The Daily clarion., 1867-04-10


upon class of its citizens.
Letter from Ex-Gov. McHsae ON the
Political Situation.
BUoATuNNA, MISS, March 80, 1867.
REV. BISHOP PAYNE-DEAR SIR When /
saw you last, as we passed up the NJ. II 0. r.
r., on the ears, in a conversation on the sub
ject of the condition of the country, and the
proper course to be pursued by our people in
reconstruction under the Sherman Military
Bill, said to you, took no interest in public
affairs. You replied that the country, alluding
especially, as / understood, to Mississippi, had
a claim upon me for my opinions, having hon
ored me, in time past, with her confidence, and
given me high public positions. have re-
fected much upon that remark, coming from
you, Bishop, who know have only the good
Of everybody at heart, and / have studied
whether should consult my own feelings and
keep silent, or whether should in duty to the
people of Mississippi, to whom l owe much,
give my views as to the proper course to be
Nursued in the present calamitous condition Of
our affairs. If, as you suppose, my opinion is
due, or shall be valuable to any single citizen
of our State, certainly it shall be given most
cheerfully. 4AaaR
| The whole Legislation of Congress is now be-
! fore us and have no difficulty in determining
the course our people ought to pursue. Up to
this time we have followed the lead of the
President, and have done nothing to dishonor
ourselves. And though think his course
from the beginning, since the close of the war,
has been erroneous, differing from him in prn-
ciple as to the true theory Of the government,
yet give him credit for his good intentions,
andfor following out the declared policy of
President Lincoln, and ofthe Congress during
the prosecution of the'war. This policy was that
the government was one of the whole people of
the United States, sadissoluble-- that there
could be no secession of State from the Union
that there was none during the war, but that
a rebellion of part of the people of certain
States existed against the common government
This was in accordance with the federal theory
of the government from its organization.
/ believe the government was one ofcompact
between the States, or the people of the States
in their character as States respectively, and
that the Constitution was the band Of union of
the States, forming the government of the Uni
ted States. Under this theory, / believe in the
words of the Constitution, that the powers not
delegated to Congress were secured to the
States or the people respectivelys This was the
States rights theory of the government from its
foundau6n. In uccUruulIso rr,M .nls .a.1v.1,
the people the States Ia their character as
States, had right to judge of infractions of
the Constitution, and when it twas violated by
Congress in the passage of laws too oppressive
to be borne, to determine.the mode and meas
ure Of redress. Secession under this theory
was q right lit was q remedy against evils too
oppressive to be borne, and as Alright ought to
have been peaceable. 1t was not,
because those holding the opposing theory
resisted it by force. An issue of arms was
made, and the Federal theory Of the Gov
ernrnent by force triumphed over the theory
of State Rights The war ended, and Presi-
dent johnson endeavored to carry out the
Federal theory under the policy Of President |
and the declared policy Of Congress
The seeded States acquiesced in his recon-
mendations-State governmental were or
ganized, civil and social order restored, and
the whole work of reconstruction would |
have long ago been complete, II Congress
had co-operated with him in their previous
y declared policy as to the objects for which
5he war was prosecuted. a3A s.
1t is not necessary to review the legisla-
ion of Congress to show its utter inconsist-
'ncy on this point, to enable US to reach the
that they are now right in refer
'nce to what was the true theoryof the Gov
'rnment under the doctrine of State rights.
md upon which we as States seeded from
he Union. The States did secede from the
established and maintained a
eparate Government de tacto and de jAre, for
more than four years. which was recognized
$ belligerent power by the great nations
f the earth. This Government was over
brown by thesuperior power of the United
tates, and its people as a conquered people
ad no rights except such as the conquerors ]
hose to concede to them in accordance with
be laws of nations and of humanity. Thet
ght of Congresssin my opinion, within the !
ederal Constitution was complete, to dis I
ose of the States and people conquered as !
hey saw-fit, so far rs our theory of govern
Ient was concerned. And while 1 attribute /
} Presidcnt johnson the best intentions, l v
link it mfortunate that he did not CON Z
enc the Congress Immediately after the 9
ose of the war, aud endeavor to harmonize a
ith them in a policy which would have re- &
bred the Uniohin fact, IN feeling, and har- y
onious sympathy between all its parts. V
his now can never be done. Reconstruction Sc
i'll take place, but it is forced against the b
Of every man In the seeded States. te
either Unionists, BoyaIsts, or Secession a
s, not even the negroes, who were as true al
the main to secession as any class Of our at
ople, would voluntarily give their assent th
the measures which now force reconstruc- pr
m. And yet advise the people of Missis- an
'pi to accept no. l win not say that because re
implies willingness, but to submit to these CC
assures, which they haven no power to re- an
t. When they had choice to accept or tic
eet the Constitutional Amendment, which clt
present reconstruction measures are but rel
enforcement of in a more odious form, In
~ aDhoA eAO tnCh nuunuoou 1 Do
scted it. II is one thing to choose or not gr;
,hoose when Voluntarily left to do so. 1t tht
mother to submit or not to submit when
,hoice is left us. We can choose with the
or, IS we have done. not to submit to de- nif
ding terms. We can submit with honor aui
terms which we would not rem
pee, and which we have unanimousiy re. eve
- .r
ca, teg
belong to the excluded class in the or. i
ization Ofthe State government, because sem
people Of Mississippi have heretofore re- Ian,
d their confidence in me, in too high a
Zee as one Of their public men. l would \,
lice anything for them, and l now say 10 tbe
}. through you willingly sacrifice for Ian,
sake all right to Office, position and thei
age, under these reconstruction meas INN
, Of which am by them debarrsd. and half
- those who are entitled upder these Ms,
to Register and vote.
far as the freedmen are concerned. j L,
ID not advise them % register or to vote indie