The daily phoenix. [volume] (Columbia, S.C.) 1865-1878, 1867-08-28


beyond those embraced in the terms
upon which we surrendered. I 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.
Every official act of every depart
ment of that Government, during the
war, declared that the Southern States
were still members of the Union, and
Congress, by an almost unanimous
vote, in the most solemn manner,
"Resolued, That this war is not
waged, on our part, in any spirit of
oppression, nor for any purpose of
conquest or subjugation, nor purpose
of overthrowing or interfering with
the rights or established institutions
of the States, but to defend and main
tain the supremacy of the Constitu-
ton, and to preserve the Union with
all the dignity, equality and rights of
the several States unimpaired. That
as soon as these objects are accom-
plished, the war ought to cease"
The same body gave the strongest
evidence that they regarded the
Union unbroken, even during the
war, by their recognition of Mr.. Car
Isle as Senator from Virginia-Im mean
the noble "Old Dominion" and not
her illegitimate and degenerate child,
West Virginia-and allowing him to
retain his seat until near the close of
the war. The very paroles given to
the Southern soldiers promised the
protection of the United States Go
vernment to those holding them, so
long as they obeyed the laws of ''the
States wherein they resided;" thus
recognizing, not only the Southern
States as States, but the lars of those
States. We had every reason, as for
as we could trust to the faith of our
opponents, to believe that the South
ern States would be received into the
Union with all their dignity, equality
and rights unimpaired," as soon as
they renewed their allegiance to the
General Government. and acknow-
lodged its supremacy.
1t would be foreign to the purpose
of this communication to discuss
what faith has been kept with the
South-mankind has already affixed
to that sort of faith the name of
Punic; 1 only touch on these points
to show the mistakes committed by
the South, when it conformed to
those demands of the North which
were interpolated into the conditions,
Gfze, our surrender. Our State Con-
ventions were mistakes; 80 were the
changes of our Constitutions; greater
than all others, was the Legislation
ratlfying the amendment Of the United
States Constitution known as Article
IL. L am well aware that the action
OF the Southern people, at that time,
was dictated by an honest. desire to
secure the blessings of peace, and by
high sense of honor, which prompt
cd them to show that they were sin
cere n their wish to do everything
that woCld tend to the restoration Of
the Union on honorable terms. 1
have no hesitation in asserting that
the Southern States would then have
been brought back to the Union with
more of ''loyalty"-to use O favorite
expression of the North-than had
existed amongst them for forty years
past, had the North proved itself to
be as magnanimous as it had shown
itself to be powerful. But it was the
misfortune, not only of the South,
but Of the whole country, that the
party which had obtained possession
of the Government was more intent
on securing its own power than of
restoring the Union to its own pris-
tine glory. After acquiring power,
on the sole ground of bringing back
the Southern States to the common
fold, with all their "dignity, equality
and rights unimpaired, they basely
betrayed the people of the North, by
subordinating the interests and rights
of ten States to the effort to perpetu-
ate the power of their party, falsi-
flying, while they did SO, every pledge
which they had made during the con
tinuance of the war. The war, which
was professedly waged solely for the
restoration of the Union, in its pro-
gress. degenerated into the open at
tempt, on the part of it's authors,
to consolidate and perpetuate radical
rule, and n Government, which was
founded on the noble maxim, that
Governments derive their just pow
ers from the consent of the 60
verned," has been. perverted to the
base ends of subjecting ten millions
of its people to O military despotjsm.