The weekly clarion. [volume] (Jackson, Miss.) 1863-1882, 1870-03-24
Com pIimends Gov. AlcOrn. and de-
Scribes how he became IN HOs
Iffical saint.

Compliments Gov. AIcorn. and de.
Scribes how he became N POI
IificaI saint.
The Senate having under consideration
the resolution offered by Mr.. Stockton, Il
refer to the Committee Oh the Judiciary the
credentials of Hiram X. Revels, Senator
elect from the State of Mississippi
Mr.. SALISBURY said
Mr.. President: have but a few remark:
TO submit to the Senate on this occasion.
know that in rising to advocate the adoption
of this resolution, in effect to oppose the adj
! mission of this negro or mulatto man to {
seat in this body, am attempting TO pre-
vent that which is already certainty. Il
is not my intention, Mr.. President. to 90 in-
TO any discussion of the character OF the ne
gro race, or Of the propriety OF the legisla'
ton OF Congress heretofore in reference to
that race; neither is 1t my intention unne-
cessarily to say anything that will wound
| the tender sensibilities of a majority OF the
members Of this body. | know how fondly
you are attached to the negro race. know
| how dearly you love il. | know how it has
| been the object of your legislative care and
| regard. know, when compared with the
| interests of that once noble, proud, and ele-
waited race to which ii is my boast to belong
/ but now in your eyes the poor degraded
white race, how transcendently important
/ in your judgment are the Interests of the
]
your estimation are the members of this
| negro race to the members of that race TO
which you yourselves belong.
! Sir, am justified in making these remarks
! Are they idle, unmeaning words / appeal
| to the history of this country for the last
| eight years 1 appeal to the history OF the
/ legislation of Congress for the last eight
| years; | appeal to your own recorded votes
and acts in this body; I appeal to the
| speeches which you have made this floor.
and | appeal now, sir, to that anxiety which
you all display for the hurried and the imme-
date admission to a seat in this high coun-
cil-cham Der of the nation of this negro or
mulatto man, that You may have general
revel OF rejoicing when what in your estl-
nation is glorious work shall be achieved.
Mr.. Drake. viii my honorable friend al
low me to set him right about matter of
fact: l wish TO inform the Senator from
Delaware thaC the Senator elected from Mis-
sissippi (Mr. Revels) is not mulatto man.
but an octoroon, If that Will make any diff
ference in his argument. [Laughter.l
MIR. salisbury. And now Mr.. President,
has it come to this that one of the chief
champions of this negro race, who has done
so much by word and act as a member of
this body to show his sympathy and his love
for the negro race, shall now back down from
the high exalted position which he has here
tofore occupied, and say 1--WE are not admit
ting negro or mulattO, Oh no. sir but we
are only admitting to the Senate an octo-
ROOM" Laughter.
Mr.. Drake. If the honorable Senator will
allow me, L will state that it was simply out
of consideration for him that | desired to
set him right upon the matter of fact. | sup
posed that of course the intensity of the
Senator's opposition to the admission of Il
Senator here having any negro blood would
be in proportion to the intense blackness of
his skin. and wanted to alleviate the suffer
ings of the Senstor from Delaware by point
ing him to the fact that it was only an octo-
room after all, and not a coal black negro
Laughter,
Mr.. salisbury. Mr.. President, | am not
aware that the Senator from Delaware has
manifested any suffering upon this occasion
or during the progress of the debate in ref
erence to the admission of this man; and
know that tender sensibility of character,
that fine, delicate sense of propriety, which
ALWAYS characterize the action and the con-
duct of the honorable member from Missou-
ri-I know the things too well to believe
that he would Obtrude his kindness even
upon as humble an individual as he who
now address as the Senate when his kindness
was not sought, or at least when there was
no assurance that it would be appreciated.
But now, Mr.. President t. since the honor
able mQnber and thosewho act with him i'm
this body have for the moment b"cked down
from the vindication of the propriety of the
admission of negro or mulatto to seat
i'm the Senate of the L nited States. and only
take A smaller dose. the admission of an oc-
toroon, L shall oppose the admission of this
OctoroOn for a few moments upon the same
Drinciples and upon the same questions of
Jaw and for the same reasons that l would
opp6se the admission of what ! suppose to
have been the object dearest to the Senator's
heart and those who act with him, the adj
mission of negro out and out.
When Yesterday there was presented to
this body what purported to be certificate
Of the election by the Legislature of the
State of Mississippi of this person claiming
a seat upon this floor, felt it my duty to
object to the reception of the paper on the
ground that twas not such paper as evil
denced a valid election to the Senate of the
United States by the Legislature of that
State. Reflection has convinced me more
thoroughly that the objection which L then
made is perfectly sound. And now, Mr..
President, If there were no other reason
than the objection started in ltHliRe to the
reception of the proposed evidence OF cleo
ton, why these pretended credentials should
90 to the Committee on the judiciary, say
that is reason sufficient Of ITSELF You have
an act of Congress, passed In 1866, and cited
by the honorable member fro n Missouri
himself yesterday, which requires that an
election to bership in this body by
State Legislature shall be certified by the
Cover lor of the State and countersigned by
the secretary of State.
Sir. you hive no such certificate in this
case. What have you? You have paper
signed or certifcat9 signed, by one Major
General Ames, commander of this military
words provisional governor of Mississippi"
For all pI 9ctical and legal purposes. and for
all truthful purposes, he might as well have
signed himself "majo general commanding
that military district and the great tycoon"
He never was provisional governor OF Mis-
sissippi; ard therefore the suggestion made
Yesterday that being provisional governor
of Mississippi and signing the certificate as
provisional governor of that State met the
requirements of the act OF Congress, has no
= Il ollanrfaH that tho QPn6Q0-
tialS, of the Senators from the State OF Nlr-
ginfa were certified by the provisional gov
ernor of that State. Well sir, 1t is fact so
far as the State of Virginia is concerned,
that the certificate was so certified but then
there was person in the State of Virginia.
Mr. Walker, who, whether his commission
as provisional governor of Virginia was val
id or not, held the appointment of provi-
sional governor OF Virginia. But ask You
sir. where is the authority for the assertion
that General Ames was ever provisional
governor Of Mississippi! lie was major
general by brevet in the Army of the Uni
ted States, and assigned to the command OF
the military department In which the state
of Mississippi was included. But when,
where. by whom was he appointed Provis-
ional governor of the State of Mississippi!
i offered resolution this morning in this
body asking the President of the United
States to communicate to the Senate any
or power of appointment under
which General Ames assumed to act as the
provisional governor of Mississippi; and If
there was no such commission or appoint
ment in writing. by what authority he as
sumed to act. What did the Senate do =
What did the honorable member from Mas
fMr. Wilson, who perhaps may
be regarded as the particular champion of
the admission of the claimant to seat in
this bOdyY He objected to the present con-
sfderation of the resolution, and therefore
we cannot have the lnformatloh rom TIC
President of the United States to-day.
What does this showg There Is eireum-
stantiaI evidence in this case which, in the |