The Abbeville messenger. (Abbeville, S.C.) 1884-1887, 1885-08-26
THE NEWS AND COURIEIs" ON
IMAGE BREAKING.

..t.f> n|a-U -
We agree fully with tho Nems and
Courier Of the 18th. in its criticism
action Of the Board of Visitors
SS6fs ttessGffAdef n thr Schirmcr case.
NE dissent wholly and cmphat-
ssally from the refections in which our
metropolitan Contemporary indnlgcs up
on the subject of, "inconocaasm" in
South Carolina.
The tone and plane Of that portion Of
the article are so far below the standard
OF a leading daily Of the prominence
and Importance Of the Ncms and Conn.,
ier that n,mazemont minglcs with the
disgust with which We read it.
II will he a qualification to the friends
OF the editor of that paper to know that
1T is said he was absent and probably
did not write this d~cmagogical article Of
which VIC have heard nothing but CON
demnation.
We copy the last paragraph Of tina,
article that our readers :nay see Of what
we write
"a little iconoc!asm is now in order in
South CaEplina. 1t is time to select for
public Offices the men who are absolute
~ tit FOR those places, and to disregard
absolutely the notion that rank.in the
confederate army, or emincnce ut the
Bar. or a n long pedigree (or n hundred
years or thereabouts) Is an all-suficient
qualification for any post Of honor or
trust. Who are the best men for the
places to be filled That is the only
question. 1t matters not a jot whether
they spell their name one way or nnoth-
or; or whether their name has n flavor
of France or Of England or whether
they have, or have not, a srcat-granhfa.
Their VIII" signed the Declaration Of in.
dependence, or who would have signed
it if he had had the opportunity. Tho
lmagc-br"aking, We fancy, is about to
begin. We would not allow it to take
the shape which was taken in Europe
where tho noses Of the images seemed
to be singled out for especial opprohri-
UNI and attack. We would leave in
peace the prohosces as we'll rs the toes
OF these good old images. Bnt give us
the hest men for the places. and the hest
man fer every place. A good point to
start at is right here in the South Caro-
INA Military Academy"
Now the writer of the above article
cannot exceed ourselves in admiration
OF that principle, essentially American,
which teaches that merit alone is the
criterion of fitness for public office.
We havc nothing but unmi,igatcd con-
tempt for that man who depends for po-
s'tlon solely upon the name and fame
of his ancestors. We arc heartily in ia
vor of that democratic doctrine that the
highest places in the public service are
open to the humblest citizen, if he
prove himself worthy. But we have no
particle of patience with that spirit that
pervades the article above quoted, which
seeks to array feeling against him whose
father and forcfathers have been illus
trious and have left behind them names
that are honorable and famous.
Is 1t adisgrace to have had "a great
grandfather who signed the declaration
of independence, or who would have
signed it if he had had the opportuni-
T." Is it to initiate against n man that
his father lived and died n gentleman :?
are frank in the Confederate army. or
eminence at the Bar, or a long pedigree
GOT a hundred years or tl,crcabouts) on
the part of ancestors to operate against
the rise and progress OF his posterity :?
Our contemporary the Ke,lium is
even now insisting that the Superin-
tendency Of the Citadel shall be given
to one who has 'smelt gunpowdcr."
IT the opinions of this great daily
be correct where is the incentive
to establish and maintain a good
name, to live lives of integrity, OF
honor. to seek promotion and fame, and IF
our children are not to be benef led
thereby if they prove themselves worthy
to bear and sustain these honors :? We
have read much in the last few wears of
such stuff as the Nems md Courier.
has here written, and we have grown
sick and tired Of it.
By all means let promotion DEPEND
upon, qualification and fitness, irrespcct.
i've OF race or name. But by no means
let promotion be denied, because he
j who seeks it had a father.
III