The daily phoenix. [volume] (Columbia, S.C.) 1865-1878, 1871-05-11
Tnh CostEss1oN OF FAt1u1,U.-North.

SS~s@
ern Republican papers now openly
acknowledge the failure Of feconstruc.
tion at the South. They were warned
nnd, told at the time that the placing OF
the ballot indiscriminately In the hands
OF our enfranchised slaves could not,
and would not, work. Wo begged for
some restrictions upon tho dogma of
universal suffrage" We plead that
even Massachusetts, required an educa-
tional qualification in her constitution.
But no, nothing would do but a sweep
ing provision in every ono of the carpet
bag constitutions. declaring that every
male negro, twenty-one years Of nge, was
entitled TO yote.
We have now the result. We are told
that there are disorders oil through the
South; we are told that the Republican
party in Louisiana, Florida and South
Carolina is grossly corrupt and incompe-
tent to administer the government. A
special correspondent of the New York
Tribune, despatched to South Carolina
for the purpose of ascertnining the truth
with regard to the condition Of affairs in
that State, writes back to the Tribune
that the negroes have become the .smas-
ters" in South Carolina. and that they
are, as class. Ignorant. superstitious
semi-barbarians, but little elevated in
intelligence above their kindred in
Africa" Upon these people, says the
correspondent, mot only political rights
have been conferred, but they have
absolute political supremacy. They are
the, governing class in South Caroline,
and GLASS more totally unfit to govern
does not exist upon the face of the
earth" 59
Here is the testimony Of the Tr;6une's s
own selected agent, whom the Tribune
pronounces capable, trustworthy, can
did and truthful" So that we have a
confession of the utter mndnese of the
reconstruction policy in South Carolina.
A class totally unfit to govern" do CO.
vern, and violence aud murder are the
natural consequence"
And yet the Southern people nro
blamed for-we know not whnt. They
are stigmntized as still 'srebellious. y
They will not accept the situation. =
Why don't they ''go to work, and let
politics alone?" That is the style of ro-
mark in tho Northern Republican press,
The trouble is that "politics'' won't ''let
then, alone.."
And now what has the Tribune to say
on this state of the faots2 The World
taxes it with the confessions of it's own
correspondent. .'a capable, trustworthy.
candid and truthful man. and in what
does the Tribune take refuge? What
Fenled = does it propose? Let it answer:
.What should have been done, was TO
relieve the intelligent and capable few
from all their disabilities. and then main
tain what is called military government
that is. the administration and en-
forcement Of the laws by army officers
for years; meantime putting forth every
effort to educate and enlighten the
masses, while lahoring to modify and at
length cxtinguish those nntipathies OF
race which interposed so grave an impe-
diment to benefcent self-government."
Military government ought to have
been maintained in South Carolina, land
why not in Mississippi. Louisiana, Ala
bama, Georgia md Florida?y for gears.
Until the free school system was we'll in
troduccd, and the people civilized.
tie N Richmond Enquirer