The daily phoenix. [volume] (Columbia, S.C.) 1865-1878, 1865-09-19

love them and will do all in nv powe
to restore them to that state of hap
plness and prosperity which they en-
| joyed before the madness of misg11id
ed men, in whom they had reposec
their confidence, led them astray te
their own undoing. If there is any
thing that can be done onzmy part
on correct principles, on the princi
pies of the Constitution, to promote
these euds, be assured it shall b,
done. Let me assure y8u, also, thai
there is NO disposition on the part O.
the Government to deal harsNly with
the Southern people. There may be
speeches published from various quar-:
ters that may breathe different
spirit. Do not let them trouble OF
excite you, but believe THAT it is, as il
=, the great object Of the Govern.
fhent2to make the union of these
United States more complete and per-
feet than ever, and to maintain it Oh
constitutional principles, if possible,
more firm than it Has ever before
been. Then why cannot we all come
up to the work in proper spirit In
other words, let us look to the Con
stltutlon. The issue has, been made
and decided then, Us wise men-as
men who see right and are determined
to follow it as fathers and brothers.
and as men who love their country in
this hour of trial and suffering-why
cannot we come up and help to settle
the question of the hour and adjust
them according to the principles of
honor and justice ? The institution
Of slavery is gone. The former status
OF the negro had to be changed, and
we, as wise men, must recognize 80
patent q fact and adapt ourselves to
circumstances SIS they surround Us.
Voices-We are willing to do so.
Yes, sir, we are willing to do SO. /
believe you are. believe when your
faith is pledged; when your consent
has been given, as Ilhave already said,
| believe it will be main tanned in good
saith, and every pledge or promise
fully eA,riAA ...i ta~i2--1+-;n.l
All I ask OF desire of the South or
the North, the East or the West, is
to be sustained in carrying out the
principles of thA=Constitution. 1t is
not to be denied that we have been
great sufferers on both sides. Good
men have fallen on both sides, and
much misery is being endured ,ts the
necessary result. of SO gigantic a con-
test. Why, then, cannot we come to-
gether, and around the common altar
of our country heal the wounds that
have been made ? Deep wounds have
been inflicted. Our country has been
scared all over. Then why cannot
we approach each other upon princi-
pies which are right in themselves and
which will be productive of good to
ali The day is not distant when we
shall feel, like some family that has
had Il deep and desperate feud, the
various members of which have come
together and compared the evils and
sutferings they had inflicted upon
each other They had seen the infu-
ence OF their error and its result, and,
governed by generous spirit of con
citation, they had become mutually
forbearingan and forgiving, and return
ed to their old habits of fraternal
kindness, and become better friends
than ever. Then let us consider that
the feud which alienated lis has been
settled and adjusted to our mutual
satisfaction, and that we come togeth-
er to he bound by frmer bonds of
love, respect, and confidence than
ever The North cannot get along with
out the South, nor the South without
the North, the East without the
West, nor the West without the East;
and L say it is our duty to do all that
in our power lies to perpetuate and
make stronger the bonds of our Union,
seeing that is for the common good of
all that we should be united. I feel
that this Union, though but the Gre
alton Of a century. isHo be perpetual
ed for all time, and that it cannot be
destroyed except by the all-wise God
who created it. Gentlemen, I repeat,
L sincerely thank you for the respect
manifested on this occasion and for
the expressions Of appreciation and
n1Nf II ->l~