The daily phoenix. [volume] (Columbia, S.C.) 1865-1878, 1871-03-25
s. C.
Saturday Morning, March "a, 1871,
"southern Sentiment"


issue Of March 20, it undertakes to give
the .'opinions Of prominent papers and
politioians"- s"-referring to this Journal
and the letter of Gov, Perry recently
published in these columns. It gives
extracts from various prominent newspa-
Pers in the South, and the conclusion
that it seems to arrive at 10 that there is
can unpleasant and unwelcome state of
feeling in the Southern States" It tgoes
even further and throws ont the sugges-
tion that the people of the South are
preparing for another issue with tho Ge-
neral Government. We propose to deal
candidly aud fairly with the Times. We
shall not charge it with seeking to accom-
,plish party ends by firing the Northern
mind and reviving those sharp and bitter
feelings born of war. We shall assume
that the Times desires to interpret cor
reotly the state of feeling in the South
ern States. We say to the Times that It's
views; as respects the South, are 'errone-
ous. Gould the Times realize the trae
state OF affairs in South Carolina, result
ing from political corruption and mis-
rule, it would understand that what it
considers the exhibition Of hostility to
the Government, is very much allied to
the instincts of self.preHervation. "Shall
it ba peace or war, "'is q grave'question,
and we feel its momentous gravity. But
there is graver question still. that
comes up before outraged communities,
and this is: ''Shall it be life Or death. "
The Times may rest assured that if it
fails to note the existence Of pleasant
and welcome state Of feeling in the
Southern States, the "ex-insurgent" peo-
pie thereof are not properly and justly
to be held responsible. This unsatisfac-
tory condition of public affairs is due to
the regime that the Times assisted to fix
upon these Southern States-which re-
y;me is violative Of all those principles of
government that were formerly esteemed
the peculiar property OF the citizens Of
this Republic. If the governmental
pyramid is made to stand upon its apex,
need it exotic surprise that it fails to
stand firm, and requires extraneous
propping? If there be violence and
lawlessness. under the forms of law, need
it excite wonder that violence should
arise outside of law? If the Times
would reach the primary cause OF South
ern disorders, let it understand that off,
cial corruption breeds trouble, and that
of1cial lawlessness is the parent of pub
lilo violence. The trouble comes from
the political regime at presentin power
not because it is Republican" or Sra
) dical," but because in the main it is ig
,norant. corrupt and extravagant, and
representative of the property and
much Of the virtue and intelligence of
che State.
The Times and it's aiders and abettors
make this mistake: 1t is not the ''ex-in-
aurgent' people Of the South who need
reconstruction, but it is the Radical
State Governments that need revision
and reform. The Times wants to know
a'vhen there will be peace at the South"
There will be peace when this revision
or reform shall take place. If the Times
desires to hasten the day, let it urge Con-
gress to improve its work at once. Un-
less this is done, our contemporary must
await the period when the work of re-
form shall be done by home influences
and home efforts.
We desire to correct the impressions
of the New York Times upon another
point. It states that "the political
character of the South is one of intense
intolerance" provision is made
for Northern capital, energy and perse-
verance, but none for Northern opinion"
We do not admit that this allegation is
well founded. It 80 happens that at the
South the term Radical or "Republi-
can" is 80 often allied with personal or
political corruption. that the terms have
been brought into disrepute here in the
minds of the great mass of intelligent
peroous. But there is no special intole-
rance of honest pOliticnI onininne