The daily phoenix. [volume] (Columbia, S.C.) 1865-1878, 1868-08-01

'Chrlstlanlty and the lessons OF peace
which the Gospelt mes. that. Sena-
| tor Wilson should we selected Sun.
day night to inau rate measure
whereby. if it had become law the
horrible scenes of strife and convul7
sion which followed the restoration
of Tennessee into the Union might
possibly be repeated and multiplied
throughout the whole extent of the
South. l. tue l.. .sf r4a
These are the blessings of quiet,
security and concord which were to
follow the reconstruction measures,
and afford happy illustration of the
sincerity of the sentiment of their
standard bearer -" Let us have
peace" But this nice piece of Sun
day work from Massachusetts also
failed, not having been arrived ut in
the House at the time of the recess.
The last and the worst of the abomi-
nations invented for the torture and
ruin of the South, and which we
have above referred to as dying out
yesterday in the Senate, was the
bill for the government of the three
States of Virginia, Mississippi and
Texas. It provided that, in the
three States named. the reconstruc-
ton State Conventions should be
invested with power to remove all
officers, from Governor down; to
appoint others; to revise the regis.
tration lists; to appoint registers and
judges of election; to count the vote;
to appoint constabulary force, &c.
Also, that the ordinances they may
pass should be enforced by the pro-
visiopal governments of such States
until disapproved by Congress, or
until they adopt State Constitutions
which shall be approved by Con-
gress; that the military commanders
shall aid the Conventions in enforc-
ing the laws; and that any person
who shall vote in those States for
electors of President or Vice-Presi-
dent, i'll 1868, shall be subject, upon
conviction, to fine of 81, 900, and
one years Imprisonment.
It would be difficult to imagine q
measure of more atrocious injustice,
or one the suggestion of which could
be more indicative of apprehension
of the results of permitting the
pesple Of the States named to have q
voice in the coming Presidential
election. All the action of Congress
in reference to the South seems to be
prompted by q consideration of party
interests. Its whole craftsmanship
in regard to reconstruction, exhibits
consistency only in the pursuit of
power, and the most shameless dis
regard of its own avowed principles
and promises, whenever it suits its
purpose to discard them. Thus, after
Offering Alabama the semblance of q
vote upon her Constitution, when
she rejects it, it is forced upon her;
after offering Mississippi vote, and
being defeated, it is proposed to
place in power the men who have
received the votes of the minority;
having good reason to fear that Vir-
ginia will go the same way, it is pro-
posed to vitalize her defunct "Recon-
struction" Convention, and make it
the supreme law-giver of the State.
Happily none of these projects have
as yet been successful, and the coun-
try has breathing spell, in which, it
is to be hoped, public sentiment may
suggest counsels of reason and mode
ration.
Is the Right of Suffrage Restricted,
by the Constitution of South Caro-
lina lately adopted!
Mr.. EDITOR: I desire to say word
about the legality of the late elections
for County officers in this State The