The daily phoenix. [volume] (Columbia, S.C.) 1865-1878, 1865-10-20
m. soulsh.s

"
known editor OF the Washington
Ck,-onicse and the Philsdelptia Press,
has greatly sinned by his former abuse
OF the South, he is now most vigor-
|1onsly and earnestly engaged in repair
ing the wrongs which he may then
have committed. o.
As his relations with the President
are of the most confidential character,
the following editorial extract from
the Chronicle, of the 11th, is both sig
nificant and cheering. We commend
its perusal to our readers:
No better proof exists of the wis
dom displayed in President Johnson s
policy, than that afforded in the spec
tacle of q people late in rebellion re-
turning quietly but earnestly and con-
scien4iously to their allegiance. Not
only are the masses Of the South salts
fed to lay down the arms of rebellion,
and again come under the broad @gis
of the Constitution, and partal1e with
their Northern brethren of the benefits
Of the Union, but many Of the most
prominent secessionists land leaders
in the war have also signified their
desire sid intention to lend their
efforts to the restoration of peace and
fraternal feeling between the two sec
tions. =
The magnanimous position assum-
ed by Andrew Johnson has disarmed
even his most bitter-some Of them
his lifelong enemies. They see in
his action toward the South broad,
generous and comprehensive states
manship, While they realize that he
is firm, they also confess that his
heart contains those charitable feel
ings which accord with the poets idea,
that
''To err is human, to forgive, divine''
Throughout the Southern States,
the people have become impressed
with the nobility of character which
marks President Johnsdh's caleer,
and as q great community they apprc-
ciate it, and are ready to sustain him
i'll the high discharge of his duties as
Chief Magistrate. Old preiudices have
melted away like snow before the sun,
and the men who, five brief months
since, were violently opposed to him,
are to-day subdued by his clemency,
and stand forth among the staunchest
defenders of his administration. They
come willingly. They acknowledge
their errors; they abandon the doc
trine of secession; theJ are. penitents
at the footstool of mercy; they confess
their liability to punishment at the
hands of justice, and, with full con-
viction of the wrong which they have
perpetrated against the nations life,
they ask to be forgiven. 1t is Chris
tian like to pardon. It. is carrying
out the tenehing of the Savior of man
kind, and the ruler of an enlightened
and God-fearing people sets an exam
pie in the case of these penitent rebels,
which will not only add glory to his
own already illustrious name, but re-
dound to the honor of our country.
We have reason to believe that the
South intends to act in good faith to
the Government. There is not a
State South Of the Potomac which
has not spoken boldly, either through
conventions or public meetings, in
favor Of forsaling the dogmas of
secession, State rights, and what not,
and yielding true allegiance to the
Constitution. But in no one of the
recently rebellious States has there
been SO remarkable an expression of
sentiment in this respect as. in Ten
nessee. The great mass meeting held
at Nashville, Last week, was signif,
cant. A large number OF the most
distinguished citizens in Tennessee
were present, and the majority of
these men had openly taken part in
the rebellion, either on the battle
field, orby exerting their influence on
the stump to raise troops for the rebel
Government.
A revolution has indeed occurred