The daily clarion. [volume] (Meridian, Miss.) 1863-1866, 1865-11-25
To B. F. PERU, Provisional Governor:

b. +. PERRY,
Provisional Governor.
To B. F. Perry Provisional Governor:
SIR: Your last two dispatches have
been received, and the pardons suggested
have been ordered.
hope that your Legislature will have
no hesitation in adopting the amend
ment to the Constitution. of the United
States abolishing slavery. 1t will set an
example which will no doubt, be followed
by the other States, and place South Car
olina in q most favorable attitude before
the nation. l trust in God that it will be
done. The nation and the State will then
be left free and untrammeled to take
that course which sound policy, wisdom
and humanity may suggest.
ANDREW JOHNSON,
President, U. S.
Three davs afterwards / received the
following telegram from the President,
dated:
WASHINGTON, D. c.,
October, 31st, 1865.
| To B. r. Perry, PROVISIONAL Governor:
There is deep interest fl ut as to what
course the Legislature will take in regard
to the adoption of the amendment of
the Constitution of the United States
abolishing slavery, and the assumption OF
| the debt created to aid in the rebellion
against the Government of the United
! States. If the action of the Convention
was in good faith, why hesitate in max
| ing it part of the Constitution of the
| United States? l trust in Ged that the
restoration of the Union will not be de-
feated, and all that has, 80 far, been we'll
done, thrown away. | still have faith
that all will come out right yet. This op-
portunity ought to be understood and
appreciated by the people of the South
ern States. If know my own heart and
every passion which enters it, it is to re-
store the blessings of the Urion and tie
up and heal every bleeding wound which
has been caused by this fratricidal war
Let us be guided by love, and wisdom
from on high, and union and peace will
once more reign throughout the land.
| .. ANDREW JOHNSON.
President, U. S..
To these telegraphic dispatches, l re-
| piled that the war debt of South Caro-
! lima was very inconsiderable that our
| whole State debt, at this time, was only
about Sc, 100000; that this was mostly
incurred, anterior to the war, in con-
structing railroads and building new
State house, with an old debt of long
standing; that we had assumed no portion
Of the Confederate debt, and were re-
sponsible in no way for it. The expendi-
lures which the State had incurred mp to
a certain period had all been settled and
refunded by the Confederate States.
/ stated that South Carolina had abol-
ished slavery in good faith, and never in
tended or wished to restore it; that the
Legislature was then considering wise,
Just and humane system of laws for the
government and protection of the freed
men, in all their rights of person and
property; and that there was no objec-
ton to the adoption of the proposed
amendment to the Federal Constitution,
except an apprehension that Congress
might, under the second section of that
amendment, claim the right to legislate
for the negro after slavery was abolished.
1 likewise stated, that no official notice
had ever been received by the Legisla-
| ture, of the proposed amendment to the
Constitution of the United States.
In reply to this dispatch, L received
yesterday, the following telegram from
the Secretary of State, dated
WASHINGTON, Nov. 6, 1865.
To His Excellency, B. F. Perry, Provis-
ional Governor of South Carolina:
Your dispatch to the President of No
vember 4, has been received. He is not
entirely satisfied with the explanation it
contains. He deems necessary the pas
sage of adequate ordinances. declaring
that all insurrectionary proceedings in
the State are unlawful and void ab initiO
Neither the Constitution nor the laws,
direct official information to the States of
amendments to the Constitution submits
ted to Congress. Notice of the amend
ment, by Congress, abolishing slavery,
was nevertheless sent by the Secretary of
State at the time, to the States which
were then in communication with this
Government. Formal notice will imme-
diately be given to those States which
were then in insurrection.
The objection which you mention to the
last clause of the Constitutional amend
ment is regarded as querulous and unrea-
sonable, because that clause is really re-
straining in its effects, instead of en-
larGing the power of Congress.
The President considers the acceptance
of the amendment by South Carolina as
indispensable to restoration of her rela>
tions with the other States of the Union.
VIM. III. SEW ARD.