Keowee courier. [volume] (Pickens Court House, S.C.) 1849-current, 1866-03-10
SPEECH OF SENATOR PERRY.

formity with the Constitution. The attempt
20 derive the power to pass test oath from
this clause of the Federal Constitution is about
as absurd rs the right of secession, and equal
ly as dangerous in its consequences.
1t would seem that the object of the radical
party in Congress, in offering so many amend
ments to the Constitution, aud in insisting on
the application of the test oath to members of
Congress, was to perpetuatc their power in the
Government. Instead Of having this effect,
however, it will more than likely have just the
opposite tendency. Their amendments will
never be adopted by three, ,fourths Of the
States, and their continued exclusion of the
against them, when they go before the people
again.
If the Southern members were all admitted,
the radical party would still have majority
in both Houses. They need not, therefore,
be afraid Of the sceptre departing from Judah,
during the Thirty ninth Congress. 1t is true
their majority would be diminished, and it is
possible that a measure like,that of the Freed
mems Bureau bill might have been endanger-
ed on its passage, if the Southern Represen-
tatives had been permitted to show its mon.
strous injustice to the planter, it's demoralizing
influence on the freedman, it's ruinous conse-
quences to the culture of the Sea Island cotton,
aud startling expenditures it will require to
support the idle and vicious negroes, who will
not work, and are to be fed and clothed by the
Government This bill taxes the poor white
man throughout the North to support the vi
cious and vagrant Southern negro. It takes
from the planter his home without considera-
tion, and turns his wife and children out of
doors to perish, in order that his former slaves
may not be under the necessity of making a
contract to work those lands, but be able to
.liveron them in idleness, and get their support
from the Freedmens Bureau.
AS an evidence of the boasted loyalty and
good conduct of these negroes, it may be stated
that party Of gentlemen from the State of
Pennsylvania visited one of the islands near
Charlcston the other day, with written permis-
sion from Gen. Sickles. The negroes cap
tured the party, in violation of military orders,
and were going to massacre the whole party
the island, aud treated them with the greatest
people who arc to be allowed to vote, and
elect out of their number member to Con-
gress
The Southern people have been peculiarly
unfortunate. At one time they thought it
better to withdraw their members from Con
gress, and live separately from the North. -
This they desired to do peaccably and quietly
The North objected, and declared that the
Union should not be dissolved. They were
repeatedly told that they must lay down their
arms, elect their members of Congress, and
resume their position in the Union. Finally
they CONSENTED to do So Now they arc told
that the Union is dissolved, and they shall not
be allowed to resume their places in it f.! Let
the North beware, lest in forging chains for
the South they do not enclose themselves
This Frecdmen's Bureau is an imperium IN
en.pcr'o, and now embraces the North as well
as the South.
But am not disposed to despair of the
Republic. 1 have always had anabiding faith
in the virtue aud intelligence of the American
people, North and South, The time must
come, sooner or later, when the test oath will
be repealed and Southern Representatives ad-
mittcd to their seats in Congress- was once
excluded from Office in South Carolina by a
test oath on account Of my Union principles.
did not then despair, and do not now
That oath was carried before an independent
and enlightened judiciary of the State, and it
was declared unconstitutional. IF the present
test oath can ever be brought before similar
tribunal in the capitol, it must share the same
fate. The American people, too, will have to
sit in Judgment on it at the next election and
decide whether the Union shall continue, or
be Superceded bv miltorv drsnoticm Vbo