Orangeburg times. [volume] (Orangeburg Court House [S.C.]) 1877-1881, 1878-05-11
Political Parties.

fN'l'' i"'o ~ "H G"thS IoNpi to
representatives, tHo political parties,
and OILY two are necessary for the
proper conduct Of public affairs
parties formed by the combination vt'
certain Fortiou Of the ropu alton
to establish certain general p,:nci-
ilcs !or an end, and by the remain
ing portion to established other priu-
ciplcs for another end Tie develop.
mcnt Of constitutional law, he ends
of justice, and the free aud equal
action OF the citizens, demand that
such PARTIES be organized upon gene
raj principles and not particular
CASES. and for the sole object Of keep
ing the lalancc Of power in equal
poisc.
III ali lUlms Of Cove, nmeut there
is a principle of action which pre-
dominates, 50 in Il Republican form
VIC have Il social power which is ever
active to rule. Ibis clement looks
upon The limitations established by
law as burteESome and is slow to
regard amy right os person or prop.
crty which comes in conflict with
us srGcjaaiccs oi- imagined prcrogliivc,
and if permitted to remain long
unchecked, would i'll time become
unlimited power. The natural con-
stitution Of such free government
provides an opposing principle which
combats and rctafd5 the social and
forces it to moderate its own vchc-
mcncc.
This political element in our coun-
try has been represented for the last
twenty yea's by the Republican
party at the North and its Radical
wing at the South. The c.rcum-
I!anccs Of patriotic enthusiasm du-
Irg cur civil troubles and the
unlocked for results of the war
added greatly to lis ranks, and i'm
parted power which carried it on
conIrTseuHtil almost
absolute snpremacyhad been acquired.
During this long period Of success,
Power was maintained by securing
the CONTROL Of the party TO leaders
who desired wealth and ease, and
we're unwilling to employ the honcet
means by which others obtained the
same cnds; aid to perpctuute this
control they lurcd the luboying
classes by promises Of final relief,
through the party, from the cares in
cidcnt 10 their modes Of life. At the
North higher rates Of wages and the
control Of labor over capital, were
held out as the ruling influence, while
at the same time llc moncycd men
were paciiicd by favorable tariff and
bond cnactncnts; at the South the
rrejudiccs Of the colorcd people were
excited against the white race, and
promises O.. contiscation Of proper
ty were made, by which forty acres of
land and mule were to be allotted
to each family. Single individuals
were caused to look forward to posi-
tions i'll higher sphere Of life than
their most sanguinc expectations led
them TO believe; while the white race
was weak cned by discriminating laws
which excluded them from all rarti-
cipation i'll the affairs Of the govern
mcn:. Assurance was made doubly
sure to the ignorant masses in both
sections, by the presence of n large
standing army which pointed to the
veriiication Of the tyrants dogma:
"To the victors belong the spoiIs
The legitimate fruits of SO base
policy were manifest in every portion
Of the Union, aud more glaringIy
noticeable at The South and in Wash.
ington and the larger cities of New
England and the West. At the
North failures in usincss circles,
depression in all industries anon.
the moreycd classes, and poverty and
want among the laborers followed
the working Of the Higher Law; Mt
the south, war. of races, political
blight and corruption, official extrnv
gance and nsrulc, and government
oppression Of the white citizens by
e:rtL,tant taAa,i"n were the ,nc,;
!:.b,. results 81 l.slicaiisn. In