The Abbeville banner. [volume] (Abbeville, S.C.) 1847-1869, 1856-08-07


ing, it has no parallel in any ago or any
nation. Al southern society is assaled by
the foulest charges men in all ranks, from
tho President to the western pioneer, arc
characterized in tho rudcst manner by the
grossest epithets; even the gallant dead
Of his own State does not escape his vile
tongue. H"rlot, crime, usurpation, swindle,
oligarchy, slave power, thugs and assassins,
and other kindred terms are common words
in this odious production to characterize
his advcrsnrics. AS a matter of course, he
introduced "tlao weird sisters" imagine
ho could moi make Il speech without the
use of some such hackneyed phrases {; but
in my opinion, it was n most fit OCCASION
| for if ever there WAS hell broth Of all that
is vile aud hateful beneath the sun, upon
which hags and ficnds only ought to feed,
that compound was then flowing from tho
senator's lips. If northern gentlemen fancy
such an entertainment, l envy not their
taste; and it is understood that there arc
those on this floor who admire the purity
Of It's language and nobility Of its scn,i-
ments.
Sir, these words and sentiments are not
the production Of pure, Grave, or Il gem
erous SOUL nor Of bad man with redeem
ing traits they indicate n nature and heart
as corrupt as Satan-one whose thoughts
are all cvil-and no matter how well the
ar,ful hypocritc may have conducted the
"oulcr man." and guarded his character
before the world, those who judge the tree
Lv its fruit know full we'll that night and
| solitude are perpetual witnesses to his alasc
ment.
1t was General Jnckson's maxim, "that
he that can wantonly outrage the feelings
of another-can intend wrong where none
is due-is capable Of any crime, however
deteslablc in its nature and will moi fail to
commit it Whenever it may be imposed by
necessity" What, then, ought 10 be the
punishment Of Sumner, who, with heart
ovcrtlowng with malice and fatally bent OH
Notwithstanding the high commission
which had been given him by confding
S,atc-with false cl'arges and gross epithc,s,
slaudcrs the people Of fifteen States Of this
| Union-mcn and women, infancy, Old age,
! The living and the dcad-all alike Not
only did lie deserve what he received, but
every honest hand on earth ought to lave
whip to scourgo the villain around the
world.
You cannot do whatever you p!,.sc in
tho name Of liberty. Your natural right
is restrained by civil law. Nor will the
liberty of speech justify tho uttcrancc of
falsehood, calumny, and slandcr; such Of
fences arc pursued by the public law and
the private avcngcr. Where falsehood and
SANDER bigin, the freedom Of speech ends.
Other men have rights as well as Sum
ner, which are natural, inherent, and inaI-
ienaJ|e Such arc life, personal security,
and private property. These no law can
limit or prevent men from defending. Per-
sonal security includes reputation. The
character is protected 10y the same law that
guards the body. Sumner, then, was the
original aggrcssor; by his falsehood AMI
| slandcr he attacked the natural and inal-
ienaLe rights Of every man, woman and
child in the South. Every law-book warn
ed him that such course led to bloodshed
and breaches Of the peace and now, when
misfortunes come, he cndcavors.to shift the
certain consequences Of his own guilty deed
TO the head Of Him whose only fault, if any
can be imputed, is that he yielded too rea-
Oily to the promptings Of generous ma
ture.
am not here to deny that Col. Brooks
violated the laws of the land by the assault
which he committed, and so did Gen. Jack
son at New Orleans when he arrested the
person Of a bad judge, who was abusing
the power conferred by his high Office for
base purposes, and to the injury Of the
country, rs Senator Sumner did his. But
the member has quietly submitted at the
bar of your justice and fully answered and
atoned to the violated law Of his country,
and yet you seek to punish him second
time for the snns offence.
If you expel the member from South
Carolina, your verdict announces TO tho
world that his presence here is incompat;-
bic with the dignity and safety of the
American people, and the correct delibera-
tions of this legislative body. Every man
of you knows that such record would be
false, and yet you will not pause. should
as soon expect justice from the fends of
the internal world, as from reckless crew
Of desperate politicians, driven on by mad
ambition in the pursuit Of lawlcss power.
What is ii that shakes the people of this
continent "a viii, the no,xnr of a ta,,,r,ost