The news and herald. [volume] (Winnsboro, S.C.) 1876-1881, 1881-01-26


whites, add to tho cmbarrassments Of
INC situation, constituting, indeed, tho
cmct clements thereof. TO propose a
division Of Offices to such Il people
dces not readily commend itself to the
calm Judgment Of men who are
familiar with them. There NAV, how
ever, be some considerations in favor
OF the experiment. TO illustrate, SUBJ
pose the Democracy Of Fairfield pro-
pose TO tho negroes as follows: "Iiold
your convention, nominate one canGi-
date Tor he Legislature, one torcountv
commissioners, select one of the three
| men, whose names arc respectively
submitted by us, for each Of the Offices
requiring but single incumbent. We
! Will nominate two for The Legislature,
TWO for county commissioners and
unite with YOU in clcctiny the whole
ticket thus nominated" Ii the he
Grocs, or u considerable fraction Of
them, but less than half, agree, and
INC whites remain united, the problem
Will be solved in Fairfield, and NAV
be elsewhere, With notifications to
s!tlt localities. If they do not the
SITUATION remains the same, with tho
advantage to the Democrats, which
!
GO right always affords.
The serious consideration which tho
subject claims, is enforced bv the re-
lection that the chief pabulum that
has strengthened the hands of the Re-
publican extremists is. and for years,
has been, the agitation resulting from
TINS very amendment. 1t is not i'll
credible that they eXult in and cum
ninglv encourage it. They arc now
about to enjoy new lease of power
from it.. 1t is also important to reflect
what this power embraces; the legis-
| latiVe, executive and judicial DEPART
mcntS-in one word the whole govern
mcht. The individual who, by fair
or foul means, attains control of all the
departments OF government is styled
and is dcspot, and his government
~ despotism-a tyranny. These terms
are no less correctly applied, when all
the departments arc vested in Il party,
with this difference: the individual
government takes character from the
autocrat, who may be maGnanimous
and just; while the government by
party is most necessarily vitiatcd by
the passions to which the party owes
its origin, and as the party, for the
time, has power in fact as well rs in
name, it may not hesitate, in wild
excess. to transgrcss the bounds of
Justice or the barriers Of the constitu-
ton. Hence it is an Indulgence Of no
more vcrbagc to affirm that the pos
session Of the government in all its
departments by party based on Sec
| tlonai issues is Il constant threat to
constitutional government, and that
the whole country, but pre-cmincntly
he SDut IN t,on c.,n,..n1y l-o f,>,, ,.,,,,+
concessions, in order to undermine
and ,lccomposc such parties, whether
Republican or Democratic.
These reflections suggest q subject:
the protection Of minortics, which,
though. somewhat foreign to the mat
ter in hand. is of much Importance and
warrants few remarks. The cOnsti-
tuition clothes the executive with 4
share OF the Legislative power, in that
IT vests in linn the veto, Il prcroGativc
That may be invoked to intcrposc de-
iay to u'WiSc, ilas;% or partisan lcgis-
latlon, thereby securing calncr de-
liberation. The executive, however,
| is generally q member Of the party in
power, and reason and observation
both teach that he does not and will
not often use this power for the pur-
pose of disappointing the wishes Of
his own party, and protecting the in
tcrcsts Of minorilics. This single con-
sidcration, willie confirming the inn
poriaiscc Of this power, also suggests
it is not wisely lodged in the cXccu-
tive. 1t is further strengthened by
the reflection that the genius itself OF
the government demands Il clear out
linin" Of the boundaries between its
drpartracnts. 1t is respectfully sub
mlitci that this power might be more
iudiciouSly vested in n board Of otli-
GERS, composed and appointed as fol
lows:
|. 1t should be composed of three
members. two Of the members should
represent and bclon@tO the minority
party or parties, the remaining one to
Til" dominant party.
II. In each Presidential election
year the two great parties might each
eject two officers to serve on this
board. When the result of the gencr-
al election asccrtains which party has
f+celvcd q supremacy in the Congress,
the victorious party should SUSPEND
one or its representatives on this
board. It's representation in the House
may do this by ballot. The remaining
three will constitute the board during
unth tEcir successors ere appointed us
above, unless, curing the term
the weaker should become the
stronger party. in which case the sus-
pended member should resume his
place on the board, and the now
stronger party should, in the manner
above indicated, suspend one Of its
rcprcscn aiivcs from the board.
III. Vacancies, from death or other
cause. may be filed by the representa-
tivcs in the House, ofthc party or par
ties suffering the loss or losses. who
may elect by ballot sufficient number
to supply the vacancy. No mcmbcr
of Congress should be chosen.
i. ". Only persons eligible to the Pres
ship.
}, Y. Great responsibility would at
tach to this office and the salary Of the
members should equal that OF the
Chief Justice. The suspended mem
Der should receive onc-lourth of the
full salary during suspension.
i vi. The duty of thr boar1 cb,ll hn