The daily phoenix. [volume] (Columbia, S.C.) 1865-1878, 1867-07-03

wise, however, our esteemed CORES
pondent has failed to enlighten us
how all these terrible evils could be
arrested by voting against conven-
ton the only remedy he proposes,
the only panacea for the mitigation
of present or future woes.
To our plain, common sense, and,
perhaps, limited understanding, the
course recommended by Governor
Perry, is that which, if anything
could do it, would beget the state OF
affairs he apprehends and deprecates.
1t would at once create an antagon-
ism between the two races, and would
inflame and excite that population,
who have been and are still being
taught that the whites of the South
will not concede to them the rights
and privileges conferred upon them
by Congress and the Government.
1t is easy to foresee that this antago-
nism, fostered and promoted by bad
men and politicians, would become
beyond control, were the white peo-
pie of this State or the South to stub
bornly oppose law which they be-
ieve confers, and which does confer,
upon them certain enfranchise-
ment, and endows them with certain
privileges. We regret that Governor
Perry saw fit, in order to strengthen
his position, to call up the examples
he has brought forward, and, in this
way, suggest to the more ignorant and
untutored that which nothing but
the antagonism his policy, if carried
out, could engender among those to
whom he refers. We are thoroughly
convinced that his counsels are
fraught with mischief to both races
and should be avoided.
We have endeavored to show that
opposition to the reconstruction laws
must lead to an antagonism between
the races, and that such antagonism
might eventuate in open confict-the
most terrible of all the evils that
could befall the Southern people.
AS Governor Brown said in q recent
| address to the freedmen at AIilledge-
vile, the thing most to be feared is q
quarrel or war of races. It would be
nearly the ruin of both, but they
(the freedmen) would be the greatest
sufferers, from the fact that the
whites in the South are in O majority
of two to one. But this is theme
we do not wish to dwell upon, and
trust that the good sense of both will
guide them in the way of harmony
and peace to the goal of restoration
and reunited country.
But to one other point. Governor
Perry says if we have no convention,
we will remain as We are-under mill
tary rule. This is even doubtful, for
we believe n severer rule would be
| established, if not universal disfran
chisement and con6scation. Remain
MS we are! Are our people prepared
| for this continuance? Are our plant
ers, with half-stocked farms and
scarcely enough provisions, without
money and without credit, content to
remain as they are? Are our mer-
chants, from the highest to the low
est, doing little OF no business, with
out even ordinary commercial credit,
content to remain rs they are? Are
our mechanics and artizans, with
curtailed employment and low wages,
from lack of capital among en-
ployers, and paying heavy taxes,
content to remain rs they are? And
ossuredly not only will all these
classes in the field Of industry remain
as they are, if we are not restored to
the Union, but the future will be
worse than the present. Not dollar
of foreign capital will come to the
South until her political relations are
restored. And this is told us by
those who have that capital to ad-
vance. Money is abundant at the