The daily phoenix. [volume] (Columbia, S.C.) 1865-1878, 1866-08-08
rlre Politic.l situation.

The following excellent article is
from the National Aateuiyeacei-, of
Saturday: :.
In the letter which we recently
published from Alexander Mitchell,
Esq, of Milwaukee, to Senator Doc
little, we were very much gratified
with one passage. He says: ''They
lour public men seemed to have for
gotten that the question was not how
to execute vengeance or infict pun
ishment, but how the seeds of loyalty
could best be planted and fostered
through the recently rebellious
South"
This touches the question, the
great, the universal question ef re-
union, in its very marrow. The pri-
mary, paramount purpose of states
manship should be to harmonizc the
late belligerent sections, to cause
friendship, and affection, and frater-
nifty to grow up in the hearts of the
people of the United States, both
North and South Until this is done
there is no restoration ofethe Union
In any Just sense. II the people Of
the North and the South are to feel
only hatred, and prejudice against
each other, then the gigantic contest
through which we have passed to pre-
serve the national unity has been in
! vain. Unless fraternity exists be-
tween the sections, the only result of
the war Is, that the United States has
preserved its geographical lines.
| In no respect has President John
son manifested higher powers of
craftsmanship than III the policy
which he pursued on the breaking up
of the Confederacy He was perfect
ing by the arts of peace the victories of
our arms. He procured the volIin-
tary abolition of slavery, and there
WAS general disposition to do what
ever the President thought was nc
cessary and proper. There was q re-
luctance ILL some States to repudiate
the Confederate debt, because they
felt, whether right or wrong it is ,ln-
necessary to determine, that repudin-
ton involved some stain upon them.
But the feeling through the South
was good The great mass of the
Southern people wished to be recon
clled to the Union. And if the wise
and mastery policy Of the President
had heen carried out, the cause, of
the Union would have rested on q.
foundation OF granite in the willing
acquiescence and affection of the
people.
But, unfortunately, the interest of
dominant partisans was to widen the
gulf between the two sections, for
purposes of sectional spoliation.
Hence everything has been done bv
Congress and prominent leaders in
the radical party, and the radical
press, to stimulate the prejudices and
antagOnlsm of the North. The foun-
dations Of the Union rest upon con
Citation, the foundations of the radi-
cal party upon religion of hatred.
Therefore it is, that the good, the
noble work of harmony set on foot
by the President has been interrupt
ed and oounteracted, and in its stead
the seeds of alienation and discord
have been sown. 1t is this policy of
the radical party, to perpetuate
alienation, which renders the future
OF our country SO gloomy
Mr.. Burke, undoubtedly the most
profound and philosophical of mo-
dcrn English statesmen, in his celc-
brated speech on "Conciliation with
America, indulged in train of re-
tiection peculiarly adapted to the
present condition of affairs in this
country. Referring to the policy
pursued towards Wales, he sail:
Wales, within itself, was in per
petual disorder. Benefit from it to
the State there was none. Parlia-
ment cndeavored to subdue the fierce
spirit of the Welch 10y nll sorts of
rigorous laws. You find no less than
fifteen acts of penal regulation on
the subject of Wales.
'Here We rub our hands-a fine
body of precedent for the authority
OF Parliament Iadmit it fully; and
pray add likewise to those precc
dents, that all the while Wales rode
this kingdom like an incubus; that it
was an Improbable and oppressive
burthen, and that an Englishman
travelling in that country could not
go six yards from the high road
without being murdered.
1.-The march of the human mind is
slow. 1t was not until after two hun
pred years discovered that, ky an
eternal law, Providence hath dccrccd
vexatlon to tyrants and poverty to
rapine." But when different policy
was sinaugurated, from that moment
rs by Il charm the tumults cubc;lal