The daily phoenix. [volume] (Columbia, S.C.) 1865-1878, 1874-04-23
COLUMBIA, s. G.
Thursday Morning. April %. 1874


What course Congress may be likely
to pursue in regard to the grievances OF
South Carolina is matter of deep coll
Germ to her people, and of no inoonside-
rable interest to the whole country. It
is new state of things brought to it's
attention as existing here, and involves
in its treatment the consideration of
some grave questions. It is easy for the
central power, when backed and i'm
PEELED by an aggressive and dominant
majority, to take doubtful steps, to
tread close upon the liberties of tho
people. and seriously to impair their
guarantees Of good government. OF
this GLASS are such measures as some of
the reconstruction Acts, the creation Of
new judges to reverse decision of the
Supreme Court, and the interposition Of
Federal authority in the States to estab-
lish and maintain State government
against the will of its people. Indul-
gence in sin was perhaps on agreeable
thing, as it was an easy one. but being
called upon to reform and repent, goes
against the grain. The abuses which
have been practiced by the party in
control of the General Government, and
by it's bastard representatives in some Of
the Southern States, which reproduce
only it's arrogance and corruption in ex-
aggerated forms, are returning to plague
the inventors. Committees Of investi-
CATION into frauds and wrongs OCCUPY q
large part Of the attention of Congress.
Its time is much taken up with efforts
TO keep itself moderately clean. Bot a
greater trouble than railroad frauds, or
the defalcations and swindling of en-
ployees OF the Government, is brewing
in the subjugated and outraged pro.
vinces OF the South.
The form OF government guaranteed
by >bhe fundamental compact has itself
-Seen lost in the clash of arms, and in
spoliation and revelry on the fields of
strife. Thus grave question is pre-
sentcd to Congress and to the American
people. Instinctively Congress will try
to dodge it. It cells for action in
direction to which it is naturally averse.
But this is ghost which will not
"down" at the bidding of party. 1t
will refuse to be laid till Injustice has
been removed. It is doubtful whether
those who have perpetrated or allowed,
in the zenith of their power, such terri
BILE wrongs against liberty and the rights
OF the people. such departures from the
normal principle of constitutional 90.
vernment, can or will correct the evils
now patent to the view of all. Their
strength appears to have been expended
They look aghast at the work they have
done. For the new aud better work to
which they are summoned, they have
not heart. courage or conviction.
The question is not one really Of
original interference in the affairs of
States, as pretended by those who
oppose it. It is of the correction of
abuses for which the interposition of
the Government is mainly responsible.
1t concerns the undoing of wrong.
1t cannot be got out of the way. It
may be lodged now, but it will return
for solution. And il the men now in
charge of the Government prove them-
selves not equal to the task, from lack
of force and will, it will remain to be
taken up by their successors. The great
statesmen who laid the foundations of
the Government, and those who knew
best the inner meeting of its constitu-
tion. in their comments upon its powers.
seem to have had some forecast of the
present exigency, which is to try them.
These we find we'll grouped together in
letter to the Washington Chronicle, By
Col. Richard Lathers. of Charleston,
accompanied by forcible statement
from himself of the grounds upon
which Congress may interfere the mode
OF doing it, the advantages which would
result. and the consequences which must
ensue and spread from failure to do it.
We commend the views to our readers
as emlnently worthy Of thought.