The Louisiana Democrat. [volume] (Alexandria, La.) 1845-1918, 1878-02-13
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The Ante Bellum South In the u. s.
Senate.
PERoRATIoN OF HON. L. Q. C. LAMAR's
SPEECH IN THE q. s. SENATE ON THE
SILVER QUESTION.

I eau never forget the closing
hours of that power, for / was here
and saw it pass from the hands OF
Southern Democratic statesmen into
those who now WELD The. lestinies OF
this country. I remember here on
this floor the then distinguished Sen
ator from New York (Mr. Seward
who has. since become more conspic-
uous in the eventual times that Have
occurred, declare that power had de-
parted from the South; that the
sceptre was now taken from her
hand, and that henceforth the great
North, by reason of it's superiority 10
numerical power and roll of sover-
eign States, would grasp this power
as her own prerogative and become
responsible for the administration; of
the whole government. I am aware
that / listened to him with impa-
thence and perhaps with prejudice,
and thought his spirit was too much
that of exultatiou, not realizing the
magnitude Of the. great undertaking
which was about to devolve upon
him and his associates. 1t struck
me that he did not have the sadness
and solemnity which touch the heart
of every greatman when confronted
with the great events and great res
possibilities involving the interests
of untold millions. ! shall never
forget the answer that was made to
him by a Southern Senator who sat
near where my friend from Indiana
(Mr; Mcdonald now sits. He was
surrounded by circle of Southern
Democratic statesmen, which, in
ability and purity, will never be sur
passed in the history of this coun-
try, whatever be its gIory-which
glory, l trust, will be always great
among the nations of the earth. -
There was James NJ. Mason, whose
square and massive simplicity of
character and purity stand monu.
mental in our annals. There was his
accomplished colleague, Robert Nj.
7. Hunter, whose clear and broad
craftsmanship found fit expression
in scholarly eloquence that drew
into the same admiring circle, his
friends and opponents in the same I
admiring friendship. And then I
there was Mr.. Sl,dell, shrewd and
wise and prudent, and by his side sat
j. P. Benjamin, whose astuteness
and skill, eloquence and learning
have since won him fame and fortune
upon that high Olympic field of mem
tai conflict, the great courts Of West.
minister. There was Robert Toonbs r
who never spoke without striking at e
the heart of big thought and kind :
ling the ideas of all who listened to t
him. There was Albert G.. Brown. '
from my own State who never had a a
sympathy outside of the wants and
feelings of his own people; who vet
was never overawed by their preiu
dices or swerved from his course by
their passion. =
There was another Mr. President
shall / not be permitted to mention a
his name in this free American Sen
ate, which has been so free to dis
cuss and condemn his errors?-one
who has been the vicarious sufferer
for his people; who has been in the
prison cell, the solitude of whose pun. ,
iShment should lift him above the =
Jibe and jeer of popular passion, 4,
whose words will ever remain as the h
sad and the grand memoranda, not c
OF triumph, not of defiance, but of T
earnest purpose, the sincere motive "
OF the great struggles which those 0
who inaugurated believed it was a s
struggle for representative liberty II
and constitutional government
Among these, and surrounded by d
them, this Senator spoke to his asso-
ciates in terms which have never 7
read from that day to this, but which :
are stereotyped upon my memory, y
and which, if the Senate will permit :,
me, / will here repeat: "Sir," said :,
he, addressing his Northern asso- 3,
ciates, "what the Senator says is true. Al
Thepower has passed from our hands h
Into your hands; but do not forget r.
IL cannot be forgotten; it is written f'
upon the brightest page of history, tt
that we, the shareholders of the south OF
TOOK your country in her infancy. NJ
anu after ruling her for sixty of the % .,
seventy years of her existence. we y
returned her to you without a spot :,
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