The Columbia daily phoenix. [volume] (Columbia, S.C.) 1865-1865, 1865-06-03

breach await but shift of the politi-
cal storm to sweep it forever from the
sight of men. Must the true friend Of
the Union add one more drop to the
volume of those raging memories?
The political history Of Mississippi
foreshadows the dangers Of the Union
now, even Will flushed with the
triumph Of its nrst trial. Mr.. Jeffer-
son Davis and Mr.. Henry S. Foote
canvassed that State about fifteen years
ago on question Of conditional Sc
cession. The side of the Union was
successful; but from the day on which
it had been made there question Of
party, it continued to fall from the
position of a popular idol. 'Disun;on,
lists per Sc as they called themselves,
appeared in the State in surprising
numbers after that contest on contin>
gent disunion; aud, finally. notwith
standing the triumph of the Union in
tho person of Mir. Foole, became SO
numerous that the storm Of secession,
in 1860. swept through the State like
a fire through prairie. With the
wounds Of despotic power, and of
savage beIligerency still fostering in its
moral life, of this passage of its
history in Southern State, declares
to dav. while the Union leans upon its
blo''dy sword, in review OF victorious
thousands Of armed agents Of its will,
that it carries in its bosom the seeds of
death.
Strong, physically, as it is to day,
the Unlcn was never weaker morally.
Like many Il gallant soldier, 1t has
escaped The casualties Of battle with
fever in its bIocd and canker in its
bosom. For all its stalwart looks it
still moves on in:o the shadows Of in~
evi.;b'e dissolution.
The war Of tie sections was ore of,
we hope, wor,hier objects than a mere
assertion Of brute force. Patriotism,
however short.si .htcd, looked to that
bloody struggle for ea'ing Of the
wounds which its inception had opened
in the body Of the Union. How much
nearer that result are we to-day than
we were when McCellan's army was
hurled back from Richmond? Good
faith to the memories Of the soldiers
who have been led to slaughter for that
purpose, solemn duty to the civilians
who, in a mistaken patriotism. have
sustained the war, demand that the
Union be as soon and as effectually as
possible given back to the only keep
ing in which it can ever be held safe,
that OF universal popular affection.
The union Of these States cannot
exist by brute force. The blunder
that removed it from the strong
defence Of popular love, repeats itself
when it attempts TO- maintain it by a
system OF brutal terrorism. That
very terrorism will, if carried out,
prove its destruction. Popular dread
but removes it sill farther from the
only conditions Of its maintenance
popular love. Cutting Booths head
off, or giving his dismembered body a
dishono:ed burial, has served but to
weaken the Government, by degrading
it to the level Of those grim despotism>
that every man in the country names
with clcnchcd teeth. Every page of
history shows that terror is a rope OF
sand on the limbs Of political con.
viction.
Treason cannot possibly be placed,
in popular acceptation, side by side
with private crimes. An attempt to
accomplish that result is AN attempt to
undo all the theories Of free political
education. The right of asylum in
universal justice, separates treason
from offences against humanity. The
murderer is made, bv public treaties,