The southern press. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1850-1852, 1851-03-12


must be evident, the people have nogenulne spirit
of freedom, or they would not have submitted
no long TO this oppressive dominion ofmere wealth
In no other State would ii have been tolerated
so tamely. In Rhode Island they have turned
when trodden upon, but in South Carolina they
seem TO wear their chains without murmnf; and
yet the self-constuted leaders OF her COUNCILS have
the cool impudence TO designate others as submls-
sionists.' These descendants of the Hugenots
and cavaliers have peculiar notions OF freedom
precisely the notions that would hi them Tor a
snug little monarchy, il they could nuihly the
laws and Constitution Of the federal government,
or secede from the confedracy. This state OF
things clearly proves that, Of all men in the world
the good people Of the Palmetto State are the best
adapted to faction and discord."
Now, here are tissue of untruths--l do not
say deliberate--contained in this extract con-
corning the people of South Carolina. They
are charged as being an oligarchy in govern
ment. The first fact alleged TO support this as
sertion is, that " the people, as such, have very
little control Of their affairs. No man can vote
who does not own fifty acres OF land or its
equivalent, or pay high tax" That Is untruth
number one tits an assertion utterly destitute
| of any foundation Sir, for forty years univer-
sal suffrage has existed in the State OF South
Carolina All that is required il, that the voter
should be white man, and be six months a
resident in the election district. If the senator
had been solicitous to know the truth, he could
have obtained copy Of the constitution of
South Carolina at any bookstore in the city. |
have it here before me.
go OH to nuyber two. The senator says ::
"No man can be member of the Legislature
whose freehold is not worth one hundred and
fifty pounds sterling, clear of debt" This is
pretty good for the senator. 1t is partially the
truths The constitution provides that any one
who owns ten slaves and five hundred acres Of
land, may also be n legislator, whether he is in
debt or not
Number three. "The elections are all CON
ided to members of the Legislature" This is
untrue. The elections conGded to the legisla-
ture are those of the executive and judiciary.
Number four That body elects or appoints
all the officers Of any grade, from the governor
down to the sherfis and parish judges" There
is not word of truth in this assertion. On
the contrary all the military officers in the State,
and all the tax collectors sheriiis ordinaries, and
clerks, are elected by the people. Every dis
trict officer whatsoever is elected by the people,
and to hold these Offices there is no property
qualification whatever.
"'Fbe legislature elects the senator's of the
United States Thai is certainly true, and, |
suppose is as novel AS it must be alarming to
the senator from Texas, and must be concln-
sive fact in proving South Carolina to be an OIL
garchy. If this fact does not prove his charge
of arisoeracy on South Carolina, he has none
other to stand on. Unfortunately for the sena-
tor, this startling provision is not at all in the
constitution of South Carolina. Ii will astonish
him, no doubt to learn that il is a provision in
the Constitution of the United States.
Number five: "They elect electors for Presi-
dent aud Vice President of the United States"
That is true; and it is also true that every State
in the Union did the same thing ut the COM
mencement of the Constitution of the United
States, and that the construction given by the
trainers of the Constitution Of the United States
by this simultaneous and unanimous practice
was, Chat this was the regular and proper mode
by which the electors should be chosen We
are old-fashioned enough still to stand where
the fathers of our free institutions STOOD and
where all the States stood at the commence
ment of the operations of this government.
! Number six: The legislature can change o,
amend the constitution when it sees fit" The
meaning of this assertion is, that the "o-
garchy" in South Carolina can abolish, amend,
or change the constitution, whenever majority
of the Legislature sees fit. have here the con-
stitution Of South Carolina in my hand and !
will read the precautions we have taken TO Sc
cure stability in our fundamental law, and the
safeguards we have thrown around the consti.
tuition to prevent hasty changes:
''No part of this constitution shall be altered
unless bill to alter the shall have been read
three times IN the house of representatives, and
three times in the senate, and agreed to by two
thirds of both branches of the whole representa-
ton. Neither shall any alteration take place un-
Ill the bill so agreed to be published three months
IN No NH of no
house of representatives. and If the alteration pro-
posed by the legislature shall be agreed to in the
first session by two-thirds OF the whole represen-
tatlon in both branches of the legislature, after
the same shall have been read three times on three
several days, in each house, then, and not other
wise, the same shall become part of this consti-
tuition"
| will add that convention of the people
can also be called only by twothirds of both
branches of the legislature.
Thus il will be seen that we have thrown all
the safeguards that usually exist around the al
teration of our fundamental law. have thought
it proper to make these statements and correc-
ton of facts, and hope it will end this matter of
vilifcation and misrepresentation of South Car
DINA.
Sir, il is not very long since the leading point
on which the senator's charge of the govern
viz a restricted right of suffrage in the people
was inserted in one press in this city (the In
tellgencer) and corrected in another, Ohe South
ern Press) Indeed, regret to learn that the
senator from Texas had again and again been
set right on this matter on this floor
Mr. BUTLER. i put him right on this mat
ter once myself
NJ. RIIETT. Ny colleague says he put him
right once himself; and yet the senator reit-
crates this convicted and detected untruth
against the State of South Carolina. Sir, this
is very strange, and as unbecoming as it is
strange. If the senator had any plausible facts
to rely on, it would hardly become the repre-
sentative of State which has been a State since
but the other day, to stand up and arraign as
ignorant or neglectful of the principles of free
government one of the Old Thirteen. 1t will
not grace that State TO presume to teach the
people of South Carolina how to obtain liberty
or how to preserve IL least Of all does IL be
come senator from Texas-whose State South
Carolina was instrumental in bringing into the
Union, and which it has been asserted on this