The Anderson intelligencer. [volume] (Anderson Court House, S.C.) 1860-1914, 1875-04-08
Lesson in State Government.
There are some who incline to believe tn

There are some who incline to believe that
our State governments, especially in the South,
are so far revolutionized and confused as to be
no longer fit for the protection of the rights
heretofore entrusted to them. This feeling was
at the bottom of all the honest support given
to the Force bill in the recent session of Con-
gress. Many Republicans, valuing general
Justice and the protection of life and liberty
above all things, rushed to the conclusion that
if the State governments would not or coulo
not secure these, the Federal government must
step in bar out the State governments from all
interference by means Of the suspension OF the
writ of habeas corpus and proceed, by Federal
agencies, to make up for the shortcomings OF
the States This feeling has its counterpart
among the Democrats. The cry of that party
against Capitalization is a very empty one.
Many Democrats, especially in the South, are
expecting from the Federal government, it it
changes hands, the advantages for which they
ought, under the Constitution, to rely solely on
the State governments. They declare that,
with the introduction of an ignorant mass OF
negroes to the suffrage, without knowledge and
without fixed principle, it fs impossible to OBJ
tain honesty and ustice in the administration
of affairs in the South. And there is little
doubt that the Federal Administration to-day,
would be sustained by the Southern Democracy
in going great lengths toward interference with
the States, if its purposes were approved.
A glance at the recent history of one of the
most remarkable of the Southern States Will
show that the modern want of reliance on the
States is not justified, and that there is in the
public opinion of State, acting through the
constitutional agencies of the State vigor and
vitality sufficient to acquire many substantial
results. South Carolina has suffered as badly
TT tha
of the reconstruction laws. 1t has majority
of blacks among its voters, and there was, I'M
mediately after the war, an intense and obstl-
nate clannishness in this race, which made all
hope of wrestling the Government from their
hands by ordinary means, when once they had
seized upon it, apparently vain. 1t was, we
have no doubt, this view of the case which
produced among respectable men in South Car
olina that remarkable tolerance OF the ku
Klux outrages which was shown to exist four
years ago. There was feeling, not very we'll
defined, but exceedingly strong, that since
persuasion was to all appearances OF no avail
there was not much harm in intimidation
But this reasoning was promptly and justly met
by the Federal government by the repression
Of the Ku Klux; and the whites of South Car
olina, finding themselves compelled to live with
the blacks, and to prevent misgovernment by
peaceable means if at all, set themselves to the
task. The result was, in the course of couple
of wears, the formation of a powerful reform
party. which last fall, while it did not succeed
in electing it's candidates, compelled the doml-
nant party to put forward men little, II any,
inferior to the reform candidates themselves
In other words, steady, patient, active, and
intelligent use of the forces which are legltl-
mate under free government, achieved sub
stantial improvement.
And the process is still going on. Governor
Chamberlain, who was elected on the Repu6li-
can ticket under the strongest pledges Of hdel,
ity to the cause of reform, has SO conducted
himself as to win the approval and support of
the leaders of the Reform party Associated
with him in his efforts to secure an honest gov
ernment is Mr.. Cardozo-also a Republican,
holding the important position of Treasurer
Mr.. Cardozo has lately been attacked by par
ty of Republicans in the Legislature, who are
seeking to displace him. They charge him
with disregard of law, though we do not under
stand that they alege that the State has suf'
fered any loss by the acts imputed to him, or
that he has himself gained anything by them
Whatever may be the merits of the matter, the
point we wish to call attention to is that Mr.
Cardozo is defended by the Charleston News
end Courier, the leading Conservative paper of
the State, and that this journal also supports
Gov Chamberlain with the utmost cordiality.
1t expresses the opinion that in this course it
will be sustained by the Conservatives in the
Legislature and throughout the State. This
incident throws great deal of light on the
changes that have taken place in South Carroll
ma. 1t reveals practical coalition of the best
men of both parties when the issue is one OF
honest VS.. dishonest government. And when
this is possible in South Carolina, does it not
argue conservative and corrective force in the
public opinion of every State, which can hardly
be oyerrated ?-Mw York Times.