The daily phoenix. [volume] (Columbia, S.C.) 1865-1878, 1865-10-13

c., FRIDAY MORNING, I
! SELF eK-preservation-not 10 injure others but
| to save ourselves. It CANNOT be necessary
| TO say that am one OF those who believe
| that it was an honest effors for honorable
purposes. The United States Governments
denied the right of secession and waged
war upon the Confederate States, which
stood upon the defensive. A terrible war
Of invasion and desolation 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 the Confederacy broken up,
her. citizens who survived the terrible
ordeal exhausted and impoverished, her
try occupied by the military forces of the
United States. Under these painful cir
cunlstances, the President Of the United
States invited tho States lately composing
the Confedcracy to re-organize their gov
| ernments and restore their connection with
the Constitution and Government OF the
United States, upon certain conditions, the
principal of which was an acquiesence in
the abolition of slavery, which had been
accomplished by the military authorities
The State, wisely in my Judgment, respond
ed favorably to the invitation. It is true.
right any more than did the old wager of
battle;" but it does prove power which can
not be disregarded. A Provisional Cover
nor was appointed, who called smother con-
vEntion OF the people, which has lately
repealed the Ordinance Of Secession, and
by an article in the State Constitution,
recognized the abolition Of slavery and pro-
hibited its re-establishmcnt. BY repeal
ing that of Secession, the Ordinance OF
1888, through which South Carolina be-
came member Of the Union, was ipso
fdcto revived, and we are this day in the
remained up to 1860.
We are now IN avery anomalous position.
Relying upon the good faith and patriotic
Intentions Of the President of the United
States, we have done all that was required
of US to restore our old relations to the
have not been received into fellowship at
Washington. That important part Of the
plan OF reconstruction remains yet to be
accomplished. It is understood that .
party will oppose the Presidents plan Of
reorganizing the States and giving to them
equality Of fights, and viii Insist upon stili
farther despoiling and crashing 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 weYS in the Union, they
| ~aged 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
secure prudent, faithful and patriotic
representation in Congress, to assist and
| forward the work Of restoration which the
State has commenced. l arrogate not to
myself fitness to form part of such rep
resentation, but friends have urged mo for
| ovI ~ r
u will give my best efforts.
! In some respects, we are at the beg ginning
| 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 history to
| preserve. Whatever may betide US in the
/ uncertain future, the past, st least, is Sc
cure. South Carolina has never swerved
from the path OF honor, as she conceived it.
We have 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
adhercs in adversely we'll as in pros
perity-is loyal through evil as well a,
through good report; and II the midst of
the greatest mlsfortunes, Stlckcth closer
than a brother"
After the delegations from the Southern
States shall have been received into Con-
gress, many delicate and inpol tant duties
will devolve upon them, especially in refer
ence to the freedmen of the South, and the
control which Congress, or party in Con-
gress, may desire still to exercise over
them. 1t may not be improper, in this
connection, to say that, whist have ap-
proved the course Of the State in seeking
to restore her old relations with the Govern
ment of the United States, it has been upon
the faith and expectation that the State, q.
soon as reconstructed, is to have entire
control of the whole subject Of her domes-
tic affairs. The State, and ths State alone,
: mrst be left to decide to whom she will
Civ. the right OF suffrage or other political
rights. A new code nois' must be enacted
to protect and govern the population lately
made free-to prevent idleness, v.grancy
pauperism and crime. am not prophet
enough to foresee whether we can succeed