Keowee courier. [volume] (Pickens Court House, S.C.) 1849-current, 1870-06-03
From The Southern Guardian.
Senator Sayvyer's views Upon the
Question OF Amnesty.

Question of Amnesty.
Tho subject of universal amnesty has been
discussed elaboratcly in the Senate of tho
United States, and noteworthy aud funda.
mental difference of opinion has manifested
itself amongst the Republican Senator's
Conspicuous amongst those who advocate tho
removal of all political disabilities, and op.
pose the creation of any moro than now exist,
are Mr. Ferry Senator from Connecticut, and
Mr.. Sawyer, Senator from South Curolina.-
We highly appreciate the attitude and the
speeches of these Senators in the debate in
the Senate on the 18th inst, which took place
upon the amendment offered by the Senator
from Connecticut to strike out at the close of
the second section of tho emcndment of the
Senator from Nevada the following words
"And shall forever be disqualified to hold any
otlco # honor, trust or protil under tho Uni
ted States or any State"
Mr.. Sawycr's speech on this occasion does
honor to lis Intelligence and his candor-
Certain expressions occur in it which of course,
are distastoful to us, and which SAVIOR Of that
old unfairncss towards the noble people of the
South in taking it for granted that 10 the civil
war there were rebels aud traitors, &C., &C.,
but in its sentiments and purposes mainly, in
its comprehension of the relations Of parties
to each other in the South, and in its general
principles, it will command the esteem of our
people for its author.
! After aluding to Senator Morton's dcnun.
citation of those who favored amnesty as un-
sound Republicans, Senator Sawyer said
For one, recognize no mans right to read
mo out of the Republican party until lie
shows that l stand on ground which is not
Republican. Mere dcnunciation, mere as
scrtion that am acting in the interests of
rebels or rebellion, has 10 effect upon me- [
feel no particular anxiety to avoid pleasing the
rebels i'll do right and act as a Republican. l
think it might be moro wise and statcman-
like if some Senators should remember that
their chief mission is not to make the rebels
hate them. But there arc some Senators
hero who seem to conceive that consistency
requires them so to act that tho rebels shall
entertain toward them now precisely the same
opinion that they entertained when the war
was fragrant. Sir, that is not my position
When the war was hagrant, I hated rebel
lion; when the war was fragrant, to the cx-
tent OF my power | resisted rebellion; but
let me say, Mr.. President, when the war was
fragrant, [ did hate rebels, and | do not hate
rebels nor anybody else now. 1t is not the
mission of the Republican party to hate the
men who created and who carried on the re-
bellion. 1t was the mission of the Republi,
can party to suppress the rebellion; and it
has been and is yet the mission of the
Republican party to recognize this govern
mcnt on more solid and enduring basis than
that upon which it has ever stood before.
SOUTHERN UNANIMlTY.
But sir, let mo tell the Senator from Tn
diana that the foundation upon which he
would rcorganizc this government, the foun-
dation upon which he would reconstruct the
States lately in rebellion, is foundation as
unstable as water. The rebellion took into
its vortex tho whole Southern populatiop
with exceptions absolutely insignificant in
number All classes wcrc bound up in sym
pathy with it. Every man, woman and child,
with, as l said, insignificant exceptions, had
but one aspiration so far as the political situa-
ton was concerned =; and that was that the
Southern Confedcracy and the cause of the
rebellion might triumph Here and there
man of generally very slight political or social
significance among his fellows was, or profcs
scd TO be, loyal man but tho number was
SO 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 provin
ces, 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 selfgovernmcDt, administration
OF local interests by local agents. say can
understand how those who would upset all
this principle and theory of government, who
would destroy this chief clement of strength
IN the American system, should hold the grip
upon the throats Of the great majority of the
white population. That is the only theory
on which | can understand it but if our
purpose is to establish in the breasts of the
Southern people love for the institutions of
the United States, if our purpose is to
strengthen the government in those States,
and to have real Union, We must take the
people of those States with all their intirmi
ties upon them; we must incorporate them
into the body polite of tho United States,
as equal constituent members. We must re-
collect that man in South Carolina, a citi
zen OF the United States, must be placed on
precisely the same platform, and covered by
the samo protection, endowed with the same
political privileges, as man in Massachusetts
or Michigan.
A FOOLISH POLICY.
When you shut out any one large section
OF the country from all aspirati ms for partici-
patton in the public Offices, when You tell
that large class of mon that they must have
no part or lot in tho administration of tho af
fairs of government you bid them to obey