The Pacific commercial advertiser. [volume] (Honolulu, Hawaiian Islands) 1856-1888, 1870-03-26
South Carolina and her new Masters.

The Senate Hall designed to echo the elo
ouence of the Hamptons, the Rhetts, TIT
Hammonds, and other distinguished sons o
chivalry, has been fitted up in modest ele
gance, and eighteen whites and fifteen negroe.
fill its chairs. As a body, it is but little be.
low some Northern Senates ] nave seen in
point of intelligence, and among its members
are able men of both races. Mr.. Corbins,
the President, is a very able lawyer and de-
batter, and, perhaps, the commanding intellect
of all contributions from the North to the
craftsmanship of South Carolina. He is
well appreciated, too, as he is Senator, United
States District Attorney and codiier of the
laws, and fills all with credit. Senator Jill
son., another son of New England, is a gen.
tleman of culture, and is a State Commits
sloner OF Education, as well as Legislator.
Senator Leslie, is an ex-New York Democrat,
and ex-Democratic legislator from Brooklyn.
He IS now a Republican Senator, and State
Land Commissioner These doubly or trebly
honored gentlemen are not singular, however.
There was a lack of white material when the
wheels OF government were put in motion,
and 1t became an agreeable necessity for a
number to accept multiplied offices. Mr..
Moses, Speaker of the House, is Adjutant
General; and Mr.. Nagle, Controller General;
Mr.. Tomlinson. Auditor General; Mr.. Elliot,
Assistant Adlutani General, and MI. Stol-
brand, Superintendent of the Penitentiary,
are all commissioned State officers, and men,
bers of the House. The most important ne
gro in the Legislature is Senator Wright,
who is Just chosen a Judge of the State Su-
preme Court. He is a full-blooded negro, of
medium size, with a finely chiseled face, and
a handsomely developed head. He came
here with the certificate and seal of the SUI
preme Court of Pennsylvania, as an attorney
at-law. His features and form are fairly
Caucasian In all save color. and he speaks
fuently and forcibly. He is eminent for his
integrity, and devotes himself i~ntelligently
and earnestly to the advancement of his race
and State. On the right of the chamber sits
a tall, gaunt, full-blooded negro, black as mid
night, with the regular Southern negro dia-
lect, and the awkward gate of a feld-hand.
He is Senator Nash, a representative of the
Capital District, and successor to Wade
Hampton. He is quite intelligent, although
entirely uneducated, and was, in olden times,
the best hotel porter in Columbia. Senator
Cain sits near the centre aisle, and boasts of
no discount on his African blood. He is a
tolerable debater, and an ardent preacher of
the Methodist persuasion. A little in front
of him sits Senator Swails, a light quadroon,
and a hasty graduate of the country free
schools of the Cumberland valley. A very
plain, jet black, white chokered man stepped
up on the speakers stand, and called the
Senate to their devotions. A more simple, !
beautiful and appropriate prayer have never
heard than Chaplain Adams offered for his
flock, and stricken commonwealth. |
The House is nearly two-thirds negroes,
who were once slaves, and every possible
is to be found. There are half a dozen
members who would readily pass for pure
whites, but were South Carolina slaves only
few years ago. Mr.. Thompson, a Philadel-
phia Quaker, and an offShoot of the bureau,
is the ablest white man on the floor, and one
of the most vigilant and faithful members in
branch. Close to him sit General
Dennis, and Mr.. Jenkins, two of the able po-
litical leaders of the House. In the front row
the patriarch of the Legislature-an old
native white preacher, his head bleached by
the frosts of more than 70 winters. On each
side of the Speaker sits a bright mulatto clerk,
md close by is Mr.. Etter, the reporter. In
he gallery sits the first negro in South Caro-
ina, with his sprightly quadroon wife by his
Mr.. Cardozo, the Secretary of State,
s a robust, full-faced mulatto, and everything
lOout LiIIl iuoICotCS kuC ulSHcoL CuItutCs IIS
ather and master was an officer of customs
n Charleston, and gave him a complete edu-
:ation in Scotland. He was regularly or
as a minister, and was pastor of a
New England congregation for some years
,efore the war. General Howard has urged
to accept a professorship in the Lincoln
University, but he wisely prefers to serve his
ong oppressed race in South Carolina. He
S highly respected by all classes, and exerts
most salutary influence in all matters per-
aiming to the interest of the blacks. If he
lesired to fill the executive chair of his State,
a seat in Congress, either would be con-
eded to him without a serious struggle but
or the present he is content to continue as
of State. 1t is not improbable,
however, that on the 4th of March, 1871, Mr..
once the slave of South Carolina,
appear at the bar of the United States
to qualify as the representative of the
in the first Legislative tribunal of the
I'd s.sseF
The speaker vacated the chair, and a
tout, fnely-formed negro took his place.
nd presided very gracefully. He is MIR.
Vhipple, of Charleston, a Michigan wait,
came with the war, and lodged when
ne army was disbanded. His face is round,
all, and we'll drawn. If covered with a
,hite skin and faxen hair, his features would
e called more than ordinarily good. He is
le Patrick Henry of the House, as an orator,
ut his want of culture mars the beauty of
is sentences. Mr.. Elliott, a Massachusetts,
egro of full blood, is, perhaps, the ablest
and parliamentary leader on the 4
,lored side of the House. | saw hIn lead Y
a desperate struggle of two days, in sup
ort of a bill that was fought desperately by
libustering, and he managed it with great r
ill until he covered his efforts with success. :
aptain Small, the hero of the Planter
nring the war, is also a member. He is a
out, burly mulatto, and his face indicates
,nsiderable intelligence, and great decision 2
purpose. Pervis is a neat, slender mulatto, -
nd halls from Philadelphia, where his father
well known as one of the most successful
princes of his race. The son is G
Le Beau Brummel of the ~House-dresses
,ry tastefully, and parts his soft, waving
air, in the middle. He is an active and I
f~iuential member, and speaks well. DE
arge is a dumpy little quadroon. a fluent