The Anderson intelligencer. [volume] (Anderson Court House, S.C.) 1860-1914, 1877-12-20
SENATOR BUTLER sERENADED.

SENATOR BUTLER SERENADED.
A Stirring Speech in which He De.
neunces the President. s
Gen. Gary, Judge Hackey and others Fol-
low.
The following is synopsis of the ad-
dresses delivered in front of the Wheeler
House in Columbia on last Wednesday
night, upon the occasion of Serenade
to Gen. Butler:
Mv FslIow- Citizens: I thank you most
cordially and sincerely for this manifes-
tation of your kindness. Twelve months
ago to-day body calling itself Legis-
lature, sitting in your State House under
the shadow and protection of Federal
bayonets, pretended to elect as Repre-
sentative from South Carolina in the
United States Senate one D. T. Corbin:
Seven days afterwards, on the 10th Of
December, the Legislature which now
occupies that State House, under the
protecting agis Of the laws and the con-
stitution Of this country, did me the honor
to elect me to the Senate of the United
States. From that day to this, from that
day until the I'd of December, 1877, q
contest has been waged, which, for its
bitterness and malignity, its falsehoods
upon myself and the good people Of South
Carolina, has never been equalled in the
annals of our history. But on that
morning of December it eliminated in
my being sworn in to the Senate of the
United States, instead of d. T. Corbin.
Applause. Ny friends, very grave
misapprehension has prevailed in the
minds of some of the people of this State
as to the nature of that contest. It has
been supposed by some that the question
was whether I should be sworn in, or
whether I should be sent back. for re-
election by the Legislature; but l say to
you that that was not the contest. If it
had been, I should not have quietly sub
mitted to the torrent of abuse, such as no
man ever submitted to before. I should
have returned to the bosom of my fami-
ly, and, friends, if that had been the
issue, have allowed your representatives,
the representatives Of the people ofSouth
Carolina, to have decided in their discre.
ton and wisdom whether or not 1 should
be returned as your Senator. No, my
friends; the real issue was whether l
should be seated or Corbin.. Some say
that this was impossible. That there was
no law to seat Corbin he has no con-
stituency and no law. But, my friends
and fellow:citizens, does desperate Rad.
ical majority, dwindling day by day out
of existence, stop to consider questions Of
law or right7 Was there any law for
the admission of Kellogg from louisiana
1t was fragrant outrage on that gallant
sister State of ours. There was no law
for that, and none to seat Corbin but |
tell you that I know whereof I speak
when say that the Radical majority of
the Senate had determined,to seat Cor
bin ; and I;now say with regret and re:
luctance. that the man, whom think |
am not stigmatizing too severely. when 1
say that be procured his present position
through fraudulent methods, threw the
entire weight of his administration,
backed by his friends, to perpetuate this
outrage on South Carolina, and seat this
man Corbin, of whom it has been said
that he has drawn more tears and pangs
from the people of South Carolina than
all Others put together seat him and
perpetrate this outrage on South Carroll.
ma. And yet the President of the United
States, personally and through his
friends, attempted to do it. [ say that I
make this remark with some regret, be-
cause, in all that he was doing, or as
! suming to do, to help the South and the
country, felt bound to sustain him, al
| though his position was procured by
| questionable means, and was quite will
ling that he should atone for the crimes
of his party by virtuous and constitu-
tional administration of the laws. But
when the supreme moment came and Its
issue was made squarely and sharply be-
| tween the enemies of constitutional lib
erty in South Carolina and its friends, he
threw his weight in favor of the enemies
of his Country. And now; my friends, ]
have been placed in position of COM
parative novelty. I have been thrown
| into an arena to which I am not accus-
toned. 1t is one of dignity and gravity
and of the greatest responsibility, and
meet this responsibility with the gravest
apprehensions that / shall not come up
to the full measure of your expectations,
or prove equal to the requirements Of the
position. I can only promise that in the
discharge of my duties, I shall be actuated
by but one single principle, and that is
| to always keep steadfastly before me the
honor and the welfare and the Interests
of our grand old Commonwealth. 1have
sat in the Senate of the United States
hour after hour, day after day, night af
ter night, and submitted to insult, con-
tumely, abuse, Misrepresentation, false.
hood and malignity. I have submitted
to it, my friends, without q murmur
| without even protest. Why have ]
done so? Because the interests of South
Carolina were at stake. 1t was not con
| genial to my nature, for have no ambi
| ton for the notoriety which comes O.
that kind of abuse, and do not think thai
anything in my past history justiies it
Dup Uak6 uy ocdu nltuOuo ASSii"6 "
resentment to those who have done mt
this gross injustice. / shall bury the
wrongs which have been done me in the
past whenever q recollection or reviva
Of them shall conflict with the Interests
of the people of this State committed te
my care. I have only this to say, tha
whilst 1 have determined not to be be
iftrayed into personal recriminatior
against the men, the Senators OF the
! United States, who have cowardly at
tackled me when was disarmed and IN
able to defend myself, now that an
their peer upon the floor of the Senate
hope they will not repeatit. Continued
cheering If they do repeat it, take my
! word for It, 1 will give them as good a.
they send. Renewed cheering Twill
add that I can never consent to degrade
myself to the level of brutality, cowardict
| and blackguardism which characterized
| their conduct toward me. l will not de-
&o;r yos, LANCER hnt tn make one add.