The daily phoenix. [volume] (Columbia, S.C.) 1865-1878, 1867-12-24
COLUMBIA.
Tuesday Morning, December "a. 1857

Tho Number OF the Disfrn nchfse,a.
The Boston Post says that the Re-
publican papers are printing Senator
Wilson's statement, that the number
OF whites disfranchised at the South,
does not exceed O,0OO-some say
6o,00O are disfranchised in Tennessee
alone. The Senator is very loose in
his electioneering statements, and
these Republican journals are reck-
less IN endorsing them. The New
Orleans Times says it cannot be
truthfully denied, that in Louisiana
alone, 1000 whites are disfranchised
by the Reconstruction Acts. The
white population of Louisiana, is
no1 u tentn part OF the whites in
cluded i'll the States of the South; so
chat it follows ten times 3O,OOO--say
3oo, O0O-white men are disfranchised.
The sumber of those who could not
register, is probably in no degree ex-
aggerated, ii we consider not only
those who were directly struck out
by these Acts, but those who were
barred ont by the construction put
upon by the registration officers.
The Post is right, and Senator
wilson's statement Of the number
diafranchised in the South, is either
an evidence of his ignorance or his
mendacity. We should think that
no man occupying his position, espe-
cially one who has given 80 much at
eention to the South, and who has
visited SO recently, could be SO igno-
rant, as to make the statement he
did The conclusion is, therefore,
inevitable, that without regard to
truth. he put forth his statement for
eiectioneering purposes The New
York Tribune is better posted, and
certainly more truthful. in its state
ment on the subject. That paper
says: Rrt' -.
There are probably more than
$4,000 white men in Tennessee who
cannot vote. The significance of
this fact is heightened by the general
admission of the blacks to the exer-
else of the franchise. So, between
the wide exclusion of the whites and
the universal acknowledgements of the
blacks, Tennessee is political Pan
demonium; and, until the suffrage is
so regulated that all men who are
not excluded by the Acts of Congress
are admitted to the enjoyment Of all
their political rights, we shall have
no hope of cordial and enduring
peace. 1t may as we'll be plainly
stated here as vaguely limited Mt, that
ehe Republican party of the North
hos never, SO far as we know. CON
templated the permanency of any
arrangement like that which now
att1icts Tennessee; that it has never
intended to justify its enemies in
their accusation, that it might tyran-
nlze over and oppress the whites:
and that If the Southern Republi-
cans. black and white, think the sup
port OF the North worth winning.
they must put their legislation on
some other basis than that of self
seeking and revenge. The time for
disfranchisement of any but classes
embracing few individuals, and those
confessedly disloyal and dangerous.
has gone by. The hateful pussions
engendered by the war are dying out.
Tie country is addressing itself to
the problem of peace; and we be-
.ieve that all men who have not deep
personal animosities to crafty, or
some unworthy personal motive to
serve, or who are not insane with
rage and hate, are willing to draw
sponge over the past, and commence
anew. provided that both freedom
and justice can be made the basis of
future endeavor. We believe that
when we say this, we speak for nine
tenths of the Republicans Of the
Northwest. OF their devotion 10
the cause of their party and the
country, there can be no doubt"
Besides the complete refutation Of
Senator Wilson's statement, con-
tained in the above paragraph, it is a
scathing rebuke to the extremists of
the Iribuae's own party. Disfran.
chisement, schemes of confiscation,
&C., are weapons which bravo men
would scorn to use upon vanuuished