The Charleston daily news. [volume] (Charleston, S.C.) 1865-1873, 1867-10-25
[FoR THE DAILY NEws.]
THE CONVENTION.


| The election is now ordered, and tho time is up
proaching when the State will pass through on
of the most important crises that will ever be re
corded in Ler history. A few words to those Wh'
will vote upon that occasion may be acceptable
all who arc willing to discard prejudice and pas
sion, and, for once, call to their aid the calm
quiet suggestions of their own good judgments
II any one can sec possible advantage to be &c
rived from opposition" in either Of its FORMS his
views of public policy are at least peculiar Those
who have the power in their hands will nor DC Ih
timidated by anything short of terrors greater
than they can inspire themselves. Now, what If
there within the reach of the Southern people
that can alarm tho Republican party? The sur
render Of General Lee settled the arguments OF
force" forever, and if force cannot be employed
what will it avail to "quarrel" abou. issues That
we cannot possibly control?
If the hope be- that the recent elections IN ohio
and Pennsylvania exhibit the growth OF Southern
opinions in Northern ATTITUDES, bear what is SAID
by Charlestonian, now in Now York u kno"
many Of our people will conclude that the result
| Of the late elections in Pennsylvania and Oh'o
will bo of great service to them. Such hope Is
idle. Tho apparent defeat OF the Republican party
in those States, does not mean that the Northern
people not thoroughly united as to the rights
OF the South as they were in the early part OF tho
year. II our people did not learn enough OF the
peridy of the Democratic party, during the war,
| they deserve to have the lesson taught them
again" &c.
This is from the pen Of o soldier and a clear
headed Southerner, who has watched closely
every passing event as bearing upon the ques-
tions of the day, and his opinion is that 1t Woalo
be "idlo" to expect any encouragement from the
Democratic party in any Of the issues now pend
ing-for the late elections havo only settled tho
domestic affairs of those States. The people have
said that they do not desire negro suffrage where
they live, and that is al that they intend to say
They do not mean that they want any obstructions
thrown in tho way of construction, now prepared
upon tho only basis that could meet the general
appreciation. They no not mean to say that they
want anything reconsidered that has already Deen
determined upon-anythins unsettled that is now
clearly understood. Nor do they mean to say that
| they desir, to cultivate a spirit OF resistance
among Southern people, in order to reanimate the
fos lis that have been buried so deeply by the re-
cent war. They have no idea Of renewing tho
cruel strife upon the very issues which have been
lost and won; but they do intend to say that they
consider the plan Of reconstruction definitely set
tled and that it must be carried out in the South,
no matter what questions it may please the voters
Of certain States to discuss among themselves.
Let it no. be forgotten that even Reverdy johnson
voted for this plan as the best that could be de-
vised; and nothing has occurred since that vote
that has changed his opinion.
Those who turn their eyes hopefully to MIR. VAL
landigham should remember his own prudence du-
ring the war. He subsidized into whispers that
would scarcely disturb the silence of midnight.
He found satisfactory reasons for this course in
the power OF the party that he dared not assail.
How much stronger is he now, when all the houses
of his Southern allies are already picketted?
We're it not so, the struggle that MIR. Vallantlig-
ham would counsel would find its parallel only in
the history OF Mexico. 1t would cash ofrcsh the
healing wound which the South cannot pcrmit to
bleed any longer and hope to exist in future.
What do We want with any more struggles-par-
ticularly at time when the renewal of strife
might light tho torch in the Northern States them
selves, and this whole Union present to the world
nation of gladiators, thirsting for each others
ll-.aa ,y1.o ls IL that wants any steps taheil al
that directio and that cannot SEQ the sufflnGes
of "arniesn called for to decide the issues that
will be raised, and never be determined until, like
the people of mighty Rome, we sink down 30 low
in the scale Of human greatness that We secure
miserable safety by our insignifcence
This need not be our fate, unless all the coun-
sells of prudence arc blndly rejected, and the
ferocious impulses of wild beasts Of the forest bo
accepted instead. There is time even for these
to be useful but that time has gone by-they
have failed to accomplish anything in war
their appropriate sphere-and now that Is over,
as beings endowed with reason, it is our business
and our duty TO listen TO its dictates. In tho first
place, it only requires the magnanimity OF the
gambler, who has staked his all and lost 1t, TO
surrender the States to the winner 1t is hard TO
do-every one feels this-the sentiment Is univer-
sal-but nevertheless, the duty is The same. Inc
loser has no right to withhold anything, and he
does not properly recognize his situation, II he
attempts to do so. It has not been demanded,
however, for the winner has not only surrendered
his right to our lands but has invited US to forget
the past, and accept all the rights Of citizenship
which he enjoys himself.
Secondly II the disagreeable alternative oil negro
suffrage is made condition, it is because we re-
fused to accept the Howard Constitutional Amend
ment, under which wo might have been restored
to the Union without that condition. For TINS
purpose the negro vote id necessity" and cannot
be dispensed with whatever may be the future
policy it is evident that that vote, on the present
occasion is simply locomotive, placed upon the
track in order to draw in tho Southern States to
their places in the Union. which they refused to
acceot upon terms offered that were far less OBJ
jectionable.
In the third place. When starvation threatened
tho people, all classes of society at the North re-
membered the suffering South, and ship-load after
ship-load. If corn and bacon were generously sent
for our relief, at time, too, when the SONS and
daughters Of the generous donors were excluded
from the social circle by mary OF those who were
benefited by the consignmcnts. II these are our
enemies where shall we find our friends And
this too, with knowledge that we had shot their
| fathers brothers and sons, in such numbers that
| their graves would mako city Of the dead; and
whilst hundreds of the survivors with arnputated
arms or legs, or bodies otherwise MANNED, were
constantly before their eyes, calling upon the vul-
| gar mlnQ lOr VenScanCo ouiy. "0O"o"' A' w
concede to them pre-eminence in the God-like
virtue of forgiveness, but knowing that VIC have
much to forgive ourselves, we should meet them
in similar spirit. and like brothers willing to be
reconciled, place our mutual sacrifices on COM
mon altar and invoke the Divine blessing upon our
humble efforts to efface and retrieve the unfortu-
nate past.
Fouthly This conciliatory spirit will achieve
for the South far moro than that il-temper, which
can only start the avalanche, without the power tc
arrest its destruction What con we possibly
gain BY continually annoying the Northern mind
and provoking it to tighten the cords by which We
are already bound? But meet them in spirit o.
cordial reconciliation we will find our protectors
where they are now constrained to be dictators
providing for their own safety by depriving those