Orangeburg times. [volume] (Orangeburg Court House [S.C.]) 1877-1881, 1880-01-23
Political Metecrs.

Po'i'ical horizon are certainly more
conspicuous and startling at this time
than we have ever noticed before.
First, we have the Koitt idea Of
the Grant Bayard movement, and
Dr. Bagby's letter i'll The same line
but, unfortunately for these reform.
ers, Cathougl fortunately for the coun
try,) their proposed unholy alliance
comes Just on the eve Of the decline
of the Grant "boom." The PhiIa.
dclphia Times, alluding TO it, says
"it requires neither the prophet nor
the son Of q prophet to say that be
fore Grant and Bayard run on the
same ticket the millennium will have
arrived. Not until then will the lion
and lamb lie down together"
There is comparatively less Gran,
"gush" at the North tian at the
South, and The Kcilt idea does not
meet with Il response even in that sec
ton. The North is not solid for Grant.
Next, we have the Aiken ilca.
which seems to be that the Demo
cratic and the Republican parties
have outivtd their usefulness, and
that the farmers must raise u new
party. We lo not think as me do
that Mr.. Aiken, in this expression Of
opinion, intends at heart to aba ldon
the Democratic party, but that he
only wishes the farmers to make
themselves more felt in the councils
OF the nation. Being Granger !,
IS natural that he should have their
interests uppcrmost in his thoughts,
but-he is too Thoroughly identified
with the South to suppose for a mo-
fcant- ihnthe would 20. nnai hi 4
interests of his people. Being & bold
and honest thinker, and always in
dependent, he thinks aloud.
We look with much moderation
upon COL Aiken's views. IN III.
midst Of much that is impracticablc
and visionary, he expresses deal of
truth.
Next comes Charles O'Connor's
notions. He is regarded as one Of
the ablest men in America. and on
this account lis views are entitled 10
consideration. An outline Of his rc.
cent letter appears in another col
umn. The rominent feature Of this
letter is the proposed ob,itcration of
State lines. This is certainly s.ranpe
doctrine for a Democrat, and seems
very much like II completc surrender
to Republicanism. When we con
slider that in 1872 Charles O'Conuor
was too straight-out to vote for
Horace Greeley, the sudden turn is
incomprehenSible. The letter is a
political curl sity.
How Mr. OConor can cxrect nc
cause Of liberty to be advanced by
the centra!ization Of power which the
obllteratlon Of State lines would
cause, we are at IL loss to imagine.
he philosophy OF government or
politics IS very much the same as the
philosophy Of nature. Too much
centrifugal or too much ccntlipciul
force wou'd d produce destruction. The
proper posing Of these forces is What
is needed i'll politics, and this is whai
is accomplished by the inn cn;e Of
the Democratic doctrine OF Sta,e
rights. It's centrifugal ,enlency is
what countcracts the natural ccn,r
petal tendency around us, and keeps
the government in equal balance
Just as the earth would pIu: ge head
long into the great solar centre in
obedience TO lis ccniripctal tendency
If It's centrifugal force we're removed
so il Mr.. q 'Connor's idrn Of 4 uny
away with tie State lines were car
ried out, all power would be prccipi- :
tatcd into the central government,
and dcspolism at Washington would
be the result.
Such are some Of the mcteorc c l..
monstrations which are now bur,linp
upon the political world. No do we
think that they are altogether with
out good results. They Indicate II
Ga Ii hlnr a To AZ ,nl,nli.,