The Cambria freeman. [volume] (Ebensburg, Pa.) 1867-1938, 1872-06-01

Early in the Spring, 5. r. PEALE, Esq..
Lock Haven. made visit to the SJuth.
ID on his return published in the Lock Ha- .
en- Democrat and Interesting account Of his T
<perience aud impressions in a series of let .
,-rs, which have been excessively copied. =
We give below his description Of the South |
Carolina LEGISLATURE, the ignorant and brutal
clements { which it is com posed being eufii~ I
Glen. to explain the ease with which & Penl- /
sylvania gang are enabled to rob the people /
Of some OF their most va luable railroads:
The "LCGIsLATUR."
Our first curiosity was the legislature, or,
a. the coored 'gemmen" pronounce 1t the
"legislatur." As tie door op eued and | got
the frs. peep, it locked like a mattress fac
tory-curled hair lying about 10 great pre-
fuSon-but on close inspection it proved to
I've immense ant hill of negroes, all the
republicans in the house being colured but
seventeen e there were over eighty me-
gro members. Add to these tweuty>three
democrats (white) and you have the agg'e-
gate Of the house.
The senate has less proportion Of white
men, the chief among whom is Rev. White
more. who was expelled frCm ngress for
selirg cadetships. The senator from the
principal district in the state is a double dyed
black man, who was for twenty years boot,
black at one of the hotels The speaker uf
the senate, or lieutenant governor, is a negro:
the speaker of the house is a white man Of
Jewish extraction. so III that body Europe.
Asia and Africa are represented. The gov
ernor is white man from Oniu; the secre-
tary of stale is a negro the attorney general
nyHi
treasurer a hite man from the same state,
and the comptroller white uau from North
Carolina. l had the pleasure of meeting
NEST of these gentlemen, and did not hear
one of them complain Cf hard times. 1t
seems they have bought out Aladdin" and
can now serve the people on very small sa>
aries without losing money. The scenes in
the house beggar description. The wards
robe %! negroes Is not as gaudy as you would
expect, but occasionally figure struts be-
fore you in fiery vest and spaaged bosom
This reminds you Of story they tell of Sen
ator Crews. who. before the war, was "a
slave driver" or. as we would call him. "a
drover," and was accustomed TO bring in lots
for sale at Charleston every month. He is
now a radical member OF The s,nate. Recently
committee ~ as appointed to visit the State
Insane Asy lum aud report upon its coIdi-
tion. The committee consisted of about
dozen. Crews was the only white man, and
was chairman. Upon entering the grounds
of the asy lum at the head of his sOOty dele>
cation he was met by an inmate named Har-
ris or Harrison, who had. when in his right
mind, been prominent citizen of Charles
ton and often bought slaves of Crows. and
who. ignorant Of the great change OF affairs
accOsted the senator as follows: why,
Crews, how dye do, glad to see you ?'' Then
stepping back, and scanning the coIored com
mittee. continued. Wei, this is the likeiest
lot of niggers ever knew you to bring
Well dressed; all got white shirts on. Why,
how can you afford it Business must be
good" About then there was a general ex
hibitiou Of ivory, followed by loud outlaws
This time Crews was sold, aud he looked as
if he would much rather be on some other
cruise.
One day while we were seated in the house
a coiered member drew his chair up to S.las
p, blunt boy Of a q, zen. years, who
was seated behind me, aud picking up
printed bill which was lying upon his desk
said, BOSS, read dis bill to me, won't you?
Slas' red hair kindled. aud he grutfly re
piled, No. l won't do it. If you can't read
you have no business here"
There was great excitement while the
bigamist, Bowen, in the latter part Of his
wilE sundry inGecencies. Cries of order
order rang from all parts of the hall hands
instiuctively reached under coat skirts where
each member carried a six shooter, but at
length the tragic yielded to the comic. and
the crisis passed. During this scene was
convuised by the excited speech of one sable
Cicero. Sprirging to his feet as if he had
colided with daruing needle in his chair.
be cries out, MIR. Speaka. Mr.. Speaka.
rise to pint Of order" Speaker-1he gen
tieman from - has The floor viii the
gentleman state his point of order? He
begins-"Mr Speak. my pint of order am
dis: Is we. is we, Is ~-we met yher to dis
cuss Governor Scutt's private characta, or
is we yher to leguslate for de state of South
Carolina - Speaker-That is no point Of
order. The gentleman will state his point of
order or yield the floor. "Mr. Speaka, (vo- |
ciferously), does dat gentleman, (meaniug |
Mr.. 3owen). de very man dat Gov Scott |
locked up in Castle Pickney for hooken de !
poor colorded folks cotton. mean to insult |
dis house dat am met yher for de purpose of |
sittin on de best interests of dc state and ele-
wanting (eiephant-in2J its resources" Here
the speakers gaval faIls. and the gentleman
subsidies, to be followed by dozen Others in
the same ludicrous style AT times the
speaker relaxes the rules and then there Is a |
general smoke. etc. On one of these occa- |
sious ir locking over my shoulder discov> |
cred my dignifed travelling companion Col |
NJ. in most obsequious attitude hold
ing lighted match to Il colored gentleman's
cigar. You would have supposed | was
suddenly seized by cramp in the stomach.