The daily phoenix. [volume] (Columbia, S.C.) 1865-1878, 1865-10-22

States had ceased to be States under
the Constitution; and that nothing
should be done by the Executive in
aid Of the restoration of theh: State
Governments until Congress had de-
termined on what terms they should
be restored to the Union which they
had voluntarily abandoned and at-
tempted to destroy; that as the peo.
pie of these States had appealed to
the sword and been subjugated by
the sword, they should be governed
by the sword until the law-making
powers had disposed of the subject of
reconstruction; that no State that had
passed ordinances of secession and
united with the so-called Confederate
Government should ever be admitted
again into the. Union, unless in its
preliminary proceedings all men, IRE
spective of color, should be permitted
to vote, nor without provisions in its
Constitution for the absolute enfran-
chisement of the negro. Some even
go further than this, and demand the
confscation Of the property of all
rebels and the application of the epro-
ceeds to the payment Of the national
debt. These are not, apprehend,
the views of respee able minority.
I know that they are not the views of
a majority Of the people Of the North.
The better opinion is that the States
which attempted to secede never
ceased to be States in the Union; that
all their acts of secession were of no
effect; that during the progress of the
revolt the exercise of the Federal au-
thority was merely suspended, and
that there never was moment when
the allegiance of the people of the
insurrectionary States was not due to
the Government, and when the Co.
vernment was not bound to maintain
its authority over them and extend
protection to those who require it.
W''"'> the rebellion was overcome,
u. ed Confederate Government
and all 81, . Governments which had
been formed in opposition to the Fed
eral Government ceased to have even
q nominal existence, and the people
who had been subject to them were
left. sc- the time being, without any
~'ivernment whatever. The term of
office of the Federal officers had ex-
PRED, or tho Offices had become va
cant by the treason of those who held
them. There We're no Federal revenue
officers, no competent Federal judges
and no organized Federal courts.
Nor were the people any better Of, as
far as State authority was regarded.
When the Confederacy collapsed, all
the rebel State Governments collapsed
with it, so that, with few exceptions.
there were no persons holding civil
Office at the South by the authority
OF any legitimate government.
Now, as government is at all times
a necessity among men, and as it was
especially so at the South, where
violence and lawlessness had full
sway, the question to be decided by
the President was simply this: Shall
the people at the South be held under
military rule until Congress shall act
upon the question, or shall immediate
measures be taken by the Executive
to restore to them civil government?
After mature considerations, the Pre-
sident concluded it to be his duty to
adopt the latter course, and am sa-
tisfed that in doing so he acted wisely.
Military rule will not be in demand
by the people Of the United States
one moment longer than there is an
absolute necessity for it. Such an
army as would have been requisite for
the government of the people Of the
South, as subjugated people, until
Congress might prescribe the terms
on which they could be restored to
the Union, would have been too Sc
veca d strain upon our republican in
stltutions, and too expensive for the
present condition Of the Treasury.
The President has, therefore, gone to
work to restore the Union by the Use,
from the necessity of the case, Of
portion. of those who have been re-
Gently IN arms to owe throw it. The
experiment may be regarded as
dangerous one; but it will be proved,