The Fairfield Herald

Disgraceful Scenes.

The City Council of Charleston has presented to the world a long series of infamous improprieties, culminating last week in an uncle (T. J. Mackey) escaping the crime of murdering his nephew, by one of three balls fired at him missing his head by a single inch. In any other state of society than that painful transition state we are now passing through, these gross violations of common decency would ruin the party whose chosen representatives so shamelessly commit them. But unfortunately, the only effect they promise to have, is to keep off those elements of intelligence and virtue that might otherwise gradually find their way into that party, and purify it and elevate it in the affections of the better classes of our people. We are sincerely doing our best to have good men seek and accept position and office from the radicals next year, in many counties of the State, without risk of social exclusion; but we confess one such fact as this vile attempt at murder, creates more disgust, and perpetuates more enmity, than all the arguments of all the papers in the state can possibly control. The thoughts of any gentleman are being turned more and more from any effort to improve the government of the State. To be a politician, is gradually coming to signify, to be a black guard. It is folly for our contemporaries to sneer at seeking office from the radicals. The truth is, they ought to be writing the other way, for the reluctance of our best citizens to meddle with the government at all increases daily, and the result must be disastrous in the end. Our most intellectual young men, unless there comes a change, will leave the State. There is no field for them here. To aspire here, now means, as the first step of progress, to keep low company. And what must be the consequences of stifling and repressing the purest aspiration of humanity, the desire to rise to honor by serving one's country? What but apathy, and disgust, and disappointment, and ennui, and idleness, and indolence, and vice? Our heart sickens, and with unfeigned sorrow, we turn from mournful prospect. Oh! for an early change. But from what quarter can it come? Those who only can inaugurate a reform, sneer at the very idea of reformation, and seem to have good reason for doing so, and thus downward we promise to continue to go. And yet, there is a sure hope, and it may be the only one, left us. It is thus stated by the Wilmington Star: "The safety of the South is in the power over the commercial world of her unrivalled productions. A few years will inevitably bring us commercial independence—and political security will follow at not great distance."