The Anderson intelligencer. [volume] (Anderson Court House, S.C.) 1860-1914, 1867-03-20
THE pEopLE AND M1L1TARY Law.

THE PEOPLE AND MILITARY Law.
The Charleston Ncrcury in an editorial announc
ing the enforcement of the Military Act, makes the
following sensible remarks:
The Military bill and the people of the State of
South Carolina areno brought face to face. There
can be no further evasion of the issue it cannot
be postponed by discussion or technical objections
The Military bill is the law of the South. SoyeE-
eign States divided into Military Districts. Inc
State Governments set aside, all State officers are
virtually deposed: and the District Commanders
have, as their only rule and guide, copy o1 lhe
Military bill By law they have entire ana abso-
Lutte authority 1T rests with them TO say what
shall remain, what shall be changed, and what
shall be altogether swept away
This is our position, and it is duty, as brave
and honorable men, to make ourselves equal to the
occasion ;-iti is our duty to determine what must
be done in this saddest hour of our counlrys his
tory. Our rights are still our rights justice is
justice still, but the South is under military law,
and the people of the South are powerless but for
digni6ed obedience, and q submission which the
proudest cannot venture to condemn. There is no
need to giveup an atom of our selfrespect there
is no need to give up one memory of that blessed
past to which we so long have clung; but the mill
tary law is the law for us land until that law be
repealed or modified, it is thelaw which the people
of the South must obey.
In this crisis we must act with wisdom and
caution. II is cur first duty to learn what is re-
qured ofus and to this end the District Com
mander should be requested to state what course
he intends TO pursue, and in what manuer and to
what extent he will use the powers which are
vested in him. This must be done in order that
we may know what is required of US; and, what
ever be the regulations that District Commander
nav prescribe, we have no alternative but to obey
them to the letter.
This is the first thins.to be done; and then, in
the event of the failure of Wilson's Supplementary
bill, we can stiE choose between the continuance
of military rule and the humiliation af State
Convention.
There is no need to dread military rule per Sc I
There is no reason why life and property should
not be protected under the direction of Brigader-
General Of the United States army, and the whole
logic Of the question points to but conclusion
we must make the best of that which We ore
powerless to avoid.
No one but madman would counsel mere physi-
cal resistance to the law. Obey we mustj and it
is better to do this without any exhibition of Bit
terness or il-feeling. Our only plan now-the
only plan that can avail us,-is to make merit of q
necessity.
No one expects South Carolinians to give up one
particle of their veneration and respect for their
illustrious sires; no ore expects them to forget
what they have been and what they desired to be.
There is no dishonor in having been conquered as
we have been conquered No one will dare to say
that South Carofinians are dishonornble or base.
No one will dare to excuse the cx-Confcdcrae SOL
dier who cbcys the military law of cowardice of
heart, or of fasehood to those principles for which
for many year he fought. Obey We must, and it
is as well to recognize this fact at once. There is
no overcoming this conclusion, and there is no
wrong in bowling to that which cannot at present
be overcome
History will do US justice and, surely, the fu-
ture historian will give his need of praise to peo
pie who deserved success, but who in defeat choose
obedience to on irrefragable law instead of Incl
ting to an open contest, which could only end in
making military rule still more oppressive. Moth
ing but additional trouble and additional nsfor-
tune can result from resistance or factious agta-
ton. Prudence, good sense and our every interest
alike condemn course which could only aggra-
vate our evils and make our position more unendu-
rable What else, then, is left but obedience TO
the law and an acceptance Of the obligations which
it imposes upon US