The daily phoenix. [volume] (Columbia, S.C.) 1865-1878, 1866-05-17

Alexander H. Stephens, Broomal IL a md
Proost.
MIR. Broomall's intemperate Ian
guage on yesterday in the discussion
on the. Reconstruction Committee's
proposed constitutional amendment
was, In its personal illusions, q fla
grant breach of the prophecies Of
Congressional debate. The Hon;
Alexander H. Stephens, whether he
was night or wrong in the politica,
sentiment that induced him to par
taclpate in the movement of seces
SION, Is man of pure and noble
character, whose exemplary private
life and distinguished public record,
whose high intellectual endowments,
rare craftsmanship and scholarship.
and whose acknowledged sincerity o1
political belief and action, command
the respect and admiration of all
who are not incapacitated by fanati-
clsm or an inferior moral nature from
paying Just tribute to the qualities
that ennoble humanity and serve
civilization. Mr.. Broomall knows
that Mr.. Stephens is the peer of the
best In the land in those attributes
that elevate society and constitute the
essence of good citizenship; and vet
he dares, in the presence of the as
sembled representatives of the people,
knowing that his words will be pub
llshed to the world, compare his
fellow citizen, by far his superior in
mental and moral attributes, to one
OF the most debased and guilty of
Gods creatures, to fend in human
form who is to-day the abhorred of
oil our communities, and awaiting
the penalty of crimes that have no
parallel IN atrocity in the history of
human depravity. Says this pander-
er to Congressional appetite for sen.
satlon oratory: "Probst, the murder.
er, IS to be hanged, and Alexander
II. Stephens, one of the chief con.
splrators in the rebellion, is to have
n seat III the Senate of the United
States. What o mockery of justice is
this. The time will come when tho
poor miserable Dutchman will he
brought to the same bar with the
Vlce-President of the so-called South
ern Confederacy, who had aided in
numbering 230, 900 Northern men--
and then these things would be made
all even"
This implied sympathy for the
poor, miserable Dutchman. y is of a
kind with the morbid sentiment, the
s1ckening s. mockeiy of philanthropy
that prompted several prominent
radicals to denounce the execution of
the murderer Green as nn Outrage
against law and humanity. It re-.
minds one of Robespierre, who sent
thousands of his countrymen to the
guillotine, and wept when his dogs
tail was trampled on. And for
counterpart of the spirit of these
butchers of the French reign of
terror, We can look to the radical
demagogues of our cline and dav.
They lack but the power to emulate
their French prototypes in drenching
their native soil with the blood of
helpless victims, inundated to their
partisan resentments.
We allude to this Congressional
incident, not So much to vindicate
the character OF Alexander H. Ste
phens, which needs no such CHAM
pionship before an enlightened peo-
pie, as to renew our protest against
the attempt of Northern fanatics to
embitter the populations of their
section against their brothers of the
South. The conflict in the field is
ended, and with it should cease the
hostility Of sentiment, that is no less
pernlclous to the interests of the re-
public. The duty Of the houris to
cultivate good will, mutual respect.
confidence and fraternity, without
which Union would be valueless, and
peace denied its blessings. If the
members of the National Legislature
persist in heaping insult and oppro-
brlum upon the leading men Of the
South, they will simply retard the
process of morM Reconstruction.
whose consummation is, after all, the
surest promise of security for our
political system.
-Ner York, Ne,rs, Nh.
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