The Daily clarion. [volume] (Jackson, Miss.) 1866-1888, 1867-06-01
Messrs.= Freeman, Hooker and Il

their opinion chiefly on the ground
that the Supreme Court would come
to the rescue of the people and re.
lieve them of the necessity of accept
ing the proposed terms. Heavy
broadsides charged with this idea
exclusively, were delivered against
the position occupied by those who
advised Reconstruction. But the
decision of the Court that it has no
authority to exercise jurisdiction over
the questions involved, and its dis
missal of the petitions to enjoin pro
ceedings under the Laws. have scatter
ed these voluminous opinions TO the
winds, and have not left to their
authors even so much as sign of the
wreck of the platform which they
erected with so much care, and dis
played so entic;ngly before the eyes
of the people.
Since the Supreme Court has utterly
failed to do what these able lawyers
deliberately argued it certainly would
do, for all practical purposes the
worthy citizens who solicited their
opinions, might as well have trusted
20 the counsels of the legal gentle
men who had previously spoken, and
whose opinion as to the jurisdiction of
the Court has been fully sustained by
it's decision.
This ground OF opposition to Re-
construction having been entirely
swept away, nothing remains for the
persons who occupied it, to stand on.
We may nbly infer, therefore,
that they have uttered the ranks of
those who are in favor of complying
with the requirements of the Govern
ment.
There are others, however, who talk
loudly of "honor,' and "chivalry,"
and "self- degradatipn;' y who advise
the people not to acrifice the one.
nor to be guilty of the other by accept
ing the terms tender Jed by Congress.
But they do not show, and have not
attempted toSshow, aud cannot show,
that the people are il condition to
escape military rule by any other
method; that Congress has not the
power to prescribe and require to be
enforced, it's own tennis of Recon-
struction, and that having the power,
it will not remorselessly exercise it.
They have addressed many appeals to
passion and prejudice but they have
not attempted to convince any mans
reason that the rejection Of these
terms will not lead to the enforcement
of others of still more harsh and
vindictive character.
No people have ever suffered in
their reputation for "chivalry," who
h~-';~s fought as gallantly as the peo-
pie OF the South nave fought against
overwhelming odds, yield obedience to
the laws of government which they
have no means of resisting. This
fact is comprehended by the great in
tellectual heroes-the Longstreets and
Beauregards-of the South; and its
truth is illustrated by the wisdom of
their counsels.
Appropos of the cheap "chivalry"
of the present hour, and its uses, we
cannot resist the temptation to quote
some admirable passages on this sub
iect, from the pen of an able cotempo-
rary.
"Chivalry is fine thing. 1t sounds
'well. To call man chivalrous, or a
'chivalry, is to attach to him a reson-
'ant, musical description. Chivalry
looks well, reads we'll, sounds well,
'and is the passion of young ladies of
"a certain age. Conceding these
merits, and we have conceded very
NEARLY all. Chivalry will not build
up the blackened walls of burned
homestead it will not produce a
pound OF cotton to the thousand
acres.
at is something which is good
deal more ornamental than useful
1T will not raise corn, vote the prop
Ter ticket, or get an excluded state in
'to Congress. tits something which,
lin this country is like coat of arms.
Everybody may have it, and nobody
'be any the better, or nobler, or wiser
'for it's possession. What the south
needs now is something quite differ
'ent from chivalry
at wants patience and industry. 1t
wants to settle into the harness for
hard work Either the South will
rebuild itself, or the time will come
when it will be doing the same thing
under the direction of Yankee task
master. Its public men, instead of
Ill ;nN, |