The daily phoenix. [volume] (Columbia, S.C.) 1865-1878, 1870-05-24
sawyer'a Views ON tho

sszs7ssz3zs
Aranesty.--ssnator sawyer's Views ON the
Subject.
The Congressional. .Globe brings us the
full verbatim reportof theihot debate In
the United States Senate, on Tuesday
last, On the subjectof universal amnestJ.; );
We take the following passages from Tie
able speech delivered ION that occasion
by Senator Sawyer:
HE ISN'T AFRAID
After alluding to Senator Morton's de-
nunciation of those who favored amnesty
as unsound Republicans, Senator Sawyer
said: -
For one, I recognize no mans right to
read me out of the Republican party,
until he shows that I stand on ground
which is not Republican. Mere denun-
citation, mere assertion that I am acting
in the interest of rebels or rebellion, has
no effect upon me. I feel no particular
anxiety to avoid pleasing the rebels if
d. right and act as Republican. /
think it might be more wise and states.
man-like if some Senators should remem-
Der that their chief mission is not to
make the rebels hate them. But there
are some Senators here who seem to con-
ceive that consistency requires them so
to act that the rebels shall entertain to-
ward them now precisely the same OPT
nien that they entertained when the war
was aagrant. Sir, that is not my posi-
tion. When the war was fragrant, I
hated rebellion; when the war was
fragrant, to the extent of my power, I
resisted rebellion; but let me say, Mr..
President, when the war was fragrant
did not hate rebels, and do not hate
rebels nor anybody else now. 1t is not
tho mission Of the Republican party to
hate the men who created and who car-
ried on the rebellion. It was tho N ission
of the Republican party to suppress the
rebellion; and it has been and is yet the
mission Of the Republican party to re-
organize this Government on more
solid and enduring basis than that upon
which it has ever stood before.
SOUTHERN UNANIAIrY.
But, sir, let me tell the Senator from
Indiana that the foundation upon which
he would re-organize this Government.
the foundation upon which he would re-
construct the States lately in rebellion, is
a foundation rs unstable as water The
rebellion took into it's vortex the whole
Southern population, with exceptions nb-
solutely Insignificant in number. All
classes were bound up in sympathy with
ns said, Insignificant exceptions, had
but one aspiration so fur as the political
situation was concerned; aud that was
that the Southern Confederacy and tue
cause of the rebellion might triumph.
Here and there man of generally very
slight political or social significance
among his fellows was, or professed to be,
IL loyal man; but the number " as 80 small
that to carry on the Government in those
States by their aid, and by their aid alone,
is proposition perfectly absurd to any
man who knows the people.
WHAT OUGHT TO BE DONE
can understand, too, that those who
would govern these States as subject pro-
vinccs, who would continue to keep over
them the strong arm of power, who
would destroy the vital principle of the
American Republic, which is local self
government, administration of local in
terests by local agents-I say can un-
derstnnd how those who would upset all
this principle and theory of government,
who would destroy this chief element of
strength in the American system, should
advocate tho continuance of that system
which should hold the grip upon the
throats of the great ma ajority of the white
population. That is the only theory on
Wnlcn Gun understand IL; Dut ii our pur-
pose is to forget the war, if our purpose
is to establish in the breasts of the South
ern people love for the institutions of
the United States. if our purpose is to
strengthen the Government in those
States, aAd to have real Union, we must
take the people of those States with all
their infirmities upon them we must in
corporate them into the body polite of
the United States, as equal constituent
members. We must recollect that n man
in South Carolina, u citizen of the United
States, must no placed on precisely the
same platform, and covered by the same
protection, endowed with the same politi-
Cal privileges, rs a man in Massachusetts
or Michigan.
FOOLISH POLICY.
When you shut out any one large sec
tion Of the country from all aspirations
for participation in the public Offices,
when you tell that large class of men
that they must have no part or lot in the
administration of the affairs of the Go.
vernment you bid them to obey and love,
say you cut off from the Republican
party one of its great elements of
strength. When 7 reflect that in addi