The Charleston daily news. [volume] (Charleston, S.C.) 1865-1873, 1867-03-11
4hg ||:l!!|!||. 1ail4 Mems. Mems.
MONDAY MORNING, MARCH II, 1867.
GOV. BROWNS SPEECH.

MONDAY MORNING, MARCH H.. 1857.
GOV. BROWN's SPEECH.
Wepublish below the speech Of eS-Goy. BRowN,
OF Georgia, delivered at Atlanta, March 4th, in de-
fence Of his recent letter. The subject is one OF
such vital interest that feel bound to Lay before
our readers all that is said by who are entitled
to be heard in reference to the policy OF the South
in regard to this bill. We endorse most heartily
Gov. BRowNs advice, that there should be no strife
among ourselves and that if there is to be differ
ence of opirion, the discussion should be without
nassion and SOLELY in reference to the best interests
Of our unhappy country.
Mr.. Chairman and Gentlemen In response to
this call coming from my neighbors, and trust
NAV say my friends, / will not decline to say
something, and in any remarks may make will
saw that do not intend to wound the feelings OF
any' one present. think this is q time when it is
much better to pour oil on the troubled waters,
than to excite the flames Of passion and attempt
to divide our people by angry strife. Remember
that Congress has already taken action which
places all Of US under a. military, goTernme ent.
Remember that in a very few days the President,
In all probability, will feel it to be his duty to place
over the military district Of Georgia, Alabama and
Florida, man whose will will be the law OF the
land that it will be matter Of discretion with
this commander whether he will allow any one
charged with offences to be tried before any OF the
civil courts Of the State, or before military trl-
bunal where the punishment and the mode OF its
infection will be alike determined upon In accord
ance with military laws It may be o punishment
Of fine an imprisonment, or with ball and chain,
or any other adopted in the army.
Gentlemen, this is not child's play. It is seri-
ous matter. It is such state Of things as you
and have never seen in all our past lives. In
view of our responsibility, then, is it becoming
for us to quarrel with each other to indulge in
a spirit OF fault-fnding, or of elimination and re-
elimination? Is this the time to stir up. angry
the throats Would it not be better in this state
of things if we differ, to differ respectfully and
il we discuss, to discuss calmly and with modera-
ton?
that they do not recognize the fact that they
conquered people, and that they must submit to
whatever terms the conqueror imposes upon us.
They forget that they have no longer any power OF
resistance, and that they must submit to the
powers that be-. The struggle that has ended by
fhe triumph Of the arms Of the United States Gov
ernment was one which had it's comm ament in
q division Of opinion. that has existed since the
formation of the government. 1t had It's origin IN
The different theories Of Alexander Hamilton and
Thomas Jefferson, aud ragged with more or less
fury until it broke OFT in the late unhappy strife
which has deluged the whole country with blood.
The controversy could not be decided by Congress
or by the Supreme Court. It was left for the sword
to decide the question. We appealed to that arbi-
trsment, and The decree is against us. Congress
now claims that, as the war-making power is con-
fided to il, so also must the power to make peace
be- confded to it; and Congress has maintained it's
supremacy by the passage over the Presidents
veto Of the Bill which has just become q law.
Gentlemen say, we will appeal to the Supreme
Court. But what would such an appeal he worth
Do not feW days ag0 fas
OF Virginia, made q requisiGon upon Governor
Fenton, Of New York, for the surrender Of vio-
lator of the laws Of Virginia Governor Fenton
refused On the ground that Virginia was not
up before the Supreme Court, who held it to be
inadnisnable, because political one. 1t is also
said the Supreme Court has resolved to decide
nomore political questions, but to leave them TO
in the Sherman Military Bill are political ones,
it is hardly to be expected they will be decided
by that tribunal. You will also remember that
Congress has passed an act that whenever va,
canoies occur on the Supreme Bench, they shall
not be filed until the number be reduced to seven,
AS the Supreme Court is now constituted, a ma
iority OF the Justices have ruled the test oath
unconst tutional; out three OF them, Justices Mel
son, Grier and Wayne, who :conclrred in this
ruling, are now old men, physically infrm, and
cannot he expected long to occupy their positions.
When their positions areyacant, majority Of the
Supreme Court will most likely entertain political
think then, that the South has but little relief in
the present emergency to hope for from that
sug1st tribunal. Their present docket, as was
informet when in Washington, is sufficient to en-
gage their attention for the next two years, and it
arise under the Sherman Military Bill to the foot
of the docket, and thus avoid decision till
reached in their order. -
During the whole Of that time you will be under
the Military Bill as it passed Congress. ,gs-.
T mosv f6at I am slandered and misrepresented,
and my motives attacked for the course have felt
It my duty to pursue on this question; but pass
by all nlputahons of the kind as theidle wind that
regard not. CApplause. They say I am not
born in South Carolina, IN Mr Calhoun's district
and WAS reared in his political fat and sincerity
beievoSt that the doctrines which he taught were
the true principles Of this Governments. But the
sword has decided against the doctrines of that
political school, and We ought to acquiesce. I'gas
reared Is secessionist but Ibow to the decision of
the august tribunal that dictates between States
and nations in; The last resort. am not, there
fore, . secessionist now. [Applaqse.l Therefore,
The man who sets himself up to be consistent at
all times and under all circumstances in my judg-
mant, acts very unwisely.
That which is expedient to-day, as a matter
Of policy, may not be expedient tomorrow. AS
ten ye9rs ago, have thought it expedient that
negroes should be allowed to- testify in courts
OF Justice, where white men were concerned 2
Clearly not. Then they were slaves; but since
G0AS IlQ0 GQ6y nave DeSu Uidub hS Hoo a5 yOu duu
I.r;Would anybody, ten years ago, have thought
itexpe1ient that negro should be allowed to sue
3 white man? Clearly not, But now the case is
differerh Then he had.a master to lcok after his
rights; now he. must look after them himself, and
he must have them; and II they are denied him,
he must have the right to sue for them. Zap
plause. ] Then we are not consistent. Who is
there shat, ten years ago, would have advocated
! the abolition Of slavery in this State? But now
that measure has been adopted by q unanimous
vote. An ordinance to that effect has been passed
! by the Convention Of the State, and I do not re-
member whether it had asingle opponent. Every
man in Georgia, then, by his, representative, has
who has been pardoned under the Amnesty Pro-
clamaiion Of the President, has laid his hands
5 upon The Holy Eyangelists and taken an oath that
he would abide by it. Why did you do it? Be-
cause the fortunes Of war, we're against YOU. The
tribunals Of the sword had decided agsinst you.
Were any Of yon consistent then? I think not.
Is Il man degraded because he submits to this
subject. tits, indeed, very humilia especially
to SOME Of us who are disfranchised by the Bill;
but is there anything degrading in it? When Ma
poleon, Bonaparte who fought as gallantly as ever
man fought, was oye-Whelm ed by superior num-
bers, he surrendered to the combined powers Of
Europe. He, was hulniliated, but he was not de-
graded. Was General Robert E. Lee degraded
when; after his forces had melted away phafanx by
phalanx, he surrendered to General Grant? Let
rs lDok to this lustrious example. You say
that, although you have surrendered, you will
not do. what the conquerorG requires. You will
simply do mol ting, and submit to whatever
follo,is;tbut General Lee did not do this. After
who, itiisreported,. with q magnanimity that has
seldom besn equalled and never surpassed, re-
turned it to him with expressions of admiration
and sympathy. General Lee did not put himself