The daily phoenix. [volume] (Columbia, S.C.) 1865-1878, 1866-06-15
: sCOLITMBIA.
Friday Morning, June Is. 1855.


Shall we Have Peace X
IF this question were to be left to
the good sense OF the Amerioan pac-
pie. It would beafirmatively answered.
hut. unfortunately, they win not have
auopportnnity, foraome timeto come,
so declareupon the subject-not nm
tilthe Congressional elections IN tue
Northern and Western States shall
take place. -. ~ :.
I'm The meantime, the Union suffers
FROM the malevolence of an rnprin-
cipled set Of men, who, through Chi
,chanery and double-dealing, have ao-
quired the control of the legislative
department of the Government. Re
gardless Of the voice of the people;
regardless OF their obligations as rep
resentatives Of the people, and re-
gardless of their solemn oaths to up;
hold and defend the Constitution of
the United States-in fact, regardless
of every consideration except the ac-
complishment of their own wicked
and perverse ends-these men are
driving the country headlong to de-
strnction.
But for this squad OF evil-doers,
the States of the Union would have
been reunited and the country re-
stored to harmony and peace, long
ere this. Every interest of commerce
and trade, which, for four years, had
been divided by civil war, have re-
newed their ancient relations of mu-
tual and reciprocal exchange of good
Offices; every organization which,
before the war, had united national
existence, has resumed that brotherly
condition-Masonic Lodges, Odd
Fellows Societies, Printers Unions,
and many other benevolent associa-
tions, have again become national,
not only in name, but in deed and in
truth. In primary and mass meetings
of the people of the North, in politi-
cal conventions, in religious commu-
mites, with, perhaps, a single excep-
tion, the whole people have spoken,
and, by the usual machinery of such
assemblages, preambles and resolu-
tions have, with one voice, declared
in favor of the Union as it was, and
the earliest practicable restoration of
peace to the country
Aud why, after this marked and
universal pulsation of the great heart
of the american people for peace, has
it not come to bless the land? Sim
oply because 140 or $50 bad and de-
signing men, with revenge in their
hearts, fanaticism in their shallow
brains, and ambition in their souls,
have determined to rule the country
and share the spoils Of Office, wrung
by unjust legislation from the pockets
of the toiling masses of the people.
How long those people will stand it,
God only knows. AS prevention is
better than cure in the rules of six
teen to one, SO do we now think it the
duty OF the people to move ere it be
too late.
In one or two States of the Union.
we have already the sad evidences Of
the evils these men are hurrying upon
the country. The large majority of
the people of Tennessee have been
dlsfranchised, and their rights and
privileges wrested from them. In
Missouri, it is fully as bad, if not
worse. There they have put in force
oh odious test oath, which has already
been pronounced unconstitutional.
The radical rowdies have not hesitated
to break up meetings assembled to
hear Gen. Blair advocating the Presi-
dents policy. Offensive weapons
were used with deadly effect in the
assaults of these miscreants, and there
are many other indications, in that
State, at least, that they are deter
mined, even by force, to sustain radi-
cal measures and men.
All this forbodes great and terrible
evils to our unhappy country.
Scarcely has she emerged from desc