The Camden journal. [volume] (Camden, S.C.) 1836-1851, 1850-03-26

He can holdland, and many of them hold slaves,
Under the toleration of society, they have in my
state respectable position, as much SO as in
the Northern States, and many of them are in.
dividually highly respectable--some of high per-.
sonal qualities-su as make good men, as
much so as the colored citizens of Massachu
sets; but they are not citizens with political
privileges; they are persons recognized by law
and protected by law. They have legal ex.
istence under statute, but not political exis.
tence under the constitution or federal laws.
But if understood the honorable gentleman
rightly, he has taken the ground that colored
citizen of Massachusetts is citizen within the
meaning of the constitution; that "the citizens
ofeach State shall be entitled to all the priv.
leges and immunities of citizens of the several
States" Taken in its broadest amplitude, it
may be made to mean that black man, made
citizen in non-slaveholding State-in Wis
consin-a WISCONSIN free negro, made q citizen
there, becomes in consequence citizen of the
other States, so far as he may avail himself of
the provision referred to.
am not aware of any limitations or restrfc.'
tons on the proposition. Then might ask the
question, can free man of color, made by local
laws citizen, be eligible to the Presidencyi-
Can he claim to be entitled to the political fran.
chises of the constitution, as they are in all re-
spects recognized in the constitution If 80,
we may have Presidents of not only all parties.
but of all colors; and do not know who NAV
not be President Under this doctrine, can q
black citizen of Wisconsin 90 to South Carroll.
ma and be candidate for governor, in opposi.
ton to local lawsa He is full citizen under
the constitution, or he is qualified citizen un-
der local statute The truth is, the Ethiopian
cannot change his color any more by law than
by physical causes, no more than leopard can
change his spots; and Ireally believe respect
him rs much as those who whitewash him into
political complexion unrehected from the mir.
ror of the constitution. The constitution and
laws regard him as colored man, with the ca
pacity of acquiring civil rights, but not entitled
to the privileges and immunities of free white
citizen. 1t may have been that Massachusetts
would wish him to be regarded as such in South
Carolina, and that she sent Mr. Hoar to South
Carolina to enforce that doctrine.
As something has been said during this dbate
about the mission of Mr.. Hoar, and the conduct
of the people of South Carolina towards him, /
hope it may be allowable for me to make
short statement, by way of explanation. The
gentleman came to South Carolina at a time of
high popular excitement, and his mission helped
to increase it, he came to protect from the op-
Grafton of the laws ofSouth Carolina the color.
ed seamen sailing in vessels from the ports Of
Massachusetts, and to contend that they had a
right to 60 on shore and claim the privileges Of
citizens of Massachusetts, or citizens of the Uni
ted States-in other words, to question the con-
stitutionality of the laws of South Carolina
which prohibited such persons from landing and
minglng with the black population Of Charles
ton. He was at once told that his mission'~as
unfortunate, and that he ought togive up the
office which he had assumed, and to leave the
city. Some of the gentlemen who were ac-
quainted with Mr.. Hoar land it seems to be un-'
derstood that he was entitled by his position at
home to the character of a gentleman) advised
him, in the first instance, to leave the city. AS
| understand, he refused. The intimation was
made to him in no offensive manner, nor with
any demonstration OF violence. A mob in the
Southern States can rarely, in the first instance,
assume controlling form; it will yield to M
telligence or proper suggestions from the re-
sponsible portion of society; but once in mo-
ton, under such implied sanctions, snd'it may
assume a character and violence not easily to-
be repressed. Well, such was the state of things
in Charleston. The opinion of society was,
that it was an impertinent intermeddling with
its security, for an agent to come from another
State and interfere in the concerns of a commu-
nifty that could have but one opinion-and there
was but one opinion.
Mr.. Hoar was told more distinctly, and by
gentlemen who were opposed to any thing like
popular violence, that he must leave the city,
Under this determination, arrangements uere
madp, with regard to some of his family, that
he should leave the city with no positive demon
STATIONS of rudcness. And it may be said that
he did leave under polite invitation, with a
significant determination to enforce the invita-
ton, in the cent of his refusal to disregard it,
and it may have been that, in going away he
was rolunfe'r by compulsion
1t affords inc no pleasure to dwell on scenes
They exhibit state of things that
have been brought about under feelings alien to
those which influenced the trainers of the con-
stitution. The people or interests Of the North
cannot suffer under the law referred to, whilst
it is regarded as one of self representation by the
State that enacted it. The one section has
s ,eculated in fanciful construction of constitu.
tions to maintain rights which never can be Sc.
riously invaded, whilst the other looks to legis.