The Anderson intelligencer. [volume] (Anderson Court House, S.C.) 1860-1914, 1865-12-14

this imposing decision. In all the pow
ers granted in the Constitution to the
Federal Government, it is supreme and
sovereign, and must be obeyed and re-
spccted accordingly Where the rights
of a State are disregarded, or unconstl-
tutional acts done by any department OF
tho Federal Government, redress can no
longer be sought by Interpreting the SOW
ereignty of tho State, either for nullifica-
ton or secession; but the remedy is by
petition or remonstranco; BY reason,
which sooner or later, will overtake JUS
tice; by an appeal to the supreme judi
cial power of the Union; or by revolu-
tfon, which, if unsuccessful is treason.
The decision was far moro imposing
and obligatory than if it had been pro-
nounced by tho Supreme Court of the
United States. Had it been tried there,
an effort to reverse it might have been
made, because it's members and opinions
often change. But the God of battles
has pronounced an irrevcrsiblo judgment,
after long, desperate and sanguinary
struggle, and it would bo neither polite
or patriotic over again to invoke new
trial of the fearful issue.
The clemency which President johnson
has SO generously extended to many of
our citizens, in granting full and free par
don for participation in the late rcvolu-
ton, does honor to his craftsmanship and
to his sense Of justice. IIo is the ruling
power of great and triumphant Gov
crnment, and by his policy, will attach by
cords stronger than "triplc steel" tao
citizens Of one entire section Of the Union
to that Government which he has so long
and SO ably supported and maintained
lie was well acquainted with the South
with her politics and politicians, and
know however erroneous in his judgment
may have been their political principles
that they honestly entertained the senti-
mcnts which thcy profcsscd, and for which
they pcricd their all and after failing in
their end, when they proposed to return
to their loyalty, that humanity and policy
dictatcdythat they should not bo hunted
down for ignominous punishment.
shall give his policy OF reconstruction
an earnest and Jealous support
The war decided, second: That slavery
should bc totally and absolutely extcr-
minated in all the States Of the Union
The Convention Of this State, with singu-
lar unanimity and promPtncss, accepted
the result of the issue made, and declared
in the fundamental law that slaves hav-
ing been cmancipatcd by the action of the
United States authorities, sl;tvery shoad
never be ro.cslabishccl in this State
The Legislature has followed up tho &C
ton of the Convention, by passing the
Constitutional amendment proposed by
the Federal Congress prohibiting slavery
everywhere in the United States; and con-
fcrring on Congress power 10 carry the
samo into effect. Slavery in America is,
therefore, forever extinct The people Of
South Carolina have acquiesccd in this
sequence of the war with remarkable
chccrfnlncss, especially when it is noted
that her people havo been the staunchcst
defenders of the institution, on principle
of policy, for moro than a ccntury-that
her interest in the institution was greater,
relatively, than any Of her sisters, its cash
value at the beginning of the war being
moro than two hundred millions of dollars
and that, from settled conviction, her
two great staples of cotton and rice could
only be successfully cultivated by CON-
pulsory labor
Tho Convention and tho Legislature,
both recently cloctcd by tho people, have
no doubt faithfully represented the senti-
mcnt Of their constituents on this subject,
and it cannot be doubted that, since tho
slave is cmancipatod, it is the fAod pur-
pose Of the people to secure to him his
rights OF person and property as freed
man-that a just remuneration shall be
paid him for his labor, and that he shall
be protected against the fraud and vio-
Icnce Of tho artful and tho lawlcss. The
Importance of your legislation, regsiating
the relative rights and duties of the whites
and the freedmen, at your present scs-
sien, cannot be ovcr-estimatcd. The vital
Interests of the State, in my judgment,
arc dependent solely upon the laws you
may pass with reference 10 this popula-