The Anderson intelligencer. [volume] (Anderson Court House, S.C.) 1860-1914, 1878-05-09

not achieved-by the unaided e1ertlons OF
the orthodox Democracy. Many who stood
aloof from clubs, and respectable number
of Republicans, came gailantly to the breach
and contributed largely to success. Then,
Is it just, is it right, is it expedient to pro-
scribe these and deny to them all participa-
ton in the selection of candidates for office?
There can be but one answeT-an emphatic
No! Is the exigency so great as to require
the lines to be drawn at such sharp angles?
Self.preseryation is the first law of nature;
the right of revolution is inherent; the
overthrow of q besotted despotism, like
that from under which We have just passed,
by actual force may be justified; but there
Gun be no justification for the preparation
of palpable wrong.
Not only gratitude, but expediency, and
even necessity, demand that we extend to
these classes proper consideration. The
relative strength of parties heretofore
standing) is, say as 80 to 100. Now, if by
any mathematical statement it can be DEM
onstrated that so is equal to 100, then it will
be admitted that the pure Democracy of the
State can carry the election. This is an alb
surdity. How may the proposition and
result be reversed? answer, by subtract
ing twenty thousand from the majority Of
our opponents, and casting them up in our
column. I indicate plan: Let organiza-
ton even be more thorough, let every club
increase its membership, let no candidate
be placed in nomination before the clubs
except known and declared Democrats, (and
members, if you please, of some Democratic
club,) in the primary elections invite unaf-
filiated Democrats and well affected Repub-
licans to cast their votes with US, and count
no votes which may be cast for any who are
not Democrats. In so doing we ask for an
endorsement only, and allow the simple
privilege of selection and election between
candidates of our own party. This would
be an act er gratia and Cancellation that
would have beneficial, harmonizing
effect. The councils, theinternal workings,
the plans of the campaign are all kept with
in the walls of the club room. How could
such q course pursued by the Democratic
party tend to disorganization or diminish
ing efficiency2 Why, it is preposterous to
suppose that Democrats would nominate
any but Democrats of known and estab-
lished reputation. Then, away with solemn
oaths, pledges and prescribed formularies.
Are the rolls of the clubs lost, that you
need swear them? Possess we no conf
dence in our members, that we cannot trust
them? Look we for candidates to be dropped
down from the moon or some other far off
planet that we know nothing of their char
acter or antecedents that we need require
pledges of them? Trust we nothing to in
tegrity? or hope we nothing from the as
cendant star of Democracy Principles
cannot be injected into the brain or their
acceptance be forced by double pressure
power.
know not if there is sufficient liberation
at the present in the public mind to permit
an honest difference of opinion as to the
policy to be pursued by the Democratic
party in the approaching canvass, or that
you may feel justified to publish any refec-
tions or criticisms upon the attitude assumed
by the party. I do desire, however, to enter
nv most solemn dissent FROM, and protest
against, the programme recently enunciated
and sent forth by the Central Executive
Committee, for Iseein it the seeds of dissen.
sion and the entering wedge II much fear)
to the speedy disintegration Of the party.
look upon it as anti-Democratic, inexpe-
dient and proscriptive. l cannot conscien-
tiously accept or support it. 1would not
enjoy a party triumph ut the sacrifice of
principle, or the violation of the spirit OF
liberty. Icannot courtenance CT contribute
to humiliation, and party machinery
that practically DISTINGUISHES respectable
minority of my fellow-citizens, Especially
that class of Democrats unaf6liated with
any club.) We have been fighting for the
last ten years against party intolerance and
tyranny outside the lines of our organiza-
ton, dencuncing and repudiating the blind
following of the Republican masses. Let
US bewar, lest we initiate their example,
raise up in our midst an oligarchy, and
apply the party lash as they did.
The occasion demands sacrifice and con-
cession in large degree; but patriotism
itself cannot ask the surrender of personal
and individual liberty. Liberal statesman
ship, conciliatory course, conservative
policy, will confer on the whole country
permanent peace, create confidence between
the races, restore tranquility, and give what
all so much desire-a feeling of security.
WIN. d. EVINS.