The Anderson intelligencer. [volume] (Anderson Court House, S.C.) 1860-1914, 1877-05-03
mo sense If the preat wrong which thus

my sense OF Ine BIeAI WIoiiS wHieii oau
forces me practically to abandon right
conferred on me, as I fully believe, by:
majority Of my fellow-citizens of thi
Slate. Those rights I do not renounc
to-day, but I. do not feel that | can ad
vance the interest of those whom [ repre-
sent politically by, longer exercising m.
right as Lieutenant Governor presiding
over this Senate, and I therefore an
nounce to you, senators, that Il shall va
cate, this. chair from this time forward
I In taking this step I am gratifed to b
able to say that take my leave Of yor
/ with the kindest personal feelings to
/ wards every member of the Senate
With some of you'll have served here fol
7 more than four years; and attachments
have arisen which it is hard to break.
allow myself to hope also that there is nc
senator here who has towards me person
ally. to-day any but kind feelings. I re-
turn to you earnest and grateful thanks
for your kindness to me, praying that ir
I your hands the peace, honor and pros
lperityi Of South Carolina; and Of all hel
citizens may be. advanced and secured
Honorable Senators, I now call upon the
senator from williamsburg, as President
| pro tsmM;pore Of the Senate, to assume the
chair, and I bid you each and all re.
fspectful and friendly farewell ~ -:
| at the conclusion of this address Swails
Icame forward and took the chair, Gleaves
| accompanying the transfer with the usual
formula. Swails directed the Governors
proclamation convening the extra session
Ito be read, which was done, and he, then
asked what was the pleasure of the Sen
ate. ~ - go.
Mr.. Livingston (Dem: said:' "I have
the honor to state to the Senate that MIR.
Simpson, is present and ready to assume
his duty. I move a committee be ap-
pointed to conduct him. to the chair"
Nash moved to amend by inserting that
he be required to.be sworn in. -:
Mr.. .Withespoon Dem objected to
| the amendment, and said that he hoped
the Senate would not attempt to force
President Simpson into such q position.
He has already been duly qualified and
sworn into the Office to, which he was
elected, and ask that you will not en-
Ftdeavorh to make him stultify himself by
submi. ing to another qualification at this
time. Iihope that the amendment will
be withdrawn. .5 ,,.ayag 81: .4il
Mr.. Jeter said that he would like to
hear the reasons Of the senator from
Richland in Offering his amendment:
f Nash (Rep.) replied that he recollected
that at the Last session the senator from
Union, in Offering objections to the seat
ing Of ex-Lieutenant, Governor Gleaves,
submitted an ordinance passed by the
/ Constitutional Convention, and held the
position that the President of, the Senate
must take an oath administered by either
the Chief Justice or one of the Associate
Justices On the Supreme Court. That
was, the position taken by the senator
from Union at the last session, and only
nov follow in his footsteps. ~ go
AT the instance of Swails, the reading
clerk here read the ordinance referred to
by Nash! s:'' -; - ~! ~ ii;".'i. j
Mr.. Crittenden said 81 hope that the
senator from Richland will Withdraw his
amendment, for am sure he will see the
inconsistency of his course with that
which he pursued last session. He must
be aware ofthe fact that the presiding Off
Ger of the Senate, the late Lieutenant
Governor, was not sworn in by the Chief
Justice or either of the Associate Justices
Eof the Supreme Court: but by another
and an inferior officer. Notwithstanding
this fact, the,senator from Richland, and
in fact the entire Senate, recognized him
as the President Of the Senate, without
the erequisition that lhe:now attempts to
put upon the present iLieutenant-Gov-
ernor Of the State. I hope, therefore,
that he will withdraw his amendment.
If not, 4 move that it be Indefinitely post
poned." js'7r''''' -''a' ..' ~ T1f
Mr.. Jeter rose to explain that the state
ment made by the Senator from Rich
land was incorrect. Il was moi" he said,
rpresent when the ex-Lieutenant-G Gov
ernor went through the farce Of an in
auguration, and raised no such question
as he indicates. Lieutenant Governor
Simpson has already taken the oath, and
a repetition of it is unnecessary"
Sammy Green said: "We don't claim
that the Lieutenant Governor must be
sworn in by the Chief Justice or one OF
Associate Justices, but we hold that he
must be sworn in the presence of the
Senate, I, for one, don't know whether
he has ever been sworn in at al"
Mr.. Crittenden said: although Lieu
tenant Governor Simpson was not sworn
in, in the presence of the whole Senate,
due notice was given to the Senate
and the onus of their absence lies upon
them alone" -" - '.'t'H
Green replied 81 do not think that
reasoning applies here. Even granting
that he was sworn in somewhere up the
street, and that no one but his private
friends were present, if he is to be oul
presiding officer it will not hurt him to
be sworn; in again. I call for the ques,
ton of the adoption of the amendment
and demand the yeas and nays"
The vote was called, and resulted in
16 yeas and IL nays, strict party vote
~ The question of the adoption of the
original motion to appoint committee
to escort Mr.. Simpson to his seat and
swear him in was then put, and also re-
suited, yeas L.; nays IL. re''.' 3
Swails appointed the following com.
mittee: Witherspoon, Meyers and Gin
ton. The committee stepped forward
Lieutenant Governor Simpson took the
| arm of Mr.. Witherspoon and quickly
assembled the stand and stood like no
| bleman beside the shriyelled, tawny'
colored president pro TEN.
Whittemore suggested that a swearing
| officer had best be sent for Immediately
but Lieutenant Governor Simpson, in {
clear, ringing voice, cut him short: HI
said: 81 desire to announce that ! have
| already taken the requisite oath and have
| been duly qualified as the Lieutenan
| Governor of this State, and cannot con
sent to take the oath second time.
| regret that I have been compelled to taxi
| this ground, but under the Constitution
of the State am the presiding officer O.
the Senate, to which position 1 have beer
duly qualified and elected"
Swails then said: "The Senate ha:
| heard what Mr.. Simpson has said. .Wha
| ,,k;or .obolI ho taken 9n