The Charleston daily news. [volume] (Charleston, S.C.) 1865-1873, 1867-06-24
nEcossTnucTroH AND THE MERcUnr


Since tho passage Of The Reconstruction Act,
in all TINT wo have said, wo l,nvo desired to
avoid, md wo think we have avoided, q tone of
controversy. Wo haYo expressed, clearly and
frankly, our opinions, and there wo have
stopped. However, earnest our convictions,
we have respected THO convictions md preju-
dices Of others, md have always felt aud been
rcndy TO recognize that on such n question
men might differ from us widely, tho honesty
of whose opinions wo were bound TO respect.
Wc feel, nlyo, TINT in our condition nothing
| could be so unfortunate or SO useless as q con-
troversy which should excite angry contention
and prevent common action Ivy nm idlo dispute
ns TO tho various motives which might induce
this nction We think 80 still, md therefore
VIC reply to the commenting of the Mercury of
Saturday, upon tho course of this paper. We
shall not boz provoked into n dispute. But it
is due 10 ourselves 10 slate distinctly what We
intended 10 say, what wo have said, and wlnt,
with oil the .fhets before us, we are willing to
repeat We might mool with special criticism
Tho charges Of tho Mercury, but VIC prefer very
much 10 deal with the main issue, for 10 TINT
only oan any real public Importance attach.
We assume that The President intends to ncL
upon tho opinion of tho Attorney q enernl,
which Inns been officially published. If he docs
motif This opinion has been published simply
10 inform the South that tho notion OF tho mill
tary commanders is illegal and oppressive, but
that tho Executive, to whom they orc respon
sible, thinks TINT his duty is discharged by
expressing bis opinion, and TINT we must take
the responsibility of acting ON il, then wo are
willing 10 leave tho condemnation of auch nm
net of criminal folly to the Mercury ITSELF Nc
have no doubt Of the sentence il would pro-
nounce. a.g.a.E ,.i5g
irlegraphic report OF Tho late most extrnor-
dinnry Cabinet session confirms us, that the
President intends 10 net upon the Attorney
Gcncrnls opinion, 10 reverse the illegal acts of
The military commanders 10 check tho further
development Of thoir usurped authority, md to
onniue them within the legitimate bounds of
TINT power conferred by theAot itself, rs inter
preted by the Attorney General.
- This course of conduct we think injudicious
in. itself--unjust 10 tho military commandors-
and in its consequences most disastrous 10 u.s.
Affct Two years Of bitter and prolonged con-
Lest upon bis. .acheme Of reconstruction, the
President failed either to convince or control
G2ngEssa, md i bis plan was rejected. In the
those who opposed him, the Reconstruction Act
was pnssed--passed by n constitutional majori-
| sy and became law over his veto. Then was
tho time for tho President to determine what
he. would do-whether. lie would refuse TO exc
cnte n law unconstitutional, unjust and opprcs-
sive and appeal to the country to support him
or whether he would recognize the power of
Congress TO- control his win, admit tho force Of
the law passed without his approval, nnd as the
executive of the nation, execute tho law repug-
,,iaht as' II might beto his individual conIic-
tions. After mature deliberation. he decided
upon!iho latter course. lilo declared that ho'
'woula"executs tho law; as far as lay. in his
power hc'dfd execute IT, lie. selected fiso Of
fccrs, in whom eithor ho confdel himself or
who WOULD, he believed, be trusted by those
who had passed the law over him. He has al
lowed these officers to administer this Inv FOR
months according 10 their Interpretation" ho
has allowed tho Northern people 10 believe that
he accepted the.a1aw as'these commanders; in
MI, bss,4 ;aeI fi;,h;I,
P'op'o '"oi!''i'e' inuefS'oou ~ :.to
,ho, " ,So;. ~ on,, eyufA PEOPLE 10 pene1el
,os r.. iiI;o,, "a, SSrks :. M ,..a
iow Tha .n,.oouonaa - .h;. .s.:as :. NE
,Ii, liz s,siissaa IrIs n,s
=. s;;:Lsa -, ,.Sa IIIsiio s"oqutts
aa;,It,sha y 49, otoeps'ses 8. ,oH extreme
..,,1.a.i, -, - VIC
aswt: i, an -. ifi -.
~ a'.s'u.tc' = tti anu
.;sS ~ saah y .pe e.sea
sas.,..s .s.S h.a. s s4,'.,.'' n ~ No
~. -, .N Lei. 80; 80, y 80 :'.o, '".io ~
Soioio ~ top,sten naa passea qoie.y
= ~ SHHP y, ~ ~? sopa''9n - snihss
snts ~ = ,n,,.s,, ~ 90 - 49, - W." u 'uo'
=; ga u..''t INV
sS $50 = w o'heto -, maRo x
nssn, s.a,S - ss!ms %nlsn = I'M
s,1 ,,;s ~ a Ss soatn
.rg s.v ~ .sia: :.@a,,u 49,, n''u no'
n,;.Ssi: = f. ~ ny pSss
citation on the nort ~ .,tr.ms poa,,,s M 0ss w,
10 r.6,l.t Jn,vi.,sa,on ~ Con .h.,,,;,,.,
na,laaR4y * I,pfo;s,,so,is 80 ~ ~ SsSo.y
- 's;iI e
indio;on, nn,ioy :, noe. ,hs. 49,, M ,s;nx = :,