The Camden journal. [volume] (Camden, S.C.) 1866-1891, 1880-04-01

Thomas +. Rayard, merely because be
felt not quite like brute towards the
people OF the South at the beginning of
our late war, and dared to express his
sentiments which would
have been strenuously advocated by
Daniel Webster, if living, and even by
the elder John Quincy Adams, and by
every great patriot the North has ever
produced, however sectional. Now, are
the people of South Carolina expected
to 20 blindfoldcd on such voyage ? So
it would seem, but I believe every true
man among them who is not a politician
would rather perish upon the land. And
at are to be the profits fthe voyageto us
even if successful ? AS people, we
shall only reap the mirage Of the desert,
though a few politicians may get fat
offices for their sycophancy, The Norths
ere masses are minded, bigoted
and internally malignant towards the
people of the South; the Republican
leaders foment their malignant passions
against US because we are the allies OF
their opponents-the Democrats; and
the Democrats, feeling secure of our ad-
hesion in any event, will 60 any length
in pandering to their mean prejudices
and hatred to us, in order to secure their
suffrages.
Can it be imagined that any advan.
tage will inure to the South from the
triumph of party which ostracises and
throws overheard the ablest, best and
greatest man their section can boast Of,
merely because he felt humane SYM
pathy for our sufferings ? If the nhilan-
thropist, who pitied the poor "reb,' can
never be forgiven, notwithstanding pre-
eminent merit in all other respects, will
the "reb" himself fare better? 1t would
seem absurd to think so if the fact were
not before us-if our politicians were
not trying to make such a fantastic
crotchet the bases Of our gravest politi-
cal action.
No! Sound policy, like charity, should
begin at.homc. Let US set our house in
order-let US compel our Legislature to
90 its duty by extracting from our dele
gates sharp and strict account of their
stewardships. Let US enforce economy
and efficiency in every branch Of the
State government, and then with the
confidence Of all classes at home, which
such course will command, let US stand
up like freemen before the Northern
Democracy and say: ave tender you
our alliance on fair and equitable terms
terms consistent with our interest and
selfrespect, but on none other" But
let us not, as our politicians would have
US, cringe before them with the old
maids prayer, "anybody, good Lord,
whom your charity may deign to give
u.s."
But the conventions have been called,
aud We must make the best of it. Let
the clubs, then, look to it tbatepoliti-
clans, or their partisans, do not pack
their delegations by prestidigitations or
blarny. Let them be careful to send to
the county conventions their ablest and
truest men-men of firmness, sobriety
and judgment rather than men OF mere
tongue; and let these delegates, when
met in convention, be on the alert
against the willy manipulatons of polti-
clans, and, uninauenced.by them: select,
to the best of their ability, men who will
represent them and their constituents,
views and interests, and not those of the
politicians in the State Convention, in
the Legislature and in the various county
Offices. A graver crisis never was upon
US, and everything depends upon the
wisdom, patriotism and independence of
the clubs and of the delegates in the
county conventions. CITIZEN.