The daily phoenix. [volume] (Columbia, S.C.) 1865-1878, 1866-12-02
COLUMBIA.
Sunday Morning, December 2, 1866.
n New Proposition.

l.
btanch of the 'sFreedmen's Union
Commission" Chief Justice Chase,
on the 22d ultimo, delivered speech
and defined his position. He ex-
pressed his conviction that the con-
stitutional amendments now before
the country constitute the most mag
nanimous offer ever made to people
so recently engaged i'll rebellion. "
He did not say, however, that if they
we're not accepted by the Southern
people, we might expect still better
terms.
He made the remark, in the course
of his speech, that if we Of the South
think there is better mode of recon
struction-a more generous mode,
better calculated to secure the peace
and harmony of this great land-let
them come forward and propose it,
and the people will listen and Judge.
He further said:. 81 know what a
nation of passion and prejudice is
it is violent and unreasonable; but it
is transient-it speedily passes away"
The point we deem most important
in the speech is this, that instead of
wilfully and wantonly forcing upon
the people of this section what they
consider oppressive and unjust mea-
sures, he-and we presume there are
others in the Republican party who
think with him-is willing that they
should have q voice in adjusting the
terms of settlement. He has not told
us how that voice is to be heard, or
through what agencies the South is
to make known her views; but still
this declaration of leading Republi-
can, and from one who expects to
get the nominationNof his party for
President, is something tangible, and
would have been more so had he in
timated how the South was to come
forward and propose.
A contemporary-the Nashville
Union and Anerican-in view of these
utterances by Chief Justice Chase,
suggests that the several States of
the South, through their Legislatures
or otherwise, appoint delegates to a
conference or convention, to be held
in Washington, at an early day after
the meeting of Congress, to make the
proposition alluded to. It says:
'The delegates should be represen-
tative men Of prudence, wisdom and
discretion-whose voice would carry
with it the weight and opinion of
the Southern people. Let the Lee
gislature now in session move in the
matter, and in other States there
may be such an expression from the
press as to warrant the Governors in
making the proposed appointments.
This is, In our estimation, the short
est mode of expressing ourselves, and
the most authoritative, outside of
direct Congressional representation.
We copy this suggestion, and give
it for what it is worth. It is unques-
tionably the duty of the Southern
people, to accept any proposition, not
dishonorable, that promises resto-
ration ofpeace and harmony, between
the two sections of our country.
They have, in many ways, since the
close Of the war, manifested their
desire for permanent peace, and
will at any time accept an honorable
proposition for such o consummation.
Thesubmission of amendments to the
constitution, coupled with degrading
terms, is but mockery; for we'll they
know who propose them, that the
people of the South, humbled, down
trodden and impoverished as they
nay be, could never voluntarily en-
slave themselves to faction, which
seeks to overthrow the constitution
and destroy the liberties of the coun-
try.
The Springfield Mass Republican,
speaking Of the movement by certain
politicians in favor of i,npeachin0 the