Edgefield advertiser. [volume] (Edgefield, S.C.) 1836-current, 1858-06-30
EDGEFIELD, ST c., JUNE 80, 1853.
From the National Inlelligenccr, June IS.
JUSTICE TO AN HONORABLE. SENATOR.


From the National Intelligenccr, June IS.
JUSTICE TO AN HONORABLE. SENATOR.
We give place with pleasure to the subjoi1-
ing letter from the Hon. Arthur P. Hayne, and
the accompanying papers, in correction of per-
version of his views in reference to the Bank
of his own State, by some writer for Charles
ton paper:
To my FslD,r- Citizens Of Me Stale Of South
Carolina.
With feelings of deep emotion address you.
Words have been set down for me as spoken in
the Senate which never uttered, and senti-
ments attributed to me which never enter
tained.. The occasion was one Of conversational
and desultory discussion, by question and an
swer, remark and rejonder, which might have
called for leniency Of judgment upon words
spoken by even practised debater. might
we'll throw myself upon your indulgence, there
fore. I might ask you not to allow to be at
trbuted to me want of patriotism and State
pride, contradictory of the whole course of my
life and actions, and of all the known sentiments
of my heart, upon the evidence Of words thus
spoken. But have no need so to appeal to
your indulgence. On the contrary, only ask
to be Judged by the severest rules. ask that
you will scan the words really spoken, and not
those substituted for them. My real words
will, I am sure, be found to express sentiments
of duty to you and Of devotion to the interests
of the State.
The error Of the reported debate was an un-
fortunate one for me, and the moment | saw it
/ requested its correction, which was at once
made. 1t was one Of those mistakes which at
times unavoidably occur, and for which no one
should be censured when prompt correction is
made.
am charged with alleging the insolvency of
the Bank of the State of South Carolina and Of
attempting to injure its credit. The charge L
utterly deny made no such allegation; my
convictions are just tie reverse, and any attempt
such rs charged is inconsistent with such con-
| yictiOns.
NV remarks in the Senate were in reference
to q motion of Mr.. Simmons, of Rhode Island,
to substitute home valuation for the ad valo-
rem principle of the present tariff. This mo-
ton was blow struck at free trade, blow
aimed against the South and in favor OF the
North.
In the course of his remarks Mr.. Simmons
stated the failures in Charleston in the recent
crisis to amount to nearly one million OF dollars,
and endeavored to show from the condition Of
the banks in South Carolina at the time OF their
suspension that the proportion OF coin to llablll-
ties had nothing to do with that suspension. 10
refute this theory was to show that the facts
upon which an important part OF his main ar
gument was founded were loosely gathered,
and would not bear examination, and thus to
sap the very foundation Of the main argument
itself. 1t was necessary for me to refer to tho
State action upon the banks, which had been
inaccurately given by Mr.. Simmons, and to the
suspension itself, which did as follows:
aNot altogether, sir. The penalty on the
first two instalments was exactcd by the State !;
the banks were required by the Comptroller
General of South Carolina to pay, and did pay,
and never refunded. am Of opinion that the
cause of portion Of our banks having suspen-
ded is to be traced to this fact: we have bank,
the capital of which is owned exclusively by
the State, and must partake Of the character,
more or less of political bank, subject to no
responsibility, and, at the period OF the crisis,
its circulation was so large it was compelled to
suspend; but if the Bank of the State had not
been the very first to suspend-no bank suS-
nensions-none of our banks in South Carolina
would have refused to continue to pay specie"
You will see that this is very different from
the language attributed to Inc in the Charleston
Courier in the article referred to, following the
Congressional Globe of June Sd. As promptly
corrected it stands in the official report of the
Appendix to the Congressional Globe, page
4i2, where it is given substantially as spoken.
I cannot imagine how this can be construed
in any way into an attack upon the' credit or
solvency of the State Bank. could have
wished, felow-citizcns that before aSsailing Inc,
E,pc
sentiments, founded upon words reported 10
have been spoken, these persons had inquired
of me in relation to the words My course IN
the past might even have required that they
should assume there was some mistake, and
| have consulted me in reference to it. would
have given an immediate reply. most hearth
" regret, fellow w-citizens, that they assumed the
words to be thus, my sentiments to be unpa-
triotic. and so became my assailants, and con-
dcmned me without hearing appeal to
YOU, and ask that hearing from you which they
have denied me-
While have ever been opposed to TIE bank
on principle upon expediency, and upon policy,
I never imagined that the Bank Of the State OF
South Carolina was not as sound as any other
in the country. On the contrary, tue whole
capital of State the wealth Of every man in it, is
pledged to sustain the bank and to make good
its capital. No expression of opinion by any
individual could hurt the credit Of an institu-
tion so sustained But expressed no doubt
of its perfect solvency; none whatever.
That my remarks did not produce any such
impression upon the Senate will appear from
the letters of Senators Simmons and Fitzpat-
rick, copies of which append, with that OF my
letter to which they are replies. Senator SIM
mons, being engaged in the discussion, was OF
course alive to all that took place in the course
of it, and be expressly says that nothing was
said by incl on that occasion which cold be
regarded as rejecting upon the character OF the
State, or upon the credit of any of its moneyed
institutions" Senator Fitzpatrick, OF Alabama,
who occupies the seat next to ire, had no such
impression made upon him.. In fact, nothing
contained in my remarks would bear such
construction.
feel that have been deeply wronged in the
course which has been taken thus to condemn
me hastily and without inquiry, when doing
nv duty at distance from my hope and bat
tliing for the principles of the people OF South
Carolina; and I confidently appeal to you, iel-
low-citizens, to repel by your might this un-
generous and unprovoked assault.
l am, with high respect, fellow-ctlzens, your
obedient servant, "A. L. hA1Nh.
Washington, June Is, 1858.
SENATE CHAMBER,
Washington, June II, 1858.
NV Dear Sir: have your note OF this date
inouiring if in the course OF the debate upon
a proposition for a home valuation OF foreign