The daily phoenix. [volume] (Columbia, S.C.) 1865-1878, 1875-07-22

tyrannicalS Conceived in hate and born
In lnlqmty-but they resulted from O
gross and unsorupulous abuse of power
by radical faction, whose legislation
was disgrace to American self.govern-
ment, and i'll comports with the liberal
and advanced views that should have
characterized the American people,
claiming, as they do, to teach and lead
the world in the art of free government.
We should not, however, hold the people
responsible. They were misled by cor
rupt party leaders, who relied upon the
war prejndices to prolong their term of
power. 1t is not surprising, then, under
| the circumstances, that the voice of rea-
son was temporarily hushed, and that it
should have required almost ten years
1or Northern voters to understand the
| facts as they existed at the South, and to
realize the enormities md wrongs that
had been practiced upon our people
| under the Reconstruction Acts Of Con-
gross. The truth was, however, (thanks
to the independent press, } at last under
stood at the North, and we have the best
evidence in the vote which was polled at
fthe elections last fall. that the masses are
really true at heart" That vote should
restore confidence in the American peo-
PIE II the excesses of the preceding de-
T. It is further true, that the Government
has become consolidated; vet it is still
essentially entralizcd-certaialy 80
rs compared with French or continental
centralism. Whit the growth and deve-
loPment OF the country, there was ne
cessarily the usual change from the
homogeneous to the heterogeneous, from
the simple to the complex, from the
weak and purely Federal republic of the
past, to the strong and powerful nation
OF to-day; but this was only in accord
ance aoiM the lap, Of progress itself,
and arose from the necessity of the
case, in the growth of the ''social
organism" The country has passed
from the condition of small confede-
Iacy OF States, representing few mil
hon OF people, to that of great nation.
1t has become one of tho first powers of
the world, and. Mt the present rate of in
crease, her population will exceed, be-
fore the close of the century, 100, ,OOO, 600.
we cannot have the pure federalism of
Jefferson, but this should cause no uppre-
heasion. If the present limits Of national
authority be not exceeded A strong 90
vernment does not necessarily preclude
local selfgovernment; for there is no real
lncompatibility between the two. While
we cannot, therefore, expect again the
extremes of "States' rights" we may,
nevertheless, enjoy all the blessings
OF local control over local interests; {;
and 1t is probable that the present
revulsion against the centralizino DO
10y OF the Republican party will re-
suit IN the recognition Of all constitu-
tlonal restrictions, and check any tend
ency to further consolidation. Upon the
whole, there is much that is promising
In the political outlook for the cause Of
free government, and it probably stands
to-day upon surer basis than ever be-
tore IN the history of the world; and I
would add, in the language of the i'm
mortal bard,
doubt not but success
WIN fashion the event in better shane
Than 1 can lay it down in likelihood.
But furthermore: as in the physical
world, every change in the natural envi-
ronment is followed, we are told, by cor
responding changes in the fauna and
floral; 30. In the moral world, gradual
changes in the social environment are
followed by corresponding changes in
the social organism. While, therefore,
development and growth, in the ad-
changes that would be dan9erous. If
if society remained otherwise the same.
yet these very changes become sources
of progress and improvement, when, in
analogy to what is observed in natural
history, corresponding changes occur in
the very fabric Of society, adopting it to
ne,c circumstances. The operation of this
law can be discerned in the history of free
governmentinth in this country. While, as we
have seen, by the force of circumstances,
our simple Federal Republio has become
strong nation, and as compared with
the States. necessarily clothed with con
trolling powers--such, indeed, as would
have been regarded by our earlier states
men as iatal and destructive-yet, OF the
same time, corrective and harmonizinp
agencies have been developed, which
supply adequate 'counteracting influ-
ences; and I hesitate not to affirm that
the equilibrium ,oM be preserved, and the
resultant be real progress.
The conclusion Of this admirable ad-
dress will be furnished tomorrow.
A collation., furnished by Mr.. John
Mckenzie fOl1owad. huf n . ~o, W.. a.,