Yorkville enquirer. [volume] (Yorkville, S.C.) 1855-2006, 1877-12-20
;Mlistellaneuns &eading.

Myistellaueons @eading.
SPEECH BY SENATOR BUTLER.
General M. G. Butler was serenaded in Co.
lumbia, on Wednesday night of last week,
which resulted in drawing together several
hundred people, who were anxious to hear
from South Carolna's distinguished United
States Senator, and to honor him with their
approving presence. When the crowd as
sembled in front of the Wheeler House, re-.
peated calls we're made for General Butler,
when be appeared on the balcony, and was in.
troduced by Col. W. R. Cathcart. General
Butler said ... ..
My Fellow citizens: l thank you most cor
daily and sincerely for this manifestation of
your kindness. Twelve months ago to-day, a
body calling itself Legislature, sitting in
your State-H House under the shadow and pro-
lection of Federal bayonets, pretended to
elect as representative from South Carolina
in the United States Senate, one D. I. Corbin.
Seven days afterwards, on the 18th of De-
cember, the Legislature which now occupies
that State House, under the protecting @gis
of the laws and the constitution of this coun-
try, did me the honor to elect me to the Sen.
ate of the United States. From that day to
this, from that day until the End of Decem.
Der, 1877, 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 an.
nails 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.]
My friends, very grave misapprehension
has prevailed in the minds Of some of the
people of this State as to the nature of that
contest. 1t has been supposed by some that
the question was whether | should be sworn
in, or whether I should be sent back for re-.
election by the Legislature; but | say to you
that was not the contest. If it had been, l
should not have quietly submitted to the tor
rent of abuse, such as no man ever submitted
to before. should have returned to the DO.
som of my family, and, friends, if that had
been the issue, have allowed your representa-
tves, the representatives of the people of
South Carolina, to have decided, in their dis
creton and wisdom, whether or not | should
be returned as your senator. No, my friends |;
the real issue was whether should be seated
or Corbin. Some say that this was impossi-
ble. That there was no law to seat Corbin !;
he has no constituency and no law. But, my
g.: J., ..-l col1 oro q
Radical majority, dwindling day by day out
of existence, stop to consider questions of law
or right? Was there any law for the admis'
sion 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 I tell you that I know
whereof I speak when I say that the Radical
majority of the Senate had determined to
seat Corbin; and I now say, with regret and
reluctance, that the man, whom | think l am
not stigmatizing too severely when l say that
he procured his present position through
fraudulent methods, threw the entire weight
of his administration, hacked 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-sest him and perpe.
trate this outrage on South Carolina. And
yet the President of the United States, per-
sonally and through his friends, attempted to
do it, I say that I make this remark with
some regret, because, in all that he was do.
ing, or assuming to do, to help the South and
the country, felt bound to sustain him, al.
though his position was procured by question
able means. and I was quite willing that he
should atone for the crimes of his party by q
virtuous and constitutional administration of
the laws. But when the supreme moment
came and its issue was made squarely and
sharply between the enemies of constitutional
liberty in South Carolina and its friends, he
threw his weight in favor Of the enemies of
his country.
And now, my friends, l have been placed
in a position Of comparative novelty. l
have been thrown into an arena to which |
am not accustomed. tits one of dignity and
gravity and of the greatest responsibility,
and meet this responsibility with the gravest
apprehonsions that shall not come up to
the full measure of your expectations or
prove equal to the requirements of the posi-
ton. can only promise that, in the discharge
of my duties, | shall be actuated by but one
single principle, and that is to always keep
steadfastly before me the honor and the well
fare and the interests of our grand old Com
monwealth. / have sat in the Senate OF the
United States hour after hour, day after day,
and night after night, and submitted to insult,
contumely, abuse, Misrepresentation, falsehood
and malignity. l have submitted to it, my
friends, without murmur, without even 4
protest Why have ! done so9 Because
the interests of South Carolina we're at stake.
1t was not congenial to my nature, for | have
no ambition for the notoriety which comes of
that kind of abuse, and do not think that any
thing in my past history just6es it. But |
take my seat without feeling of resentment
to those who have done me this gross injus.
tce. I shall bury the wrongs which have
been done me in the past whenever recollec-
ton or revival of them shall conflict with
the interests Of the people ofthis State commit
ted to my care. 1 have only this to say. that
whilst have determined not to be betrayed
into personal recrimination against the men,
the senators of the United States, who have
cowardy attacked me when was disarmed
and unable to defend myself, now that am
their peer upon the floor of the Senate, l hope
they will not repeat it, Continued cheer
| ing] If they do repeat it, take my word tor