The daily phoenix. [volume] (Columbia, S.C.) 1865-1878, 1865-11-19

day slavery was said to have brutalized
the race until nothing was left but
the mere shape of humanity. Now
they suddenly appear as the most
loyal, intelligent, praiseworthy, love-
able of mankind--devoted to consti-
tutional principles, admirers of North
ern character, worthy of the fullest
privileges of citizenship. The coun-
trymen of Washington, Madison,
Stonewall Jackson, and Lee, are quite
lower type Of beings; so we are told
are the Irish and the Germans. 1t
is curious that when the Southern
man was to be maligned, he had re-
duced the negro to 8 brute; but when
there is an object to be gained by the
discovery, that same negro is found to
be an angel. The meaning of all this
can easily be discerned. The Repub-
lican party have an idea that when
the South recovers from its present
prostitution, it may send members to
Congress who may not vote as they
wish. Now, in several of the States,
the negroes equal the white popula-
ton In number, and it is assumed they
will be entirely controlled by the
Northerners who go down to settle in
the country. The latter, with the
negro vote in their hands, of course
would carry every election, and pro-
duce the same result us if the South
erners were deprived in the future of
scheme of course is made to wear a
v1rtuous and lofty form; it is another
proof of 'tmoral growth" But inge-
NOUS as it is, we rather think it
assumes what should not be taken for
granted: The negro race possesses in
high degree a feeling, well known
and ever strong Shere it exists, of
reverential cinging to the old, tradi-
tional, rightful owner, and aversion
to the stranger who dispossesses him.
Every one in the South knows the
feeling of the negro towards the old
family, even i'll its decay. Hence we
think this very ingenious contrivance,
fl adopted, will break down in practice.
Meantime, it does not appear to have
been thought worthy Of notice, even
by Mr.. Chase, that, according to the
Constitution of the United States,
neither the Federal Congress nor its
President has particle of right to
So1U1Oi, OlICCU, vi cAGcI1O lIlC suffrage
III any one of the States.
The amnesty, or what is called am
nesty, proclaimed by Mr. johnson,
is far beyond anything yet attempted
in Poland. It is deliberate scheme
for reducing to destitution, for de-
stroying, in fact, all the upper classes
of nation. By what right is every
man Of substance to hold his property
only if Mr.. Johnson so will it y? No
conqueror in modern times ever
claimed such right as this, no laws
of war grant any such spoiation.
But then, treason, that "blackest of
crimes - True, but if there be such
a crime it can only be in breach of
Federal law and what says the Fed
eral Constitution ? Amendment No.
5: No person shall ''be deprived of
life, liberty, OF property, without due
process of law" No. enjoins Eek
cessive bail shall not be required, nor
excessive fines imposed, nor cruel and
unusual punishments inflicted -
Hence the Confiscation Act passed by
the Federal Congress is wholly uncon-
stltutlonal there is no particle of law
full power III the Government to take
any mans property until he has been
first tried and convicted. Even then,
by the express clause already quoted,
it can only be taken for his ife-tim
Hence, the whole policy now adopted
towards the South is not only an out
rage ons humanity, but the most fla
grant breach of law ever committed by
a Government affecting to rule under
the restraints Of law The property
held in the South, in slaves, under
the laws of the United States, exceed
cd, when the war broke out, $780,
600, 900 sterling III amount. This
vast sum is swept away by mere
despotic stroke of the pen, without
compensation, without thought Of