The Charleston daily news. [volume] (Charleston, S.C.) 1865-1873, 1867-08-29

of that entire harmony Of action among our peo-
pie, for which You and we have heretolore hoPea
and striven. The views OF the whole community
are unsettled by the new aspect OF affairs, and the
people look to those who command their confi-
dence Tor course Of action upon winch al may
agree who truly desire the prosperity OF the STATE
Illustrating to intrude upon you IN your WIN
drawal from public affairs, but DeheVmg tnat your
own appreciation of the emergency will excuse our
request that your we'll proven patriotism will IT.
reslstibly plead it and That your calm and expert
enced Judgment will weigh supremely with your
friends, and command the deep consideration OF all
honest men, we subscribe ourselves, very re-
VIM. n. TALLEY.
J. P. THOMAS.
E. NJ. LAW.
And about sixty others.
To Gen. WADE HAMPTON, ColumDle.
GENTLEMEN: beg to acknowledge the receipt Of
the letter, in which you do me the honor to ask
my sadvice with regard to your action IN the very
important matters soon to be submitted 10 the
people of the State" Though cannot 9qe :a Ieel
that many Of those whose names are slgned 70 TINS
communication are far more competent 70 onor
counsel on the grave topics now agitating the pub
lie mind than myself, as deem IT 10 Dc inc outy
Of every man, when called on BY his fellow-citlzens
in times of peril, to contribute all IN nus power 10
common danger, willingly comply with your flat
Recognizing, then, the duty imposed on me by
your call and impeled, also, by the great respect
I feel for those who have thus honored me, snan
state with perfect candor the imminent dangers
surrounding us, and point out with equal frank
ness the only course which, In my Judgment, we
can pursue with honor, or with any nope OF uitl-
mate safety. Before proceeding to the discussion
Of the present condition Of asrs IL Is proper 1U so
myself Immediately after the cessation OF active
hostiites, and what was the course thought our
people should then follow. This cannot be done
more concisely than by giving to you copy of
letter addressed to James g; Gibbes, Esq., onaiI,
August, 1866. Not being in the city at that time,
wrote the following letter. which, yielding to the
views of others, I afterwards determined not 10
publish: ~ .u On LOCK
To his Honor James G. Gtobes. Mayor Of Co
SIR Having been absent when the late public
meeting was held in the city, takethis metho9
Of expressing my views on the subjects discussed
that is WIZ e the ths
policy advocated BY the meeting; ls 1t deslrahle
that the people Of the State should take any action
looking 10 a restoration Of civil government at
prescnt2 think not; and for these lessons
The State is either member OF sas a pSeHsst = y
a work of supererogstion for her to ask admission
to the Union, but she is, by the Constitution OF
the United States, guaranteed repupHcal U:n'
of Government, and she has.the right TO ADMINS,
ter her Governments under sucn eonsutIelom @ anu ~
by such laws as she chooses. But, II she ls, on
the contrary, rot member OF the Union, she
must be regarded ejther as Territory, or as
conquered province. In either condition, @ the
United States authorities are charged WITH the a1ty
think m the true policy Of the State is to remain
s forced upon her. II the course indicated by the
meeting here is followed by tSe state wnas VIZ tSe Se
the resplt VIII it lead to the restcsftlon OF tns
the constitution end laws Of this State DO not
think that such will be Ehe case. To restore tne
State to the Union by the pis9 contemplated IN ~
the resolutions adopted BY the meesiPg nere ~ ~
will be necessary TO cali convehESolt :.'l q IT, II
State is an impossibiiity, But passing oyer this
grave objection, there remains the still graEer one
as to the adopt Of coas1tatlon, ,i1,;sl. he fbe
the people Of the aaa S sotals different III
constitution, to ignore oil the teachings OF the
nast. to subyert the Whsle order Of society, to
change in moment, its whole arganizatlon, aad,
in word, to commit (if the EXPRESSION Mey pe
used} political suicide2 Yet TINS Is me
ing. No one, for . moment, supPoses tast tne ite
State viii be admitted into the Union with its
present Constitution. 70 gain admission -. tne
State must come with constitution regressen@tng @
Carolina, but those CT Massachusetts. It may pc
urged that the State must come with suon S p, q
constit utiop, or not come Bt all. Ii Suen - tn9
fact, then let her not come at all. Inc Cnlteu
States Government will hold the country, y III, n9m Ia
present to inaugurats and enforce the new system
of labor decreed by tho President OF the United
States, and the people, though eonaueref, VIII MOI
have the additional humiliation and repfosc4
which they would bring. upon themselves IL tieS
consent to destroy their own CONSTITUTE on wnich
was bequeatbed to them by their fathers.
sBesldes these various reasons against the poncy
advocated bythe meeting, it appears to me tnat II
is premature for the people to moye i pIesent;;
The authorities at Washington have not lpqisat.e1
the course they propose to pursue toward t9e
State nor have they manifested great zeal IN the
restoration of that Uni9n for which they nave pro
fessedly been fighting for the last four yearsTIney
have not asked the State to reeir4 20 tne onioH, y,
nor haye they announced the terms upon ggtst !. ~
can can do 80. Whop they have done these things, y
will be time enough foT the State to take counsel
recommend, then, with all Difference to your,
self and the gentlemen over whom you Presoea
the other day, that ths people should remain Ri:
affairs. Leave oil these matte1s to the United
States Government, which will, doubtless, ip g9oe
,ime. provide government for you. UNTIL that ~
done, the cartridge-bo1 can take the place OF the
haIlot-box, and the bayonet is 8 good substitute
for the law It is better 70 be governed by these
misrepresents the wishes Of the people, huwlIates
their bride debauches their society, destroys thelI
prosperity and degrades their State
/ have the honor to be- very respectfully, your
if'''u ANN '''''" 0 WADE HAMPTON.
It was clear to my mind that the true policy o.
the Sonth was to remain passive, obser wing, with
the most scrupulous fidelity, the oblg ations We
assumed when we laid down our aFnss and max
| ing no concessions beyond those embraced IN tne
| terms upon which we surrendered. held tnat
the United States GoYernYent had not OF onig onelr
nIcdged to the observance of those terms, Every
Official act OF every department OF that GQyern'
ment. during the war, declared that the Southern
States were Still members Of the Union, and Con-
| gross, By an almost unanimous vote, ip the most
| solemn manner,
"Pesoiped. That this war La not waged on oul
part in any spirit of oppression, nor lcf any pur
pose of conquest or subjugation, nor purpose o
overthrowing or interfering with the rights or es
| tsbIished institutions of the States, but to de-
fsnd and maintain the supremacy of the Constitu
ton, and to preserve the Union with AL the dlgn
ty. equality and rights Of the several Ststes lnm
| paired That as soon as these objects are accom-
plished, the war ought to cease"
The same body gave the strongest evidence ina
thew regarded the Union unbroken, oven during
the war. by their recognition Of Mr.. Carlisle Of
Senator from Virginia. mean the noble Old 20
minion." and not her ilcgitiuate and degenerate
child, child West Virginia-and allowing him to retaiI
his seat until near tho close OF the war; The very
paroles given to the Southern soldiers prSmItsett tt
those tho holding tham, so long as they obeyed tht
laws laws Of 1.-THE States wherein. they resided" thu. u
recognizing s not only the Southern States as States
but the Laws of those States. We had every rea 9a
son son. as far as We could trust to the faith OF ou
opponents, to believe that the Southern ! S.htG, o
would be received into the Union WIN a .ne ano,