The daily phoenix. [volume] (Columbia, S.C.) 1865-1878, 1867-10-26
The South and Reconstruction.
The New York Herald Saws

| Nothing could be moro disastrous
to the South than the action they
seem likely to take in consequence of
the resultlof the Northern elections!
There seems to be neither sense nor
sanity in their exultations. The or
gans are appealing on every side to
| vote against the Convention, and to
do nothing whatever toward bringing
the Southern States again into Com
gress, or into the Union. ;
What do they expect to accomplish
Iby this !? Dothey expect to got into
Congress or the Union in any other
way For two years longer this
present Congress will hold possession
of; power. The reconstruction law is
not likely to be changed during that
time, at all events. Nor is there one
chance in ten that the South will be
able again to- deprive the blacks of
their right to vote. When large
body of men in any community have
once had possession of the ballot,
they do not easily surrender it, 1t
has become to them an actual pro-
perty, and they would as soon sur
render their liberty or their life as
their right to vote. The blacks of the
South can never be deprived of the
suffrage without leading to riots,
commotion and bloodshed.
Nor will the Southern States, if
they are wise, ever attempt to take it
away from them. We do not mean
to say that the right, MS it now exists,
can never be modified; we think it
by no means improbable that qualif-
cations, of intelligence or something
else, may be affixed to suffrage, both
black and white, throughout the
South. Giving universal suffrage to
the blacks was never n measure COM
mended by good judgment and re-
gard for the public welfare. 1t was
resorted to mainly rs q party expe-
dient. It seemed to be necessary, in
order to prevent the whole political
power of the South from falling back
into rebel hands. But every one felt
that it was hazardous step, the re-
suit of which was by no means Ger.
tain. The evils which will unques-
tionably grow out of universal negro
suffrage in the South will compel
revision of the whole suffrage ques-
tion.
But the whites of the South are
only putting this matter more and
more out of their reach by the course
they are pursuing. BY refusing to
take any part in the political activity
of the States, they simply throw the
whole power into the hands of the
least intelligent and most unscrupu-
lous portion of the people. If they
would take vigorously hold of the
various subjects which demand atten-
tion, they might get beaten at the
polls at the outset, but they would
get foot-aold, and be in position to
do better next time. Political power
does not grow by neglect. No party
and no class of men ever becomes
stronger by doing nothing.
The Southern people seem to have
become quite beside themselves in
consequence of the quasi Democratic
victories. They are very likely to
turn to ashes on their lips. Certain
ly, all that is needed to create an
other reaction the other way, is for
the South to keep up q little longer
the boasts and exultations and threats
in which they have been so freely in
dulging for the last three weeks.
The Herald speaks as follows:
We notice in the South ern press a
disposition to attach an Importance
and significance to the late elections
in Pennsylvania and Ohio which the
circumstances do not fully warrant.
1t is true, there is in the results Of
these elections much cause for con-
gratulation to the Southern people,
MS well as to those Cf the North, who
have become tired and sickencd with
corrupt radical misgovcrnment. But
our Southern friends should not go
off at tangent upon these signal
evidences of returning sense of
reason among tho radical majorities
OF the North. They should not
hurrah before they are out of the
woods. They should keep calm and
collected--we willn say "subdued,"
for they have acknowledged them
selves so already. They should not
be too exultant; they should utter no
taunts, make no threats, nor do aught
else to arouse anew the spirit of re-
lentless persecution with which they
have been pursued by the radicals
since the Congressional project of
reconstruction was first broached.
I1Iz