Yorkville enquirer. [volume] (Yorkville, S.C.) 1855-2006, 1867-02-14
A NEW COMPROMISE.

The result of Gov. ORR's labors, in conjunction
with other prominent Southerners gathered togeth-
er at Washington, has at length been submitted to
the public. It is in the form Of proposed a.
mendment to the Constitution Of the United States
and corresponding amendment to the different
State Constitutions. As proposition destined to
agitate the public mind, We give it place IN an
other column, but we wish to state distinctly that
we neither endorse nor condemn it at present. The
fact that it is offered with the laudable intention OF
pouring oil upon the troubled waters of our yet
settled difficulties entities it to respectful consd-
Grafton, even though it may not receive our appro-
baton.
It is to be regretted, however, that the project
has been presented to the consideration Of South
en legislatures, without any reliable assurance OF
its being accepted by the North as final settle
ment This we regard as a fatal defect in the
scheme, and, for this reason, we refrain from dis
cussing the policy of adopting or rejecting it. 1t
will not do for the South to take any action so Sc
riously affecting her interests, in the mere hope OF
such action being satisfactory settlement to the
North. This was tried, with very Indifferent sue
cess in the notification of secession the abolition
of slavery and the reputation Of the Confederate
debt. These concessions, we were assured would
at once put us into the position of sister States on
terms of peace and equality With the other States.
Influenced by this sole motive, "a desire to settle
the dispute our States adopted theso distastetnl
measures, only to find that our haste in adopting
them had the effect of increasing the exacting spirit
of the North. Attributing their adoption to a
wrong motive, the Radical party have ever since
been striving to squeeze more concessions from us,
as the thief always becomes bolder in proportion as
his victim grows feebler in resistance.
Any proposition, thereof, which aims to settle
the issues of the war, must have as an indispensa
BILE condition, the previous approval Of The North
ern States before it is worthy Of Southern atten-
ton. When the compromise now under conslde-
ration has been officially adopted by the Northern
States, it will be time enough to discuss the pro,
priety of our accepting it. We are told that the
President and Gov. ORR both urge its adoption by
Southern States these gentlemen being hopeful
that it will please the North. But our people want
better guarantees than this. Hope is too unsub-
stantial an endorser to assure them especially when
unsustaned by the presence of her sister Faith. We
hope nothing we trust nothing in Radical pledges.
Their acts alone are what we rely upon, and when
they officially offer us terms of peace, we will be in
a position to make settlement. Meanwhile, let
us abstain from max ring bids for their favor which
may result in humiliation, without even the poor
reward of obtaining re-admittance to their friend
ship 1t is to be hoped then, that for the present.
these proposed amendments will be left for the con-
sideration of the oyal" States We luckless rebels
have been bad boys, and we ought to wait till the
good boys want to make friends, before we make
proposals to them.