The Carolina Spartan. [volume] (Spartanburg, S.C.) 1852-1896, 1866-03-29
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Secretary MCCullOCh's Views
upon the situation.

upon the Situation.
We copy the following Washington let
ter from the Hartford, Connecticut, Courapt
WASHINGTON. March l, 1866.
The political world has been turbulent of
late. Whether there has been any reason
for it may be doubted, but no one who has
observed the current events for these few
weeks need be ignorant of the cause Of this
great uproar The collision Of extremes
and the lust of partisan rule seem to be
that cause. We are passing over from one
form of society to another and antagonis-
tic form, and it is but natural that much
misunderstanding and confusion should at
tend the process Of transition. But the
American people in the North and in the
South have common sense, and they are
already accepting the necessity and adap
ting themselves to the new order in affairs.
The Chief Executive Of this nation is
representative man; and he has qualities
which are Characteristic of both forms of
society. Born among slaves he learned to
support himself by his own labor Not
recognized by the ruling class in the com
mencement of his career, he has, step by
step, attained to the highest dignity in the
commonwealth. 1t would be interesting to
analyze the character of nan who has ex
perienced such vicissitudes, but shall not
undertake to do so now. 1t is suffcientt to
say that his patriotism and personal integ
rity are without rcproach, and that his most
implacable enemies have never questioned
his official purity of life and conversation
He has been accused, however, of incon
sistency, of capriciously abandoning his
"party,' and Of turning his back on his
original friends. He docs not deserve
these rcproachcs. He was called suddenly
and in n crisis to administer the affairs OF
the nation, for which he could not have
prepared himself, bccausc the public annals
offered no precedent for his guidance He
was compelled to make out his own chart !;
and with trust in God and reliance on the
people he endeavored to fulfil his duty in
conformity with the Constitution.
For the general principles of his admin
istration know Of no better authority than
Mr. McCulloch's speech at Fort Wayne in
October Of last year. At the time this was
uttered there was no "fagrant war;" as
some term it, between a portion of Con
Hress and the Executive, nor was such rup
turs apprchended. 1t had been alleged,
indeed. that certain individuals, known as
"Radicals," had attempted to dictate to the
President the policy which was to control
him in the reconstruction of the Union
Their prejudices and not his views were to
be the criterion of equity towards the re
bellious States The President, however.
considering himself co ordinate and IN
dependent power in the Government, de-
tcrmined on course consistent with his
own conscientious understanding of his
duty. These contradictory views were
clearly stated by Mr.. McCulloch in these
words:
"I know that many doubt the wisdom OF
Mr.. Johnson's policy that many are of the
opinion that by their Ordinance of Seces
sion the rebellious States had ceased to be
States under the Constitution, and that no
thing should be done by the Executive in
aid Of their restoration of State Govern
ments until Congress had determined on
what terms they should be re, tored to the
Union which they had voluntarily abau-
ooucu auu attemptcu to ucStrOy, tnat rs
the people of these States had appealed to
the sword and been subjugated by the
sword, they should be governed by the
sword until the law-making power had dis
posed of the subject of reconstruction that
no State that had passed Ordinances of
Secession and united with the so.caIled
Confederate Government should ever be
admitted again into the Union, unless in
ats preliminary proceedings all men, ire
spectiVe of color, should be permitted to
vote, nor without provisions in its Consti-
tuition for the absolute enfranchisement of
the negro. Some 60 even further than
this, and demand the confscation of the
property o. all rebels and the application
of the proceeds to the rayment of the ma
tional debt.
"These are not, ] apprehend, the views
Of q respectable minority. | know that
they arc not the views of majority of the
people Of the North. The better opinion
il that the States which attempted to SC
cedc never ceased to be States in the I'm