The daily phoenix. [volume] (Columbia, S.C.) 1865-1878, 1867-09-01
COLUMBIA, August 80, 1867.

COLUMBIA, August 80, 1867.
Editors Columbia Pheniz.
GENTLEMEN: I have read, with
considerable interest and some sur
prise, the letter of Gen. Wade Hamp-
ton, which appeared in the issue of
your journal. of yesterday, as q re-
ply to the inquiry of numerous citi-
zens, concerning his views of the
political condition of the South. I
have read the letter with interest,
because, considering the estimation
in which Gen. Hampton is held by
the citizens of your community, m
expression OF his opinion must be re-
garded as that of representative
Southern man. In the face of the
experience of the past two years, I
read this letter with surprise, that
such representative man should
still seek for conclusions, from which
to advise his fellow-citizens to such
an opposition against the Federal
Government, as, in these years, has
brought them into greater perplexi-
ties.
It is possible that your public will
entertain but little respect for con-
clusions differing with those stated
by Gen. Hampton; but, believing
that communities which would pros
per, must, at length, regulate them
selves by their interests, if not by
their cupidity, I venture to present
the commentaries which passed
through my mind, rs I read the Gen
erals views.
The question before the South to-
day, being one for the present and
future, it is of little Importance to
consider opinions Of two years stand
ing, except for the purpose of show
ing the consistency or Inconsistency
Of those who entertain them. I
shall, therefore, refer to Gen. Hamp-
tons letter to Mr.. Gibbes, with the
date of August 20, 1855, with this
purpose. In that letter, arguing
against any action on the part of the
State looking toward the restoration
of civil government, Gen. Hampton
says: ""The authorities at Washing
ton have not indicated the course
they propose to pursue towards the
State, nor have they manifested
great zeal in the restoration of that
Union for which they have profess
edly been fighting for the last four
years. They have not asked the
State to return to the Union, nor
have they announced the terms upon
which it can do So" In the face of
this declaration, that no terms had
been announced upon which this
State could be restored to the Union,
Gen. Hampton now writes: sI held
that the United States Government
had not only offered terms to the
South, but that its faith was pledged
to the observance of those terms;''
and makes this the text of his whole
opposition to the reconstruction
measures now before the country.
To support this allegation, that the
Government had offered terms to the
South to whose observance it was
Nledged, he proceeds to adduce the
official acts of the Government dur
irg the war, and to quote the resolu-
tisns of Congress. The reply is sim
pls. If Gen. Hampton and those
wlo are convinced by his logic, can
notreadily reconcile the acts of the
Government during the war with the
measures it has since taken in legis-
latirg for the South, the Gordian
kand of this difficulty will be for
them most easily cut asunder by re-
memAering that the South rejected
whatever terms were offered her,
eithelE directly or indirectly, during
the struggle, and that if terms were
offered, they iFere only terms for o
specified times or until they we're re-
jected. When the war ceased, il
ceased because the South was nc