The daily phoenix. [volume] (Columbia, S.C.) 1865-1878, 1875-02-25

Clty papers combined.
lWtE -.---<-o>~N
TheDnn niger ofthis Government-No. 2.
,.iss. .,ai g SUE;z2ss.
This difficulty was and is inherent
in the, constitution OF Democratic 80.
cieties. Through ell the ages from
Aristotle to Montesquieu, nll those
who have gone down co. the bottom OF
political .questions, have declared that
without equality Of condition, Demo,
craoy cannot subsist; that it advances
to it's downfall as soon as ever inequali-
ty becomes too visible. Inequality
breeds 'discontent in the GLASSES which
are .nooE and INDECENT. hence they, wish
to apply q remedy by means Of the
law, sometimes by means OF fofse.
Now, strange as IL may seem. McCau-
aleys nthe great, historian Of Englsnd.
said in some 3os hie writings In 1857,
that. the United, States would come
into this very political condition as.
sunded. i"The day" says 'he;y s"will
come when in. the United Stetes o
multitude Of people. not one of whom
has had more than half q breakfast or
expects to have half q dinner, will
choose Legislature" Is it possible
to doubs'what sort OF Legislature will
be ohosen2i On one side will be o
statesman preaching patience, respect
TOR vested rights, strict observance of
public faith.! OF the other hand will
be q damagogue. Q Radical, ranting
about the, tyranny of land.holders,
capitalists and usurers, and asking
why nybody should be permitted to
drink champagne, to ride in car
fiage, to own large acreages of land,
while, thousands of citizens are in
want Of necessariesP Whioh,of the two
candidates is likely to be preferred by
the masses who hear them, and cry
out our children are starving for
bread? l seriously apprehend, that
You Will. in some such season Of ad-
versity na l have described, do things
which,Mall prevent prosperity return
lng.p Either come Cesar or Napoleon
will seize the reinB of Government with
p stEong hend, or your republic will be
'as fearfdliy plundered and laid waste,
by hafbari&hs in the twentieth century
rae the Roman empiyewas in the fifth,
with thts. difference, that the thieves
and vendalsWho rayaged the Roman
empire came from without, and that
y5ouf thieves and vandals will have
been. ehgendereds; within your own.
country. from among yonr own citi-
zens, and by, your own instructions.
It was contended that the danger
pointed out by McCsuly would never
occur, 7because there WAS plenty OF
room here for all stha world; because
everybody. was or oonld be O proprie.
tor, .andsin any case. make very large
earnings.a Nevertheless, the indica-
tions are that his predictions have
come to pass to d certain extent, Pre-.
vions to- the war. suffrage wss confined
In this country to the whites, alone
even then, in some States. il, was re-.
stricted by certain qualifications. Now
snffEage is universal. A new class has
been invested with this privilege.
Since suffrage has become universal,
the people have exhibited DISPOSE
ton, ,in,faot, carried ont to some OK.
tent. tha using of its Law. making
power. to change the laws which regu.
late.the distribution of wealth. Right
here bursts forth the struggle in which
freedom will perish. except through
7aod by providential interference. The
fathrs of the United States aeems to
us TO- be. this: Either progress will
produce a more perfect equality. and
then free and democratic constitutions
will be- established to eonseorate and
uphold itg or else the inequality will
not be corrected. and will go. on in
creasing 10 magnitude, as in the days
IT antiquity, and then comes an end to
freedom. .taaapa1