The daily phoenix. [volume] (Columbia, S.C.) 1865-1878, 1866-11-04
GnEENvrLLE, S. c., October 2G, 1866.

ceivinS your letter, few DAYS since. cx-
pressing kind interest i'll the condition Of
the Southern States, and urging that South
Carolina should adopt the constitutional
amendment proposed by Congress. You
also expressed g wish to know my views in
reference to this all-absorbing political
question.
1t has been said that u man never can be
dishonored, except by himself Others
may injurc him and opprcss him; they may
SANDER him and destroy him, but they can
no more dishonor him and render him in
famous. than they can dcfame virtue and
ruth and honor. The same may be said
Of II people or a nation. Whilst they pur-
sue an honorable and patriotic course,
they cannot be disgraced by the insults,
wrongs and expressions of stronger
power, however tyrannical and cXactinS
that power may be.
The Southern States may be deprived! OF
all political power III the Union, their pro-
perty may be confscated, and their most
distinguished and virtuouss citizens glib
betted or the gallows, but they cannot be
rendered infamous in history by any such
barb2rous and inhuman conduct. Such q
course will only dishonor and render infa-
nous their opprcssors.
do not concur with you in supposing
that the constitutional amendment will be
adopted by three-fourths Of the States. [
am sure this will not be the case. There
arc thirty-six States in tho Federal Union,
and this will require the adoption of the
amendment by twenty-scven. The rejec-
ton of the amendment by ten States will
defeat it. 1t is morally ccrtain-as certain
as any future event can be, depending on
l,,,,, ,,f, ~.
Sla, Virginia, North Carolina, Alabama.
Florida, Mississippi, Louisiana, Texas, Ar
kansas and Kentucky eleven States
not dishonor themselves by adopting the
proposed constitutional amendment.
There arc not, therefore, as you say,
''Northern States enough to make the re-
quisito number to adopt the amenllncnt"
If adopted, il must be by the aid of two
recrcant States OF the South besides Ten
rcssce. This cannot occur.
You state that you greatly fear worse
terms will be imposed on the South, if the
amendmcnt DO not adopted. What security
has the South that worse terms may not
be imposed, If the amendment is adopted?
we have no guarantee whatever that the
Southern members vii! be admitted to
their seats IN Congress, after the amend
mcnt IS adopted. Nothing of the kind is
intimatcd; and, whilst the test oath is cx-
acted, it would be impossible for the South
crn States to be represented in Cou.rcss.
except by those who wOuld tlishonor and
disgrace them. We have no guarantee that
Congress may not still hold the southern
States as conquered provinces, and appoint
provisional Governors over them, with in
structloas to convene 'loyal' conventions.
elected by universal negro suffrage, and
have formed State Constitutions, (which
all shall be entitled to vote and hold office.
without regard to caste or color, to the
exclusion OF who Ips nil
countcnanced the rebellion.
The first section Of the constitutional
amendment proposes to make citizens of
all the negroes liz the Southern States,
without regard to moral character or at
tachmcnt to Republican principles. which
are required OF all foreigners who become
citizens, after residence of five Years in
the United States. No matter how infa-
nous may be the character of Il negro. as
liar, Il rogue andl murderer, he becomes
an American citizen by this amendment,
and entitled to all the rights and privileges
OF citizenship. But the 1rishman, German
and EnSlshman must first satisfy the
court that he is q man of good moral cha
ractcr, and we'll attached to the principes
OF our Government, before he can be in
vested with such rights and privileges.
Why this preference should be given to
the black man, III his ignorance and vice,
over the virtuous and intelligent white
u,
Is hard to conceive.
Already, South Carolina has declared,
by Legislative enactment, that negroes shall
have all the rights and privileges of white
men in person and property. They may
sue and be sued, purchase and dispose of
property, inherit and be tried, as white
men are. They are subject to no greater
penalties or punishment for crime than
white men. In all of the Southern States.
the same enactment has bee. or will be
made. 1t would seem that this ought to
satisfy the Northern people OF our purpose
to protect the negro and do ample justice
to hln IN all of his rights of person and
property.
The right to hold office and vote is 4 po-
lltlcal right, which belongs exclusively to
every community, and to DO regulated as
to them shall seem proper, without inter
ference, IN any way, by any other power.
There ls not a civilized conImunitv in tho
world where restrictions have not been
imposed on the right of holding Office.
voting and exercising political power. The
Northern States have done so from their
earliest history up to the present day To
deprive the Southern States of the same
right, woald be the grossest injustice and
tyranny. And to consent to it, on their
part, voluntarily, would be self-dcgrada-
ton and infamy.
The second section of the proposed con-
stltutlonal amendment declares that rep
rescntatlon shall be in proportion to the
number of voters in each State, and that if
any male inhabitants over tho age of
any! cause whatever, they shall not be
enumerated IN the basis of representation.
Ihls makes 1t imperative on the Southern
states to give up their representation for
large portion of their population, or per-
NIT the negroes to vote. The injustice of