The daily phoenix. [volume] (Columbia, S.C.) 1865-1878, 1867-07-11
The south and RECOMMENDATION.

Ahe South and 'RecoAstruction.
Congress is disposed to make clean
work OF, its reconstruction business.
The bill reported by the Reconstruct
tion Committee in the House is def
mite enough, and absolute enough. to
satisfy the most fastidious. It SIM
ply makes the military commander of
each district the only government
over its people and within its limits;
and sweeps away all other authority,
legislative, executive or judicial, that
might stand in his way. It treats
the whole Southern country as if it
were Ill state of war, and hands it
over to the absolute control of mill
tary power.
We are not disposed to object to
this. We deem it wholly unconsti-
tutional, but that seems to be of little
consequence. Thomas Jefferson and
James Madison would have opened
their eyes pretty wide, if such action
had been proposed i'll their day, or if
they had been told it would become
possible in anybody's day; but they
have both been dead long time, and
are becoming more dead every year.
Besides, we are passing through a
revolution-one much more thorough
and complete than the one which
achieved our independence of Great
Britain-onc which is working far
greater changes in the nature Of our
Government and the spirit of our in
stltutlons than that did--one before
which constitutional forms and limit.
ations of power avail less than no.
thing rs checks and restraints Oh the
popular will.
But the country stands in tie pre-
scnce Of one paramount, overwhelm-
ing neccssity-the necessity of re-
stored Union; and we shall not
oppose or resist anything which pro-
misses that. There is danger that if
we do not get that soon, we may
never get it. There is danger that
our Government may become one of
factions backed by forcc-of conflict
ing sections and States-of jarring
and wrangling interests, yielding obe-
dlence only to arms, having no SYM
pathy with each other, no common
pride, no mutual love, no adequate
consciousness of their common veal
and common destiny.
The reconstruction law promises to
restore the Union, if its conditions
are fulfilled. Itopens gate through
which tho Southern States can come
back. and again become constituents
of the nation. We want to sec that
end accomplished, and we welcome
any law, any authority, any state of
things which promises to bring it
about. We think it far better that
the South should be subjected for six
months to the will Of five military
commanders, each OF them absolute
and supreme i'll his own district, than
be exposed to commotion, anarchy
and military domination for ten
years. And that seems to us the only
alternative open to them.
We trust, therefore, that Congress
will pass its explanatory law without
delay. Make it so clear and explicit
that even Mr.. Stanbery, with his
legal microscope, can detect no flaw
i'll it. Whatever else it is, let it at
least be definite, and. then, when the
Southern States have accepted and
fulfilled its conditions, keep faith
with them and take them back into
Congress and the Union, Oh an equal
footing with the other States. When
that is done, we shall have begin
ming of restored and perfected
Union-if we are ever to have it at
ll.-Ne,r YORK., Times.