The daily phoenix. [volume] (Columbia, S.C.) 1865-1878, 1874-09-11


A RETRospFCr-How SHOULD THE
SOUTH BE TREATED?-In December.
1866, q report was read in Congress on
the condition OF the Southern States.
the disposition evinoed by tho citizens
recently in rebellion and the most asl.
visaple manner OF treating them. Tho
document in question was generous
in spirit. conciliatory toward the
South and statesmanlike in its propo-
sitions. It's author snid: ''L am satis-
fed that the mass of thinking men Of
the South accept the present situation
of affairs in good faith. The ques-
tions that have hitherto divided the
sentiments of the people of the two
sections-slavery and State rights. or
the right Of q State to seoede from tho
Union-they regard as having been
settled forever by the highest tribu-
nal-arms-that man can appeal to. I
was pleased to learn from the leading
men whom met that they not only
accept the decision arrived at as final,
but now the smoke of battle has
cleared away, and time has been given
for reflection, believe that this decision
has been a fortunate one for the
whole country" The disorder result
ing from four years of war had render
ed it desirable that the military forces
of the United Stetes should not be
wholly withdrawn from the South Mt
that time, notwithstanding the loyal
disposition manifested by the Lending
citizens; but the author of the report
was careful to advise that as few Fed
eral soldiers as possible should be sta
toned in the Southern States, and
that they should oil be white troops.
"The presence Of black troops, late.
~ slaves" he said. 'demornlizes labor
both by their advice and by furnishing
In their camps resort for the freed
men for long distances around" His
sound common sense enabled him to
see that danger to the future peace Of
the Southern States lay in the igno
rance Of the late slave population and
in the ''belief widely spread among
the freedmen" by tho agents of the
Freedman's Bureau. 'that the lands Of
their former owners would, at least in
part, be divided among them" He
therefore urged the policy of leaving
the negroes to the care of their white
fellowoitizens, who would give them
good counsel. s'It cannot be ex.
pected," be said, "that the opinions
held by men at the South for years can
be changed in day." but his p,edic-
tions for the future were nevertheless
thus hopefully expressed: MY OBJ
servations lead me to the conclusion
that the citizens of the Southern
States are anxious to return to self
government within the Union as soon
as possible; that while reconstrnctiug
they want aud require protection from
the Government; that they arc ready
to tako my course required by tho
Government that is not humiliatipg to
them as citizens, aud if such course
were pointed ont they would pursue
it in good faith"
This report was received with ap-
probation by the people 1t struck o
generous chord to which the heart of
the nation responded. 1t held in
check for time the cIrpet.bng plum
dercrs whose fingers were already
itching for the rich spoIs of political
reconstruction. Its inuu.nco was
great and deservedly so; for it bore the
signature Of General Grant, the SOL
dier who had snbdued the rebellion
and saved the Union. May not the
lessons it taught and the spirit it
breathed be advan,ageousIy studied
by President Grant in his Treatment of
the Southern people ut the present
time?-Ne,o York Herald
, A MEETING OVERWHELMING IN NUN