The Anderson intelligencer. [volume] (Anderson Court House, S.C.) 1860-1914, 1880-11-25
TIE AIKEN IDEA.

candidates 4,2I9. r. %. NJ.
TIE AIKEN IDEA.
In the letter of Col. Aiken, which we
publish elsewhere, he takes occasion to
say "I told you so' with great gusto and
slang. The composition of the letter
would do no credit to ward politician in
the lower strata of politics in New York
or Philadelphia, and is especially uube-
coming in Congressman who claims as
his constituency refined and cultivated
portionof the citizens Of South Carolina.
While we do not admire the style Of Col.
Aiken's letter, we shall not stop to criti-
else il now, for the positions assumed by
him in it are so monstrous, i'll our hum
BILE opinion, that they call for the most
unqualified condemnation. Col. Aiken
refers to his letter in the Neurs and Courier
of last winter, in which he favored new
party. but our readers will remember that
when Col. Aiken returned home he did
not attempt to form new party, and his
friends claimed that his letter was hasty
production, the sentiments of which he
did not then entertain. He did notrepu-
diate these assurances, but allowed those
friends to ask the Democratic party to
re.nominate him, which they did, upon
strong National Democratic platform.
He accepted the nomination, and in less
: than two. weeks at Townville came outin
speech attacking the Northern Demo.
Gratis, and saying that the Northern Re-
publicans were more congenial to his
taste, and that they possessed the brains,
the money and the culture Of the North.
This speech was firmly replied to by
Messrs. E. NJ. Rucker and E. B. Murray,
and it was very evident that the crowd
did not agree with Col. Aiken. Eienev
repeated that speech any more, whether
it was because he did not really entertain
the sentiments he expressed, ,or because
he was plant enough to mould his sentis
ments to suit what he perceived TO be the
feeling of the people, we do not know;
but the people have the fact for what it is
worth-that before the Congressional
nomination he did not express these
views in any speeches, or in any wise
make them public; that as soon ash was
nominated hemade his Townville speech,
and, after being rebuked for it, went
through the balance of the canvass in
truly loyal manner. Had. he made his
Towuville speech before the delegates to
the Congressional Convention were elect
cd, he would never have been re-nomi-
mated. Had he continued to make those
speeches during the canvass he would
have been beaten in November.
What Col. Aiken says about his knowl-
edge of Northern Democrats is all ego
tism. He is not the only man in. South
Carolina who has travelled little, and
his previous acknowledgment shows that
he has associated principally with Re-
publicans, and has at least only mega
tive acquaintance with tho Democracy.
Col. Aiken need not tell the people that
such men as Charles Francis Adams,
Gov. Tilden, Senators Herman, Bayard,
Eaton, Randolph, Pendleton. Thurman,
VOORHEES, and Mcdonald, Gems. Hancock,
Mcclellan and Rosencrans, and Repre-
sentatives Hewitt, Randall, Potter, and
hundreds of other Democrats of the
North are not men of principle, OF means,
of brain, of culture and of patriotism
equal to any that can be found in the
United States, for every intelligent man
knows they are such. 1t may be, and
probably is true, however, that they are
not congenial to Col. Aiker's tastes, but
this happens to be no crime. There is no
use of talking about it, the fights made
SO repeatedly by the Northern Democrats
have been made for principle, and Meth
ing else. They have persistently run
campaigns when there was no possible
chance of success and no benefits to be
derived from them, except the mainte-
nance of the party organization. It will
not do, therefore, to assert that the North
crn Democracy is a party without prin-
ciple, for the facts do not bear out the
assertion. Col. Aiken says that we
Southerners are Democratic to the core
upon principle, and yet he favors acting
with the Republicans or Democrats as
suits our convenience, because we have
lost by being Democratic upon principle.
Surely our Representative did not mean
to express such sentiment! Men Of
principle to abandon principle because
they lose by it! For the country's sake,
and for the dignity of humanity, we say
no! What would become Of our world
if its principles were made subservient
to the base ends of profit? Where would
religion, or law, or order, or morality, or
honor among mon be, if this sentiment
is to be the rule of conduct? Let US be
men of principle, and let us act up to
those principles, even if they do cause us
temporary embarrassments. In this
case, however, we do not agree with Col.
Aiken, that we have lost by being Dem
ocrats upon principle. We have redeem
cd our State Government by the Demo-
cratic party, and now hold it pure and
secure by this organization. Not only
this, the Democratic party of the United
States has saved to the country all that is
left of Constitutional liberty. We have,
therefore, gained by being Democratic
upon principle, and by remaining so we
will gain still more.
Col. Aiken says he had no idea that
Hancock could be elected, and if he will
calmly consider his political course for