The daily phoenix. [volume] (Columbia, S.C.) 1865-1878, 1867-07-03
COLUMBIA.
Wednesday Morning, July 8. 1867.
GOvernor PeFrx Again.

letter from the Hon. b. +, Perry. 1t
is courtesy due to his position and
his former services to the State; but
we must say, frankly, that we publish
this letter with reluctance however
opposed we may be to any ostracism
of the press, or closing our columns
against the utterance of opinions adj
verse to our own, and to the policy
that we. believe is the ollly true and
conservative line of action that South
Carolina or the Southern States
should, under present circumstances,
pursue. And we would say, more
over, in relation to this communica-
ton, that. in our humble Judgment,
it is destitute of any argument to sus-
tain the writer's position in urging
the people of South Carolina to vote
against convention, when it is con-
ceded by mon of every shade of OPT
Mon that such convention will be
held in this State.
Governor Perry felicitates himself
on the ''bright CLEAN of sunshine"
which emanates from the opinion of
the Attorney General. We opine that
this gleam will be very short-lived, if
the Congress organizes to-day in spe-
cial session. A declaratory supple
mental Act, passed by that body
during the contemplated brief ses-
sion, viii render the opinion utterly
worthless s-yea, do more-will invest
General Sheridan and the other COM
manders with supreme power none
of them have yet assumed. No hope
of relief there, should quorum meet
in the halls of Congress to-day. And
even should there not be quorum,
Notwithstanding the opinion of Mr..
Stanbery the work of reconstruction
would go IN, for the Acts have not
been pronounced unconstitutional by
the law officer of the Government,
and the only point he makes is, that,
in some instances, the commanding
generals have transcended their le-
gitimate powers, according to his
construction of the laws. The Pre-
Sidena is bound TO erecue these la,cS to
their .Janality, of course, under the
Attorney Generals construction, but
still they aoM be executed. and neither
Governor Perry, nor any one who
may be of his opinion, has given us
one good reason why we should be
obstreporous, and fight against law,
the execution of which is to be en-
forced, not by the civil, but by the
military authorities.
Tropes and figures, appeals to State
pride, and calling to remembrance
gallant deeds, are not arguments. The
men who fought under Lee, Hamp-
ton, Longstreet, Kershaw and other
Southern leaders, and who, as Gov.
Perry says, undertook to conquer
four to one, and fought gallantly
through hundred fields of battle"
are more likely to follow the advice OF
those leaders than the counsels Of one
who, staying at home, (very properly,
no doubt opposed persistently, even
to the bitter end, and with all his abili-
ty, as conductor of press, started
for that very purpose, and as legis
lator, that cause for which those
soldiers fought, to whom he now
appeals, by their votes at the ballot,
to oppose reconstruction of the Go
vernment. There is, we must be
permitted to say, an inconsistency in
the public and political course of our
distinguished correspondent, that is
unaccountable, if we look for its
existence to any ordinary causes.
But the bugbear of negro govern
ment, the dark and dismal spectres
of "San Domingo" and Jamaica"
are again held up in all their fearful
: ghastliness to alright our people.
On no grounds whatever can such
apprehensions exist. Even the writer
himself ,intimates, when speaking of