The daily phoenix. [volume] (Columbia, S.C.) 1865-1878, 1865-10-11
COLUMBIA S. c., WEDNESDAY MORNING. OCTOBER H. 1865

! self -preservation-not to iniure others but
to save ourselves. 1t cannot be necessary
| to say that am one Of those who believe
that it was an honest effort for honorable
purposes. The United States Government
denied the right Of secession and waged
war upon the Confederate States, which
stood upon the defensive A terrible war
OF INVASION and desolation followed, and
finally the Confederate States were over-
whelmed by force Of numbers and dissolved.
At the end OF the war the State Of South
Carolina found the Con1cdcracy broken up,
her citizens who survived the terrible.
ordeal exhausted and Impoverished, her
institutions destroyed. and the whole coun-
try occupied by the military forces Of the
United States. Under these painful cir
cumstanccs, the President of the United
States invited the States lately composing
the Confederacy to re-organizc their gov
ernments and restore their connection with
the Constitution and Government Of the
United States, upon certain conditions, the
the abolition Of slavery, which had been
accomplished by the military authorities
The State, wisely in my dgment respond
ed favorably to the invitation. 1T is true
that the mere issue Of battle does not prove
right any moro than did the old wager Of
not be disregarded. A Provisional Goxer-
nor was appointed, who called another con-
ventlon of the people, which ha. lately
repealed the Ordinance Of Secession, and
by an article in the State Constitution,
recognized the abolition Of slavery and pro-
hibited it's re-establishment. BY repeal
ing that of Secession, the Ordinance of
1888, through which South Carolina be-
came member of the Union, was ipso
fdcto revived, and We are this day in the
Union precisely as VIC became in 17SS and
remained up to 1860.
Relying upon tho good faith and patriotic
intentions OF the President Of the United
States, We have done all that was required
OF us TO restore our old relations to the
Constitution and the Union; but still We
have not been received into fellowship Mt
Washington. That important part Of the
plan OF reconstruction remains yet to be
accomplished. 1t is understoodythat a
party will oppose the Presid~nt's plan Of
reorganizing the States and giving to them
equality Of rights, and viii insist npon still
farther despoiling and crushing the S.Ases
OF the South as conquered provinces. This
radical fanatical party opposed our leaving
the Union, and now they oppose our return-
ing to it, When we were in the Union, they
abused us on account Of slavery. They
WaSed war upon us because we tried to
separate from them, and now that we pro-
K :,
object. Iii this emergency, the State needs
the assistance Of all her true men. Much
remains to be done, and not the least is to
secure prudent, faithful and patriotic
representation in Congress, to assist and
forward the work Of restoration which the
State has commenced. 1 arrogate not to
myself fitness to form part OF such rep-
resentatlon, but friends have urged me for
ward, and if you are willing to try mo, I
will give my best efforts.
In some respects, VIC are at the beginning
of our policy, as If We were q new State
about 10 assume new relations with our
sister States; but we must never allow our
selves to forget that in other respects we
are an old State-a State having antecc-
dents-a name to maintain and history to
preserve. Whatever may betide us in the
uncertain future. the past, at least, is Sc
cure. South Carolina has never swerved
from the path of honor, as she conceived it,
We have record of which none need be
ashamed; and when any apOState son 81
hers disclaims OF disparaSes it, may she
cast him out as unworthy OF her. The
devotion OF every true son of the State
adheres in adversty as we'll as in pros
pcrity-is loyal through evil as well as
through good report; and in the midst Of
the greatest !aisfortunes, ''st;cAeth closer
than Il brother"
After the delegations from the Southern
States shall have been received into Con-
STcSS, UlIlly UclCtttC liINi CuulGS
will devolve upon them, especially in refer
encc to the freedmen of the South, and the
control which Congress, Or party in Con-
gress, may desire still to exercise over
them. 1t may not be improper, i'll this
connection, to say that whilst have ap-
proved the course of the State in seeking
to restore her Old relations with the Govern
ment of the United States, it has been upon
the faith and expectation that the State, as
soon as reconstructed, is to have entire
control Of the whole subject of her domes-
tic affairs. The State, and the State alone,
must be left to decide to whom she will
give the right OF suffrage or other political
rights. A new code NOR must be enacted
to protect and govern the population lately
| made free-to prevent idlcness, vagrancy,
paupcrism and crime. / am not prophet
enough to foresee whether We can succeed,
but solemnly believe it will be impossible
to live in the country at allunlcss tho State
has exclusive control of the whole subject
have hope that this will be permitted, and
L think it is in accordance with our inte-
4 L