The daily phoenix. [volume] (Columbia, S.C.) 1865-1878, 1867-04-14
COLUMBIA.
Sunday Morning, April IA, 1887.
Unjust and nIisohievous.

We have, on more than one occa.
sion, expressed our views upon the
subject of political discussions by the
press or people of the South, at this
time; but there are occasions when il
becomes the duty of Southern jour.
nalists to deviate, in one sense, from
this wise line of policy, and to say a
word in defence of their section and
OF the motives and conduct of the
5 true and gallant people among whom
they live, and whose interests they
are presumed to represent. This
journal, few days ago, expressed its
opinion as to the wisdom or policy
however rightand just the proceeding
might be in itself-of testing the con-
4stitutionality of the military bills
before the Supreme Court, feeling
=. assured that no good could come of
it, and that, instead of any practical
, or permanent benefit resulting to the
Southern States from even decision
in their favor, such q decision! would
>only open up sectional political agi-
tation, and widen, to dangerous ex-
tent, the breach existing between the
legislative and executive departments
of the Government, while, at the
same time, what is of more import
ance to the Southern States, it would,
to certainty, bring upon them a
more oppressive legislation than that
by which they are now governed.
Fine-spun theories of constitutional
right are very pleasant to write about
and dilate upon, at the present time,
and very right and proper to act upon
in times when such action has the
power to redress wrongs; but we con-
tend that the Southern people have
now to deal with the practical, and
that their wisest course is, to pursue
that policy which is likely to relieve
them in the shortest space of time.
But while these are our honest con-
victions on this subject, we cannot re-
remain silent when we see the motives
OF the people or authorities of these
Southern States who have taken the
action.referred to are impugned. Will
full Misrepresentation of the temper
OF the Southern people, since their
honorable surrender, have done more
to keep alive sectional hostility than
any other fundamentally that could
be used. And it is to On instance of
this wrong-doing that we intend to
refer to in this article. The New
York Times, q processing "conserva-
tive" Republican journal, undar the
caption of '"The Last Resort of Re-
bellion," has IN editorial, in its issue
of the Sth instant, which not only
does great Injustice to the States and
people of the South, but is too well
calculated, by its misrepresentation
OF the motives and temper of these
people, to prolong and aggravate that
sectional discord which has already
produced such vast destruction of
Life and property.
The very caption of the article of
the Times is unjust and unfounded;
"the last resort of rebellion" means,
and is intended to convey the mean
ing, that rebellion" still exists. But
the writer surely intended n severe
sarcasm, when he says that "the in
junction fled by the State of Missis-
sippi affords the strongest evidence OF
the leniency-the rare forbearance
and magnanimity-with which the
States recently in rebellion have been
treated by the National Government. "
The simple reply to this is that no
injunction has been filed yet, the mo-
tion for that purpose being still under
advisement and open to argument;
and in the next place, we do not per
ceive what motion to file the injunc.
tion, or the Courts permission to do
so, has to do with the boosted "le-
niency of the National Government
towards the rebels. The whole drift
and tenor of tho aaptenoae 1va boyo