The daily phoenix. [volume] (Columbia, S.C.) 1865-1878, 1867-01-10
Northern Religious Joarnais.

religious journal, published iii New
York. 1t publishes the sermons Of
Henry Ward Bccchcr, and its columns
exhibit the ficrcest radicalism. It's
leading editorial, in It's issue OF last
Saturday, is devoted to the South,
and, as usual, abounds with mis-
statements and :nisreprcsent tations
After noticing the great unanimity
exhibited by the Southern States
which have already acted on the con
stitutional amendment, it comes to
the conclusion that there is little hope
Of any immediate change in the posi-
tion Of the Southern people. and de-
clares that the spirit manifested by
them does not warrant the cxpecta-
ton that equal rights Will be accorded
to all men.
In proof of its assertions, after no
ticing the apprentice and vagrant
laws of Maryland, the Methodist says:
'sThe direct testimony of General
Sickles-a general OF Democratic an
tecedents-that it is impossible, in
South Carolina, to get verdicts from
coroners' juries pointing to the MUIR
derers Of freedmen, even when such
murderers are known to them, are
evidences that the spirit Of slavery is
still alive in the South. The recent
direction Of the President to General
Sicllcs suspending the operation of
an order issued by the latter, which
forbade corporal punishment and the
enforcement Of the South Carolina
Vagrant Act, shows to what Southern
legislation, if unobstructed by higher
authority, must tend"
We have not seen the testimony
alluded to, but the assertion made by
the Methodist that the spirit of slavery
is still alive at the South is absurd.
We do not believe that one man out
Of one hundred in this or any other
Southern State would re-estabiish the
institution il they could 90 so by
law. The spirit has passed away
with the body, and the Southern
people, through !heir highest consti-
.tutional and law-making powers, have
solemnly announced tilat slavery is
not ONLY &boi:shcl. bus that it shall
never hereafter be established in
the States. How idle, then, though
misc!lievons. IS it for . leading reli-
glou3 journal, OF wide circulation, to
talk about the tendency OF Southern
Legislation vergiag again towards
slavery. The Southern people have
acted in good faith, and they woall
not become u people whose good
name and reputation for honor and
integrity would be forever blasted by
any action like that imputed to them
by the journal FROM which we quote.
Their honor &ad virtue is as bright
and unsa!!ied to-day, after nil they
have suffered and endured, rs it w:,s
the day tlley took up arms IN defence
OF q cause they thought just. This
is the testimony of Gc0. Grant and
othcc brave officers Of the army which
overwhelmed them and tl4eir cause.
It is sach language as the following
which misleads the masses of the
Northern people, and influences their
passions against the people of these
Southern States:
The invctera;e propensity to go
vcrn the negro by force will, unless
we surround him with ample defenccs,
reasscrt itself. We must create
these defcnces-:he Southern people
will not. If we give the South its
way, it will rc-establish directly the
whipping-post, and the sale Of men,
women and children at the auction
block. The ingrained habit of living
in case upon the enforced labor OF
others, is not to be eradicated in q
moment. 1t will assert its full power
unless its exercise is rendered impos-
sible by the conditions upon which
the Southern States are permitted to
resume their places in the Union"
And this foul accusation is unblush-
ingly made after all the proofs tic
people Of the South have given OF
netting oat equal and impartial JUS