The daily phoenix. [volume] (Columbia, S.C.) 1865-1878, 1865-10-29

| reply, tnat on the 10Th Septembe last His
Excellency President johnson gave me a
special pardon, which restored me to all
the rights and privileges cf n.. c,Ae:- c.,:-
zen Of South Carolina. And, in this con-
nexion, it may be remarked, that if tho
President, as alleged by some, objects to
Ex-Confederate Congressman being elected
now to the United States Congress, is it
reasonable to suppose he would pardon
them at this particular time? If he objects
to their being elected, how easy and natu.
raj it would have been for him simply to
have declined pardoning them for the pre-
sent-till after the approaching elections
for Congress? The fact Of such persons
being pdrdoned, Is a rirtuol denial, bu the
President, Of has haring any such objec-
tons.
AS tc wAc ce Tic Candidates oif t;;.i, Dis
tr1ct would be able to take the much
talked-of '7est odM," as u condition to
taking his seat, invite your attention to
the following extract from the Message of
HIS Excellency Governor Perry, to the Lc-
glslature, on Thursday last, viz:
''In July, 1862, Congress passed nm Act
prescribing an oath Of office for ali persons
TO take VINO were elected or appointed to
any ofhce OF honor or profit under the Co
vernment OF the United States. This oath
requires the party to swear that he has
.I never porne arms against the United States:
that ne has never held or sought Office
er 1nder any power inimical to the United
states; that he has given no aid, counsel
~ U couHtenance to persons in hostility TO
the United States; and that he has not
u fbor;tu host;ia a stG;iiantary support to any au-
tIhorlty tI hostile to the United States. If
In1s oath is to be applied to members of
congress, it will, Of course, exclude all
from South Carolina. It NAV. with trntb
pe SAID, that no man in South Carolina can
take 1t without committing perjury. But
1ne constitution OF the United States pre-
TO take, and they cannot be reonirej to
take any other oath constitutionallv. There
may nave been some show of proprietv for
eAactng this oath when it was enacted
anliost an the war between the Southern
states and the United States; but there
pose or excluding the Southern nennIe
1;1 from all Office within their respective
otates, and still holding those States in
military subjection. 1 know that this is
not the policy of the President, and | car
no, oehevc that 1t will be the avowcd
poncy OF the Federal Congress. If the
southern members are present when the
loii IS caHed by States, they will take a
part III the organization of the House. and
ma; vote against the oath being rendered
10 1he members when they are sworn
IL Will thus be seen, that if the above
mentioned ''ooM" should be insisted on
1t would exclude any Of my competitors. as
we'll as myself.
The foregoing explanation have doomed
necessary, because of the war which is
'elhS "aSed upon me, on account of having
oeen IN the Confederate Congress. But. in
thus stating my record would be morti-
ned II l should be understood. as intera-
ing anything have done or said. as an
apology Tor, or in mitigation Of my past
course. Believing as did, that the States
had right to withdraw from the Usion
ana from other OBSERVATION-DISCLOSURES wit
messed the continually increased hostility
or the two sections, growing out of their
conne1lon under the Federal Constitution
dld believe it would be better for both
North and South, to separate, and TINS
reheve the North of any responsibility for
our institutions, and let the North and the
South be wot,1endly 'aeighbors, rather than
acorranJ members Of the same Government
AND when, IN the exercise of this supposed
right, the conflict of arms came, am free
to confess that every pulsation of nv
heart was for the success of Southern
arms. For these opinions and these wishes
nave no apology to make. And mis-
Judge human nature, if Southern man
Will md favor even with Northern people,
by either apolosizing for the past, or pro-
testing that his heart was never in the
cause. Accepting the result of the war as
a maj settlement of our controversy, and
carrying out such acceptance in good
faith. is one thing; the craven surrender of
all the thoughts, feelings and recollections
of Southcrner, is quite another. thing.
When Alexander the Great had overrun