The Anderson intelligencer. [volume] (Anderson Court House, S.C.) 1860-1914, 1869-02-25
Political Rule of the Negro from North
ern Standpoint,


A. J. Stcinman, Esq, of the Lancaster
Pa) Iatdligcncer, who was among the
party of AIaryandcrs and Pennsylvania
ans visiting this State last December,
writes as follows OF the reconstructed
Legislature, in the concluding number OF
editorial Notes" for his paper:
We stopped a day in Columbia TO see
that wonderful production of Southern
soil Negro Legislature. We saw but
one branch OF it, for the Assembly on the
day previous, Friday, after an animated
debate as to the propriety of voting Il
Christmas dinner to its employees, had
adjourned over until Monday for the pur
pose of attending Il circus that was to
exhibit On Saturday afternoon. The
members thought that there would be no
use in holding Il session on Saturday
morning, as their minds would he SO full
of joyful anticipations of the pleasures
which the afternoon had in store for them,
they would be SO intenliy dwelling upon
the prospective mule race, the mad gallop
Of the bare-legged, painted cqnestriennc,
the pcrious leap Of the acrobat, and the
wonderful jokes of the clown, that they
would be entirely unified for the grave
business of making. One hundred
and eighteen of tie one hundred and
thirty-two members of this body arc Rad
icals, of whom sixty seven are negroes
and the balance white carpet baggers.
There are thirty-two Senators, eighteen
of them being white Radicals, nine black
ditto, and five Democrats. The prcpor-
ton of blacks in this body being less, it
was more scdatc than the lower House,
and had Il session on Saturday morning,
taking very good care, however, to add
iourn in excellent time for the circus.
The Senate Chamber occupies the first
floor Of building in the business part OF
the town. the room having been appa-
rently intended for Il store or drinking
saloon. The chairman's desk stands about
the middle of the side wall, and the au-
gust Senators have desks in front of him.
fenced off from the common people that
come in to sec the menngerie, bya railing
that curves elliptically around to the
wall. The words that fell from the thick
lips in that ellipsc Sanford nor Christy
could eclipse, in their peculiar style oI
utterance. Beverly Nash WAS there oc-
cupying Wade HampLun's former place
as representative OF Colnmbia; Il tall,
slim daricy, who for many years wasihe
porter in one OF the principal hotels OF
the Capital. Two stoId looking colored
gentlemen sat in Il corner, whose appoint
ed business seemed to be, to second all
the motions mado by their dusky fellow
Senators they seconded the motion to
adjourn for the circus, with great appi-
rent checrluIncss. Mr. RaDey WAS Il
portIv black man, who looked as if he
had placed great deal Of hog and homi-
ny under his Jacket He was Chairman.
we believe, Of the Judiciary Committee,
and his forncr profession WAS that Of IL
barber. lie had had the custom OF all
the lawyers Of the town, and was sup
posed to have acquired an ample legal
knowledge from his numbcress manipu-
ations of the legal head ; hence he was
made the legal lmminary Of the Senate.
Mr. Wright is accounted the orator OF tho
body and is its leader; lie is mnlatLo,
and Il native of Pennsylvania, but is said
TO have been admitted TO the bar in one
of the Northwestern States. During the
war he got down to Hilton Head, which
district he now represents. He dlstln-
yuishcd himself while we were listening
with wrapt attention to his soul-stirrins
elequcncc and earnestly striving to find
out what he was talking about, by noT-
ing that ''de bill be laid on dc SHELF !
VIC were somewhat startled and involuIl-
tarily looked for that article OF furniture,
but failed to see it, On the next sui jcct
that he handled, Mr. Wright made him.
self more clearly understood; he wanted
to bo paid for his services rs law-maker.
and suspected that clause ina bill which
had been introduced Tor that purpose,
might operate to delay the rcplcnishment
of his pocket book. The bill was cnti-
tied, "a bill to make appropriations Tor
the payment Of the per diem and mileage
of the members Of the General Assem-
bly, and the salaries of the subordinate
officers and other expenses incidental
thcrcto.' The first section read thus :
abe it enacted, &c, That tho sum OF
Sl4O, 900, if so much be necessary. be, aud
the same is hereby appropriated ont Of
any funds in the Treasury not othcrmise dp-
proprj0ted, for the purpose aforesaid
Mr. Wright objected to the words mot
otherwise appropriated and moved that
the bill be sent back 10 tho Judiciary
Committee, and that they be instructed
to report it with those words omitted;
In few eloquent sentences heportrayed
the great value of the services which he
and his colleagues were rendering TO the
State. to the Nation and to the world at
large, and he insisted upon the eminent
Justice of their being paid for their scrv-
ccs without any IFS or butts, and regard
less Of whether they had or had not pre-
viously voted away all the money that
was in the Treasury if there Was any
money there they should first get their