The Anderson intelligencer. [volume] (Anderson Court House, S.C.) 1860-1914, 1870-05-26
Interesting Debate in the United States
Senate,


States Senate on the bill to enforce the Fif-
teenth Amendment. Mr.. FERRY, of Connec-
ticut opened the debate with one of the most
powerful speeches of the session, in which he re-
buked the relentless, proscriptive policy of the
extreme Radicals. He was ably supported by
Mr.. SAWYER, of this State, who boldly avows
his opposition to prescription and disfranchise-
ment, and tersely states our deplorable condi-
tion in being obliged to take, as Federal office
holders, either incompetent or rascally invidu=
ais. His speech brought out the colorcd Sen
ator from Mississippi, and in behalfof his race,
he declared in favor of amnesty and against
entailing disabilities upon the Southern people.
The debate is considered in Washington as ten
ding to disruption of the Radical party in the
Senate. We append report of the proceed
ings:
Mr.. Ferry (Rep., Conn., proposed modif-
cation of his amendment the purpose of which
he stated to be to prevent the creating of any
further political disabilities than now existed.
He proceeded to reply to criticism upon his
speech on a previous day by the Senator from
Indiana (Morton) to the effect that the speech
was one that would suit Southern rebels and
Northern Democrats remarkably well, but
would carry dismay to the hearts of Union men
in the South. He denied the right of that
Senator to foist his own opinions upon the Sen
ate and assume to make them the embodiment
Of the views of the whole Union party South
and the Republican party North. He was will
ling that his own record as Republican should
be contrasted with that of the Senator from In
diana He (Mr. Ferry claimed to speak for
the Union men of the South in advocating a
general removal of political disabilities and re-
ferred to the Republican candidates In that
section in support of his assertion. The Sena-
tor (NIr. Morton) had referred to Georgia. and
was constantly holding up that State as place
of crime and disorder. But if the destinies of
Georgia had been in the hands of men of high
patriotism, and not of those who had trailed
the party banner in the dust, and whose only
aim seemed to be their own pecuniary advance
ment, affairs would have been different. He
denied the stories and kilograms manufactured
by order of venal press in Washington City,
containing representations upon which no leg
islator could rely. He read from letter of a
correspondent Morris K. Jessup(, who, he said,
was q well known merchant of New York, to
the effect that he had travelled through the
greater part of Georgia, and from contact with
believed that the representations made at
Washington respecting a rebellious state of
affairs in the State were false; that he had seen
and heard nothing but strong desire to accept
the situation and let by-gones be by-gones. MIR.
Ferry asserted that the Republican party of the
North were in favor of removing political disa-
bilities The entire Republican press of New
York, with its mighty influence, and circula-
ting from one end of the country to the other,
were in favor of pending bills on the subject.
Now to continue these disabilities on the statute
book would be repugnant to the principles on
which the Republican party rested, and he who,
whether in or out of Congress, insisted upon
their continuance, was no longer Republican
as tested by the platforms of the party. He
had fought for the rights of the black man, not
because he was black, but because he was a
man and now we are bound to take care that
the rights of man himself were not lost. The
disabilities of the Southern people were not
designed as punishments, but as measures of
great public policy The fifteenth amendment
was delusiOn and snare while these disabili-
ties remained on the statute-books, because a
black man was not enfranchised SO long as he
could not vote for his friends and neighbors.
Had FIVE hundred years of system OF test
oath and punishment in Ireland raised up a
loyal generation? Were the fires of rebellion
in Hungary quenched by such means, or was
not peace the result of free constitution and
right of representation.
MIR, Morton Rad, Ind in reply to Mr.. Fer
ry, said the Senator's manifestation of bitter
ness and passion had surprised him. Itwas
we'll the Senator announced himself Repub-
lican. A stranger might have supposed he was
listening to Democratic speech, and very
bitter one at that His own criticism OF the
Senator's speech on previous day had no per-
sonal reference but it's verification was at hand
in the satisfaction with which the speech had
been received by Democrats on the floor. BY
sweeping away all disabilities the Senator
would admit the leaders of the rebellion to the
national councils to make laws for the whole
country, leaving the Union men of the South,
in the present lawless condition Of society there,
to the mercy of their enemies This should
not be permitted. Mr.. Morton replied at length
to the argument of Mr.. Ferry, whose views he
said entitled him to O seat on the Democratic
side of the chamber, and whose argument
should lead him next to. move the repeal OF all
pensions to Union soldiers, or else to pension
rebels. He also defended the Georgia officials
from the charge of corruption, and argued that
when admitted to participation in the govern
ment, the rebels Of the South would turn up
and defy those whom they were now cajoling
N Mr.. Johnson, (Rad, W. va.) argued that the
natural effect of proscriptive legislation in al.
ienating the people of State from the general
government was to foster State pride and local
independence of national authority. He re-
ferred to the generally entertained though er-
roneous opinion in the South prior to the war,
that the allegiance of the citizen was due to
The State government which protected him, and
that the neople then looked upon the United
sary for carrying on foreign relations and like
functions. In England, for instance, this divi-
ded allegiance never existed. Hencethc crimi
nal intent pertaining to the term "rebel" in
that and other countries did not properly ad-
here to the Southern people.
Mr.. SAWYER Trad. S. C) euloeized the speech