The Anderson intelligencer. [volume] (Anderson Court House, S.C.) 1860-1914, 1878-02-07
Speech Of Hon. w. G. Brown on the
Bill to Reopen the South Carolina
University.

Speech OF Hon. w. G.. Brown on the
Bill to Reopen the South Carolina
University.
Mr.. SPEAKER-As there has been such
a protfacted discussion Of this subject,
had concluded to say nothing upon it.
But, sir, as the honorable gentleman from
Charleston has gone out of his way to
cast some unjust insinuatons upon An-
derson County, feel that would fail Of
my duty to { high-minded constituency
if did not repel and rebuke his asper-
sions. wish the honorable gentleman
from Charleston to know that I, in part,
represent hightoned, intelligent and
patriotic onstitIency-famed for the
many virtues that mark the highest or.
der of modern, christian civilization.
Sir, let him reflect and remember that
we have had and still have men in the
up-country who stand the peers of any
that Charleston has produced. / ask him
to remember the names of Calhoun, Orr,
Perry and Others, and tell me if Charles
ton ever could boast of their superiors
Mr.. Speaker, if we had taken the advice
of the honorable gentleman from Charles
ton and his friends, we to-day would
have been still under Radical rule, with
Chamberlain for our Governor. The
voice of Anderson was raised on this
floor in behalf of Charleston before the
honorable gentleman was allowed seat
in this body. Anderson County was one
of the first to lead off in the great reform
movement which overthrew Radical rule
and gave Charleston representation on
this foor.
Sir, will never vote to tax my con-
stituents one cent to open the University
again. If there is tender point to the
common poor taxpayer of our State it is
being taxed to support this institution,
and, sir, we'll they might be, for they
have been paying this unjust and un-
necessary tax ever since 1801-the year
in which it was established. The average
annual appropriation has amounted to
about $4,000, and, in addition to this,
when beneficiary was there, $4GG for
each one. This does not include cx-
penses for buildings, grounds, &c. The
chapel is eaid to have cost 1000, and
suppose the buildings cost $4,000. So
in the course of seventy seven years there
must have been expended on this institu-
ton $2,060,000. This enormous sum was
wrung out OF the taxpayers of the State
to educate. in many cases, the rich, glove
feel too proud to speak to the common
man. 1 do submit that it is very unjust
to impose tax on the hard-working man
who is using tho axe, the mattock and
the plough, soiling to support his wife
scarcely sEa!e <: many cases 70 10 even
that-stinting himself to pay for an in
stitutioI he we'll knows can never be en-
joyed,by his own children. He is even
not able to send them to school enough to
learn to read the Bible. Yet we have
men on this floor who wish still further
TO burden the people to establish this
University, forgetful of the miseries of
the widows and orphans of thousands
who poured out their blood upon the dis
tant battle fields Of the war. Net to ed
ucate the poor children of fallen braves,
but to educate the rich. mans sons and
raise up new issue of aristocrats. Is
there any necessity now for such an in
stitution? We have Furman University,
Adger, Erskine, Wofford, New6erry and
Charleston Colleges, and, in our own
County, L can point with pride to the
Andersen and the Carsweif Institutes.
Some of these institutions are handsomely
endowed by good Christian men, and
have done noble work during the dark
est hours of Radical rule in improving
the intellect and cultivating the morals
OF our young men. Is it right to tax the
supporters of. theso institutions to build
up rival to cruab them out of exist
ence? TC build up an institution where
the Bible itself may be ignored, would BIZ
to repeat the error of the past, when the
South Carolina College was the fountain
head of an infidehty that spread its bale
fal influence throughout the State, and
still bears its evil fruits. It would be to
bring about the contest Of the Jews and
Catholics that now agitates the Northern
public, and promises to break up the very
foundation of public education. Are we
prepared to meet any such issue as this
at the presently
The honorable gentleman from Charles
ton, and others who advocate this bill,
remind me of an old man in Georgia
wso was building cow-pen, and, about
the time he finisl;ad, his wife came out
and declared it was 700 small. The al
tercetion became serious, and would have
resulted in blows but for the timely arri-
val of q traveller. They agreed to ,5aye
tho. matter to his decision, and upon
stating the ease to him he inquired
How many COWS have you % They re-
piled, "none." "How much money have
yon ?" 'None," they answered, shut we
intend to work and make money enough
to buy fine cow" !AaSd. Sc the traveller
decided that the pen was large enough,
and restored peace to the family. So it
is with the University. We have no
students to ell it, and wo have no money
to send them there. We have, besides.
colleges not near full Of atudents. And
it resolves itself into this, that the poor
man is to work 70 make money in which
to educate the rich mans son, who is
averse to going to q religious college. Ia
this not cic>l efiucnlinn7
Mr.. Speaker, leave this matter to the
peopse and they will soon settle it for
ever. What right have we to entail so
heavy burden on our taxpayers with
out consulting them, o3d giving them a
chance to speak out by their votes7 Mr.,
s:>ee ee., kc- cs .Icc;- VII 5py.k ii, tones OF
thunder trOrn the mountains to the sea-
hn44d. The advocates of the bill know.
this, and, Therefore, wish to. commit the
people to it at this session. DIR. Rev
nolds, who was q distinguished Professor
in the South Carolina College, recently
said that the standard of education in
Furman University Mt present is as high
as it ever; Was in South Carolina COLLEGE.
The doors of that institution are opened
wide and Jres to every young man in the
State No fttikfn,, 10 os,a,c,sS1 tfzn.. Z