The Anderson intelligencer. [volume] (Anderson Court House, S.C.) 1860-1914, 1876-07-20
"Raising" The Republican Party.

In his speech at Georgetown, on the
4th Of July, Governor Chamberlain pro
in South Carolina to a higher plane of
purity and respect" 1t certainly has
been low in its Infamous career OF oppres-
sion and plunder. During seven years of
official Identification With the party, and
with the scoundrels in this State who
have sought to rob and degrade the
people, Attorney-General Chamberlain
did not seem to know the dishonor at
taching to the proceedings of his party
associates. He did not apparently feel
the shame attending those connected
with its villainies.
But two years ago the thing became so
rank and conspicuously indecent
scandal in the eyes of the country, as to
make the attempt at its publication pop
ular with Northern Republicans and
essential to any pretence of respectability
on the part of persons identified with it.
Governor Chamberlain for two years has
endeavored to purify and reform South
Carolina Republicanism. His endanger-
ed party at the North may be benefited,
and he may lift himself out of the slough
of filth in which he had been previously
moving. We commend the sagacity of
Governor Chamberlain, as a Radical
politician and as man of personal aspi-
rations for himself in the future, here or
elsewhere. But to the people of South
Carolina, what is the Republican party;
whatare its relations to them; what in
terests have they in seeing it elevated to
the plane of respect and given new
lease of life and power?
1t is party founded on sectional greed
and ambition-a party which famed the
flames of fanaticism and fostered social
prejudices and jealousies on the part Of
people at the North, to grasp the. power
of the general government. Welding
this for sectional aggression and aggran-
disement, its great object has been to rule
the South in the interest of its partizans.
1t is a party which, under the clause of
general welfare" and by construction,
has attempted practically to abolish the
Constitution of the United States, with
all its limitations for the protection of
minoritiss, and to consolidate all the
powers of government in the hands of the
sectional majority at Washington. 1t
has sought, under the name of "new
nation," to conduct a naked, absolute
despotism of Radical numbers, i-respon-
sible and beyond the control of the
minority, whose liberties, whose property
and whose interests are all at their mercy.
It is a party of hate, which, under the
pretence of humanity and.a love of free
dom, has depressed the enlightened white
race of the South, to the political domin-
ion and material despoilment of ignorant
and semi-barbarous freed negroes, man
aged by inimical adventures, who have
been kept in power throughout the South
by fraud and intimidation, with United
States troops.
Such are the objects, the policy, and
the character of the Republican Party.
Is there anything to make desirable for
South Carolina the raising up and re-
yitalizing of Radicalism here. Is it not
essential that it be extirpated root and
branch, if Carolinians are to have hence
forward any peace, any prosperity, any
local self-government, any free govern
ment, any country? The people OF this
State are not wholly habituated to the
condition of Radical oppression. Their
endurance has not yet assumed the stage
ofimbecility through custom. Reasoning
subterfuges have not yet usurped the
place of truthful aspirations. The high.
spirit of liberty is not yet crushed out OF
their bosoms. While they intend to be
circumspect, they are in earnest. In
seeking the ways to redeem the State,
they mean business. And to elevate and
ealyanize the Republican Party, is not in
their programme. They propose to
"raise" the Republican Party, but in
different style.-Jomnal of Commerce.