The Charleston daily news. [volume] (Charleston, S.C.) 1865-1873, 1866-08-21

| u
or restraint upon dsorganized and chaotic 30
ciety aud where the keen sense OF defeat is added
to the overthrow Of ambition and hope, scenes OF
violence should defy for time the imperfect dis
cplne OF law, and excite anew the fears and fore
bodings Of the patriotic and we'll disposed. 1t ls
unque stunably true that local disturbances OF
this kind, accompanied by more or less violence,
do still ccur. But they are confined entirely to
the cities and large towns OF the Southern states,
where different races aud interests are brought
most closely in contact, and where pas ions ana
resentments are always most easily fed and tanned
into outbreak; and even there, they are quite as
much the fruit of untn,ely and hurtful political
dgitation, as of any hostility on the part OF the
people to the authority Of the National Govern
ment.
But the concurrent testimony of those best &C
quainted with the condition OF society and the
state Of public sentiment in the South including
tablishes The fact that the great mass of the
Southern people accept with as full and sincere
submission as do the people Of the other States,
the established supremacy. of tho national au-
thority, and are prepared, in The most loyal spirit,
aud with zeal quickened alike by their interest
and their pride, to cooperate with other States
and sections III whatever may be necessary to de-
fsnd the rights, maintain the honor and promote
| Inc welfare ut our common country. Histor. af-
lords no instance where people, 10 powerful in
nnnibt re-, III resources and in public spirit after
war 80 long in its Duration, 80 destructive in its
progress, alld 80 adverse in its issue, have ac-
/
OF good taith as has MAJ lcd the conduct of the
| people at,ly III insurrection against the United
States. Beyond all questionhis has be, n largely
due to the Wlse generosity with which their en-
| forced surrender was accepted by the President o
tho United States and tlle generals in immediate
command of their armies, aud to tho liberal
measures Which wero aficrwdrd taken to restore
urtr, tranquility aud law to the States wilero all
had for tho time been over'hrown. No steps
could havo been better oaeU dated to COM
mand the respect, win the confidence, revive the
patriotism aud secure the permanent and afec-
tionate allegiance of the peupl. OF the South to
the Constitut ion and laws Ut the Union, than those
which have been 81 firmly taken and 80 81 oadtaet-
! ~ pursued by the President of the United States
Audit that confidence aud loyalty have been since
impaired; if the people of the South are to-day
less cordial IN their allegiance than they were i'm
mediatey upon the c0so OF the war, we believe it
| is due to the changed tone OF the legislative de-
partment Of the General Government toward
llcln to tho action by Which ,ngrcss has endea-
vorcd to sup liant aud defeat the Presidents wise
and bonefcont policy OF restoration; to their ex-
clusion from all participation in our common gov
ernment; to thy withdrawal from them Of tights
conferred aud guaranteed by the Constitution,
and to the evident purpose OF Congress- in the
! exercise Of usurped and unlawful authority, to
reduce them from the rank of free and equal
members OF republic of States, with rights and
dignties unimpsred to the condition OF conquer.
ed provinces aud conquered people, in all things
subordinate aud subject to the will OF their con.
querors, free only to obey laws In making which
| they are not allowed to share.
! No people has ever yet existed whose loyalty
| and faith such treatment long continued would
not ALLEVIATE and impair. And the ten millions of
Americans who live in the South would be unwor-
thy citizens Of free country, degenerate sons Of
Of the rights and liberties bequeathed to us by the
fathers and founders of this Republic if they could
accept with accomplishing submissiveness, the
humiliations thus sought to be imposed, upon
them. Resentment OF injustice is always and eve
rywhere essential to freedom; and the spirit which
prompts the States and people lately in insurrec-
I ton, but insurgents now no longer, to protest
| against the imposition OF unjust and degrading
conditions, makes them all the more worthy to
share in the government Of q free commonwealth,
1 aud gives still irmer assurance Of the future
power and freedom of the Republic. For whatever
responsibility the Southern people may have In.
CURED in resisting the authority OF the National
Government and in taking up arms for It's over
before the judicial tribunals Of the land, and for
that conduct, as socioties and organized commnzz
nitias. they havc--avrriy paia tho most fearful
penalties that eau rull o1;onding, States
| in tho losses tho sufcrngs and humilla.
! tipns OF unsuccessful war. But whatever may be
tho guilt or tue punishment of the conscious au-
thors oLthe nsurrecton, oandor and common
Justice demand the concession that the great
mass Of those who became involved in its respon-
sinility acted upon what they believed to be their
duty, in defence OF what they had been taught to
believe their rights, or under a CT mpuIsion, ply
sioal and mural, which they were puwerless to re-
sist. Nor can it be amiss to remember that, terri
| be as have been the bereayements and the losses
! OF this war; they have fallen exclusively upon
neither section and upon neither party-that they
| have fallen, indeed, with far greater weight upon
those with whom the war began; that in the death
| of relatives and friends, the dispersion OF fami
lies, the disruption OF social systems and social
ties, the overthrow OF governments, OF law aud vi
order, the destruction Ut property. and OF forms
aud modes and moans OF industry; the loss OF
| political, commercial, and moral influence, i'll
| every shape aud form which great calanlities can
] assume, the states and people which engaged III
! the War against tile Government OF the Unted
| States have suffered tenfod more than those who
| remained in allegiance to its Constitution and
| laws.
These considerations may not, as they certainly
do not, justify the action OF the people OF the in
surgeut Sta es; but no just or generous mind Will
refuse to them very nsiderable weight in de-
| termining the line OF o,ndnot which the Govern
ment OF tho United States should pursue toward
1 them.
They accept, if not with alacrity, certainly with
out suIlent resentment, the defeat and overthrow
they have sustained They acknowledge and
| acquiesee in the results, tD themselves and the
country which defeat involves. They no longer
claim for any State the right tD secede from the
UulOn; they no longer assert for any State an
allegiance paramount to that which is due to the
General Government. They have accepted tn :,
destruction of slavery, abolished it by their State
| Constitutions, and cnncurred with the States and
| pBuple Of the whole Union IN prohibiting its ex-
4 istence forever upon The soil or within the juris-
dicton OF the United States. They Indicate and
evinee their purpose just SO fast as may be pos-
uhla and .afa tn, a1 nj their domestic In wa To the