The southern press. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1850-1852, 1852-03-23

slderably from the great want OF dignity and
decorum displayed by Mr.. Clemens on the floor
Of the Senate in his low and vulgar assaults
upon one, who everybody knows. is professed
Christian, who does not hold himself amenabe
to the code Of honor, and further by his vain
glorious b0astings OF his own superiority in in
tellectual endowmcnts, reputation, &c We
shall not so far crafty Mr.. Clemens as to es-
pouse the cause of Mr.. Rhett. We are to we'll
aware of the motives of that assault to do So
Mr.. Clemens knew full well, that Mr.. Rhett's
doctrines had rendered him perhaps the most
unpopular public man, out of South Carolina,
in the United States and that by attracting Mr.
Rhett's notice by abusing him, the latter would
retort and assa his caumniator; and that al
though the argument ard the justice of h. case
might be all on MIR. RS side, yet the iattei's
cause could not be espOused on account OF his
odousness, without benefting Mr.. Clemens
To say that Mr. Rhett had used up Jere Glenn
ems, of course, would be translated by the lat
ter and his friends into an endor ,ement Of all
Mr. Rhetts secession notions, disuniOn, &C.
We say that this trick is too plain to be msun-
derstood; let our friends in Alabama beware of
it. So far, then, as to the merits of this debate
we care not to express an opinion; all we should
desire is, that every man in our State capable OF
reading and understanding would read the whole
of it. Real both sides.
Our object in noticing this debate at all, was to
reprobate, in the most decided manner, this low
ering of the Senatorial dignity of our State, by
language and demeanor, on the part of one of
her senators, more BETTING the sinks and par.
Iieus of the Five Points, than the grand council
house of the confederacy; to condemn his sick.
enng selfeulogy, which is disgusting TO every
man Of good taste; and to notice that part OF
the debate relating to the manner of Mr.. Glenn
ems election to the United States Senate. These
speeches we find published in the Washington
Union Of the ID and Sd inst and presume they
underwent the revision of the speakers them
selves.
That to which we desire 70 call particular at
tention is, Mr.. Clemens ac cunt of the caucus
that nominated Gov. Fitzpatrick. :" Some fifteen
or twenty members of the legislature he says,
"got together for the purpose of consulting,
not to hold caucus. Mr.. Fiizpatrick's friends,
finding they had majority of those present in
his favor, turned in and nominated him. The
very next day that same caucus met, and rescind-
ed their resolutions. There never was any more
of that; and the Democrats who voted for me
represented majority of ten thousand of the
voters of the State" CID We need not say,
that this assertion of Mr.. Clemens will astound
every one, who is at all conversant with the facts
relative to the matter: which are substantially
these, (and for their correctness, we appea. TO
every member OF the caucus, and TO the Demo
cratic members of that SESSION. viz: There
were in the session of l849-'5O, about seventy
two Democrats and siX'y-one Wings in both
branches of the legislature.
At the caucus or meeting alluded to by Mr..
Clemens, there were about sixty Democrats, in
stead of " fifteen or twenty" as stated by Mr..
Clemens. That caucus nominated Col. King,
and Gov. Fitzpatrick, as the nominees of the
| Democratic party.
The record of the votes for the two senator's,
will best show whether any subsequent caucus
annuIed what was done by the first.
On the first ballot to fill Gov. b .gby's vacan-
cy, (see house journal, pages ll4'l50 Col.
King received 81 votes, all Democrats Gov.
Chapman Is votes, all Democrats but ope and
Mr.. Hopkins, the Wing candidate, received IS.
On the SECOND ballot, Col. King received SO
votes, Democrats Gov. Chapman 49, Demo.
Gratis but one as BEFORE and Hopkins SO.
On the third ballot, Gov. Chapman was with
drawn, when Col. King received II votes and
was declared elected.
| On the first ballot to fiji Mr.. Lewis vacancy,
Gov Fitzpatrick received so votes, of which
| 6fty-eight were Democrats, and but two Wings;
| Mr.. Clemens received 81 votes, of which fifteen
were Democrats, and six Wings; Hopkins,
Wing, received 30 votes.
| On the second ballot, Gov. Fitzpatrick re-
ceived the same vote as before; Mr. Clemens
20 votes, of which fourteen were Democrats and
six Wings; Mr.. Hopkins 49, and few scatter
ing.
On the third ballot, Coy. Fitzpatrick received
the same vote as before-60 Mr., Clemens %,
of which fifee were Democrats and seven
were Wings; Mr.. Hopkins Al, and a few
scattering.
On the fourth ballot, Gov. Fitzpatrick re-
ceived 81 votes, of which Gfty-nine were Demo.
Gratis and five were Wings; Mr. Clemens re-
ceive 90 votes, of which fourteen were Demo.
Gratis, and nine Wings Mr.. Hopkins received
81 votes, and there were few scattering
On the fifth ballot, Gov. Fitzpatrick received
65 votes, Of which fifty nine were Democrats
and six were Wings; Mr.. Clemens 25 votes, OF
which twelve were Democrats, and thirteen
were Wings. Mr.. Hopkins 33, and few
scattering.
Here Gov Fitzpatrick lacked but one vote
and would have been elected but for the acct
dental absence of Mr.. Coleman, a Democr It from
Fayette county.
AT this stage Of the proceedings an adjourn
ment was effected.
Without recurring to what took place in the
Wing caucus the Democrats had none
| during the night intervening, we Will simply
proceed with the record-House journal, page
1873
Mr.. Hopkins was withdrawn, when Gov. Fitz-
patrick received fiftyeight votes, of which fifty
four were Democrats, and only four Wings.
Mr.. Clemens 66 votes, of which seventeen were
Democrats and 40 were Wings.
The above is from the record, and shows
conclusivey that Gov Fitzpatrick was consd
cred the nominee of the Democratic party; as
there was no ballot at which he did not receive
more than three-fourths of the entire Democratic
vote in both branches of the legislature
But says Mr.. Clemens, the Democrats that
voted for me represented ten thousand majority
| of the Democratic voters of the State Well
let us see how this is borne out by the record
! The Democrats that voted for Mr. Clemens
| represented in part and in some instances the
| whole of the following counties, viz: Benton,
| ROunt -DpKa alb 1ackso TnuHnrdnle nj ,diaop