The Columbia daily phoenix. [volume] (Columbia, S.C.) 1865-1865, 1865-05-26

lay in the way at all. The best men
OF the South have long been anxious
to do away with this institution, and
were quite willing today to see it
abolished.
They consider slavery forever dead.
But with them, in relation to this sub.
ject, the question has ever been, what
will you do with the freed peopler
That is the serious question to-day,
and one that cannot be winked it. 1t
must be met practically and treated in
telligently. The negroes must be
disposed Of, and if their disposition
can be marked out, the matter Of free-
ing them is at once settled. But
unless some humane course is adopted,
based on wisdom and Christian prin-
ciples you do gross wrong and In
justice to the whole negro race. in
setting them free. And it is only this
consideration that has led the wisdom,
intelligence and Christianity of the
South to support and defend the insti-
tuition up to this time.
The conversation then turned into
other channels, and finally touched
upon the prospect 4 for peace. And
here very noticeable form Of express
sion was used by the General. In
speaking of the probable course Of the
Administration towards the South, the
Gene.al remarked that If we do so
and so. l Immediately called his at
tention to the expression, and sought
an explanation Of the sense in which
he used the pronoun 'we,7 but obtained
none other than marked repetition of
it. 1t was noticeable throughout the
entire interview that in no single in
stance did he speak Of the Southern
Conlederacy, nor Of the Yankees nor
tue rehsls. He frequently alluded to
the country, and expressed most earn
eslly bis soiic'tude for its restoration
to peace and tranquility, cautiously
avoiding any expression that would
imply the possibility of its disinte-
grafton.
Throughout all the conversation,
he manifested an earnest desire that
such counses should prevail and such
policies be pursued as would conduce
to al immediate peace, implying in
his remarks that peace was now at our
option. But he was particular to say
that, should arbitrary or vindictive or
revengeful policies be adopted, the end
was not yet. There yet remained
great deal Of vitality and strength,
which harsh measures on our part
would call into action; and that the
South could protract the. struggle for
an indefinite period. We might, it
was true, destroy all that remained of
the country East of the Mississippi
river by lavish expenditure Of men
and means; but then we would be re.
quired to fight on the other side of
that river, and, after subduing them !
there, we would be compelled to follow
them into Mexico, and thus the strug-
gle would be prolonged until the
whole country would be Impoverished
and ruined. And this we would be
compelled to do if determination, con
tiscation. and general annihlation and
destruction are to be our policy. For
if people are to be destroyed, they
will sell their lives as dearly as pos
sibe.
The assassination of the President
was then spoken OF. The General
considered this event in itself one Of
the most deplorab]e that could have
occurred. AS a crime it was unexam.
pied and beyond execration. It was
crime that no good man could approve
from any conceivable motive. I'm.
doubtedly the effort would be made to
taSten the resnnnsihilitn nf Il nnnn tha