The Anderson intelligencer. [volume] (Anderson Court House, S.C.) 1860-1914, 1867-05-08
The Intelligencer Job Office.
Reconstruction and Retrospec.
fi0u

Reconstruction and RETROSPECT.
tion.
A Secession organ at the South, com.
menting upon Gov Orrs recent declara-
tion of hostility against the Democratic
party, wonders whittier the Governor Is
tending, and where he would have tho
Southern. voters go? 1t says: We
must have allegiance somewhere, and the
formation Of new party is doubtful in
the extremes" and concludes that they
''must declare allegiance to that party
which will do them justicep
AS no party has done the Secessionists
and Rebels justice as yet, it is to be ap-
pretended that if that be the ultimatum,
our chivalric friends must continue to look
for their affinity in vain! But, as the
Republican party is the only organization
which has any policy looking at all to
the rendering unto Cesar the things
which are Cesars," that evidently is
where the anxious searchers for justice at
the South must gravitate.
For proper understanding of the con-
siderations which should control the re-
construction question, no less than to
lastingly impress any erratic party which
may hereafter contemplate going off an
tangent after States rights, nulli6ca-.
ton, caste.ciass legislation in support of
property in man, or other heresy that
leads away from our true national orbit,
it may be well, occasionally, to recur to
cur original difficulty.
Our Government was founded upon the
principle that Gall men are created free
and equal, and endowed by their Creator
with certain inalienahle rights, among
which are life, liberty, and the pursuit Of
happiness-that to secure these blessings
governments are instituted among men,
deriving their just powers from the con-
sent OF the governed" There was class
who were largely interested in slave.labor
who claimed that colored men were not
included rs entitled to the inalienable
rights appertaining to the rest Of the hui
man family; and as the conscience of the
free States became more and more inn
pressed with the conviction that an aris-
tocracy, bolstered up by caste-class legis-
lation enforcing unpaid labor, was an
exotic which had no business to take root
and flourish in our Republican soil, the
slaveholding interest became more deter
mined that the bulwark of their power
should be extended not only, but be SO
firmly grounded in the fundamental law
as to remove it beyond the license of dis
cussion. We all know what struggles en-
sued-with what desperation the slave
power contested every effort on the part
of the Free North to shake from the Ma
tional conscience the shacklcs of slavery.
The leading shareholders took possession
of the Democratic party, and made it its
most powerful auxiliary in the effort to
engratt the unnatural and aristocratic
element of slavery permanently upon
our free institutions. Finally, out-voted
and beaten in every civil appeal. they en-
deavored to overthrow the Government.
and for this purpose brought on bloody
fiatricidal war. 1t was not to escape OPP
preston or to secure an inalienable right
that the malcontents precipitated the
United States into q sea OF blood; but
to secure to themselves the power to
usurp and maintain rights which belonged
to others. This difference should not be
lost sight Of. In defence Of God-given
rights our sense of Right tells US it is
proper to resort to force /; but it by no
means follows that such course would be
proper to withhold rights from others.
We know that it is not, and that is the
end OF the argument.
The leading rebels made the effort to
overthrow the forthe wholly
unjustifable reason assigned, and most
sgnally failed; it now remains for them
to face the consequences. Congress has
imposed certain conditions precedent to
the rebellious States regaining their old
seats by Uncle Sans fre-side; which
conditions are simply designed to secure
to loyal and true men the power abused
~ rebel leaders; and the question is,
whether the aristocratic element will
come down from its stills and put on the
''sack cloth and ashes" which is more be-
fitting it's condition The answer to the
problem is all important to themselves
bat by no means potential to the Congress
or the people Of the United States. Con-
triton for the past, though nearly every
hamlet is yet bowed with the sacrifices it
occasioned, will touch the great heart Of
the nation and melt it to forgiveness
but naughty justification and arrogant re-
fusal to accept the lesson OF the sad past.
will only have tendency to augment tho
severity Of the measures offered by Con-
gress.-Sulliuan County (N. ~ Repa0la-
can
ADAM DEFENDED-You must remember