The Daily clarion., 1867-05-26
From the Memphia bulletin.
Admiral SemNAes om Rcco nstruc-

But aside from this evidence tha
the Northern people intend to keeI
faith with us, what other course il
open to us 2 Since the Bulletin frs
'Itook ground upon this question, which
was when the supplementary bill was
passed, which left the Southern peo.
pie no option, almost all our promi-
nent men have spoken, We have care
fully read their letters and speeches,
and we find in no one of them any
plan proposed by which we can better
ourselves. Some of them denounce
the reconstruction acts as mconstitn-
tional, and from the Northern stand
point they are so. But we, as high
toned Southern men, mindful of our
honor and our past history, must oc-
cupy our o,on stand point, and not that
of our late enemy, if we would not
stultify ourselves. To repeat former
arguments used in these columns, we
claimed the right to secede; we did
secede; we established what we
claimed to be a foreign government
and we waged four years war in sup,
port of that government. We were
beaten in that war, and are to-day a
conquered people-conquered in a
foreign war, proclaimed by ourselves,
and not merely subdued in a domestic
insurrection. Shall we turn round
now and proclaim ourselves liars {?
Shall we say that none of fthese things
occurred Shall we not only admit
ourselves to be liars, but shall we in
addition proclaim ourselves to be 1
swindlers ? Shall we admit that we in
duced our people to withdraw from
the Union under false pretences, and
that we invited the officers of the old
army and navy to become rebels. and
instead of rallying to the de-
tense of legally constituted govern
nent? Is the code of honor the pas
'ivists now propose for our accept
ance2 Yes, it is; and, strange to say,
sensible men, honorable men, COM
mend this code to us; to such an ex-
ent do mems wishes, and interests,
md politics blind them. But to lay
his question ofhonor aside, and look
Vt expediency. How are we to help
ourselves !? Has not General Pope
old Governor Jenkins that the recon-
truction law must be executed like
ny other law and do we not know
hat it will be executed in spite of any
hing we can do? If the people of
Mississippi, or any other of the ten
onquered States, should register
and vote against calling a
the convention would be
allied nevertheless. The negro vote G
nd the vote of the Radical whites /
-ould outnumber the passivists; or,
it did not, the reconstruction act n
ould be so amended at the next ses- j
on of Congress as to accomplish the
bject, with, doubtless, further and g
lore stringent Determinations Ii
gainst those who have participated t.
the war; Governor Perry, of South s,
arolina, in particular, must be mad, a
hen he recommends the people of u
at State to vote against conven- v
on, for he knows that the blacks
one in that State are more numerous v
an the whites. Governor Perry q
lks of honor, and the Constitution, n
i'd at the same time recommends his
ople to put their necks quietly un- f. +
II the foot of the black man. If efa
ere were any free choice left us; if b,
g might or might not accept the
rms; if we might or might not take Dc
II respective States back into the N N
lion on the conditions named, the d
Sc would be different. But if we qr
not recognize the ten States our St St
Ives, they will as certainly be reor- ~ ~
nized by the negroes and Radicals fiji
that the sun shines, and that is the
oice, and the only choice left us.
oose for yourselves, brethren of the
| States.
10