Edgefield advertiser. [volume] (Edgefield, S.C.) 1836-current, 1856-07-02

which may, perhaps, appear parcnthetical. When
the Senator from Massachusetts took his seat
near me, knew that he was a tree-soller, OF
Aboliliorist, as it was termed; but notwllhstand'
ing that, had read some of his productions
and he was introduced to ue, or perhaps, to
him. had known many who came into the
Senate of the United States, rceking with pre-
JUDGES from homeiwho afterwards had the cour'
age 20 lift themselves above the temporary in.
nuences which had controlled them. supposed
that 4 man who had read history could not be
bigot believed that one who was lmbued
with The literature which that Senator's mind
had imbibcd, could not sin in the face of light
and truth, and the lessons of history. With
these views, did not hesitate to keep up what
my friends complained of. an intercourse with
him. which was calculated to give him curren-
cy far beyond what he might have had if had
not INDUCED iu that species of intercourse. MY
friends here and everywhere know it When
made my reply to him on the Nebraska and Kan-
sas b complimcnted him. l did not hesitate
to compliment him. and he was grailied at il,
for he said So His opinion of me us lawyer
was very different then, Gf. may be allowed to
speak of what he then said.) mot only on this
floor, bat 10 other persons did not hesitate
10 rorbcar proscriplire Judgment on any man
because he happened to differ with me to-day or
tomorrow for life, sir, is bnt span anyhcw.
thought the time might come when The tide OF
events would bring to him The awful certainty
Of the doctrines which he held and which in the
first instance whoa he came here, lie was moi
disposed 10 propagate.
Things stood in this way until one day when
il WAS proposed here 10 repeal the fugitive slave
law. said that had no great confidence in
that law, and tarned 10 him with an honest pur-
pose, with no design whatever to provoke any
hing like Il personal or sectional ISSUE and ask
I'd Of The Senator from Massachusetts whether,
if there were no fugitive slave law, Massachu.
sets would be willing 10 carry out the provision
of The Constitution. Then it was, in excitement,
oraS he said, ''mpuse," AN impulse as charac-
terzcd il then, of the drawcr-he rose and asked
NE if "hc was Il dog to do this thing!" treated
this answer with ridicue; it absolutely did not
lourh nv heart aud after that spoke 10 him.
Three days allerward he came in with Ia
bored phiIippic TOUCHING me moro deeply than
he had before; but he then made, for the first
lime, a charge affecting the revolutionary history
of South Carolina, by saving that John Rut-
lcigc, who was honored by Washington and all
his eonntrymen, and who is historical charac-
ter, had offered, in 1878, in negotiation with
Provost, at the gates Of Charleston, that South
Carolina should be neutral during the war of the
Revolution | did not wait until the next morn
inr to reply to him. responded at once, and
have no doubt replied with Indignation. |
have no doubt that my heart threw the words
upon him. Mortified vanity has no conscience;
may &c tli;is lie did not think lie care out of
that controversy with rs much credit as he
shouldn't least his friends may have thought
so. gave him notice, however, that after that
| should have no communication with him what
ever-thc bridge had been cut down,-and
never have had.
Two years elapsed and, during that time, |
am bound in justice here TO say, have scarcely
spoken 20, of, or about him land, perhaps, When
| did speak about him, said something which he
would have been gralifed'to hear. Ny friends
.hinii lha! sometimes did. Whatever the temp
tati1n Of my resentment may be, | have passed,
and shall pass, through life with one determina-
lion: if cannot do justice. will not do lnjus-
lice 10 any man have exhibited here il debate,
on more occasions than one, fmpa,icncc and en-
c!rabiIity These arc pecuiiarI,ies which have
followed me from the cradle. Perhaps, some.
times, anger, in its cJulli!oas, may have found
III expression from me; but. thank God, can
say il WAS bu. transient feeling, winch at the
time gu,hcd lrcm The heart; it WAS Il feeling
which subsequently WAS suppressed by reason
and repentance That, however, is failing
which cannot inilabi; the same mind with trcacf-
cry and maIigniiy.
Nov, sir, proceed To make my points; and |
shall show that what the Senator said of myself,
and South Carolina, was rot in response TO any
thing which said that lie has gone outside the
record to bring into the debate matters which
did not. lcgi;imatcIy belong toit BY association
or connection.
/ will maintain these three propositions so
certainly that, in my opinion there will not be
one mind here, unless i: be disposed 10 morally
pcrjnre itself, which will not acquiesce in them.
will show that his remarks upon me and South
Carolina were untrue and unjust; the language
used was liccninus the spirit which prompted
it was aggressive; and the whole tenor and tone
Of The speech was malignant and insulting
In no speech which have made during this
session did name Massachusetts or South Ca
rona This is a most remarkable thing con-
sdcring the nature of the debate have cued
what said, and have not introduced South
Carolina by Name into the debate, nor have |
brought in Massachusetts. Yet, sir. this Senator
alludcs TO ne in two paragraphs. l should like
to know why he did not finish my picture in one
sketch on the first day. when he spoke of ME MS
being Don Quixoic in love with slavery as Il
mistress, because she was harot." | dislike
10 repeat the obsceniiy Of his illustration. When
he had me under review then, why did he moi
finish me in that general sketch lie took ano;!,-
er night and during that night the chaotic con-
ccptions either enanated from his own mind or
were suggested to it by those busy people who
seem to have control over hin; ; and then it was
that he made this celebrated attack on me, rs.
sailing my reputation as gentleman OF vcracy
"Wh regret, come again upon the Senator
from South Carolina, Mr. Butler. who, omniprc.
sent in this debate, "verfowcd with rage at the SIM
pie suggestion that Kansas lad applied for admission
us State; and with incohcrcnt phrases, discharged
the loose exprctolation Of his speech, now upon hcl
representative and then upon her people. There
was no extravaganza Of the ancient parliamentary
debate which he did not repeat nor was there any
possible deviation from the truth which he did no
make, with so much Of passion, am glad to add
as TO save him from the suspicion OrintcEona abcr
ration But the Senator touches nothing which ht
docs not di-tisurc-with error, sometimes .ol prn
cpIc, sometimes of fact. lie shows IN incapacity
Of accuracy, whether in Stating the Constitution OF
in stating the law, whether in the details Of Stats
tics or the diversions Of scholarship. lie canno
open lis mouth but ont there flies bundcr. Sure
, ly he ought To be famar with the life of Franklin
anl vet he referred to this household character
while acting as agent Of Cur fathers in England, n
,l,ro .run;n;, i'm and this was done that he mirh