, 1865-12-21
ON THE STATE OF TIE SOUTH.

The Presidents message to the Senate OF
the condition Of the South recalls, by Its well
turned periods, It's ingenious and ponderous
gcuc4alitics, and It's oily smoothncss, the mes
sages In which Mossrs- Buchanan, Pierce aud
Fillmore were won't in we'll remembered times
10 express the executive pleasure relative to
the action 10 be taken By the then Democrat
ic Congrcss. The President reports that the
Southern States ''arc yielding obedience to
the laws and Government Of the United
States with more Willingness and greater
promptitude than under the circumstances
cou]d reasonably hare bccn anticipated
The portion Of our laws md government
which they hare had occasion TO obey Is
merely that which permits them to elect
themselves to Office and make laws for them.
selves and the freedmen. We fafl to see that
any other elements thnn The grosscst human
sclfahness are involved In this kind Of obedf-
ence. The President has invited them to
grasp at the power. and they have grasped
at 1t with all their might, and have exercised
IL With all the vigor they were permitted to
manifest toward those to whom no power
was given. The President commends them
for their patriotic promptuess, In TINT after
having been cruslied ont by superior force so
that they lad no more physical power to re
alst 4bc Government, they E1aciously and be-
n.gnly consented to exercise the exclusive
right Of making all the laws md holding NIL
the Offices IN the Eoutir. Who viii ga{nsay
the Presidents, statement that soch .selfsac-
Iificang patriotism. Il moro than under the
circumstances could REASONABLY havc been M
1icapated Of thoms.-. -,
And then how sWset are the evidences Of
their gushing affection for the Union. W4a!
II the erttre EpiscopA clergy Of Alabama
refuse publicly ;toc pray for ths: Prcst-'
dent, w can thcrse be any 8; doubt that
his name Is fragrant to their souls, and that
1e Is borne upward in their silent dcvotfons,
like incense bofose ttr altar! 'syhat II tho
Legislature. Of Mississippi has. denied TO the
majority Of the population OF their State the
right To own, or: even :Iire. q home, and have
violated the Constitution OF tho United States
and the laws OF Congress by robbing the dis
charged co,ored Union troops Of Mississippi
OF tpose arms which they bore ut Port Hud-
son, The right TO keep md bear which Is
guaranteed by The Federal constitution, aad
the right ID buy md own which Is specially
protected by on sct Of Congress- Now that
the Federal Government has sold these arms
to The freedmen aud got the hire Of the freed.
mems blood for them. Is Il not an obedience
10 the Constitution and Government of the
United States more prompt thau cnald renson-
ably have 1een anticipated to permit
a rebel Legislature and J.; mllitis
Of Asthe distinguished young MEN Of the Com
federatc a11ny" 10 take these arms from their
owncss without any conpcnsations Mark
tho distinguished patriotism OF South Caro-
lima, which decrecs that no colored man shall
own or lsasc any lind or tenement In the
Stntel Marvellous obedience! And In
Georgia they enact that II any white man
shall lease Aonsc to q negro, he shall be-
Conc responsible theuccforth for ill the nc
gro's dcbta and living cxpenscsl Moreover,
In all these States pleasant and altogether
psous nnd humane Law Of slavery is In force
which must excite the admiration Of the
world ns an evidence that the people there
"accep1 The slhlation,'' etc. Thus, every
*hlte employer In South Carollna is by law
@'mastef, end evcry black cmploye Is a 'tser-
yant, 'and thc mastcr cau whip his servant.
If under eighteen years, but II over that aro.
The servant shall be jndlclally aud humancly
seated" by the town whlppcr, under the
disectton Of that most excellent thing. Jns-
4lce of the Peace+ If the servant des;res IN
change employers, any person can arrest him
and send him back; md he shall not leave
bis mastcr+s premises without q pass. Con
Rrcss will perceive TINT I'll this Is 30 exactly
tho condition OF laboring men In free coun-