The weekly Union times. [volume] (Union C.H., South Carolina) 1871-1894, 1878-03-08
LAMAR's TRIBUTE TO THE SOUTH.

Though we cannot endorse his views as to
: silver, we shall not quarrel with him. He
is an honor: TO the Senate, to Mississippi
and the South:
Sir, go all tfs way back in this country
and where have you found the steldy advo-
Gates of free trade, the opponents of extrava-
giant taxation, the opponents of moneyed
monopolies, the opponents Of those who are
not capitalists, but who by Congressional
plunder seek to make themselves capitalists
in the passage of acts for the enrichment of
great monopolies; who byt tho Democratic
try, the farmer Of the West, the merchants
of the North and the planters Of the South?
Why, sir, were not the planters of the South
at the time they were denounced as bloated
shareholders, as an effete aristocracy, al
ways considered as the eye of the D1mocra-
cy of the North? They stood by them, and
with Jefferson and Madison and Jackson
and Polk. They always kept in the inter-
csts of labor the power of capital from in
teracing itself with the power of govern
ment, and they did draw the very distinc-
tion in their influence and their power in
this government
l can never forget the closing hours of
that power, for l was here and saw it pass
| from the hands of Southern Democratic
statesmen into those who now WELD the des
tinies Of this country. [ remember here
on this floor the then distinguished Senator
from New York (Mr. Seward,) who has
since become more conspicuous in tho event
full times that have occurred, declare that
power had departed from the South that
t,l. h.>,, l,,>
and that thonceforth the great North, by
reason Of its superiority in numerical power
and roll of sovereign States, would grasp
this power as her own prerogative and be-
come responsible for the administration of
the whole government. / am aware that |
listened to him with impaticnce aud perhaps
with prejudice, and thought his spirit was
too much that of cxultation, 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 gieat man when
confronted with the great events and great
responsibilities involving the interests Of
untold millions.
shall never forget the answer that was
made to him by Southern Senator who
sat near where my friend from Indiana
(Nlr. McDonald) now sits. lie was sur
rounded by a circle of Southern Democratic
statesmen, which, in ability and purity, will
never be surpassed in the history OF this
country, whatevcr may be its glory-whch
glory, | trust, will be always great among
the nations of the earth There was James
NJ. Mason, whose square and massive SIM
plicity Of character and purity, stand mon
umcntal in our annals. There was his ac-
complished colleague, Robert Nj. II. Hunter,
whose clear and broad craftsmanship found
fit expression in scholarly eloqucncc that
drew into the same admiring circle his
friends and opponents in the same admiring
shrewd and wise and prudent, and by his
side sat J. p. Benjamin, whose astuteness
and skill eloqucncc and learning, have since
won him fame and fortune upon that high
| olympic field Of mental conflict, the great
courts of Westminster. There was Robert
Toombs, who never spoke without striking
at the heart of big thought and kindling
the ideas of all who listened to him. There
was Albert G.. Brown, from my own State,
who never had sympathy outside of the
wants and feelings of his own people who
yet was never ovcrawed by their prcjudiccs
or swcrvcd from his course by their pas
sions.
There was another, Mr.. President-shall
| not be permitted to mention his name in
this free American Senate, which has been
so free TO discuss and condemn his errors
one who has been the vicarious sufferer
for his people who has been in prison cell,
the solitude of whose punishment should
lift him above the jibe and jeer of popular
passion, whose words will ever remain as
the sad and the grand memoranda, not of
triumph, not of defiance, but of earnest
purpose, the sincere motive OF the great
struggle for representative liberty and con.
stitutional government. Among these and
surrounded by them this Senator spoke to his
associates in terms which have never read
from that day to this, but which arc sttreo
typed upon my memory, and which, if the
Senate will permit me, will repeat; ''Sirs,
said he, addressing his Northern associates
what the Senator says is true. The powo>
has passc1 from our hands into your hands
but do not forgct-it cannot be forgotten
it is written upon the brightest page of his