The Abbeville press and banner. [volume] (Abbeville, S.C.) 1869-1924, 1871-04-14
CONGRESSIONAL DEBATE.

We make the following extract
from the Proceedings of the United
State Senate. Senate" Blair, on the
floor, in the course Of his speech,
said:
He (Mr. Blair) proposed now to
give some extracts from radical pa
pers Of South Carolina. Mr.. Blair
then qnoted from various Republican
payers Of South Carolina, severely
commenting upon the vcnaIty of the
Legislatures Hc a!No quoted from the
remarks Of Gov. Scott, that one of
the greatest curses affecting South
Carolina was the horde 0 unscrupu-
lous adventures from the North, com
ing down there for purposes of plum
der. Mr. Blair, further read al ac-
count Of the personnel Of the South
Carolina Legislature. Of that whole
body but thirteen were white, and
Of the remainder, all blacks, but nine
teen could read and write grammati-
cally.
Mr.. Sherman, of Ohio, admitted
that the Legislature Of South Carroll
ma had behaved shamefuIly, bnt he
would ask the Senator what remedy
did he propose fer it? Did he favor
universal amnesty? because if he did,
he (Sherman) would probably agree.
Did he propose to take the suffrage
from the negroes? because if he did,
that would be Il subject for debate.
But if the Senator proposed no rcmc-
dy, he had certainly no right 10 bring
those matters in here.
Mr.. Blair said he had right to do
it. He had right to arraign this
body for striking down the very vital
principle Of free government, for dcs
lroying local sclf:govarnme!t
Mr. Sawyer, Of South Carolina, cor
roboratcd the statement Of Mr.. Sher-
man, that every one vctcd in South
Carolina, and said there were not
over $500 in tho State debarred from
holding office by the fourteenth
amendment
Mr.. Blair thought the Senator was
vcly much mistaken. Ho believed
there were q great many more.
Mr.. Sawyer, said the position of the
Democratic party in South Carolina
was suci, that no considerable nnt1-
her would accept tre proffer of office.
They were influenced by the attitude
of the Democratic part, in the North
and the Broadhead letter Of the SEN
alor, to refuse office for sentiment.
Mr. Bair-For principle.
Mr.. Sawyer-A sentiment.
Mr.. Blair-A principle. 1t was
a principle; and he was glad that the
Democratic party adhered to pr ncl'.
pie, in spite Of the leaves and fishes.
He was glad that the Democratic par
ty refused to snare the plunder with
the carpct-baggcrs. Mr.. Blair con-
tinued in review Of the condition OF
other Southern States, the debt Of
which, he said, had been 30 enormous
Iy increased undee Radical rule. He
said that he knew Gov. Yarmouth,
Of Louisiana, well; that he went
from Missouri ragged and naked, and
without nancy to pay for his break
fast now he lived in i palace, and
was rolling in wealth, and he (B'air)
was informed that he never signed
bill without price In regard to the
rase Of Yerger, which had been
into this discussion by the
Senator from Ohio, (Sherman,) he de-
sired to allndc to the aspect of that
case as yet not touched upon. He
then read from Il statement Of one o +
the counsl TO prove that the case had
been kept out of the Supreme Court
because Of the fear that the recon-
struction Acts, under authority Of
which Yergcr was committed, would
he declared unconstitutional. The
Radicals had thus confessed that
those Hcts were unconstituti nal, and
yet without them they wonld be in u
minority in both Houses Of Congress
to-nay and a minority Of minority.
The men who came in by virtue OF.
those reconstruction Acts had, in eau
Gus, given tho votes which dcposed
the man who built up the Radical
party, the Senator from Massachu-
setts, (Mr. Sumner.)
Without concludidg, Mr.. Blair gave
A 4 ~, l>f,l