The Charleston daily news. [volume] (Charleston, S.C.) 1865-1873, 1868-09-24
CHI A r LES TON
THURSDAY MORNING. SEPTEMBER "a. 1868.
The Suspension of e.senator'' Leslie.

The so-called Senate of the State failed
to e1pel Senator" LESLIE upon the charges
brought against him, but has succeeded in
suspending him for six menths. 1t was not
alleged that he was guilty Of high crimes
and misdemeanors, for the committee which
considered the subject only charged him
with contempt, in having refused to obey the
orders of one of the officers Of the Senate,
and in having said: "You may gag me and
crush things through as you please. Yc"
"will be sorry for it." This was said to oe
the whole sum and substance Of his Offend
ing; but there is not negro in the Senate
or in the House who does lot know that
LEsL1E's real crime was widely different,
both in gravity and character.
LESLIE halls from Brooklyn, New York,
and seys that he vas once q senator in the
New York Legislature. He came to South
Carolina in 1865, and after sundry escap-
ades, was elected member of the "Consti-
.tutiQnal Conyentionn which asse mbled in
and sharp talker, paying very little regard
to the personal feelings of his negro coad-
tutors, and slsshing right and left when
any peculiarly large swindle was expected
to be hstohed. When the State and district
Offices were distributed LESLIE was forgot
ten; and his only reward was his election
as one Of the "senators" from Barnwell
District. AS s'senator," LESLIE has been
keen and incisive in ell that he has said.
A thorough Radical, he has ,parado1ically
opposed negro supremacy, and upon more
than one occasion has declared on the floor
of the Senate that even the most intelligent
freedmen were wholly incapable Of govern
ing either the State or themselves. 1t was
necessary that the weaknesses Of the Radi-
cal party in the State should not be exposed.
No regard was paid to the fact that LESLIE
had always acted with the Radicals. There
was danger in his honesty and plain talk
ing, and it was determined by the ultra
Radical leaders to get rid Of him. This
has been done, and LESLIE now returns to
Barnwell district to explain to white man
and negro, Democrat and Radical, why he
is expelled, and what are the corruptions,
the proAigscy and the shame Of the won
drous mongrel Legislature Of which he was
q member. e,-
In suspending Leslie, the Senate admit,
by word Of mouth as well as by deed, that
they cannot bear the truth. They acknowl-
edge now that free speech will ruin them;
forgetting that LESLIE will have upon his
side all the Radicals who have been ag-
grieved because they were passed over in
the distribution Of spoils; that he has the
power and the will, as perhaps no other
man has, to uncover all their secrets, and
that his party martyrdom will make him
more open-mouthed and irrepressible than
he ever was before. It is also ludicrous
commentary upon the consistency Of Radi
cal politicians that the party which, in this
State, processes to be the upholder of the
right Of free speech, the friend of liberty,
and the foe of intimidation and prescription,
should deliberately e1pel or suspend mem
Der of their party because he has been free
spoken, because he would not be brow-beat
or intimidated, and because threats and
menaoes could not make him hold his
tongue. LESLIE is now radical enemy Of
Radicslism. One of the main beams Of the
edi6ce will now be used as ram to batter
in its door and tumble its walls to ruin.