The daily phoenix. [volume] (Columbia, S.C.) 1865-1878, 1865-10-08
coLGMBiA ossgapAY 5 1856

selkpreservation-lnot to injure others but
to save ourselves It cannot be necessary
to say that am one Of those who believe |
that it was an honest effort Tor honorable /
purposes. The United States Government
denied she right OF secession and wagsd
war upon the, Confederate States, which
stood upon the defensive. Alterrible war
Of invasion and desolatiou followed, and
finally the Confederate States were over
whelmed by force of numbers and dissolved.
At the end OF the war the State Of South
Carolina found tho Confederacy broken up,
her citizens who survived the terrible
ordeal exhausted and impoverished, her
institutions destroyed. and the whole coun~
try occupied by tho military forces Of the
United States. Under these painful cir
cumstances, the President Of the United
States invited the States lately composing
the Confederscy to re-organize their gov
ernments and estore their connection with
the Constitution and Government Of tho
United States, upon certain conditions, the
principal Of which WAS an acquiesence il
the abolition Of slavely, which had been
accomplished by the military authorities
The State, wisely in my Judgment, respond
ed fsyorably to the invitation. It is true
thntt mere issue Of battle does mot prove
right any more than did the old sswager Of
battle;' bat it does prove power which can
not be disregarded.7 A Provisional Cover
nor vas appointed, Who called another con-
vention Of the people, which has lately
repealed the Ordinance Of Secession, aud
by an article in the State Constitution,
recognized the abolition Of slavery and pro-
hibited it's re-establishment. BY repeal
ing that Of Secession, the Ordinance of
1788, through which South Carolina be-
came member Of the Union, was ipso
factO revived, and we are this day in the
Union precisely as we became in 178S and
remained up to 1860. ..--t lE
We are now IN a very anomalous position,
Relying upon tho good faith and patriotic
Intentions 3of the President Of the United
States, VIC have done al that was required
Constitution and the Union; but still we
have not been received into fellowship at
Washington. That important part Of the
plan OF reconstruction remains vet to be
accomplished. 1t is understood that q
party win oppose the Presidents plan of
reorganizing the States and giving to them
equality of rights, and viii insist upon still
farther despoiling and crushing the States
Of the South as conquered provinces. This
radical fanatical party opposed our leaving
the Union, and now they oppose our return
ing to it. When We were in the Union, they
abused us on account OF slavery. They
waged 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
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, bat friends have urged me for
ward, and If you arc willing to try me,
will give my best efforts.
In some respects, we are at the beginning
of our policy, as if we were new State
about 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 antece-
dents-a name to maintain and u historyto
preserve. Whatever may betide us in the
uncertain future, the past, at least, is Sc
cure. South Carolina has never swervcd
from the path OF honor, as she conceivedit
We have q record OF which none need be
ashamed; and when any apostate son Of
hers disclaims or disparages it, may she
cast him out as unworthy Of her. The
devotion of every true son of the State
adheres in adversely as 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 q 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 4 party in Con-
gress, may desire still to exercise over
them. 1t may not be improper, in this
connection, to say that, whilst have ap-
proved the course Of the State in seeking
TO restore her old relations with the Govern
mcnt Of the United States, it has been upon
the faith and expectation that the State, as
soon rs 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 frec--to prevent idleness, vagrancy,
pauperisln and crime. am not prophet
enough to foresee whether VIC 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.
I have hope that this will be permitted, and
l think it is in accordance with our inte-
rests and true policy to sustain the Presi-
dent and the Democratic party in their