The daily phoenix. [volume] (Columbia, S.C.) 1865-1878, 1868-10-14

shtiiniAS,.. frequently tnTlttleSS and
vagrant Population, presented to yo,f,'
for solution. The embarrassments
are also Inore apparent to you on the
spot than TO those unfamiliar with
the surrounding and preceding cir
cumstances. But admitting, for the
sake of my argument, that tho laws
were needful, humane and wise, they
were exceedingly imperative and
unfortunate for you. .Hs.
The North was naturally exceeding
y sensitive on this point. The
slaves had been manumitted by us
for our own ends, and if.we leftthem
exposed to your anger, or caprice or
vengeance, it would indeed be anlin-
dellbie stain upon our shield. We
mad become guardians of the freed
men and we must be, faithful to our
trust. The most calm and moderate
men were as clear as the Ioudest
and most noisy, that it was an un-
doubted obligation, on our part, to
secure, by all means in our power,
their security and happiness. It had
long been urged that it was impossi-
bic to insure that safety for the blacks
among you except by arning them
with the franchise; and your vagrant
laws added the practical proof which
was alone needed to ciinch the theo-
retical deduction. -
Again, it was vehemently asseyer
ated and shown, by innumerable let.
ters from all kinds of people, that,
in their opinion, it would be impos,
siblc for man holding strong North
ern opinion about slavery and the
war to come down here and speak
freely, or travel without molestation
and annoyance, or settle here with
safety. 1t was said that free speech
was dangerous, open discussion pro-
hibited or allowed only underpretest,
and persecution for political opinion
universal. It, is very generallYpbe-
l1eved by US that, if YOU had ,yonr
own way, you would ienoare no con
tradiction and tolerate no dissent:
and it is published every day, that
even now the negro voter is freely
coerced by you to vote against his
convictions. My purpose is MOTTO
discuss the justice ofrthese oharees,
OF their validity. hnt to state them to
you clearly; to, show, the process
which has aided in fixing your pre-
sent condition. Whether they were
true or false, the fact that they were
used as the most potent engines to
build up and sustain public opinion
which could sanction and dsupport the
Reconstruction Acts, discover, = at
once, that general belief in their
truth was, ut all events, considered
by the radical leaders essential to
their purpose. A determination
never to yield US peaceable possession
OF the fruits of the war, is thecrime
for which you are suffering, politi-
cally. This is the persuasion which
you must overcome before YOU can
have peace. For the North is de-
termined, as believe, to retain and
establish, as the Legitimate results of
the war, these general positions, with
all the logical consequences necessary
for their convenient enjoyment, ,fu.7Y.
1st. The utter remuneration of the
doctrine of secession. -..d ~. .ss,t,e,
I'd. The entire extirpation of falayery
and oil its family. la .gns = res
Sd. A fair, and unhampered career
lOr The freedmen. pr ....tt.tl;. -+
4th. The equal right of every citi-
zen of the United States to travel.
speak, and live in any State, solong
as he does not infringe the rights, of
others. ''' - 4
I do not believe that any consider
able portion of the people would be
willing to sacrifice any part of these
acquisitions. H. t5,-
The most effective outcry against
the Democratic party, to-day, is that
they are willing to abandon to you.
some or all of these trophies. II It.
were conceded, on all hands, that,
you were faithfully and unalterably
determined never again to struggle,
by force OF fraud, for their rest0ra-a
ti0n, and the bare question WASH
whether the Constitution shoulil he
restored, OF reconstruction main-,
teined, I think. the result would, newer.
be. in doubt. The great, ,desidyatuns,
therefore. for your restoration, to,
constitutional privileges, seemsy to,
me to be, first, to deserve, and then.
to obtain, the confidence of iour
Northern communities, in your, ac-i
quiescence, in good faith, in these
results Of the war. sNt8.SNt
But, you will doubtless say: '.sWe
have deserved it, and we have done
our best to obtain it: but ye have