The Charleston daily news. [volume] (Charleston, S.C.) 1865-1873, 1866-11-16
YHE CHARLESTON DAILY WS...NOVEMBER 16. 1866.

of the country, and arc also involved, there
fore, in the consequences of our conduct. But
what more than we have done would they have
us do? Shall tho political leaders of the South
retire from public life? That they have done.
There is not one of them, within our knowledge,
who aspircs to office, or would accept it, but
from the conviction that it is incumbent on him
to discharge its duties. Shall we say that our
adyersaries were right and we were wrong !?
Against that it is n conclusive argument that
there is not one ofthcm who would believe us, and
the pleasure they would find in IN AMUSEMENT
so profound rs TO acknowledge merit in them
that in thcir hearts they do not clain-a wrong
i'll ourselves they know We have not donr-will
scarcely move them to mitigate Affections upon
victims so ready to receive them. Shall wo ad-
init of negro suffrage2 That will not nppcasc
them. They want cause of complaint, not
compliance, and this conceded, they will find
that cause in something else. Shall we accept
the Constitutional Amendments, and admit,
therefore, the right of that party to mould the
Constitution to its pleasure, and i'll effect. thorc
fore, accept the despotism it assumes2 That
will bo but aB cry for mercy, and is that moro
potent than justice TO protect US? or if that
party had no sense Of justice, no respect for
the Constitution, the prestige, glories, and ira
ditions of the country-if it has been instant,
Us it surely has, at every period and place Of
its history and progress, to exhibit tho lowest
tastes, the most brutal instncts-if it shall al
ways have repudiated deccncy and virtue
and tolerated only vulgarity and vico-is it
certain or supposnblc that it has retained the
gentle attribute of mercy! or is it SO certain it
will triumph over tho government, that in adj
vance VIC must hail it as the victor? The
President has taken his stand upon the Consti-
cate the integrity of the Union. lie has yet
the power to do so. He is commando der-in- chief
cf IN army which, if he shall have sufficient in
tellectual intrepidity, must obey him. lie has
charged that the act of 4 party, in changing
tho Constitution to its will, is act of usurpa-
tion; and that that act whatever be its merits, is
one to be resisted. lie has, therefore, right
and power upon his side; and is it certain that
he will fail? or so certain that wo are warrant
ed in running from the fortunes of his falling
house? OF if this is to be done-if the dirt is
to be eaten, what are we to be paid for it
We arc not proud or rebellious. Our struggle
has been made in vindication of cause we
conceived to be right, and that failing, we arc
willing to confess our inability to do more, and
to accept of power in any form in which it may
come upon us; and we have that regard for our
lives, which are still trust, and the well-being
of our families, that if acts are required of us
for which any fair consideration is offered, we
would perform them. We are ready to work,
cheerfully, for the conditions of material we'll
being and would scruple ut little, not positively
vicious or immoral, that would help us to that
end. But what are we to gain by prostration
before the Radical party ut the North? An ex-
emption from greater severities of oppression?
They cannot spare us. They are not sui juris.
A party, impelled by the rude instincts of
mass, must roll on to the physical impediment
sufficient to resist it. It's leaders are power
less to restrain it. There is no promise, if
made, that they could keep; their lives would
be scarcely safe if they should speak for mercy
or venture to stand in the track to plunder
They have made no promises-they ask pros
tration merely;-or if they had, they could not
keep them; and unless that party shall break to
division i'll the spoils, or be arrested by the
Government, our weak propitiations would be
vain, as Eastern incantations to a pcstilcncc, to
arrest its desolating course. To those of our
friends, then-and we arc willing to esteem them
such, and honest in their purposes-who COM
plain that we arc not sufficiently humble and
we have only to say that we have
:.
tunes nre not under our control, and, in our
conception, we have nothing left US but to be
passive and await results with propriety and
self-respect.