The daily phoenix. [volume] (Columbia, S.C.) 1865-1878, 1867-03-15

Friday Morning, March IS, 1867.
The Government.

states the position in which the Go
vernment now stands, and by which
branch of it the country is ruled at
present.
Speaking of the recently enacted
laws for the government OF the
Southern States, it says:
eve do not wonder that they
deem the terms required harsh and
illiberal. We agree in so regarding
them. We deem them unjust and
inexpedient-at war with the Consti-
tuition and hostile to the dictates of
q wise and considerate statesman
ship. But how does this help their
case? Suppose the terms imposed
are unconstitutional-how does the
South expect to avert their imposi-
ton? Has it not discovered that,
wherever the right may be, the po,re,.
of this Government rests with Con
gress? That body overrules alike the
vetoes Of the President and the de-
cisions of the Supreme Court; and
in neither case is there any authority
that can overrule its authority or
avert Its action"
To this condition has the country
been brought, as thus frankly con-
fessed by Republican journal, by
the action of one or two hundred
politicians in Congress. We say the
mischievous work was done by them,
for we cannot believe that the people
of the United States, even by return
ing such representatives to Congress,
contemplated or anticipated the mea-
sures which, the Times asserts, care
at war with the Constitution and
hostile to the dictates of wise and
considerate statesmanship.''
But these measures have become
law, and, as such, acquiescence is the
duty of those to whom they apply,
so long as they are in force. The
Times disavows any intention of ad-
vising the people Of the South, in the
article from which we extract, but it
tells us what the purposes of Con-
gress are, and what may be in store
for us, should the present recon
struction measures be opposed by
the Southern people. It says:
THE real purpose Of the extreme
men In Congress is to deprive all
who took part in the rebellion Of the
right to vote, and to give the blacks
and loyal whites full and exclusive
possession OF political power in the
Southern States. The Louisiana bill
embodied this purpose and passed
the House by q l-rge majority. Just
as surely as the South rejects the
terms now offered, will that bill be
re-enacted? These conditions may
seem harsh, but those are harsher
These may be unjust, humiliating,
repu9nant to every sentiment Of So
clal pride and self-rcspect-bu those
are more SO: and If these are rejected.
III the spirit and temper brought to
their discussion by those who are
urging resistance to them, nothing,
IN our Judgment. can save the South
from the utmost rigor of the Louisi-
ana bill, with Summers amendments
and Stevens contiscation act append
ed thereto.
As onr readers know, Mr.. Ray
mond, the editor Of the Times. was :.
member OF the Congress which pass
ed the measures referred to. and it is
reasonable to suppose that he is ac-
quainted with the purposes Of The
party Of which he is & moderate mem
Der. 1t is on this account that we
publ h his written opinion, and SINH
lar statements from many other tenn
perate Journals of the North, express
ing the same views and belief Of the
present and possible future OF the
Southern people, SO long as the DO
htlcal party now dominant in the
law-making branch of the Govern
meDJ shall De able TO retain its power
and authority. Far be it from us to
attempt to awe the people into an
affirmatory action by such publica-
tions. All the advice we have to
give them we have already put forth
IN our columns; but the South has
reached Il crisis in the progress of her
destiny, which requires the most ear
nest consideration of her people. We