The daily phoenix. [volume] (Columbia, S.C.) 1865-1878, 1867-07-04
ns.e Du,y of RsElutra,lo.l.

issued an address to The voters OF
that city, from which we make the
following extract, which is applica4
BILE here, as we understand that some
young men, and perhaps old ones,
too, do not intend to register. We
advise such to read the following
reasons put forward by the Savan-
nah Committee:
Many cf you, we learn, intend de-
clining to register your names, from
impulses springing out of sentiment
and Individual pride-impulses which
we appreciate and respect, but which
we think impractical and delusiye.
and calculated to distract your atten-
ton from your obvious duties and
responsibilities.
You shrink from what you consider
a personal humiliation, in consenting
to submit to the dictation of those
who now WELD the power of the
General Government and who choose
to exercise it despotically.
We entreat you to discard these
feelings, and TO accept our calmer
Judgment and counsel in this matter.
We agree with you in condemning
the Acts which Congress has passed,
but we do not acknowledge that
there is any voluntary humiliation in
asserting the rights allowed to us by
them.
Granting that the Acts under con-
sideration are unconstitutional, arbi-
trary and unjust; that they violate
established principles of political
right, and wantonly force the safe
guards of social freedom-yet, until
repealed or annulled by competent
judicial tribunal, they are the laws of
the land in which we live. You can
accept the situation with dignity
and without sacrifice of self-respect
The war is over; the issues upon
which it was waged have been de-
cided against us. You have done
your duty in that contest, but an
other duty still devolves upon you.
The question now is how to restore
our State to n peaceful position of
prosperity and of political freedom.
To this end, Georgia needs and de-
mands the aid of all her sons. The
only way in which you can render
that aid is by qualifying yourselves to
be voters at the coming election.
You can do that only by registering
your names under the provisions of
the military Acts. In no other way
can You assume your true positions
and grasp once more the power
which is your birth-right.
Tf 1-o,, hA1l l1onl- ,,or,
to register, consider what may be
the consequences of your inaction,
and the responsibilities that will rest
upon you.
A very few votes may decide the
prepondcrancc Of power at the next
election. What fearful CONTINGENCIES
are involved in that simple sngges-
ton.
Ii YOU refuse to register, YOU de-
prive yourselves of the opportunity
OF voting .f0'' or 0yniiSt 4 convention.
and for or against the constitution
which that convention may adopt.
If you refrain from qualifying your
selves to be voters, what guarantee
have you that the convention may
not frame n constitution for Your
State that will, on the very ground Of
your default, disfranchise yourselves
and your sons forever.
Why should you disdain TO eyer-
else the right of suffrage, which has
always been yours, because it has also
been conferred upon others-when
there is more need now than ever be-
fore that you should assert it?
Many of you who will read this
address have served your State faith
fully in the field, under the honest
conviction that you were simply doing
your duty. You have carried that
honor which duty sincerely under
taken and earnestly performed, al
ways confers. But other obligations
to that State still remain to be ful-
filled, in order to complete Your re-
cord of trust faithfully discharged.
At no time III the history OF our
State, did she stand more in need of
the united and unfaltering energy and
devotion of her sons in her behalf.
lmmolatc upon her altar al selfish
ideas. Every duty is stern. Every
duty demands some sacrifice of in
tcrest or of feeling He is worth no.
thing to his friends or his country,
WHO IS not willing to make such sac
rificcs at the demand of duty.
Iou fearlessly exposed your lives
in defence of your State. Will you
hesitate now, when she is cncom
passed by new and fearful 1an0ors