The Charleston daily news. [volume] (Charleston, S.C.) 1865-1873, 1867-05-13
sPnEC1I OF WENDELL pu1LL1Ps.

- sPMECII OF WENDELL Phillips.
we referred In our last issue 10 the signi6-
cant speech of Mr. Speaker CoLrAx, declaring
tho duty and intention of tho Republican party
to be the prompt admission Of tho Southern
States to Congress upon the ful6llment of tho
conditions of tho Reconstruction ACT. 81
The papers of the next day brought o speech
of II very different character from man who
has been moro of IN influence at tho North
Than any Of the Republican political notabili-
ties. WENDELL PHILLIPS has really been the
apostle of Radical agitation. A. man Of great
| ability and unwearied energy, he has devoted
| his life to "preaohing' IN idea in the old apos-
| tolic sense. He has deliberately, and appu-
rently without regret, excluded himself from
the honors that most political agitstors cannot
| resist, md in obscurity as in fame in the
fullness of triumph as In the disappointment Of
derenI has sought and obtained that influence
over mems minds, wloh is, perhaps, mans
highest achievement.
Thirty years ago he was considered foolish
bubbler; little later he was denounced as o
mischevous agitator; then lie becamo the rep
| rescntatiye of 6 growing power, which every
body dislikcd but nobody could desplse, and
finally he has roachcd that position in which
| he spoke the convictions and intentions of a
grcnt party. For the last few yeers what Mr..
PHILLIPS has announced as tho policy of the
Republican party, however il may have been
denied, hos proven, in o vcry short time, the
| true indication of their legislation.
And to-day he has ayowed policy in direct
antagonism both 10 the conditions of tho Re-
construction Act and TO tho expressed opinions
of the most ointment Republican lenders. Ho
says plainly that he docs not believe in the sin
ccrity of Southern rcconsLruction-that God
| Inns never yet converted IN adult generation,
, aud that until ut least one-half of the living
Southern people have gone to their graves the
work of the Republican party will not only not
bo accomplished but may yet be unaone
| lie insists that not only must the freedmen
hive the ballot in his hand aud tho school
house al his back, but he must have forty
ncres under his feet. And that not until seven
years Of repentance have passed shall the
Southern States be re-admitted :"
| He denounccs such mon as SHERMAN and
FgssEsDEs as traitors GRANT as imbecile, and
the Congress who failed 10 impeaoh the Presi-
dent as towards. 10 ~at
We have no doubt that SUMNER, and STEVENS,
and BUTLrR who, ms practical politicians, trans
late Mr.. PHILLIrs' ideas: into Congressional
aois, will endcavor TO carry out somo such pol.
10y as is indicated, but we have almost So little
doubt that they will fail. Mr.. PnILLirs must,
like all great agitators, pny tho penalty Of sue
cess. a man whose profession it is to correct
abuses, like o ratcatcher or destroyer Of YER
min, is dismissed when his work is done And
Mr.. PnILLrrs, at the head of the Abolition
party, has certainly cleared the political prem
ises of their pet "nuisance,' which was sla-
very. Il is not difficult 70 gather i crowd, to
assist in the work. of destruction, it appehls 40
temptingly to the atrongest instincts Of human:
lily. But the work Of reconstruction Is harder
and much less tempting Tho great ,pass Of
the American m people were undoubtedly IN ear
nest in desiring the abolition Of slavery, but
tho great nass Of the American pG6pie, now
that they have made the negro free, Intend
him to lake care of himself, They have given
him freedom and the ballot, and there ws be-
lieve they will stop.''' Thsy are just becoming
satisfied that they have paid enough FOR I.iihs
whistle" and BIZ. PnrLLlPs.m may, if,he pleases,
keep on playing upon II, but, as the Scripture
says, he may pipe unto them, but, they.wifl not
dance any longer A%iiSaT2 .;iS;1; i'i'o I,
| We refsr to this speechs however, that our
people may understand the very great i'm
portance to their future Of their own! Conduct
for the next few months, All the iisIpres ssion
Of public opinion at the North indicates, pe
think clearly, that the influence Of the extreme
and violent Radicals is waning; that the great
mass Of the people have, determined that this
question of reconstruction must. bs. settled |;
and all the. men who fairly represent the in
tollect, the social power, the organization of
the Republican party have openly and explicit
" declared their adhesion 70 tho Reconstruction
net ns o. finally. Everything depends upon the
way in which We execu.sit.3 The conduct Of
the Southern States, DO far, has excited the sur
prize and won the, admiration of all the think
ing men Of. tho North. There is marked in
\ crease both of'respeot and Kindness In all the
language Of public men and Of tho press, and
al home Re think II equally evident, that DIM
culIes,ho not look as insuperable as they did
two or three months ago.l As yet 1shavs seen
nothing to discourage the hOps' the. the Vote IL
the State WIN not BE- used for The general good
Of the State. and we earnestly trust, That
throughout the State every effort will be made
to complete faithful registration and to direct
tho public mind u, TO to those questions Of domeatio
policy which in the coming Convention 4wiil
we hope, be discussed fairly, temperatelv.