The daily phoenix. [volume] (Columbia, S.C.) 1865-1878, 1865-10-17
COLUMBIA, S G.. TUESDAY MORNING, OCTOBER 17 1866

eK-preseryation- to injure others but
to save ourselves. 1t cannot be necessary
to say that am one Of those who belieye
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
whelme ed by force of numbers and dissolved.
At the end of the war the State of South
Carolina found the Confederncy 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
cumstances, the President Of the United
States invited the States lately composing
the Confederacy to re-organize their gov
crnments and restore their connection with
the Constitution and Government of the
!. United States, upon certain conditions, the
principal OF which was an acQuiesence in
the abolition of slavery, which had been
accomplished by the military authorities.
The State, wisely in my Judgment, respond
ed favorably to the invitation. It is true
that the mere issue of battle does not prove
right any more than did the old wager of
battle;" but it does Drove power which can
not be disregarded. A Provisional Cover
nor was appointed, who called another con-
venticn of the people, which has lately
repealed the Ordinance of Secession, and
by an article in the State Constitution,
recognized the abolition OF slavery and pro-
hibited its re-cstablishment. By repeal
ing that of Secession, the Ordinance of
17S9, through which South Carolina be-
came a member of the Union, was ipso.
t0cto revived, and We are this day in the
lJnlOn W. hnp IN
remained up to 1860.
We are now III very anomalous position
Relying upon the 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 at
Washington. That important part of the
plan o. reconstruction remains vet to be
accomplished 1t is understood that a
party Will oppose the Presidents plan of
reorganlzing the States and giving to them
equality of rights, anu will insist upon still
farther despoilinS and crushing the Stn.,.s
OF the South as conquered provinces. It's
radical farotlcal party opposed our leaving
the Union, and now they oppose our retur1-
ing to it: When we were i'll 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-
pose to return without slavery, they still
object. In 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. I arrogate not to
myself fitness to form part Of such rep
resentation, but friends have urged me for
ward, and if you ere willing to try me. I
will give my best efforts.
In some rcSOectS we n re Qt th = no piDDipc,
OF our policy, as it we were @ new State
aDont to 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 antcce-
dents-a name to maintain and history to
preserve. Whatever may betide us in the
uncertain future, the past at least, js Sc
cure. South Carolina has never swerved
from the path Of honor, as she conceived it.
We have o record OF which none necd be
ashamed; and when any apostate son Of
hers disclainls or disparages it, may she
cast him cut as unworthy of her. The
devotion Of every true son Of the State
adheres in adversity az we'll as in pros
perity-is loyal through evil as well as
through good report; and in the midst of
the greatest misfortunes, "sticketh closer
than brother"
After the delegations from the Southern
States shall have been received into Con-
gress, many delicate and impol tant duties
! will devolve upon them, especially in refer
ence to the freedmen Of the South, and the
control which Congress, or party in Con-
sIcss, nay aes;re still to exercise over
them. 1t may not be improper, in this
connection, to say that, whilst l 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 thai 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 idleness, vagrancy,
pauperism and crime. l am not prophet
| enough to foresec whether we can succeed,
! but solemnly believe it will be impossible
| to live in the country at all unless the State
| has exclusive control Of the whole subject
have hope that this will be permitted, and
i