The weekly clarion. [volume] (Jackson, Miss.) 1863-1882, 1878-02-06
THE ANTE EBEE4LUM SOUTH IN
THE T.. =. SENATE.

THE ANTE BELLUM SOUTH IN
THE u. =. SENATE.
EserOrHtiom of Hon. l.. q. g. En-
u.ar's Speech im the Omitted
States Senate on the silver CUES.
ton.
that power, for l was here and saw it pass
from the hands of Southern Democratic
statesmen into those WhO now WELD the
destinies of This country. l remem Der here
on this floor The then distinguished Senator
from New York Mr.. Seward), who has
since become more conspicuous in the event
full times that have occurred, declare That
power had departed from the South; that
the scep}r1 was now taken from her hand,
and that thencefortA the great North. by
reason of IT'S superiority in numerical power
and roll of sovereign States. would grasp
this power as her own prerOgatiVe and be-
come sponsiblc for the admins ration o.
the whole Government. l am aware thaI
listiaed to him with Impotence and per-
haps with prejudice, and though his spirit
was too much that of eXultation, not real
ling the magnitude of the great undertak-
ing which was about to deVolve upon him
and his associates, it struck me that he GA
not have the sadness and sOlemnitY which
touch the heart of every great man when
confronted with the great events and great
responsibilities involving the interests OF
untold millions. | shall never forget
the answer thac was. made to him
by a Southern Senator who sat near
where my friend from Indiana MIR.
McDonald) now sits. He was surrounded
by a circle of Southern Democratic state
men. which in ability and purity, viii never
be surpassed in the history Of this country
whatever may be lis glOry-which glory, /
trust, will lie always great among the ma
tiOns of the earth. There was James M
Mason, whose square and massive simplicl-
ty of character and purity stand monumen-
tai in oar annals. There was his accom-
plished colleague, Robert NJ. L. Hunter.
whose clear and broad statesman, hip found
fit expression in q scholarly eloquence that
drew into the same admlring circle his
friends and opponents in the same admrlng
friendship. And then there was Mr.. Slldell,
shreWd and wise aud prudent, ana by his
side sat j. Z. Benz amin. whose a>tuteneSs
and skill, eloqGence 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 @. Brown, from my own State,
who never had sympathy outside OF the
wants and feelings of his own people; VINO
yet was never overawed by their predj-
udiceS or swerved from his course
by their passion. 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 jlbe and jeer of popular passion, whose
words Will ever remain as the sad ana the
grand memoranda, not of triumph, not of
defiance, but of earnest purpose, the sincere
motive OF the great struggles which those
who inaugurated it believed was struggle
for representative liberty and constitutional
government. Among these, and surround |
ed by them this Senator spoke to his asso-
ciates in terLls which l have never read |
from that Gay to this, but which ar
stereOtyped unon my memory, and which |
if the Senate WEI permit me viii here |
repeat: Sir" said he, addressing his |
Northern associates, what the Senator saws |
is true. The power has pa SSed from our |
hands into your hands, but do not forget
il cannot be forgotten; it is written upon |
the brightest page OF history-that we, me
of the South, took your country |
in her infancy, and, ! after ruling her
for sixty OF the seventy years OF her eX-
istence, we returned her to you without
spot upon her honor; matchEess IN her
splendor: incompatible IN her power; the
pride and admiration of the world Time
will show what you will do with her; but
no time can dim our glory or diminish your
spOnsibility." Sir, it is not my purpose
to say what has been done with it; the ar
Mr.. Voorhees, is still before the country.
There is testimony, however, by witness
who may be regarded as more impartial
han he; judge sterner than he will
read what he says. (Mr. Lamar here quo
ed from the remarks of Mr.. Hoar, one OF
.he managers on the part of the House of
in the B-lknap impeach-
nent trial, i'll regard TO official corruption
N the Federal Government, New York
City and various States; the expulsion OF
rem ers of the House of Representatives
or selling cadetships etc.. and resuming his
argument he said , Mr.. President. we, the
successors of these men, are here to-day.
BY a policy which is a noteworthy fact in
he nineteenth century we have come
o mingle with the representatives
rom the States of this Union in
common council for the good of this
country. We come no longer as represen- |
atiVeS of tile capital interests OF the South.
We come, not as allies of the laboring men
# the North, but as laborers ourselves
very one of us aud all our constituents
aught the stern lesson of the necessity of
arning our subsistence by the sweat OF our
ace. But, sir, we come with our convic- :
ions unchanged as Co the necessity of the
aboring class being protected IN all their
lights and all their interests, for when they
ink the social fabric of society must sink 9
nd crumbe with them. But we come be-
eying that they are honest. that they are I
atient, that they are self-Teliant and true
D their obligations, aud that what is their =
uty to do they will feel it to their interest :
, do. We have differed upon this great
uestion, but of one thing the world may +
e assured that no Southern Senator, rep n
asentng the Southern people, will give
Ote upon the one side Or the other which
not designed to protect the laborIng A
asses of this country alike with its capital,
r on the other that will not preserve un-
FINISHED the sacred honor of America. y
Applause in the gallaries.) q
I,