The daily phoenix. [volume] (Columbia, S.C.) 1865-1878, 1866-09-01
was flooded with Treasury aaer

GaCoIS, uecceO Inc people f1ght and
left, returning into the United States
Treasury for all the enormous amount
of property they seized and confis-
Gated, barely enough to pay the cost
OF confiscation. Agents of the Freed
mems Bureau stepped between the
planter and the laborer, stirring up
strife, perpetuating antagonism, and
often adding their quota of extortion
and oppression. On every hand, the
people saw themselves robbed and
wronged by agents and self-ap-
pointed agents, protesting to act
under the sanction of the United
States Government. Need it be won
dered at that among community
thus dealt with, powerless to resist
and too weak and prostrated for sue
cessful complaint, some bitterness
and ill-feelipg should arise? None
but brave and well-meaning people
could have endured unresistingly all
that the South has undergone.
In prosecuting this inquiry, I
hardly deemed it fair to ask moro
than what had been the actions of the
people of the South towards the Gen
eral Government. With their private
opinions, their sympathies and their
Prejudices, I had nothing to do.
Yet, for more thorough understand
ing of the question, I made it n part
of my mission to investigate even
these. I found they had universally
complied with the conditions granted
and accepted at the final surrender
OF their armies and cause. I found
that they were carrying out with
good faith and alacrity the require
ments of the constitutional amend
ment abolishing slavery, and that in
all the States, excepting Mississippi
and Texas, the famous civil rights
bill had been anticipated by the ac-
ton of the State Legislatures pre-
vious to its passage by Congress.
Further than this, + found that in
the reputation of every dollar known
as the Confederate debt, the same
prompt action had been taken by the
State authorities, and had been uni
versally endorsed by the people; and
l neither heard nor saw any DISPOSE
ton, nor anything that pointed to-
wards disposition, to repudiate the
national debt, or to revive the insti-
tuition of slavery.
But while the Southern people are
thus loyal, and have fulfilled all the
requirements asked of them by the
Federal Government, it is impossible
to disguise the fact, and the better
class of citizens do not attempt to dis
gulse it, that there is among them a
deep feeling and a strong apprehen-
sion as to the cause of their long con-
tinued exclusion from Congress. They
believe that it is part of n set plan for
perpetuating the existence of the po-
lltical party now in the ascendant,
and that the question of suffrage, re-
adjustment of representation and
taxation, arc excuses for still longer
delay. Thus, regardless of the great
interests, not only of the suffering
South, but of the whole country, bur
dened with debt and laboring under
severe embarrassment, l found the
prevailing opinion among the most
intelligent citizens, as well as among
those most anxious for an carly re-
storation of the Union, to be, that if
representation and an equal and just
cooperation in the administration of
Federal affairs were much longer
withheld from the Southern States, a
feeling of Indifference would spring
up toward taking any part in filling
Federal offices, and more particu
larly towards re-filling their seats
IN Congress; that the people, in
fact, would stay away from the
polls, and allow the elections to 60 bv
default, to the great detriment of the
country at large. This feeling Of in
difference, indeed, is already mani
testing itself, and is rapidly increas
ing, SO much so that were it not for a
few persons in each Southern State,
who have found it necessary for their
existence to live upon and hold office,
and whose haunts and occupation
have hitherto been at the Federal
capital, l do not believe that anv
clamor for representation would be
heard
What is needed to restore harmony
and prosperity to the entire country,
both North and South, is closer and
better acquaintance with each other.
| have been astonished to notice how
little people, even whose social rela-
tons are all Southern, know of the
true state Of feeling in that section of
the country. We need greater social,
political and commercial freedom,
more frequent intercourse and kinder
appreciation of each others pecu-
llarities. The advantages to the coun-
trv in Ire ,>roca,,+ E,o,o;.1 e4,,ou - e