The daily phoenix. [volume] (Columbia, S.C.) 1865-1878, 1868-06-20

The following conservative utter
ances come from that reliable paper.
the Journal Of Commerce:
The OMNIBUs BIL1.-The Senate
has passed the bill to admit the
States OF North Carolina, South Caro-
lima, Louisiana, Georgia and Florida
to representation in Congress, on
several conditions, the most impor-
tant of which is that negroes shall be
allowed to vote, and shall never be
deprived of that privilege. Undoubt-
edly, the House will concur with the
Senate. Whether the President
vetoes it, or not, is O matter of no
consequence, for Congress can pass
it over his head. Thus theories be-
come facts; and protests and argu-
ments against the impolicy and injus-
tice of forcing q system upon the
South which is repudiated by the
North are rendered useless. The
Southern people, while feeling that
they are roughly treated by Congress,
have the good sense to accept the
situation as it is. They have long
known that they had no other hope
of getting back to the national fold,
except under the Caudine yoke of
negro suffrage. They are prepared
to comply with that ceremony, not
stopping to inquire whether it is o
mark of conquest and humiliation, or
political necessity, growing out Of
the Presidential campaign. The
radicals would like nothing better
than to have the whites Of the South
leave their homes in disgust, or retire
into corners and pout over their
unavoidable misfortunes. The Ma
poleonic maxim, "Nevcr do what
your enemy wants you to do" is the
principle upon which the Southern
whites, as q class, are now acting.
Recognizing tho fact of negro suf-
frage, they have the sagacity to
appeal to the powerful army of new
voters as old friends, rs natural
allies In promoting the industry and
prosperity of the South. They are
willing to go to the ballot-box and
vote side by side with negroes. They
are willing to sit in Conventions, in
Legislatures, or in Congress with
them. This is more than some of
the professedly devoted friends of
the negro in Northern States are
ready to do. It is true now, as it
always was, that the real well-wishers
of the negro are at the South, not at
the North. The abolition of slavery
has changed the relations of whites
and blacks, but it has not uprooted
the ancient feelings of sympathy
founded on family associations and
mutual interests. The Southern
whites are prepared, not merely to
admit the political equality of ne
groes with themselves, but to recog-
nize their improved social status,
much more generally than the North
ern radicals.
No law in creation can fix negro
suffrage into q permanency. It is
but an experiment. If it works we'll,
contrary to the experience of man
kind up to this time, it will remain
incorporated in the constitutions of
Southern States. If it proves q
lamentable failure, degrading in its
effect upon whites and blacks alike,
the sturdy good sense of the Saxon
race will throw it off. like any other
fetter which hinders its progress. No
law of Congress-, no constitution of
any State, no amendment to the Con-
stitution of the United States, is un-
repealable. Congress has shown to
mankind with what facility the most
sacred charters, the most solemn
compacts, may be rent to pieces,
where party interests require it. At
some time, not far distant, perhaps,
the conservatives may have the su-
preme power, as the radicals now
have it. It will be their duty to re-
wise and correct errors of radical
legislation. One of the first ques-
tions that will come before them will
be that of the repeal of all negro
suffrage enactments and provisos.
Unqualified negro suffrage will then
have been tried upon its merits, on
the large scale. If, on the whole, it
is good thing, it will not be mo-
Tested. But if it is clearly appn-
rent evil and nuisance. nothing can
save it from being sponged out of ex-
istence. We doubt, however, whether
the Southern whites are looking for
ward with confidence to any such day
of revision and reform. The imme-
diate future is that which concerns