The Anderson intelligencer. [volume] (Anderson Court House, S.C.) 1860-1914, 1878-01-31
Speeth of Ron. 4. We, Simpson sz TIE
BHl to Reopen Che Sonth Carolina
n UBiTera1eys

On last Friday morning the bill TO
seo.g=ri:s cad !eosen the senth Caro-
lima University was taken up rs I1fin.
ished business, and Mr. Memminger, of
Charleston, obtained rs aoor, and spoke
for an hour and half in favor of the
bill. His speech was mainly devoted to
the Importance of university education,
but towards the close of his speech he
INDUCED in some very slightino remarks
upon the County Of Anderson. When
he had finished Mr. Simpson obtained the
floor, and the following Is synopsis Of
his speech:
Nh. SPEAKER: desire before enter
ing into the merits Of the proposition
under discussion TO repel the uucalled.for
and unfounded imputations cast by the
gentleman from. Charleston (Mr. Mem
mingcr) upon the good people Of Ander-
SOD, whom ] have the honor in part 70
represent upon the floor OF this House.
have often heard it said that the peo-
pie of the up-country were regarded by
the people Of Charleston-some Of the
PEOPLE Of Charleston, should have said
AS hoosicrs and ignoramuses, but l
could never believe that such was the
c;se-I did not want To believe it-but
that is no longer possible now, for the
gentleman from Charleston has removed
every doubt by proclaiming upon the
floor Of this II use that, in his distin-
guished opinion, such is the case but
Notwithstanding, end the gen.!eman's
opinion to the contrary nevertheless,
here assert, without fear of contradiction,
that the people of Anderson uounty are
the peers of any people in the State. and
by the gcntleman's own arguments can
prove that they are better Informed than
the constituents of the distinguished gen.
tleman from Charleston. One Of the
principal arguments in favor of free pub
lie education is that The people may be
the better able to exercise the rights of
citizenship, &c, carrying with it the in
ference that Ignorance is incompatible
with All enlightened patriotism, from
which We conclude that patriotism,
prompted by liberal understanding of
the great political issues Of the day must
be accompanied with information, which
is education. Now, where would the
his ideas of political policy had prevailed
be the condition Of the State to-day had
it not been for the sweeping and over
whelming uprising of the patriotic peo-
pie of Anderson County during the last
campaign ?-an uprising and an exhibit.
ton of patriotism, and devotion to
country and principles which deserves
the commentator even Of the distin-
guished gentleman from ChArleston, In
stead of the taunts and jeers which he
has seen fit to cast upon us. Let him
sneer ut, let him despise us, if he will, but
he can never ignore the fact that the
patriotism of the people of Anderson
County was generous patriotism,
and was largely instrumental in re-
deeming the County which hcrepreaents.
which redemption he was unable to &C.
J complish within himself. Further, Mr.
Speaker, if public education 10 necessary
, to teach the people how TO vote, the out,
, hay, as far as Anderson IL concerned, il
unnecessary, for it Ia already we'll estab.
lished that even now they possess that
art.
. In answer to the imputation that to
! fail to reopen the University will be in
violation Of our oaths to support the
constitution, the constitution positively
enjoining it upon the Legislature, have
, this to say It is out OF place for tie
, gentleman from Charleston to cast such
an imputation upon any one when, by
the very next section he has been pleased
to read for our information, he is seeking
to evade On express injunction of the
same constitution. The State, In my
cp!nnn, is not il, condition to comply
with the provisions or the constitution, and
that has always been held valid excuse
for noncompliance but direct refusal
to comply by an artful evaBion is very
different. That 10 the gentleman's posi-.
zion. Now, what becomes of his impu-
tation9
i The gentleman in advocating univer.
, sity education tells how a university
graduate discovered the value of rocks
or nodules found in certain portions oil
the State. Now, would ask, if the
South Carolina College was of such in
eatimable value 70 our people, why did
its graduates stumble over these very
rocks for fifty or more years and never
gentlemen, was because this college did
not confer the information necessary
The gentleman's arguments are addressed
to universities of o different character
from the South Carolina Univefsity, and
the South Carolina University never was
nor never will be, such as ho describes
hence, hie arguments are not applicable
to the bill before the House. The gen.
tleman says he is not opposed to the COL
leges already In operation throughout the
State, but that he wants these gymnasi.
ums, Oh he calls them, to become tributa.
i ~ 10 ihis central university. aow can
he expect such result when before the
war the curriculum OF thia university wss
below the curriculum Of several of these
very gymnasiums? This fact WAS we'll
understood even then, and our people
were not to be deceived; hence, there
sprang up colleges all over the State,
where young men could not only receive
an education, but where they could also
be protected from the baneful influences
which sometimes emanated from the
Presidents chair ITSELF .i4
But let us pass on and take a practical
view of the proposition, and see how II
will effect the interests Of the people gen.
eyally. For eleven long, weary years the
Taxpayers of South Carolina we're held
subject to the rule and control of poIit:-
cal party, whose sole object was to grind
them into powder, and forever keep them
go poor that they could never free them.
selves from their rule. vainly did they
| struggle to free themselves from this ter.
rible incnbus, which rested like pail
| upon their lives and industries. And
when at last lhey wrenohed themselves
4 from under sSic oppression, they found
themselves and their credit surrounded
| by q net work of laws =nd Supreme