The daily phoenix. [volume] (Columbia, S.C.) 1865-1878, 1867-07-14

themselves o. ood ens, to ret
enterths Unlo1. This IS theif posi-
ton, and q noblet record cf any PED
pie wes never writtenSby historisn or
scribe. - Z ~ go
But what then? asks again the ca
viller, Simply this: The terms and
condition of reunion are prescribed,
and prescribed by the authority of
those who have the right to prescribe
them-the representatives of the peo-
pie in Congress. We may, think
and do think-these terms harsh and
exacting, yet, if Southern fidelity to
obligations of allegiance is worthy of
its name and ancient, well-merited
repute, then are the Southern people,
if they are not enacting a stnpendous
farce, bound to comply with them.
Having done this fully and unequivo-
colly, if they are still rejected as
rightful claimants to participation
in the Government, they will have
the consolation Of knowing that they
have done all that men could do, in
the discharge of duty, and in un-
swerving LOYALTY to oil the claims of
honor and patriotism.
Thus have we sketched the posi-
tion of the Southern people at the
present juncture of their political
affairs, aud that it is faithful sketch,
we think, cannot be gainsayed or
controverted. Their duty, therefore,
is plain, if their professions of adj
herence to the Constitution and laws
of the Government are worth the
paper they are written upon. That
duty is simply to comply with the
laws, register and vote in conformity
to the terms prescribed. The South
ern man, who can do so, who fails to
register and vote, will Justly be held
responsible for all the evils that may
follow from such a palpable derelic-
tion OF duty, rs citizen of the State
and of the United States, whatever
forms these evils may assume-xhe-
ther they be what is contemptuously
called NEGRO government" OF
general agrarian anarchy. If such
evils should befall us, they will be
the result of criminal indifference
to the welfare of tie Commonwealth
and community, to CRAFTY false
pride and selfish preiudices, on the
part of those who pertinaciously
cling to the past, accounting their
obstinacy as an evidence of patriot
ism.
If there be any better way to Sc
cure restoration and peace to our dis
tracted country than that we advise,
let it be pointed out. If the policy
be inaction, that policy should have
been adopted at the beginning. Our
State Convention to abolish slavery,
to repudiate the Confederate debt, to
elect Senators and provide for the
election of Representative to Con-
gress, ought never to have been
called together. But. having done
all this, and complied with other re-
quirements of the President of the
United States, in order to get back
inte the Union, we made greater
sacrifices, as a people, than any we
are called upon to make now. After
having made these great sacrifices, it
Is folly to stumble at minor obstacles
in the way to reconstruction. The
people of South Carolina, in Con-
vention assembled, abolished slavery,
repudiated their war debt, and So
lemnly abjured long-cherished politi-
cal doctrines and theories-and for
what? To be re-admitted to the
Union. Every sacrifice they could
make was made then, and it looks
like childish querulousncss or obsti-
macy, at this late day, to try to make
mountains out of mole. hills, and
throw away for naught the immense
sacrifices already made, in their eff
forts to regain our position in the
Government.