The republic., 1851-03-18
THE REPU BLIG.
South Carolina.

10. we copy the following report oi an eNPiaha-
ton between Mr.. RHETT, Mr.. BUTLER, ana
General HousToS, in regard TO certain aiega-
tions of the latter gentleman, in his recent letter
~ General HAMILroS, in regard to certain pro-
,;s;ons in the constitution of South Carolina
Mr.. RHErr beg leave 70 call the attention OF
,b Senate n, communication OF the Senator from
Tex.s. (Mr HousToS,) concerning the State which
have the honor in part to represent on tins hoor
md as believe il contains great number OF mis-
,statements, think proper TO bring it before the
senate at this central place OF public opinion and
public information, in order that the truth may go
out as wide as possioe.at least as wde as .ne eI
will read from the Union newspaper, which
hold in my hand .
The PaEsIpENT. Is it personal explanation
which the Senator wishes to make?
Mr.. RnErr IL is concerning the State repre-
sent and hope the Senate will indulge me IN the
attempt to defend her and vindicate the truth.
Several SENATORS. Certainly; 60 on.
Mr. RBETT Here is letter lind in the Union
of Yesterday morning, addressed to General Ham
ilton and signed by the Senator from Texas Con-
corning the general matters OF correspondence and
argnment between them have nothing to do. My
object is simply to correct certain errors OF fact
made by the Senator from Texas with respect to
the State represent
"There is one significant fact, which should be
stated in speaking Of South Carolina, that throws
a flood Of light her political character and in
ously fashioned upon aristocratic model. The
people, as such, have very little control of affairs
No man can vote who does not own fifty acres OF
land or the equivalent. or pay high tax. NO man
is not worth one hundred and nifty pounds sterling,
clear of debt, be the Governor with less than nj
teen hundred pounds sterling, free OF debt The
elections all confined to members OF the Legis
lature. That body elects appoints all the officers
of any grade, from the governor down to the shers
and parish judges The Legislature elects the
Senators of the United States, electors for Presi
dent and Vice President of the United States, and
can change or amend the constitution when IT sees
fit. The government Ia n complete ohgdrchy.
even more go than in Rhode Island under its royal
charter One of two facts must be evident: the
people have no genuine spirit OF freedom, or they
would not have submitted so long to this oppres
siv. dominion Of mere wealth. In no other State
would it have been tolerated SO tamely. In Rhode
Island they have turned when trodden upon, but in
South Carolinn they seem to wear their chains
without a murmur; and yet the self constituted
leaders of her councils have the cool impudence to
designate others as 'submissionists' These de-
scendants of the Huguenots and cavaliers have pc
cuiar notions Of freedom-prccisey the notions
that would fit them for snug little monarchy, II
they could nulI,fy the laws and Constitution of the
Federal Government, or secede from the Confed-
eracy. This state of things clearly proves that OF
all men in the world, the good people OF the Pal
metto State the best adapted to faction and dis
cord"
Now, here are tissue Of untruths-I do not say
deliberate-contained in this extract concerning
the people OF SCUM OuFOllua lucy arc CuhTScu
being ohgarchy in government The first
fact alleged to support this assertion is that the
people, as SUCH have very little control OF their
affairs. No man can vote who does not own MY
acres Of land or its equivalent, or pay high tax +"
That ia untruth number one. 1t ID an assertion
utterly destitute Of any foundation. Sir for forty
years universal suffrage has existed in the State
of South Carolina All that Is required ia, 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, be could have
obtained a COPY Of the constitution Of South Caro-
lima at any bookstore in the city. have it here
before me.
go on to number two. The Senator says: esNo
man can be member OF the Legislature whose
freehold is not worth one hundred and fiftypounds
sterling, clear of debt.' This is pretty good for
the Senator 1t is partially the truth. The CON
stution provides that any one who owns ten slaves
and five hundred acres of land may also be legis-
lator, whether he is in debt or not
Number three ''The elections are all confded
to members of the legislature" This is untrue
The elections confded to the Legislature those
of the executive and the judiciary.
Number four: "That body elects or appoints all
the officers Of any grade, from the governor down
to the sherfs aud parish judges" There ID not
word Of truth in this assertion On the contrary,
all the military officers in the State and all the to
collectors. shers, ordinares and clerks are elect
ever is elected by the people, and to hold these Of
fees there is no property qualification whatever.
"The Legislature elects the Senators of the uni
ted States' That il certainly true, and, lsuppose,
from Texas, and must be a conclusive facti prov
ing South Carolina to be oligarchy. II this fact
does not prove his charge of aristocracy on South
Carolina, he has none other to stand on. Untortu-
natey for the Senator this startling provision is not
ali in the constitution of South Carolina. 1t will
astonish him. doubt, to learn that it is provi-
sion in the Constitution of the United States
Number five: stThcy elect electors for President
and Vice President of the United States" That is
true; and it is also true that every State in the
Union did the came thing at the commencement OF
,,f Init cd Cofe md hat
construction given by the trainers of the Constiu-
ton of the United States by this simultaneous and
unanimous practice was, that this was the regular
and proper mode by which the electors should be
chosen. We old fashioned enough still to stand
where the fathers of free institutions Stood and
where all the States stood at the commencement OF
the operations of this Government
Number six; "The Legislature change or
amend the constitution when it sees fit" The
meaning Of this assertion ia, that the "oligarchy
in South Carolina abolish, amend, change
the constitution whenever majority Of the Legis-
lature sees fit. 1 have here the constitution o
South Carolina in my hand and will read the
precautions we have taken to secure stability In
our fundamental law, and the safeguards we have
thrown around the constitution to prevent hasty
changes
''No ,art Of this constitution shall be altered
less 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 representation
Neither shal any alteration take place until the bill
agreed to be published three months previous to
new election for members to the House of Repre-
sentatives and If the alteration proposed by the
Legislature shall be agreed to in the frat session
by two-thirds of the whole representation in both
branches of the Legislature, after the same shal
have been read three times, on three several days
in each House then, and not otherwise, the SAM
shall become part OF this constitution"
will add that a convention of the peoplecan ais
be called only by two thirds Of both branches OF tn
Legislature.
Thus it will be seen that VIC have thrown all th
safeguards that usually exist around the alteration
of our fundamental law. have thought ii prope
TO make these statements and correction OF facts
and hope it will end this matter of vili6cation an
misrepresentation of South Carolina. ,sl
Sir, is not very long since the leading point OF
South Carolina being an oligarchy--viz: re
stnctcd right Of suffrage in the people-was as
serted in one press in this city, (the Iteigence,
Indeed regret learn that the Senator from Texa