The Abbeville press and banner. [volume] (Abbeville, S.C.) 1869-1924, 1878-01-23
Wednesday, Jan. % 1878.
Down with the Caucus.

legislature and the same journal direct
cd pubic attention to the pcrnirions thing
the other day. If the Journal Of COM
mcrce will only constitute itself the YER
liable mnliemS OF the caucus, and destroy
il in this State, it will merit the thanks OF
all true patriots.
The subject is one so new to the poll
tics of South Carolina that our people ana
our representatives, are puzzled to know
whether to approve or condemn. Sill
we must strongly because truthfully as
sart that caucussing is not in accord with
either the practices or the principles OF
orr people. The caucus is a new thing
in this State: it is a plant of strange
growth, and hitherto has failed to take
root in u soil.
It ought to be scrutinizcd closely, its
merits understood and it's evil TENDENCIES
pointed out. We confess it is not an un-
mixed evil. 1t has qualities and powers
for good that recommend it in the eyes OF
wise statesmen-on occasion. When po-
litical parties arc nearly equally divided
in numbers and possess powers nearly
equally balanced, a caucus may then be
effectively and rightly used to give more
pointed expression to the opinions OF
either. A caucus may III such a contin-
gency be useful in enabling the party
leaders to concentrate the power of their
following on some special measure or
point of attack to secure all the advanta-
ges Of consolidated energies and prevent
them from being weakened by dilution or
separation. But when q political party
has virtually no opponent, when it pos
sesscs unquestioncd and irresistible the
power to elect it's own men and pass its
own measures,-then q caucus is anoma-
lous and unnecessary, and if made use OF
it is too often only a powerful engine to
effect personal ends and to give express
sion to personal preferences. In its very
nature it is liable to be abused, and I'M
less the necessity for it is great, the abuse
is sure to be greater than the Use.
Those of our readers whose political
memories can ante-date the war well re-
member the fate Of the Congrcssion-
nj Caucus. After having for so long as
sorted and practised as its perogative the
right to nominate the President, the Con-
gre. sional Caucus became so odious in
the eyes eff the people that under the
blows of the wisest and most philosophy
cal statesman of whom Calhoun was chief
it fell never to rise again. They showed
how a caucus gives inordinate power to
demagogues and INSCRIPTIONS wire
pullers: how from necessity it does not
give expression to the opinions Of the
many, but only to the opinions of a few
strong and domineering minds. And
what was true of the Congressional eau
Gus is true of any caucus whether III
Columbia or Washington. 1t affords a
shelter to weak and timid minds afraid
to be responsible for their individual
opinions. For such it possesses a facti-
tious and fascinating attraction. Man is
said to be a thinking animal, and in this
distinguished among all creatures, but
his godlike property is so often Il burden
to him that for man who strongly
thinks, You find a thousand who are GLAD
to be thought for. Our representatives
are men Of like flesh and blood with our
selves, with this ditfcrence-thair posi-
ton and representative capacity call up
on them to think and act not only for
themselves but for their constituents.
And are they to be trammclled and
shackled by the new-fangled caucns sys-
tenn? Are they to be made the blind but
docile creatures Of or two strong
minded leaders? Arc they to become
mere numbers useful as 4 majority but
guiltleSs CT individual thoughtand action?
Surely South Carolinians will he the last
mel on this continent to adopt and prac-
tice the tactics Of men who love the dark
ness of caucus rather than the light Of
individual responsibility because their
deeds are evil.
The caucus was unknown in old South
Carolina, and its bad character came be-
fore its face. We of this State have been
taught and rightly taught to regard it a.
the potent and facile instrument of the
wire-puller and the demagogue: as 4
synonym for the party lash and the
clique-whip. Let us beware Of it. To
the casual observer and the inexperienced
purliamentarian it may seem patri otto
and useful but its benefits are nor
seeming than real. The caucus is a cap
tivating and illusory subterfuge, and is
resorted to in the majority of cases as a
convenient mean of avoiding response
bility. 1t %effectually STILES all manly
and independent expression of opinions
and reduces the representative of the peo-
pie to being the mere plastic instrument
Of the ~importunate, ~persevering and UNI
principled manager of ciiques and
coterics. It is the destruction Of real
craftsmanship. 1t is the asylum Of weak
minds and the stronghold of pretentious
politicians. 1t is the shelter of the un-
thinking and vacillating, and the proper
home of the trickster. y candidate OF
honest merit never needs a cauchs and
never succeeds before one. Men lacking
in the two vices of o%stentation and am
bition can not succeed before \ caucus.
1t offers a premium to chicanery under
ground management. An honest man
must blush to find himself in q caucus or
before it.
This caucus-this mongrel in name,
origin, and nature, is essentially "Ameri-
cam" 1t has not yet crossed the Allan
tic: it has only lately appeared in South
Carolina. Let US be cautious.
'..Alr changed is peri!ous and chance unsound.
certainly-and our representatives will do
well to beware Of following after false
gods: They will do well to doubt the
business of his claims who invokes the
support Of q caucus. To honest minds
that is virtually q confession of the weak
moss of. his claims. The evils OF the
caucns system are patent in the North.
There the effect has been to exercise real
craftsmanship, and crowd the political
arena with petty politicians and self-seek-
ing demagogues.
Tea Culture.
The Charleston Ne,ps and Courier and
other journals in the State have brought