The daily phoenix. [volume] (Columbia, S.C.) 1865-1878, 1867-03-13
COLUMBIA.
Wednesday Morning, March l3, 1867
Who is to Set the Ball il. Notion.

United States Senate by Mr.. Wilson,
which was referred 70 the Judiciary
Committee; and as it is mainly tc
provide for putting into operation
the reconstruction Act, it will doubt
less be reported back by the commit
tee without material alteration OF
amendment.
The provisions of this bill entirely
ignore the existing State Govern
merts, and take away from them any
right or privilege in initiating the
measures Of reconstruction provided
for in Sherman's bill. In the first
place, the commanding officers of
Districts are to cause q registration
second, to cause an election of dele
gates to convention; third, fixes the
basis of representation; the fifth sec
ton directs him to make proclama-
sion of the result; and the sixth pro-
:vides that the duties assigned to the
commanding officer may be trans
ferred by him to the Governor of the
State, upon his taking an oath to
faithfully perform the same.
It will thus be seen that any call
Tor special session of the Legisla-
ture, to take into consideration what
the future policy Of the State, with
refsrence to its relations to the Gene
raj Government, much less to deter
mine them, would be entirely futile,
and an unnecessary expenditure,
which, at this juncture in our State
finances, would be highly reprehensi-
ble, and would be injurious and aff1ict-
i've to our already suffering and i'm
poverished people.
By the terms of the bill under con-
sideration, the whole machinery of
the military bill is, very appropriate
ly, to be set in operation by the mill
tary commanders. The State Govern
ment- executive, legislative or judi
cial-has nothing whatever to do with
it; nor would the Legislature, or a
State Convention called by it, be
recognized. Whether the commander
of the Carolinas would transfer the
duties assigned him to Governor
Worth or Governor Orr, time can
only tell; and whether these Execu-
tives would accept the trust SO dele
gated-to carry out the provisions Of
the Sherman bills still Il question
of greater doubt. They would be
merely the agents of the real Go
vernors-the military commanders
and we think the latter could more
effectually carry out the requirements
specified in the bill, while the assump-
ton of the duties by the former
would not, that we can see, benefit
the State or the people in any regard
Therefore it is that we protest
against any political action by a Lee
gislature. which, by the terms of
Sherman's bill, is only provisional
and not legal, or by the Governor,
who, also, is only ''pIovisional," his
tenure OF Office being liable ut any
time to the dictuna OF Congress- Our
people ale not desirous of taking
part III national politics at this time
They are poverty-stricken, suffering
and destitute, eide the statements
published elsewhere in to-day's pa
per, and they are more than willing
to leave national politics to those to
whom Congress has assigned the exc
cution OF the recent laws, which dis
tinctly set forth their relations to the
National Government. Were the
Legislature to meet, or a convention
Of the people, or even were the peo-
pie to hold public meetings, to dis
cuss national politics, it must and
would be productive of disastrous
results. First, by dividing the peo-
pie; second, by distracting their
minds and their attention from the
pursuits which now absolutely re-
quire their whole energy and unceas-
ing industry; land last, but not least,
such movements 2cO1,lu 10 no QOOQ. as