Keowee courier. [volume] (Pickens Court House, S.C.) 1849-current, 1882-03-09
Result Of the Radical Gathering
at Columbia.

~ The Executive Committee of the Ropubli.
oar. party. of South Carolina. called together
,teoently, in Columbia, ono or two representa-
i.ives of the party from each county. Tho
effort was nude, as was given cut, to get tho
''brains of the party" together for consulta-
tion. Mr. E. T. Blodgett represented Oconee
on the ocoasion. Tho meeting was held with
closed doors aud no roliablo information
could be had until tho part.colored caucus
adjourned.
As usual, the caucus was mostly made up
Of tho old material Of the party---those who
formerly robbed and misreprosontcd the peo.
pie of the State. Attorney General Melton
and few others, moro respectable, took
part in the proceedings and really controlled
the action Of the body. AT best, however, it
was an unsavory political crowd, made up
principally of Federal Office holders and men
of bad antecedants. The information fur
nished show that tho Radical politicians
had many grievances to redress and
resolutions upon many subjects wero intro
duced and probably adopted. Tho popular
cry was dcnunciation Of tho Democratic
party and an intense yearning for q return
to power, 80 that their schomes Of plumber
and rascality might bo set in motion again.
A majority Of those present were. it is
said, in favor Of putting full ticket in the
field for all the Offices in tho State. A strong
speech. from Mr.. Melton decided the caucus
against this course. The party will, how
ever. pursue tho same tactics here that it did
in Virginia and ore now endeavoring to do in
Georgia. All Independents. for uny position
in tho State, are to receive tho support Of the
Radicals at tho polls. In the counties pro-
eenting prospect of success, Republican
tickets will be presented and elected, if
possible. hoping by this means to cripple
and finally defeat the Democrats in the
State.
A resolution was adopted requesting that
the United States Courts appoint supervisors
Of registration, to the end that q '.frce cleo-
tion and fair count" may be had in tho
future, as they are pleased to call it. Every
body in the State ought to desire q "frco
election and q fair count" but they aro
equally determined not to surrender tho
State and county governments into tho hands
Of the Radical party of South Carolina.
sums up tho results Of this gathering of the
Radicals at Columbia:
THE RADICAL POW WOW.
The Radical pow"wow in Columbia on
Friday was small affair in point Of numbers,
but the delegates, self appointed or otherwise,
felt confident that the colorcd people in genes
raj would support them in whatever policy
they might adopt, and they will undoubtedly
carry with them the bulk of the vote. This
is not pleasant thing 10 say, but it is justi>
fed by experience. The colorod people care
nothing for the composition of Convention
or tho character Of candidates. They will
vote for anything or anybody that is hostile
or in opposition to the Democratic party, in
preference to voting for anything or anybody
that tho Democratic party support. 1t is
eenseless aud positively foolish. but it is tho
fact. The colored Democrats will 60 with
the white people this year as in former years.
but there is no prospect TINT the Democracy
will gain many recruits.
The Radicals had two general plans to
oonsider. One was to make a struight>out
fight next November; tho other was to nom-
nate no candidates for State officers but
support any candidates who might run in
opposition to the Democratic candidates and
make determined fight for their own NOM
bers of tho Legislature and the local officers
in different counties. The latter plan was
agreed upon, it is said, and it is the most
dangerous plan for tho Democrats thu. conld
have been devised The Democratic party
need consolidated Republican opposition, and
they need vigorous prosecutions in the
United States Courts for imaginary political
offences, to bring them together and make
them resolutc and active in every part Of the
State. Deny the Democracy the benefit of
any such pressure as this, ard the danger of
areturn of negro rule will appear remote
and the Democracy will feel free to be luke.
warm in the contest. Far, however, from
being safe, the Democracy will then be in
imminent peril, if absolute and uncontrolled
Democratic rule is indispensable to freedom,
and security in South Carolina
Tho Convention instructed the Executive
Committee to take action to havo Supervisors
of Registration appointed under the United
States law. 1t was not worth while to call
Convention for that alone. The Law gives
the authority for the appointment, and the
presence of Republican supervisors was
expected. There is, Us we said yesterday,
nothing to conceal, and tho single purpose of
registration-under tho mandate, it must be
remembered, of the Republican Constitution
Of l868-is to secure complete list Of the
qualified voters SO rs to prevent repeating
and other fraudulent voting at elections,
L.