New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1876-09-12
FICTION IN SOUTH CAROLINA.

The news from Charleston continues 70 be
mixed and may Only one thing seems to be
certain. There is no city in the world less
entitled to the credit of peace and good order.
Whether under white inspiration or not, the
blacks are in very disturbed state, and do
not appear TO be behaving well. Rioters roam
at large; street assaults are commonj one
person has been killed. several persons have
been wounded, and such fears are entertained
that Gov. Chamberlain has issued another
PROCLAMATION, and has again announced his
inflexible purpose of maintaining the law.
He assures all, without distinction of color,
that he discountenanccs and forbids the
"presence upon he streets of bodies OF men,
whether organized or not armed with
deadly weapons or weapons of any kind"
This is good, SO far as it goes.
Another experiment has been tried, which,
if successful, would be worth century of
proclamations: The Republican and Demo
cratic parties, whether moved by sense OF
common Danger or because each desires to
appear blamclcss upon the record have con-
ferrcd with each other through their respective
committees, as we stated yesterday. We are
not discouraged because nothing specially has
so far been effected by the conference. T.
is something that it has been proposed. The
Republicans, upon this occasion at least, have
been, we think, most thoroughly in earnest,
and the Democrats in somewhat sore and
passionate frame of mind from which we
AMOUR nothing 60 be desired. The Republic
cans said what they could, and expressed
an unqualified determination 70 prevent dis
" order y but the Democrats, while protesting
10 be equally anxious to preserve the public
peace, spoke rather sharply of their intention
of personally preventing a repetition of the
rioeous scenes which have already disgacod
the city. The prospect OF q goOd understand
ing of all good citizens, irrespective Of poll
tics or color, is not therefore 50 bright as it
ought 20 be.
And vet it seems 90 US that as nothing is
more desirable, so nothing should be easier.
No citizen is called upon to give up his poiiti-
cal preferences, or 10 abandon the candidates
personally most satisfactory TO him. All he is
asked TO do is 10 contribute his influence and
action to bring about a condition of public
affairs which will render it always possible for
him, without hinderance or molestaton, to vote
for his principles and his candidates. The
sheer spirit of party is worthless, diabolcal,
and consequently detestable. Has il taken
possession of the Democrats of South Caro-
lima? But for its undue and lamentable in
HuCnce some union of citizens might surely
have put State affairs into a condition
infinitely more toierable reducing taxes, re-
forming the Legislature, and crushing forever
two or three demagogues who have neither
morals nor manner, parts nor principle. II is
pretty plainly the determination Of these Demo
Gratis to keep up at least Renaissance of
politics which should. long ago have become
obsolete in State which can so little afford the
luxury of faction. They have learned nothing
and they have forgotten rothing; and this, too,
at the very time when the things which are
behind should be as if they had never been, and
the things which are before are as importanv
as imminent peril can make them. II thore is
any common sense left in South Carolina, now
is the time 10 bring it into action. Gov. Cham
berlain is in a difficult position, but we must
do him the justice to say that officially, at any
rate, he is doing his duty. We could ask of him
nothing more than to keep 10 the spirit and
letter OF his proclamations. There is not