The Fairfield herald. [volume] (Winnsboro, S.C.) 1849-1876, 1867-05-29
Tho Congressional Plan Of Peoonatruc
ton.

tion.
If every man Of and over twenty.
one years of age, in South Carolina,
understood exactly the true impor of
the Acts Of Congress, under which an
opportunity is given to their State to
resume it's Federal relation to the
United States Government, wc believe
every man, both white and colorcd,
would agree that to unite harmonious
~ to carry out the provisions of those
Acts, as far as that power is cntrust-
CT to us, will be the most efrcctual
way to remove the anomylous power
by which the State is now governed,
and restore her to Il condition of law.
equity and justice.
With Il view to open the eyes OF
our readers as much aswc can upon
tho real situa!ion, present and posi-
bic and promised, Of South Carolina,
we will present the record by which
VIC arc governed and to be guided in
our course, with such running com
mcnts as the presentation may in our
judgment require.
In this resun,c it will be unncccssa-
ry to quote the whole of each law to
which VIC appeal, as will be obvious to
every reader.
The first feature to which atten-
tion is called is found in the preamble
to what is commonly called the Mill
tary Bill, or, as exactly defined, 'An
"Act TO provide for the more efficient
government OF the rebel States"
which Act was passed over tho prcsi-
dents veto on the 2nd of March, 1867.
In quoting this preamble We will use
it i'll the singular number, as though
its sequel were applicable only tc
saat4 SoR24s. GaF4lies no Il il fessss!!ews
"mcnt radcquate projection for life
cor property now exists in the rcbcI
estate Of i i 4 South Carolina
$" 4; and whereas, it is ncccssa.
"ry that peace and good order should
she enforced in said State until Ta1
"loyal and Republican State Govern.
"mtnt can be legally established
"Thcrcforc," &c.
y moro ingcniously devised prcam-
bic, we have never seen before. 1t
contains the very pith of the Uie,Os and
proposes Of tho victorious North. We
ask tho reader to leave of irst 1T the
end Of this sentence, to refer back ia
the preamble above, and read it over
very carefully again. If the reader
has done this, he will perhaps have
discovered the fact that the Northern
"'e'o, rs therein expressed, of the con-
dition politically of South Carolina
IS, that hers is not Il slcgal State gov.
crnmcnt;" and that the Northern mr..
pose is, to make ours a "loyal and Re-
publican Government" And to cf.
feet this cit is necessary that peace
"and good order should be cnforccd''
III South Carolina 'untir' such a GOV
crnmcnt ''can be lcgally.establishcd.' p
Such is tho purpose of the United
States Congress, andH has Tie poorer,
because it has tho backing of millions
to effect its Purpose.
So much then for tho preamble
Now for the important part of its Sc
qucl.
The first section of the Military Bill
divides the said rebel States into five
military districts, Of which districts
South Carolina forms part of the
second one North Carolina is the
other part of tho same.
We are ali fully aware that section
has bcon exactly fulfilled.
Tho second section gives tho
President tho duty to assign to tho
command Of each district a general Of
ficcr.
This too we know and feel has been
done. Remember, tho President yc-
tocd tho Bill, but he is now scrupu-
lously executing all its provisions.
The Supreme Court has not yot decid-
cd upon tho question involving tho
constitutionality of tho Bill, and can
notnow, (bccausc it has adjourned }
and will not, though it bo adverse to
tho Bill, until after tho whole law has
gone into effect. Docs not cvon q de-
cont respect for law made by the Gov
,ernmcnt which we acknowledge has
the power over. us, demand that wo
shall faithfully observe its provisions