The Camden weekly journal. [volume] (Camden, South-Carolina) 1853-1861, 1860-02-07
Our CeIOred Code--Debate iaa the
Sonata

representations of Abolition orators concernin!
the laws of South Carolina, affecting negr,
sailors, we quote from the Globe a report Q
their remarks,
In the:Senate, on Thursday, pending spcecl
Of Senator Wilson, of Massachusetts -
Mr.. Hammond said do not feel dsposct
to interrupt the Senator, or say anything OIL
that subject; but op proper occasion it vii
be very easy to show that that is perfectly
warranted We passed police law ID Soutl
Carolina for our own personal protection.
Certain classes of people came there and inter
fered with our domestic affairs. Was it al
aggression to repel them, or put them under
surveillance, or do what We pleased with them
while they were there? We did not bring
them there. They came voluntarily.
Mr.. Wilson. shall be very glad, Mr.Pres
ident to have the Senator from South Carroll
ma, on a fit occasion, cndeavor to vindcatc tie
policy of that law. Let me say, however, t.
that Senator now, in passing, that when South
Carolina passes laws to protect herself she has
no right 10 Infringe upon the constitutional
rights of Others. If any persons 60 into that
State and violate her laws she will punish
them. OF that. do not complain; but, sir,
what right has South Carolina to pass an act
that colorcd citizens of Massachusetts, when
they 60 into the harhor of Charleston, who are
innocent of crime, shall, merely because they
happen to be colored men, be taken and I'M
prisoned before they commit any otfeice?
Mr.. Hammond. All this grows out Of the
peculiar differences in the domestic institutions
of the North and the South. Different laws
must be made to suit different systems. Col
ored people are not citizens in South Carolina.
| We cannot recognise them either as citizens Of
South Carolina or citizens of Massachusetts
and the Supreme Court has since decided that
they arc not citizens of the United States.-
They are therefore not entitled to the consti-
tutional provision that places the citizens of
the different States on an equality within each
others limits. We had reason to believe that
it was dangerous to the peace of our commune
ty and to our peculiar institutions to permit
them to come there. Let Inc say again, that
all this grows out of what the Senators Oh the
other side do not seem at all to comprehend :
that We live under distinctly different social
systems, and must have peculiar laws. With
out intending to aggrcss upon anybody else,
or to Infringe on the rights Of any individual,
much less of any State or of any section, We
must be allowed to take care OF ourselves
That law to which the Senator alndcs, lias
been. materially modified. 1t has been asccr-
tanned that it was unnecessarily severe, and in
stead Of incarccrating the colorcd persons in
Jail, they are now kept under surveillance,
perhaps allowed to stop on their vessels; do
not recoert the exact m>difration, but they
arc 10 longer subject to the same imposit"ns
they were before. This South Carolina has
done voluntarily, and thus South Carolina and
all the South would anlelioratc the condition
.of5thc slaves it-tEcy were let alone. It has
been done. They are arhs,-liAyatRg It, ardtwes
=; So; 80,
afr. Wilson. The StEatcr says they 1--we
under different social systems and they must
have their way of protecting themselves. We'll,
sir, am willing that they shall protect them
selves; but III protecting themselves say they
have no right to infringe on the rights Of 9th
crs. What arc we to think of social system
that requires this sacrifice of the rights OF
others
Mr.. Chestnut. Let me say to the Senator
from Massachusetts, that the ground we assume
in South Carolina on that point, the ground
wici, has been sustained by the courts, is that
every State has constitutional right to pass
such police laws as will protect itself against
any trouble You pass your police laws in
New York, and in every seaport town III the
country YOU quarantine vessels; you raise all
sorts of barriers of protection against evils
which YOU anticipate Now, in South Caro-
Ina We have the same right. and it has been so
decided by the courts, under the rule Of police
regulations, to protect ourselves againt interfer-
encc with our rights and interests by the Sch
ator from Massachusetts, and his people. put
it upon the broad principle that he has NO right
to claim for negro from Massachusetts, or i"F
a negro from elsewhere, that he shall become
his cmlssary under the pretended rights guaran-
tced by the Constitution to the citizens of this
country-that he shall insiuunte him upon lis
under any such pretcncc. We claim that as a
right of sovereignty belonging to all free pco-
pie, the right of selfprotcction by police regu-
lations and otherwise.
Mr.. Wilson. want to call the attention OF
the Senators from South Caroliua to the pre-
else and exact issue. In Massachusetts, and in
several of orr States, the coorcd men are re-
parded and ever have been regarded, as citl-
zclls. They have all the rights of citizcns:-
They fought the BATTLES Of the Revolution
They help to make the laws; they obey the
laws. In 1920 South Carolina passed this act.
William Writ then Attorncy-Gcncral of the
United States, pronounced it unconstitutional
Mr. Chcsnut. Docs not tie Senator know
that the Acknowledgement, Mr.. Bcrricn, pro-
nounccd it constitutional!
Mr. Wilson. Yes, sir, do but William
Writ pronounced it unconstitutional. At that
time Judge johnson, of South Carolina, was
on the bench of the Supreme Court of-the I'm
tied States, and he pronounced it unconstitu-
tional. Under these circumstances, nen were
imprisoned, were punished, and some OF them
sold into slavery. Massachusetts sent ii lawyer
to South Caroliea, to do what To take that
case before the judicial tribunals to be pro-
nourccd upon.
Mr.. Chcsnut. Will tho Senator permit me
there to make suggestion
Mr. Wilson. Irs, sir.
Mr.. thcsnnt The view which governed
the people of South Carolina in the action
which they took upon that subject was this,
and it was warranted long and relentless
warfare had been made by the citizens of Mas
sachusetts upon the rights, the interests, and
the safety of the people of South Carolina. |
say it was a lorg and RELENTLESS, and will add
rclfidons and nsidiols warfare under cover OF
the Constitution. The State found it ncccssa-
ra, for scIfprotccion, to pass these police rcgrI-
lators to prevent those persons who were hos
tile towards us from manlicstng their hostility
Al