The weekly North-Carolina standard. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 186?-1869, 1867-03-20
SPEECH OF GOV. BROWN.
Extract from a Speech Of Coo. JOSEPH
E Brown, delivered at Atlanta, Ga.


e Brown, delivered at Atlanta, ga.
March 4, 1867.
Gentleman say, we will appeal to the
Supreme Court. But what would such
an appeal be worth ? Do You not re-
member a-few days ago, if the newspa-
pers report correctly, that Gov. Pier
point, of Virginia, made a requisition
upon Gov. Fenton of New York, for
the surrender of violator of the laws
OF Virginia2 Gov. Fenton refused, on
the ground that Virginia was not legal
ly State, and that the question was
carried up before the Supreme Court,
who held it to be inadmissible, because
a political one. 1t is also said the
Supreme Court has resolved to decide
no more political questions, but to leave
them to the other departments. AS
the issues involved in the Sherman mil
itary 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 vacancies occur on the Su-
preme bench, they shall not be filled
until the number be reduced to seven.
As the Supreme Court is now constitut-
: ed, majority ofthe Justices have ruled
the test oath unconstitutional; but
three of them, Justices Nelson, Grier
and Wayne, who concurred in this
ruling are now old men, physically in
firm, and cannot be expected long to
occupy their positions. When their
positions are vacant, a majority of the
Supreme Court will most likely enter
/. tain political opinions in accord with
the party now in power. think, then,
that the South has but little relief III
the present emergency to hope for, from
that august tribunal. Their present
docket, as 1 was informed when in
Washington, is sufficient to engage their
attention for the next two years, and it
will be in their power to put the cases
which may 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.
know that l am slandered and mis-
represented, and my motives attacked
for the course have Felt 1t my duty to
pursue on this question; but l pass by
all imputations of the kind as the idle
wind that | regard not. Applause.
They say am not consistent. | admit
it. And who of us is? was born in
South Carolina, in Mr.. Calhoun's Dis
trict; was reared in his political faith,
and sincerely believed that the doctrines
which he taught were the true princi-
pies of this Government. But the
sword has decided against the doctrines
of that political school, and we ought
TO acquiesce. l was reared seces-
sionist, but bow to the decision of the
august tribunal that dictates between
States and nations in the last resort.
am not, therefore, secessionist now.
Applause. Therefore, gentlemen, 1
am not consistent. | do not claim it.
The man who sets himself up to be con-
sistent at all times, and under all Cir
cumstances, in my judgment, acts very
unwisely.
That which is expedient to-day as a
matter of policy, may not be expedient
tomorrow. As an illustration: would
anybody in this audience, ten years ago,
have thought it expedient that negroes
should be allowed to testify in courts
of Justice, where q white man was con-
cerned? Clearly not. Then they were
slaves; but since that time they have
been made as free as you and l.. Would
anybody, ten years ago, have thought
it expedient that negro should be al
lowed to sue a white mani Clearly
not. But now the case is different.
Then he had master to look after his
rights; now he must look after them
himself, and he must have them. and If
they are denied him, he must have the
right to sue for them. Applause.
Then we are not consistent. is
there that, ten years ago, would have
advocated the abolition of slavery in
this State? But now that measure has
been adopted by unanimous vote
An ordinance to that effect has been
passed by the Convention of the State,
and do not remember whether it had
q single opponent. Every man in
Georgia, then, by his representative,
has voted for the abolition of slavery,
and every one who has been pardoned
under the amnesty proclamation of the
President, has laid his hands upon the
Holy Evangelists and taken an oath
that he would abide by it. Why did
you do it? Because the fortunes of war
were against you The tribunal of the
sword had decided against you. Were
any of you consistent then? l think
not.
Is man degraded because he sub
mits to this bill? My friends, let us
reason together upon this subject. 1t
is, indeed, very humiliating, especially
to some ofius who are DISTINGUISHED by
the bill; but is there anything degrad.
ing in it? When Napoleon Bonaparte,
who fought as gallantly as ever man
fought, was overwhelmed by superior
numbers, he surrendered to the com.
bined powers of Europe. He was hui
inflated, but he was not degraded
Was General Robert E. Lee degraded
when, after his forces had melted away
phalanx by phalanx, he surrendered to
General Grant? Let us look to this
illustrious example. You say that, al
though you have surrendered, you will
not do what the conqueror requires
You will simply do nothing, and sub
NIT to whatever follows; but Genera
Lee did not do this. After he had sur