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


Speech of Hon. W. C. Brown on the
Bill to Reopen the South Carolina
University.
Mr.. SpEAKER-As there has been such
a protracted discussion Of this subject, l
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 insinuations upon An
derson County, 1 feel that would fail of
my duty to high-minded constituency
if I did not repel and rebuke his asper-
sions. I wish the honorable gentleman
from Charleston to know that I, in part,
represent high-toned, intelligent and
patriotic constihlency-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 mo 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 a seat
in this body. Anderson County was one
of the first to lead off in the great reform
movement which overthrow Radical rule
and gave Charleston representation on
this floor.
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 a beneficiary was there, $500 for
each one. This does not include ex.
penses for buildings, grounds, &c. The
chapel is said to have cost SIS, 900, and 1
suppose the buildings cost $4,000. So
in the course of seventy-seven years there
must have been expended on this institu-
ton s2,060,0O0.. This enormous sum was
wrung ont of the taxpayers of the State
to educate, ip many cases, the rich, glove
handed aristocratsy who, in some cases,
feel too proud TO speak to the common
man. I do submit that it is very unjust
to impose tax on the hard-worEing man
who is using the axe, the mattock and
the plough, toiling to support his wife
scarcely able in many cases to do even
.stir,ting himselfto pay for an in
stitution ne we'll knows. can never be en-
ioyed.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. Not 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
stitution7 We have Furman University,
Adger, Erskine, Woford, Newberry and
Charleston Col IS, and, in our own
County, 1 can point with pride to the
Anderson and the Carswell 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 these institutions to build
up a rival to crumh them out of exist
ence? To build up an institution where
the Bible itself may be ignored, would be
to repeat the error Of the past, when the
South Carolina College was the fountain
head of an iHfdeity that spread its bale.
full influence throughout the State, and
still bears its evil fruits. 1t 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 present.
The honorable gentleman from Charles
ton, and Others who advocate this bill,
remind me of an old man in Georgia
who was building cow-pen, and, about
the time he finished, his wife came out
and declared it was too small. The al
tercatiou became serious, and would have
resulted in blows but for the timely arri-
val of a traveller. They agreed to leave
the. matter to his decision, and upon
stating the case to him he inquired !:
"How many COWS have you?" They re-
piled, "none." "How much money have
you 2" 'None," they answered, "but we
intend to work and make money enough
to buy fine cow" And so 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 fill it, and we have no money
to send them there. We have, besides,
colleges not near full of students. And
it resolves itself into this, that the poor
man is to work to make money in which
to educate the rich mans son, who is
averse to going to. religious college. Is
this not class education?
Mr.. Speaker, leave this matter to the
people and they will soon settle it for
ever. What right have we to entail so
heavy burden on our taxpayers with
out consulting them, and giving them a
chance to speak out by their votes? Mr..
Speaker, they will speak in tones Of
thunder from the mountains to the sea-
boad. The advocates of the bill know
this, and, therefore, wish TO commit the
people to it at this session. DR.. Rey-
nolds, who was distinguished Professor
in the South Carolina College, recently
said that the standard of education in
Furman University at present is as high
as it ever was in South Carolina College.
The doors Of that institution are opened
wide and FREE to every young man in the
State. No ruition is charged there.
This bill also contemplates the open
a.