The Fairfield herald. [volume] (Winnsboro, S.C.) 1849-1876, 1867-06-12
Admiral Sommes on Reconstruction.

Admiral Sommes Oh Reconstruction
But aside from this evidence, that
the Northern people intend TO keep
faith with us, what other course is opcn
10 us ? Since the BuNchn first took
ground apon this question, which was
when the supplementary bill was pass
cd, which left the Southern people no
option, almost all our prominent men
have spoken, We have carefully read
their letters and speeches, and We find
IN no ono orthem my plan proposed by
which we can better ourselves. Some
OF them dcnomcc tho Reconstruction
Acts MS unconstitutional, and from the
Northern standpoint they arc SO. But
VIC, as mgh,toncd Southern men, mind
inl Of our honor and our past history,
must occupy our own standpoint and
not that OF our late enemy, il we would
not stnltilv ourselves. 10 rcpeat form.
or arguments used in these columns we
claimed tho right to scccdc; we did SO
cadc; we established what wc claimed
to DO foreign Government. and wo
waged four years war in support Of
OF that Government. We were beaten
in that war, and are today CONQUER.
people conquered liza Foreign war,
proclaimed by ourselves, and no, mcrcly
subducd III y domestic insurcction
Shall We turn round now and proclai n
our selves liars? Shall we say that
nonc OF these things occurrcd? Shall
we not only admit ourselves 10 be liars,
but shall We, in addition, proclaim our
selves TO be swindlcrs? Shall wc nd.
NIT that we induced our people to with.
draw from tho Union under fnlso prc.
tcnccs, and that we invited tho officers
OF the old army and navy to become
robcls and traitors, instead OF mIy,ng to
the defence OF a legally constituted
Goyernment2 Is it tho code Of honor
the passivists now propose for our nc.
ceptance? Yes, i, is and, strange to
say, sensible men, honorable mon, COM
mend this cudo to us to such an cytcnt
90 mems wishes, and interests, and poll.
tics blind them Bit, to lay this oucs-
ton or honor aside, and look at cxpcdi
ency. How arc we to help ourselves I?
Has not Gen. Pope told Gov. jenkins
thct the. reconstruction law must be
executed like any other law? and do
wo not know that 1t will be executed in
spite. Of anything We can do? If The
peoples o. Allssssipp,, or any other of
the ten conquered States, should regis
ter themselves and vote against calling
convention, the convention would be
called nevertheless. The negro vote
and the vote Of The radical whites wonld
outnumbel tho passivists; or, hit did
not, the reconstruction Act would be 50
amended at the next session OF Conc orcss
as to accomplish the object. with donbt.
less, inrther and moro stringent discrimi.
nations against those who have p,rtici.
pated IN the war Coy. Perry, of South
Cafohna, in particular, must bc MAD
@hen he recommends the people of that
State to vote against convention for
he knows that The blacks alone IN thot
Sate are more nnmctons than tho whites
Gov. Perry talks ofhonor and the Con.
atntion. and at the same timo recon.
mends his people to put their nccks ami.
Guy under the foot Of the black man.
II there were any free choice left us.wc
might or might not accept the terms; if
we night ormigbtnot takoour rcspective
states back into the Union on the condi.