The daily union. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1845-1857, 1856-06-19

with agent Of knowing that how
they are alike that Franklin when ntrusted with the petit
ton Of Massachusetts, Bay assaulted by foul mouhed
speaker where he could not be heard in defence and de
nounoed thief the agent OF Kansas has been
sauted this floor and denounced iorger And let not
the vanity be inspired by the parallel with the
British statesmen Of that day for only in hostility TO free
dom that any parallel be recognised
But it Is against the people Of Kansas that the sensibi
ties of the particularly aroused Coming he
announces from Sate'ay, sir, from South Carona-he
turns with ordy disgust from formed community
which he viii! recognise body polite. Pray,
sir by what title does be indulge in this egosm Has he
read the history of he State which he representsf He
surely have forgotten its shameful imbecly from
slavery confessed throughout the revolution followed by its
shameful assumptions for slavery since He cannot
the apple Of its and the condition Of its partepa
ton in the Union lie have forgotten its constitution
which is republican only in name, confirming in the
hands of the fe and founding the Of ts ieg
yet the senator whom that State has in part committed
the guardianship Of its good name instead OF moving with
ward "a the very ecstasy OF madness to expose il by provo
king comparison with Kansas r.
Now, Mr.. President am going to state proposition
which will stare the Senate what he here undertakes to
quote the constitution OF South Carolina in reference to
the eligibility of members of the legislature is be
found in it ALL How did he bring it in in response any
speech of mine2 He as sworn his affidavit that what
he said fairly in response to the speeches which had
made put the question to senator's and shall pause
for their sentence: How dare he from anything in my
speeches. put his fngerhs profane fnge-upon the
stitution of South Carolina Is that response to any
thing which said My speeches heretofore delivered are
upon record and be referred to- neither alluded to
the constitution oSouth Carolina did mention South
Carolina in the whole debate and yet his affidavit he
says that all these fairly referable response
to the remarks OF the senator from South Carolina
What be has quoted here is not in the constitution
of South Carolina and when he undertakes to subject
to the severity of his criticisms, bunderer in
the statements Of law and constitution, let him stand
convicted OF one of two thngs-eher that he did not
read the constitution Of South Carolina hmsea adopt
ed il from others that il he read it. he could not under
stand it. intend dwell upon this point with view to
/ IN icata he
tuition of South Carolina but will convict this rhetorical
jurstths who undertakes to sit the tripod, and
publish the oracles Of Delphi, to sit upon lawyer
My God what have ! come to 2 man who never
managed las far know in court, to sit my
self who have been tbirty-fve years engaged in law
either in appearing at the bar expoundng it on the
bench
have never delivered Judgment on question of
law here as member of the Committee the Judiciary
whether have made the majority the minority report
when that senator has not concurred with me- or he
differed, 1t has been sectional questions which he
has been overruled by the overwhelming authority Of the
Senate. Yet man who has agreed with me always
and that the only bad sign about it daughter under
takes TO sit in judgment my legal attainmentsl his
authority is worth anything it is with me- for he has
concurred with On all the eontesed-eection cases
we have agreed-except perhaps, in the Phelps case
There be may have differed from me; but if he did the
Senate overruled him.
That however is not the question which Twas approach
ing said that what he stated in reference to the cons
tuition Of South Carolina not in response anything
which had fallen from me and that there such
thing 10 be found in the constitution of South Carolina
he has quoted. i will read the clause:
"So person shall be eligible In the house of rep
aness be i free white man Of the age Of twsn
State three years previous TO his election If resident in
house Of Tspressntsve unless he be legally seized and pos
sesed in his own right Of settled freehold estate Of five
the value Of one hundred and 6y peubds srng sesT
debt nonresident he shall be legally seized and pos
hundred pounds sterling clear Of debt"
venture 10 say that nearly half of the emhers NJ Tho
legislature of South Carolina particularly those who
from the towns and cities do not negro at all and
very few Of them my colleague knows FIVE hun
dred OF land Merchants DO want it, lawyers do
want it. The tenure by which they hold their oices
is mainly by the latter clause which the senator left out
that man TO be eligible to seat in the house OF repre-
senatves must property to the amount OF ESQ
ling, clear Of debt. That is a little SEQ. Now
have got him coll senators to convict him There is
but verdict which be rendered lie has gone out
OF the way assa the constitution Of South Carolina
and u assang H. be is guilty OF the OF all faults
cannot conceive Of worse Predcament than his who
protesting pedantic accuracy and sitting in Judgment
the quotations Of Others is reduced the alternative Of
admitting that he read what he quoted be had
read it, could not understand IL or garbled IL
Again, sir he says the constitution Of South Carolina is
republican only in form. say there is 10 State in the
Union whose constitution gives enlarged right Of
suffrage. have not the provision now before ms but
can state what my colleague knows TO be the fact A
every free white Of South Carolina Of the age Of
twenyone has right OF suffrage provided he pays
teen shilngs OF tax may be mistaken perhaps in the
amount
Mr. EVANS There is no taz at all required, if he Is
resident and has resided six months In the election dis
tret Then he is entitled TO vote without property quail
Rcation >
Mr.. BUTLER. II he has resided there for six months
property qualification is required but he has not
sided so long he must have very small amount Of land
Our people do even pay poltaK Here Is the pro-
vision Of the South Carolina constitution
Every free white man Of the age Of twentyons years.
years previous to the day Of election and who hath
hold OF fifty OF land lot Of which be hath
been legally ered and possessed at least six months before
such election, not having such freehold
been resident In the election district In which offers
give bis vote six months before the said election and hath
pad tax the preceding year OF three shllngs sterling to-
wards the support OF this government shall right 10
vote for member members either branch OF
the legislature Tor the election district in which he holds such
property, or Is so resident"
The genatcr hes presumed chaacerize her ooasgtu-
ton republican only in form when Il has the frees and
most enlarged right OF suffrage OF any State in the Union
grant you that when the legislature comes into opera
ton under the constitution there conservative elements
which thank God have withsiood The wild feeling of what
is called the progress Of the times but IL does not become
me to allude 10 them now.
come next to allegation which f the senator were
here think be would not look in the face when re-
peat and that Is his nsoen and untrue charge Of the
shameful mbeciliy' Of South Carolina during the war
Of the revolution n consequence of slavery Sir ngra
tuds the monster of vices and when Il h associated with
injustice IL ought to be condemned by the consuming i'm
dgnaton of those who tomorrow be our adyer-
sares What the facts The news of the battle OF
Lexington carried TO Charleston by erpress and the
very day hoy received the intelligence the Liberty Men as
they called broke open the srsenas and distributed
the arms II was but few days afterwards before Boston
sent vessel to South Carolina for bread and wine We
thrrn atRI n ~.