The Columbian. [volume] (Bloomsburg, Pa.) 1866-1910, 1876-04-21
WORMS FIFTY SPOKEN,

Whenever an act of rascality is COM
mitted by the Republican leaders, the Office
holding and petty newspaper clan rush in
discriminatory into defence of their party.
If the Treasury is proven to have been
systematically robbed, instead of condemn
ing the thief, abuse is heaped upon the
Democrats who detected aud brought to
punishment the offenders. If Democratic
Congress unearths startling frauds, and
show that they have been not only en-
couraged for years by the party in power
but with the knowledge and assistance of the
President and his subordinates, the only
answer is wave Of "the bloody shirt" and
weak editorial about the Confederate
Congress"
Democratic rule in certain Southern States
is denounced as tyrranical, but the outrages
committed by such men as Kellogg, Pinch
back, Ames, Patterson, Moses, and Spencer
in Mississippi, Louisiana, Alabama and
South Carolina are justified, aud the perpe-
traitors rewarded by debauched party.
In South Carolina, however, the matter
has gone too far, and even the thick-skinned
Press speaks out as follows
Republican conventions like that in session
for the past few days at Columbia, South
Carolina, are a disgrace to the majority
which controls them, to the State they pre-
tend TO represent, and to the great party of
the nation. The scenes of violent disorder
which accompanied the proceedings fitly
| illustrate the character of the majority as
well as the means by which their success
was gained. For South Carolina the present
is critical time. Above all things else,
that State needs an honest government. Re-
publican or Democratic, the administration
| of her political affairs ought to be econo-
| mical, upright, above suspicion. Is there
any probability of her securing such
blessing at the hands of the faction which
now appears to be in control of the organi-
zation embracing the great majority of voters
in the State? The most malignant enemy
of South Carolina could wish her no worse
fate than to be governed as this kind of poll
ticians govern, while her well-wishers must
oe appalled, by the prospect When the
party is TO speak for the State, and the State
is preparing to cooperate with her sister
States in National Council, the rank and
file allow themselves to be swayed by the
cunning hand of intrigue till, as we have
said, disaster and disgrace come upon them.
The moral has become trite, but is none the
less useful-let the people dictate terms to
the politicians and refuse longer to take
orders from them. But it is not alone South
Carolina which is affected by this defeat
Republication suffers with her. If it is
true that the Republicans of the Palmetto
State are really in favor of pure and honest
government, it is equally true that the Re-
publicans of the nation are standing on
precisely the same platform yet, as the
South Carolinians will be judged by the two
thirds vote of their convention against the
proposition to endorse Governor Chamber
lain, no there is great danger that the nation
al party may be charged with insincerity
when it asks for continuance in power on
a platform the foundation-p plank of which
is reform. We have frequently said, and
would now emphasize the reiteration, that
the best interests of the country demand |
another Republican Administration, COM
posed of the ablest and best men of that
political faith; but the example of South |
Carolina is not cheering, and does not tend
to impress thinking people with the truth |
fulness of the claim ofthe Republican party |
to be the only party of true reform. 1t is
because the masses are not represented by |
the politicians that disgrace and defeat have
come to our party.