Keowee courier. [volume] (Pickens Court House, S.C.) 1849-current, 1867-08-17

States one. tenth of the Inhabitants, who wcra
lawful voters in 1860, should recstablish n
loyal State government complying with GER
tain conditions. that SUCH State should be re-
stored to the Union with full representation.
Congress refused to sanction this schome, and
you cannot have forgotten the scorn with
which this 4" Executive pretcnsion was re-.
ecived throughout the South Now, in 1865.
the ouly difference in the condition of things
was, that the United States held military pos
session Of the States which, at tho date of
hlr. Llncoln's proclamation. had not been
overcome. We must, therefore, on this ques-
ton OF reconstruction, take one of three posi-
tlons We must either sustain the proclalna-
tions of Presidents Lincoln and Juhllson upon
the same ground, viz: that the President Of
the United States had the right, without ref.
erencC Congress or to MS, to prescribe the
terms OF rc-admission for the South, and must
admit thut at any time after the proclamation
of 1868, onetcnth of the people Of South
Carolina could have re established a loyal
State government, restored the State to the
Union, and made rebels and traitors of the
rest of the community. Or, we must assume
that there were certain relations inherent to
our character as sovereign States Which enti
tied us to resume our places in tho Union
AAho IiICu tuC IcSluCnU SCncmG UI recon.
| struction disturbed these relations and viola
ted our rights as openly aud rccklessly as the
Congre 'slonal Act of reconstruction. For the
Act disfranchises certain citizens; the Proc.
amatou did the samc by coufning the privi
lege of voting "to that portion of the people
OF said State who are loyal, and no others"
The Act calls Conventou without the slight.
est reference to the requirements of tho State
| Constitution for fbn ncconkIip,e ne cnoh
body; the Proclamation did the same thing.
The Act declares the State government illegal
and void; the Proclamation declared that
the rebellion" had " deprived tho people Of
the State of South Caroiua of all civil govern
mcnt. The Act appoints ~ Military Com
munder. and the Proclamation of the Prcsi-
dent, as Commandcr-in Chief, appointed
Provisional Governor, and as far us the Con-
stitution of the State of South Carolina is con.
ccrned, there is not an act of Gov. Perry,
while officiating as Provisional Governor, that
Is more lawful or regular than an order of
Gen. Sickles, And further, upon this as.
sumption. it is impossible, upon an3 sound
whence the President derived his right to pre-
scribe "tcrlns" on behalf of the United States,
or where Provisional Governor, appointed
by the President, and Convention, irregular
ly and unawfully convened, found their an
thority to accept them on behalf Of the State.
Or, finally, We must assume that the l'res'-
deut held possession of the Southern Ssates us
conquered territory over which lie exercised
the power of Commal,lcr-in Chief of the army
and navy. And this is the ground npon which
the President did place his Proclamation. -
Whereas," he says, "thc President of the
United States is, by the Constitutions, made
the Commander. Chief of the army and ma
Wy us we'll as chief executive officer Of the
United States" Whereas, the rebellion
which has been wagcd, &c, &c, bus whose
organized and armed forces have now tton al
most entirely overcome, has, i'll its revolution
ary progress, deprived the people OF the state
of South Carolina of all civil government; /;
and whereas, it becomes necessary and proper
to carry out and enforce the obligations OF the
United States TO the people Of South Casolina,
in securing them the enjoyment of a. a.republl.
can form Of government" Nc, &c. Then the
action Of the President was tho action OF ,nll-
itary authority, wise and jutlicious it may be,
necessary and justified by the cxigencr, but
which could establish no permanent political
relations with the Unitol States until it had
been confirmed by the aw.making power
thereof. I admit that Congress could have
confirmed the Presidents action, and it would
havo bcon emincntly wise had they dono so
but they did not, and would not, and The
Presidents action was therefore only an effort
for good, for which he deserves all honor, but
which could not possibly give us right te
claim rcadmi. sion.
Now tho Reconstruction Act does give III
this right It's provisions may be harsh, bu
once complied with, our right is established
} by the law Of tho land. 1t has terminated
the contest between the conflicting powers Q
the Executive and Legislative department.
Of tho government; it has been passed will
the necessary constitutional forms it ha
} stood the test for all practical purposes OF ex
animation before the Supreme Court and
is now in active, unchecked, lawful operation
: TO say that because we have not been admit
, ted, therefore we will not be, is to forget tha
tho whole question at issue has bccn--wh
has the right to admit US, and upon wha
, terms snd that this question is only now set
c tied by the passage of tho Act itself. I'M
e Act represents the sense OF the Northern Pee
Q n]e; il pass> ]. ze:Ss'fHsFEapss worse evil and
dSniSnds .severcr denunciation. Wherever
disorders so unworthy Of American civiiza.
ton are tolerated in any degree by public
opinion of the Indifference Of the civil au.
thorities, the communities in which they oc.
our, must unhappily suffer in their prosperity
and in their good name.
BY command Of Major General D. j.. Sic.
KLEs J.W. CLOUS.