The southern enterprise. [volume] (Greenville, S.C.) 1854-1870, 1867-08-15

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sbcrs 10 good faith g ; |" finality." and
6pposiag the views advanced by Governor
Pkanr, he proceeds to discu.s the effects and
consequences Of oar approving the call OF a
Convention. Tais being to US the most i'm
pertaat part Of the discussion. and the great
length OF the entire article induces us TO
give only the concluding part Of the letter.
We would like to publish the whole Of It
did reasonable space permit,
"a, 4 ..s [Eps, EsrrnrRIsr.
n'A o. The next reason given why you should
'vete against o Convention is, that 10 you
arefuse TO csIl q Convention, the present mil
: itsfys government will be continued, and
. Chat government 10 better than any which
. the Convention would frame. ia
- Now, in the fret place, what possible as,
ssursnce have you that II you reject Con.
'vention. the present military government
WIN be continued Are not ell the proba-
Tbilitiss ms other wayse Il IL fairly to be
presumed that when the Reconstruction
s Actwas passed, IL was because those who
passed Il wished the restoration Of the
South on thsse terms, and In This way, and
believed that che people Of the seeding
ssates would use the meaus. which the Act
provided for this purpose. II you reject
lthe Convention, It will be In order TO defeat
the purposes Of the Act Is IL at all likely
that those who framed the Act without
refsrenee to your wishes, will allow you to
use II for the purpose Of defeating their
endsi II you refuse to vote for a Couven
: ton, are there no voters In the State to
whom Congress could. by new law. give
the exclusive right to vote. and who would
very readily call Conventioni Suppose
new law. which should extend the dis.
: franchisement TO :" all who participated 10
the rebellion" aud where would the white
vote of the State BET The United States
Z Government has .aid, call Convention,
frame your own constitution, provided 1t be
republican; insert certain provisions which
we think the late civil war renders ueces-
sery for the future quiet Of the country.
Z and come back to your old places in the
q Union. You repiy-no. we will have no
Convention, no dictated constitutions, we
will not come back to the Union on your
terms. Will not Congress say--;very well /;
VI you win not come back freely, you can be
! brcnghtbaek forcibly. A militrry govern
nnent 10 q costly experiment ut best; give
! power to the freedmen. and they win soon
place the Slate in loyal relations with the
Z Udion. And when you have rejected this
plan of<reconstruction, you will find. too
late, that You have misunderstood the TEN.
@rer and pdunderrated the power Of those who
offered it You know that the Republican
PARTY was divided on this very measure
That the more violent and extreme, wished,
+, and still wish, to pursue harsher course.
ewill'not your rejection Of this plan be a
reckless defiance. which will strengthen
those who wish 70 compass your utter de.
ssstructioni fsaEs "ss -a.aa .. ~ .
But suppose that your rejection of the
Convention is not followed by any such
-Dsxindiotiye legislstion-th the presen,
q military government is retained. wha,
have you gsinedf wha. is this military
government, which is 90 much bette,
than any you can frame. but the armed
: representative Of the very power you wish
ito defsati IL 1t reasonable to sEppoos tha
when you reject q Convention, for the ex
press purpose Of avoiding The consequences
,syof the Reconstruction Act, that the militar,
Ieommander. who is the creature Of the Ac
-aitself--who exists solely to execute it--wh,
10 part OF the Government who has impose
!. IL on you--either can or will Join you !,
: carrying out your purpose2. This is no
eamatter OF argument, but Of experiencs.--
~ You know already what this military gov
-erpment ia and what Is there that the Con
s.yention J. can do. except restore you to th
Union, which it cannot and win not do
nay, which IL has not done The Act, b
ssxpsess provision. has conferred upon tn
frssdtnsn. the privilege Of suffrage. whic
esheithers syop NOR the military commando
kasAn take away; and within the last fe,
shaouths, the orders issuiug from miiitar
a headquarters hayo. in anticipation Of III
ConSsntion, declared that the coiorsd vot,
-ais snsitlsd, aa-an saualof any other citize,
81 20 csaksout iicensess ride An public conve,
anees, at on juries and hold pffiecs. indee,
lathe very last order appointing Register
Jahshas been pat In offiee,ll Does Il seed a
ygumsat.to convince you chat sshis miIitsr
government must be aud 10 simply an abs
.SsGts power. frreepobsibie 10 you, and bouu
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