The Daily clarion. [volume] (Jackson, Miss.) 1866-1888, 1867-03-17
The Voice Of tI.e Press ON tInO
Situation.
From Tho Richmond (va.) WING.

two of these papers, the New York
World and New York Express. The
first, leaving us entirely to our own
resources, advises, that If the South be
not resolved TO resist universal suf-
fragc always and to the bitter end, to
accept the act Of Congress at once and
without conditions. The last, the Elk
press, one OF the soundest and ablest
papers In the land, counsels total in
action on the part of the Sonth--sea-
durGnce, submission and political slavery
under military rule" The able editor
forgets that even this poor privilege
of choosing the sort of despotism we
may prefer, is denied to us. Under
the vague and indefinite phraseology
of the bill, if the Consecutive ele-
ments do. not act, any Others may, and
we shall have a .Brownlow despotism
upon US d hundred fold worse than
that Of any Brigadier.
"No doubt it will be very distaste-
full to the people ofthe Southern States
to adopt measures OF acquiescence in
or even to the late Congressional
action. Nineteen-twentieths of those
who at present constitute the people
of these States would prefer passive
endurance Of military rule to any
octiye movement of theirs that would
imply assent by them to Legislation
which subverts the Constitution and
destroys free government. But this
choice is not left to them. BY scru-
ltinizing closely the Congressional bill,
it will be found that the elective fran
chise is an unknown quantity, fluctu-
ating and dependent on the will Of
the Brigadier; and that any number
of persons, however few, calling them
selvesthe people, may get up con
yention and organize government,
which may be pleasing to the powers
at Washington--and all the more
likely to be pleasing from being es-
tablished under such auspices. 1t is
no longer question of free govern
ment--that is adjourned to the Greek
Kalends. The only question we are
privileged to determine is whether the
present constituted authorities will
take charge ofthe machinery and work
it to the best possible advantage for
the public, or leave it in the hands of
unknown adventurers, or well known
knaves, who may saddle lis with des-
potism after the model of Brownlow.
In our Judgment there should not
be moments hesitation as to the line
of conduct we shall pursue.
From the Richmond Times.
The sudden and astounding support
given by Reverdy johnson to Sher-
mans bill is at last explained. He
discovered, it is credibly stated, that
it was the purpose of the next Con-
gress, which is tenfold more remorse-
less, violent and proscriptive than the
present, to press the passage of
wholesale eonfscation bill if the pres
emit plan for reconstruction fails. He
quailed before the revelation of this
Moloch spirit, and the vision of con
liscation and beggary of millions Of
his countrymen extorted from him the
reluctant support of an infamous meaI
sure. He saw an unarmed, noble and
defeated section powerless, in the
grasp and at the mercy Of an unfeeling
foe, more remorseless than Goth, Hun,
Hessian or Turk, and he made, as he
believed, timely sacrifice of opinion
TO save people whom he loved, and
ior whose wrongs his heart bled.
remembering that able |
gentleman's generous sympathy for
IS during the war, and his heroic and
frequent denunciations of the outra-
yes on the South from his seatin the
Senate, we regret that we should have
orematurely denounced him to our
leaders,. for yielding to the dictates of
i heart full of kindness for us"
From the same. \
In consequence of the cruel ingenui-
y of the "mlitary BILL" we have been |
uddendly brought face to face with
wo measures, to avoid either of which |
We would have despairingly sought
protection under the rule Of the Sol |
Iier, as the hunted victim of oppres-
ion in ancient and medieval times
led for safety to the .'horns of the al
er." A thousand centuries under
'chofeld would certainly have been
Preferable to second under nniyersa
egro suffrage. But, Impoverished
nd defeated, our soldiers slain or dis
rmed, a Military Ruler supreme in
'irginia, the hayonet at hand, resort
0 armed resistance out ofthe question,
he most favorable decision which we
an hope the Supreme Court ten
1onths off, and negro suffrage in
April and May next inevitable as
eath--our condition demands prompt
nd decisive action.
From the N. o. Times.
REsToRATIoN.--There is evidently
isposition exhibited by Congress to
ring the Southern States back into
le Union, if not on as liberal terms as
ould be desired, yet on such terms as
ill at length make them unit Mr.
herman's bill leaves the integrity of
he States intact They will not be
horn of their laurels as States, and
ill, by-and- by, have an opportunity
, right themselves and to occupy
Iir footing of equality with the other
tates. This, in the end, is all that .
icy desire. Still, Sherman's bill, as
is called, is harsh and ungracious I
ne, not as favorable to the South as {
should be; and was so characterized
Y its mover when, after having been !
,riously changed in its features in its /
lssage through the House of Repre- '
.ntatives, it came back to the Senate, :
here it originated. By this bill many o
our best citizens, simply for main v
ming at every risk what they con j.
dered fundamental doctrines of the !
sderal Constitution, are to be dis n
1t is hard, nay it is IN
st, that in free country, where we
I'VE adopted the liberal maxim "to
ink and to- let think" as peculiarly n
merican, that any individual, simply h
r undertaking devotion to principle Fl
ould be subjected to such a penalty. =
1t in the present anomalous con- v
lion of the country, it seems that b
. have no. election. Borne down by n