The Lancaster ledger. [volume] (Lancaster, S.C.) 1852-1905, 1856-07-02
LANCASTER H. SOUTH CAROLINA WEDNESDAY MORNING JULY 1856

er. Yes, sir, a degenerate son, incapable
OF approaching the relations which sub.
sisted between Massachusetts and South
Carolina at a time when there was some.
thing more of peril to be encountered than
exhibitions Of rhetoric in the Senate OF the
United States; when men placed their
lives and their fortunes on the issue which
had been made. will prove him cal
umnia.or. While he has CHARGED me
with misstating history, law, and the Con.
stltution, let me say that "he who lives in
glass houses should not throw stones" |
here say, and pledge myself to it, that
4 will convict him, and shall demand of
the Senate verdict Of guilty.
But, Mr.. President, there is one result
Of this speech which think may he re.
garded rs good. He has shown, as Mr..
Beeclcr says, that he is unit for the war
OF debate. lie has no business to gather
the g!ories of the Senate Chamber and
fight with orators, unless he is prepared
TO maintain the position of an hone rable
combatnnt. Though his friend, have in.
vested him with the dress of Achilles and
offered him his armor, he has shown that
he Is only able TO fight with the weapons
of lhcrsltes, and deserved what that Draw
Ter received from the hands of the gallant
Ulysses.
Now, sir, | proceed to make my points;
and ! shall show that what the Senator
said of myself, anI South Carolina, was
not in response 10 anything which said;
that lie has gone outside the record to
brlng into the debate matters which did
not Iegitimately belong to it by association
or connection.
will maintain these three propositions
SO certainly that, in my opinion, there will
not be one mind here, unless il he dispos.
ed to morally pe,jure itself. which will
not ac1uiesce in them. ! will show that
his remarks upon me and South Carolina
were untrue and unjust; the language
used WAS licen,ious; the spirit which
prompted twas aggressive; and the whole
tenor and tone of the speech was maIig.
nant and insulting.
In no speech which have made during
this session did | name Massachusetts or
South Carolina. This is most remark
able thing, considering the nature Of the
debate. have cullcd what said, and I
have not introduced Soulh Carolina by
name into the debate, nor have brought
IN Massachusetts. Yet, sir, this Senat ,r
aIlules to me in two paragraphs. should
like to know why he did not finish my
picture in one sketch on :he first day,
when he spoke Of me as being "Don
tlnixottc in love with slavery rs a mistress,
because she was a harlot." | dislike TO
repeat the obscenity Of his illustration
When he had me under review then, why
did he not finish me in that general sketch!
lie took another night; and during that
night the chaotic conceptions either ema
mated from his own mind or were supces.
ted TO 1t 10y those busy people who seem
10 have control over him and then il was
tha, lie made this celebrated attack on
me, assaihng my reputation as gentle.
man Of yeracity.
Here Judge Butler quotes Mr.. Sum
ner's attack on him, and proceeds:
Now, Mr.. President, am going TO state
proposition which will startle the senate:
what he here undertakes 10 quote as the
constitution of South Carolina, in refer
cnse to the eligibility OF members of the
Legislature, is not to be found in it at all.
How did he bring it in in response TO any
speech of minei lie has sworn in his affi
davit that what he said was fairly in res.
Ponse 10 the speeches which had made
pat the question to Senators, and shall
pause for their sentence: how dare he, from
anything in my speech, put his finger
hls proiane hnger-~ufon the constitution
OF South Carolinai Is that a response to
anything which said! My speeches
heretofore delivered are upon record, and
can be referred to. neither alnded to
tho constitution Of South Carolina, nor
did | mention South Carolina in the whole
debate; aud yet in his affidavit he sa,
that all these aie fairly referable as a res
ponse to the remarks Of the Senator from
South Carolina! What he has quoted
here is no! in the constitution OF South
Carolina; and when he undertakes TO sub
jec. me to the severity Of his criticisms. as
blunderer in the statements Of law and
constitution, let him stand convicted of
one OF two things-either that he did not
read the constitution Of South Carolina
himself, and adopted il from others, or
that, il he read it, he could not under
stand it. | intend TO dwell upon this
point with a view TO couyict him--pot
that am going To vindicate the constitu-
ton OF South Carolina, but will convict
this rhetorical jurist--ihis map who un-
dertakes to sit on the tripod, and publish
the oracles Of Delphi, to sit upon me as a
lawyer My God, what have / come to 2
A man who never managed a case e., far
rs know) in court. TO sit ON myself who
have been .hirty-dve Yeas earaeed in law
either in appearing at the bar.or expouna'
lag i on the bench,
/ have never delivered Judgment on
a question Of law here, as a member of the
Committee on the judiciary, whether /
have mado the majority or the minority
report, when that Senator has not concur
red with me; or il he differed, it b as been
onsec.ional ques,ions.on.whicll he has beet
oveffuled by the overwhelming authority