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

| ton the recent personal debate in the United
States Senate, between the above gentlemen
We say it has mortified us, because we conceive
that the character of cur State has suffered con
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 professeG
| Christian, who does not hold himself amenable
to the code of honor, and further by his vain
glorious boastings of his own superiority in in
| telectual endowments, reputation, &c. We
shall not so far crafty Mr.. Clemens as to es
pouse the cause of Mr.. Rhett. We are to well
aware of the motives of that assault to do SO
| MIR. Clemens knew full well, that MIR. Khetrs
doctrines had rendered him perhaps the mos,
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 assail his calumniator and that al
though the argument and the justice of thu case
might be all on Mr.. RS side, yet the Iatter's
cause could not be espoused on account of his
odiousnes-, without benefting Mr.. Clemens
TO say that Mr.. Rhett had used up Jere Glen.
ems, of course, would be translated by the lat
ter and his friends into an end( sement of all
Mr.. Rhett's secession notions, dsuniOn, &c
We say that this trick is too plain to be misun-
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 oil
reading and understanding would read the whole
of it, RI ad both sides.
| Oar object in noticing this debate at all was to
reprobate, in the most decided manner this low.
erng 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
eus of the Five Points, than the grand council
house of the contederacy to condemn his sick
'ening selfeulogy, which is disgusting to every
man of good taste; and to notice that part OF
the debate relating to the manner of Mr.. Glen.
ems election to the United States Senate These
speeches we find published in the Washington
| Union of the Sd and Sd inst, and presume they
underwent the revision of the speakers them
selves.
| That to which we desire 10 call particular at
| tention is, Mr.. Clemens &C count of the caucus
that nominated Gov Fitzpatrick. Some fifteeg
or twenty members of the legislature" he says
g got together for the purpose of consulting
not to hold caucus. Mr.. Fitzpatrick 8 friends
finding they had majority of those present in
his favor, turned in and nominated him. The
very next day hat same caucus met, and rescind
ed their resolutions. There never was any more
I Oh tUdC, anu luc .DtlIlOcTitS WHO VOlcu IOT HE
represented a 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 sxty-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, the nominees of the
Democratic party.
The record of the votes for the two senators,
will best show whether any subsequent caucus
annulled what was done by the first.
On the first ballot to fill Gov Bagby's vacan-
eY, (see house journal, pages l415D Col.
King received 81 votes, all Democrats Gov.
Chapman is votes, all Democrats but one and
Mr.. Hopkins, the Wing candidate, received So.
On the second ballot, Col. King received SO
votes, Democrats Gov. Chapman 49, Demo.
Gratis but one as before, and Hopkins SO.
Onthe third ballot, Gov. Chapman was with
drawn, when Col. King received III votes and
was declared elected.
On the first ballot to fill Mr.. Lewis vacancy,
| Gov Fitzpatrick received go 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 40, and few scatter.
ing.
On the third ballot Gov Fitzpatrick received
the same vote as before-60; Mr.. Clemens %
of which fifteen were Democrats and seven
were Wings; Mr.. Hopkins AZ, and few
scattering.
On the fourth ballot, Gov Fitzpatrick re-.
ceiyed Ga votes, Of which ffty-nine were Demo
Gratis and five were Wings Mr.. Clemens re.
ceive % 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.. Clemen, % votes, o
which twelve were Democrats, and ihirteer
were Wings. Mr. Hopkins 3d. and few
scattering.
Here Gov Fitzpatrick lacked but one vote
and would have been elected but for the scci
dental absence Of Mr.. Coleman, Democr4t from
| Fayette county
At this stage Of the proceedings an adjourn
ment was effected.
Without recurring 10 what took place in tn
Wing caucus-the Democrats bad none
during the night intervening, we will simp
proceed with the record--House journal, pag
i 1913.
Mr. Hopkins was withdrawn when Gov Fitz
patrick received ffty-eght votes, of which fifty
four w,re Democrats, and only four Wing.
Mr.. Clemens Sc votes Of which seventeen wer
Democrats and 40 were Wings.
The above is from the record, and show
conclusigey that Gov Fitzpatrick was consd
cred the nominee Of the Democratic party; n
there was no ballot at which be did not receiv
more than three-fourths Of the entire Democrat
vote in both branches Of the legislature
But says Mr. Clemens, the Democrats tha
voted for me represented ten thousand msjorit
Of the Democratic voters Of - State Wei
LET us see how this is borne ON by the record