The Charleston daily news. [volume] (Charleston, S.C.) 1865-1873, 1866-01-03

terest, to determine what is the conduct to be
expected of the people Of the South, which
will show the proper spirit in their accep.
tanco of their present situation. To many
leading journals, and particularly those in
the interest of the Republican party, every
thing we do is q subject of offence. If in
some States there be acts passed in relation
to the negroes, the object is to injure them
if in others there be not, the object is to leave
them unprotected; if planters meet, to deter
mine upon the means upon which they can
re-establish their plantations, it is combina-
ton to take advantage of their former slaves;
if they do not, and make no effort to employ
them, it is the evidence of heartless purpose
to let the negroes starve. Every act and
every word has its double meaning. The
people of the South are false to their pledges
and their nature, of which their every act is
but the evidence; their highest duty to God
and man is to convict them of the wrong, and
to that praiseworthy purpose they dedicate
themselves with zeal which exhibits the
belief that the practice Of that one virtue
will alto he for the want Of every other.
An exhibition of this spirit occurs in rela-
ton to an invitation extended by the Legisla-
turc of Alabama to Gen. HAMPTON, then IN
Montgomery, to take seat on the floor OF
that Assembly. AT this occurrence the New
York Tribune exhibits virtuous indignation
that is truly edifying. No such honor has
ever yet been paid to a General in the service
of the United States; and the exhibition Of that
courtesy to gentleman otherwise distln-
guished, but who had been guilty of holding
Office under the Confederate Government, was
an offence which it could scarcely charac-
terize with sufficient severity, and eyinced the
feeling which units that State for re-en-
france into the Federal Union. Of the correct.
ness of the Tribune on this subject, we will
not undertake to speak. If the assumption OF
the Tribune be correct; if the South be con-
quered, subjugated, at mercy, and shall be
fit for restoration to the Union only upon the
abnepation of its manhood, self-respect, teel-
ing, Judgment and volition; if it be truly an
offence to take action of its interest, or OF us
business. or to raise its hand to protect its own
head. or say that its soul is its own, then the
conclusion of that journal is correct The
effort of planters Mt the South to take
counsel of their interests, and the
hardihood of the Legislature of Ala
hama in extending courtesy to Gen. HAMp-
TON, or to any one, evinccs feelings that unit
the Southern States for restoration to the
Union. Such actions do exhibit that there u
not that abnegation, dependence and abase'
ment considered necessary by the Tribune.
But whether the fact be so or not, has yet to
10 determined. There is policy of restorae
ton in which such perfect abnegation ana
abasement is not required Wfcther that
policy, or the policy presented by the T'7-
bune, shall prevail, has yet to be decided;
and until it shall be-until it is determined
that q re-entrance into the Union is incon-
sistent with some sense of responsibility and
selfrespect-it is not to be expected
that such sense will be abandoned and when
It shall be so determined, it will then remain
for the people of these States to consider
whether such Elusive entrance shall be
worth the price, or whether, if such enslave-
ment be their fate, it were not as we'll 70
take it without the mockery of further FORMS