debate, and excusable as coming
from quarter where oppression is 80
"keenly felt, that men do not always
weigh their words in denounoing it.
But we do not question his right to
complain of it. We construe Ito mean
that he wishes all causes of difference
rsmoved between him and people who
are In such straits as move his sympa-
.thzl and to whose relief he will willing
ly oome whenever occasion and oppor-
tunity will allow or justify his interposi-
tion. The matter reached the President,
in all probability, in shape more
offensive than that in which it was de-
livered. It was not the action or senti-
ment Of the convention, or of any con-
siderable portion OF it. It was the Ian
gpage OF an individual, one of high
character and sterling patriotism, in
deed. but liable sometimes, like other
excellent men, to the fault Of vehement
expression, And it should be remem-
bered that if there was criticism in this
speech, there was compliment also.
What Congress or the Executive may
do or promise, is, Of course, entirely un-
certain. But there are grave duties be-
fore our own people, and the obstacles
to their proper discharge are one by one
disappearing. If We have secured the
favorable consideration of tho American
people and the national administration,
We have gained great point. II the
Government does not of itself under
take to unravel the tangle or solve the
ugly complication in our affairs, we must
take the initiative ourselves, and ask
its approval of the steps we take. The
first will be to petition that the troops
shall be removed. accompanied by
pledges and guarantees of good order.
The second will beto present q scheme
by which the State Constitution shall
be so revised as to allow what is now
practically denied-the representation
If property and intelligence in the State
Government.
Kleptomania has been improved upon
in most novel and ingenious manner,
and it need not astonish any one to
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