The Charleston daily news. [volume] (Charleston, S.C.) 1865-1873, 1865-09-16

Military Governor of Mississippi. There is every
reason to believe that tho impression the South IL
still in smouldcring state of nsurrection was in
dustriousy made upon his mind; but, with the
sound common sense, which even dctraction must
accord him. ho saw that nothing was moro unrca-
sonablc; that representations to that end were
mere attempts ut imposition that though tho
feelings of the South were not complaccnt or
JOYOUS, as (if the people were fit for anything it
were utterly impossible they should bc) it was out
of question that the States could rise, seek to
rise again. And seeing this, he seems to have
considered that nothing more was necessary; that
it was not his Office, or that of tho Government,
to hector and dragoon the people into exhibitions
of affection and respect for their recent enemies;
that it was not the object or achievement of the
war to cxtort respect for those who might not be
personally entitled to it, but to restore tho Union
of coequal States, which, whatever omissaries and
agents might think of it, was just as cffcctually
done if those agents were held i'll contempt, w. il
would be if held in tho highest admiration And
this having been his conception and purpose, as il
would seem, and seeing that the organization uf
the local militia for domestic police in Nlisslssr
would not only not br dangerous. but would. in
fact, improve the feeling OF the people hy giving
thom something to to, and especially srmcthing
to do in oonsistcnce with existing order his se,-
ting aside the military decree Of General SIucrM.
who saw insolence at least (Which, perhaps, was
personally the most importantly if not insuburtli-
nation and danger, i'll such organization, is most
significant and cheering fact. II indicates we
have said, that it is not disoyal TO dcspond; not
crime to mourn over our bercavcmcnts and affc-
ton; not the highest civic duty now to disai1irm
ourselves, and fnwn OH power; and i'll such indi-
cation is indeed most pleasant and important
political fact.
But the more important is tho recent order,
with the approval OF President JOHNSON, from the
Frcedmcn's Bureau. Our readers, even of this
State, We presume were not fully aware of the fa-
Yors intended for them by the officers of that or
ganization The military, taking possession of a
large quantity of land and other property, upon
invasion Of the scnboard districts of the States the
personal property WAS disposed Of but the lands
were held, and, more recently, havo been turned
over to the Bureau above mentioned. From much
of this land the owners driven by the forces
OF the Government; from much OF it-beng min
ors, widows, aged, or infirm- owners were ncccs-
sarily absent in the enjoyment gilmore comfortable
homes elsewhere. But it was seized indiscrimin-
ately. All was abandoned from which the owner
was absent; and, if not absent for some unlawful
purpose, he was to show that fact-but through
forms and ceremonies, which rendered it, in many
cases, practically impossible; and if absent aiding
encouraging the rebellion whether pardoncd
or not he was not to have restoration of his prop
erty at ALL but it to be distributed out to the
freedmen of the districts. The state of facts re-
sulting and indicated was exceeding disastrous
While in other sections of the South, and of this
State even, the people wcro allowed to accept tho
losses of tho war facts accomplished and co. at
once, to tho work of rcconstructng their fortunes
We here, were still suspended. We could not tell
what would be our property, or when VIC would
get it; and, in danger of starvation, We arc now
as far from the opportunity to begin our work rs
we were six months ago.
Nor did this seem tho utmost purpose of these
people. The ruin would not DO complete and full,
practical justice administered, without tho lands
were divided out among the negroes, and the edi- !
flying spectacle exhibited of slaves and masters
changing places. The result of this could not be
too much doplored. 1t might afford q temporary
triumph to the negro to bo put in his masters |
house, and it would bo an advantage to somo few !
to distribute this property among them. But SEN
siblo men must have known that the thing now to |
be done is to bring these races together in har-
mony. That the negro has use for triunphs; |
al race, no use for the crumbs of property that
may fall to him through the industry of this b,,
reau; but he has use for tho employment. the
good feeling, the guidance and direction of the
MI.
They are the conditions of his existence, and of
more avail to him l. IN could be tho contributions
of forty thousand areedmen's Bureaus, if every
bureau had twice tho industry and energy of this.
and i'll the tendency of this policy to tako from
masters to give to former slaycs-to set them I'm
In the seats and cherished places of their former
owners-thero may be much that is edifyinp: much
to titillatc the taste of those who arc on tiptoo
fol- glimpses of poetic justice There is much to
cstrange these races; much to embitter feeling.
much to render reconcement impossible: and
perhaps, no people upon earth, therefore, wore
ever.i condition to receive such irreparablo run
from their friends.
In these arrangements, however, it would seem
the purpose of tho President not fully to con..
cur. In the notifications made in the eircnlar :,
which We have referred it appears very plainly
that he has determined his Pardon and Amnostv
Proclamation shall be respected, and that persons
pardoned shall, in fact, be restored to their prom
erty 1t is, also, to bo inferred that lc docs NOT
concur i'll the belief that the highest object of the
government is to humble masters by eleyatinp
slaves, and that it is his purpose to administer
VICTORY, not to tho passions Of party, but to the
good OF the Union, whose cherished name inspired
the energies of war.
1t IL still to be regretted, however, that to tle
restoration Of property such onerous and inconve-
nient forms arc necessary Tho property. moi
abandoned, can only be reclaimed through anil.
cation to tho Department of the Freedmen's
Bureau at Hilton Head under General sAxroN.
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