The Charleston daily news. [volume] (Charleston, S.C.) 1865-1873, 1867-08-09
WHAT SHALL WE DO9

The 0rQer OF 'Ueneral SlCkLES, requiring ehe
registration of voters to be without delay COM
menced, brings to the people of the State at
once the necessity for their decision as to the
conduct they will adopt in reference to that
matter. Hitherto it has been thing anticl-
pated, not that which required positive action.
And various opinions have been expressed in
the form of advice to our people. We have,
with others, expressed our opinion; in that
opinion we, with others, have given our advice.
We have done so honestly, as we believe others
have done; and we know, influenced by no
passion. swayed by no prejudice. Believing
that the welfare of our people forced upon their
consideration and recommended to their adop-
ton O. certain course of conduct, we have urged
that conduct upon them. We propose now and
again to do so. We intend to press it upon
them while there is room for argument, and
time left to induce them to concur with us. If
we shall succeed, we have the most thorough
conviction that never in the future will we
have cause to regret the advice we have given.
We arc equally sure the people will never re-
gret that they have accepted it. If we shall
not succeed, we will know that no effort on our
part has been neglected to save them from con-
sequences which, when fairly provoked, we
believe will be then alike inevitable and intol-
erable.
In the discussion which we have conducted,
in which others have participated, we have
heard objections often, in the way of sugges-
tions, some of which, we believe, have been not
without effect To one of these some consider
alton has been attached. And this we propose
to dispose of before We present, briefly, clearly,
and, we hope, conclusively, our views in rela-
ton to the great question: What shall we DO !
1t would be scarcely irreverent in connection
so deeply important, involving. as we believe
it does, the most momentous consequences that
we should repeat the startling question as it
was once asked: Men and brethren, what shall
we do to be saved?'
The objection to which we refer-madc some
times positively, at other times by way OF sug-
gestion-of the difficulties encountered in the
conduct we have advised, and do advise, is that
it affects us, and all who concur with us, with
the charge of Inconsistency. And we are free
to admit our surprise at the effect which this
objection, scarcely even specious, has pro-
duced We propose now to estimate its value,
to understand its worth. And that we propose
to do by ascertaining its truth. With what
doctrine, or opinion. or conduct, is that which
we have advised, and do advise, inconsistent
1t must be either the conduct we adopted be-
fore the war, during the war, or since the sur
render. If it is meant that such conduct as we
have urged upon the people of the State, to ac-
complish it's restoration to the Union, is incon-
sistcnt with our conduct before the war, then it
is meant that the opinions represented now by
such conduct as we advise is inconsistent with the
opinions which we cherished before and during
the war; This, then, assumes that the opinions
we entertained before and during the war, and
the conduct which we adopted because of such
opinion, are opinions which we still may, and
do entertain; and that the conduct which was
inconsistent with those opinions is, therefore,
conduct which now it is still proper to adopt.
And as these opinions were then rested upon
certain political doctrines, the proposition is
still more simplifed by referring the charge of
to the difference between the
political doctrines we entertained before the
war, and those which we now recommend for
adoption. We are free to acknowledge that we
do not know what political doctrine, entertained
by the people of this State, and considered as
the doctrine of the State before the war, has
not been, in the results of that war, regarded
as wholly rejected, which, by the action of the
State, has not been wholly renounced; and
which, if now affirmed, is not inconsistent with
the conceded Interpretation Of the oath taken
by all who, since the close of the war, have
renewed their allegiance to the Government of
the United States Will they who talk or write
about consistency in this connection, tell us
what portion of that political doctrine which
was cherished in these States survives now in
such form that we can give its proclaimed
and acknowledged existence as the justification
Of our conduct, according to it's requirements? ?
OF that political theory which in this State
was recognized as true, was not the essential,
the vital element, that Of the sovereignty of the
State? Was there any political duty enjoined
upon the old, and taught to the young, with
more conviction of its truth, than that the pri-
mary allegiance. of each was due to his State ?
Can any man who has renewed his allegiance
to the Government of the United States, by
taking the oath which he has been required to
take, pretend to say that his adherence to such
opinions as he entertained in conformity with
this political theory adopted by this State, is
now consistent with the meaning and obliga-
ton of the oath which he has now taken? Is
there consequence of the war more positive
md unequivocal than that it settled by an ap-
peal to the ultimd ratio, the logic of the sword
the truth of this doctrine? And when the
Scared legions of LEE and JOHNSTON gave up
heir arms and returned to their homes, was
not the political doctrine for which they had
fought lost with their flag? Did any man
hen believe, did any man, even to himself,
venture to assert, that the State still had the
right TO secede; that its secession, if it then
pleased it to ordain it, not only justified but re-
luircd that; that its citizens should acknowl-
edge its authority as paramount to that of the
United States? Surely not. And was it dis
putcd or questioned, Tat when the Convention
Of the people of the State repealed the 0rdi-
nance of Secession, it signifed to the people of
he United States, that while the people of this
State had believed that measure to be right |
when it was passed, thenceforth they did not so |
believe? And can we forget that this intention |
Of the Convention of the people of South Caro-
ina was not only thus manifested by its own