Orangeburg news and times. [volume] (Orangeburg, S.C.) 1875-1877, 1876-01-15

it is true. The day of the silent mon
i'll public affairs seems to be upon us.
What an amount Of wit and printers
ink has been spilled over the Rcpubli-
can party during the last few years,
owing to the reluctance far more than
inability Of President Grand to make
speeches. The pcctasters ana hulnor-
lists, tho satirists and logiciars, have
all .alikc united III affirming his unfit
ness because Of this fact for the high
administrative duties of q position
which requires only that its incum-
bent should acritc, not verbally deliver,
Ills views, and recommendations.
Most American Presidents have been
polished takers, but no one of them
was elected to that high position
simply OIL account Of his possessing
such talent. G,4
AAchange has come over tho criti-,
cal dream, Mr.: Speaker Kcrr's mp
pontnent hs:':leadcr Of the House"
man who having served for four years
in that body without opening his lips,
either ino colloquial debnte or set
speech, must of necessity be presumed
to be especially well qualified for
post which is commonl.,lsupposcd re-
quircs i'll a prc-emincnt degree the
capacity to think on ones feet, and
to speak rcadil5 and clearly ut all
times and to the point. Mr.. Kerr is
praised for doing this by the same
pens and tongues thet have heretofore
found no vocabulary copious enough
to abuse the Republican President,
who has never pretended 10 be
spccch-makcr. There is distinction
with difiercL don't you see
Mr., Morr son, Chairman of the Ways
and Means, ought to be able to speak,
and either can't or won't, while the
President ls not required to, and hav-
ing neither taste nor inclination there
fore, simply avals himself of his pri-
vilegc and refrains.
We have now entered on the year
which is TO signalizc the, completion
of century Of independence of one
of the grandcst nations that have ever
existed. With, all our taults-and,
like other peoples, we have greater
quantity than is good for us-wc
stand out today, at the end of hun
dred years Of solfgovcrnmcnt, more
independent, noble, manly nation
than anywhere else can be found; as
prosperous MS any; and with prospects
uncuu wnch cast into deep shade
those Of any other race whatever.
What the genius Of cur people has
accomplished has taught humanity a
lesson whose effects arc revealing
themselves everywhere in Christen-
dom and iar outside Of it. Our sue
cess has been powerful aid to those
who have strivcn against despotism
and class arrogance i'll countries
whose inhabitants were wont to be
used as mere political tools; has de-
mons:ratcd the falacy Of divine
right" doctrines; and has led to re-
cognition and respect Of plcbian merit
i'll quarters where hostility to "com-
moners" was once rampant. We
lave done for ourselves what we have
reason to lie rcioiccd at; but we have
brought about that for the outside
world which far transcends any home
gains. The wide propagation of thnt
grand principle that virtue and merit
alone arc worthy Of honor and reward
we have been greatly instrumental in
carrying out, and some of the pro-
duets Of it are to he seen III the re.
public i'll France, in vastly increased
liberty i'll Great Britain, and in
growth Of a public opinion in Ger
many such as promises to some day put
put MI end to the tyranny which there
converts men into fighting machines
and tolcratcs no protest.
AS a people wc have fulfilled our
grander duties nobly. Washington
himself could hardly have hoped for
more; and Heaven grant that in tho