Edgefield advertiser. [volume] (Edgefield, S.C.) 1836-current, 1865-06-14
Re-entering the Old Union.

net in the important Work OF recognizing the
civil adm inistraton Of tho several. State. lataly
restored to the authority Of tie old Union, should
he u subject of intense solicitudo to the South
.rn peoul.. We have 10 doubt that the view OF
President JOHNSON, as expressed in speeches i'm
media,alv rnlnwing his ACCESSION to the Chief
Nagisracy baye been eagerly read and consid-
ere,, as indications of his intended course Of ac-
ton. On the subject Of Stale organization, we
find nothing in lis words foreshadowins pur
posc to disturb the harmony Of. the Federal sS s.
tom, under which the nation SO lons lired-ana
prospcred lie evidently has no sympathy with
those extremists who have advised that the scpa-
rate State liues shall be hlotted out. that their
intern Il governments shall be destroyed, and that
they shall be recognized only as provinces or
territories belonging to ;hs hpi'el States, yet
not composing integral rnrrs "l rhe system.
His words on this subject fre explicit. Soon
after the desth of Mr.. tiyc6tS. in replying TO
the address of Gov. Mohros Of Indiana, Prcs:
don't Jouxsos said "Now. permit me to remark
that whilo have opposed dissolution and disiu-
teers,ion on the one hand. on the other am
equally opposed to consolidation or ccntraliza-
ton of power n the hands Of afew." "The Gov
ernment is composed of parts, each essential to
the whole, and the whole essential to cacb Upon
this idea Of destroying States, my position has
been heretofore well known, and see no cause
t6 change 1t now" ''Some are satisfied with the
idea that the States to be lost in territorial
and other divisions-are to lose their character
as States. But their iie-breath has been only
suspended, and it is high constitutional oblisa-
,on we have to secnre each Of these States in the
possession and enjoyment of Republican form
of Government" ~ hold it as solemn oblga
ton in .ny one of these States where the Rebel
armies have been beaten back or, expelled, care
not how small the number of Union men, if
enough to man the ship of Statc-I held it say,
high duty to protect and SECURE to them Re-
| publican form of Government"
The meaning of this is plain. The States will
be preserved with all their original powers re-
stored. But they will be preserved as STATES Of
the Union !; forming only parts of the great Fed
eral system, and liable to the duties imposed by
that systcm. The machinery Of State, it is true,
will not be entrusted to those who were prominent
in Secession; but notwithstanding this, all those
wko-no nattor what their former political apin-
ions-arc now willing to receive cordially and
honorably the arbitrament Of war, aud who recog-
nize the obligations imposed by the Union. under
which we are noD obliged to live, must be en-
| ployed iu &c work of bringing back ther respcc-
| 80, ct,,as to fber or; ;yi nol n, hits
| In view of the obligations resting on them, the
| people of South Carolina must learn to feel and
act for restoration of the shattered mechanism
of their civil Government. Ii they love South
Carolina, they must place themselves in IN atti-
tude to help her. They must openly and honestly
recognize her true position as mcmber of the
great Federal system, which is bound to exercise
its power for her protection, ahd to guarantee TO
her Republican form of Government. In short
they muat not lot wounded pride, natural but un-
aYailing, keep their State in chains, slavery, and
| dsrkneas.
If those who have been deceived by hopes, orce
dear to every true Southern man bat now dead
| and vanished, shall honestly and sincerely &C.
knowledge their allegiance ito,a Constitution
which theirbest citizens hoped to frame 10 formor
years, them tho organic ifo " the stdt0 VIII br
speedily nyguraed, her vital functions will he re-
aloret 10 Leuth, and the brains, hcnrta and hands
of her psoplo will he once more cmpolycd for the
common veal.
We have been led 10 these remarks BY think
iug upon ii rahlic meeting which was held in Our
town m Sale-day laat. The Object Of this meeting
was to set on font SOME plan by which Conven-
ton of The PEOPLE of South Carolina might be
called procured, TO signify to the general Gov
crnmcrt their willingness and desire TO re eutcr
the Federal Union. The said meeting not having
been previously advertised, and the attendance
not sufficiently large to show forth the opinion Of
the whole District, twas adjourned to meet again
on salc-dny in July. By that time, many other
States will have acted dsri'ively in this matteI;
aud South Carolina then nave no f=ar OF
being premature in her eo,rse.
Ranking ourselves among those who, as VIC
said above, no matter what their former poi;i-
cal opinions, are now willing 70 receive honora-
bly-if not corddly-.hc arbitrament of war
hoping, and trying 10 Jclizre sincerely, that by
the inscrutablc workings of an overriding ProEi-
dence, the dreadful tempest of strife and desola-
tion which has swept over us during the past four
years was but the hnrbnScr of 4 purer and
brighter day than over yet dnwned upon our be-
loved country; wo feel it TO bc now the duty Of
every truo patriot, casting charitable veil over
the irremodiable past, to bend all his energies to
the pleasing task not only of obGtcrating all
traces of by-gonc differences, but of Immediately
laying the foundation of present and future pros
perity among US. We believe it to be duty We
all owe to our common country-in the troadest
acceptatiOn of the term,-to our individual State,
to our families, and to the cause Of humanity and
civilization throughout the world.
| %s>-
Indemnity from England.
The New York Borld says the Memorial Diplo-
ma,ique, May IL, makes public the important
fact that the government of President Johnson
has instructed the hmerican minister in London