The national era. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1847-1860, 1856-07-03

products in proportion to population, is away
up in Vermont. Sir, let him go and look al
these men-these Abolitionists, who, we are
told, NEEDLE with everybody's business but their
own. They certainly take time enough to at
tend to their own business, to accomplish these
results which / have named.
The gentleman broke out in an exceedingly
explosive question, something like this: l dc
not know if my memory can do justice to the
language of the gentleman, but it was some
thing like this: "Did not the South, equally
with the North bare her forehead to the god OF
battles?" l answer plainly, No, sir, she did
not; she did not. Sir, Massachusetts furnish
ed more men in the Revolution than the whole
South put together, and more by ten-fold than
South Carolina. 1 am not including, of course,
the militia-the conjectured militia furnished
By that State. There is no proof that they were
ever engaged in any battle. l mean the regu-
lars; and 1 say that Massachusetts, furnished
more than ten times as many men as South
Carolina. j say, on the authority of a standard
historian, once q member of this House, Mr..
Sabine, in his history of the Loyalists,) that
more New England men now lie buried in the
soil of South Carolina, than there wereof South
Carolinians, who left their State to fight the
battles of the country. | say, when General
Lincoln was defending Charleston, he was COM
PEELED to give up its defence, because the peo-
pie of that city would not fight. When General
Greene, that Rhode Island blacksmith, took
command of the Southern army, South Caro-
lima had not Federal soldier in the field; and
the people of that State would not furnish sup
plies to his army; while the British army in
the State were furnished with supplies almost
exclusively from the people of South Carolina.
While the American army could not be recruit
Al e ND 10
filed from that State.
The British post of Ninety Six was garrison
ed almost exclusively from South Carolina.
Rawdon's reserve corps was made up almost
entirely by South Carolinians. of the eight
hundred prisoners who were taken at the battle
of Kings Mountain-of which we have heard
so much-seven hundred of them we're South
ern Tories. The Maryland men gained the
laurels of the Cowpens. Kentuckians, Virgin
ians, and North Carolinans, gained the battle
of Kings Mountain. Few South Carolinians
fought in the battles of Eutaw, Guiford, &c.
They were chiefly fought by men out of South
Carolina; and they would have won greater
fame and brighter laurels, if they had not been
opposed chiefly by the citizens of the soil.
Well might the British commander boast that
he had reduced South Carolina into allegiance.
But, sir, will not proceed further with this
history, out of regard for the fame of our COM
mon country; out of regard for the patriots
the Sumters, the Marions, the Rutledges, the
Pnckneys, the Haynes-truer patriots, if pos
sible, than those of any other State. Out of
regard for these men, will not quote from a
letter of the patriot Governor Mathews to Gen
eral Greene, in which he complains of the self
ishness and utter imbecility of great portion
of the people of South Carolina.
L.
the State of Massachusetts, sink into insignif-
canoe, compared with the one / am about to
mention. On the 18th of May, it was an
nounced that Mr.. SUMNER would address the
Senate upon the Kansas question. The floor
of the Senate, the galleries, and avenues lead
ing thereto, were thronged with an expectant
audience; and many of US left our places in
this House, to hear the Massachusetts, orator.
To say that we were delighted with the speech
we heard, would but family express the deep
emotions of our hearts awakened by it. l need
not speak of the classic purity of its language,
nor of the nobility of its sentiments. 1t was
heard by many; it has been read by millions.
There has been no such speech made in the
Senate since the days when those Titans Of
American eloquence-the Websters and the
Haynes-contended with each other for mas
terry.
1t was severe, because it was launched
against tyranny. 1t was severe as Chatham
was severe when he defended the feeble colo
MES against the giant oppression of the mother
country. 1t was made in the face of hostile
Senate. 1t continued through the greater por.
ton of two days; and yet, during that time, the
speaker was not once called to order. This fact
is conclusive as to the personal and parlia.
decorum Of the speech. He had prov
ocation enough. His State had been called
hypocritical He himself had been called "a
ga fool, &" a fanatic" and ga dishon-
est man." Yet he was parliamentary from the
to the end of his speech. No man
knew better than he did the prophecies of the
place, for he had always observed them. No
man knew better than he did parliamentary
law, because he had made it the study of his
life. No man saw more clearly hss.ka aiaa
'he @e.SshhiS sword OF the Contribution, turning
every way, guarding all the avenues of the Sen
ate. But he was not thinking of these things; he
was not thinking then of the privileges of the
Senate nor of the guarantees Of the Constitu-
ton; he was there to denounce tyranny and
crime, and he did it. He was there to speak
for the rights of an empire, and he did it, brave
ly and grandy.
So much for the occasion of the speech. A
word, and I shall be pardoned, about the speak
er himself He is my friend for many and
many year have looked to him for guidance
and light, and / never looked in vain. He
never had a personal enemy in his life his
character is as pure as the snow that falls OH
his native hills his heart overhows with kind
ness for every being haying the upright form
of man; he is ripe scholar, chivalric gen
tleman, and warm-hearted, true friend. He
sat at the feet Of Claiming, and drank in the
sentiments of that noble soul. He bathed in
the learning and undying love of the great
iurist, Story and the hand of Jackson, with its
honors and its Offices, sought him early in life.
but he shrank from them with instructive mod.
esty. Sir, he is. the pride of Massachusetts.
His mother Commonwealth found him adjoining
tie highest walks of literature and law, and she
babe him 20 and grace somewhat the rough
character Of political life. Tine people cf Mas
sachusetts-the old, and the young, and the
middle. aged-now pay their full homage to the
beauty of his public and private character.
Such is CHARLES SUMNER.
On the 22d day of May, when the Senate and
the House had clothed themselves in mourning
for a brother fallen in the battle of life IN the
distant State of Missouri, the Senator from
Massachusetts sat in the silence of the Senate
Chamber, engaged in the employments apper-
tanning to his office, when a member from this
House, who had taken an oath to sustain the
Constitution, stoie into the Senate, that place
which had hitherto been held sacred against
violence, and smote him as Cain smote his
brother.
Mr.. KEITT, Tin his seat That is false.
Mr.. BURLINGAME. | will not handy cpl
thets with the gentleman. am responsible
for my own language. Doubtless he is respon-
sible for his Q
Mr.. KEITT. am.
Mr.. BURLIsGAME. / shall stand by mine.
One blow was enough but it did not satiate
the wrath of,that spirit which had pursued him
through two days. Again and again, quicker