Keowee courier. [volume] (Pickens Court House, S.C.) 1849-current, 1879-06-12

otaIeS' on the 9th OF June,
1879, on the Bill to Repeal the
Test Oath and Kindred Meas
ures.
Mr.. President, bog to acknowledge my
obiigations to tho Senator from Doiowaro
lMr Beyard) for tho courtesy which enables
me 70 submit fow romarks to tho Senate;
6nd in taking up the bill which he he has tS iaid
bofore the Senate I do not propose to discuss
it specially; rather prefer to mako general
remarks upon tho subjects which havo been
under discussion during this session.
The main reason why lido not dosire to
speak particularly to this bill is that oen
hardly suppose thoro IL q Senator on this
foor who will object to its passage, for it
infamous laws which havo oyor disgraccd
Legislation. Itis simply to strike of law
which was placed thcro, If not by mistake. by
fraud, and | therefore do not feel that It is
necessary for mo to onter into tho discussion
further than simply to give an illustration of
how tho present law can DO used to tyrannizc
over tho people of tho country.
In tho recent trials in tho United States Cir
cult Court at Charleston short timo ago q Jury
was summoned. One Of tho Judges who was on
the bench could not tnko tho tost oath. Tho
District Attorney had been in the Confedo-
rate army; tho assistant attorney had like
wise been in that army. They of course
could not tako tho tost oath. And yet whom
the jurors wero brought up ovory Democrat
had that oath applied to him. whilo oil mon
who wero not Democrats, mon who had
sorvcd through tho whole war, if they woro
Republicans, woro allowed to tako thoir
places upon that jury without having tho
oath administered to them think it is not
! necessary to sny anything moro to show tho
impropricty, to say tho least, OF allowing n
law of that sort to stand
There are many reasons which mako me
reluctant to obtrudo my viows en- the Senate
of that unwrittcn rule of the Senate which
imposes siloncc upon tho new and incxperi-
onced members of this body until thcy havo
become familiar by association with tho ex-
pericncc of their Older and visor colleagues
Thc physical disability under which labor
net on Y makes all cxertion painful to mo-
but un!its me TO do justice either to the great
questions aow pending or to myself, and
cannot, Therefore, address tho Senate at
length. Nor is it cccssary to do so. Argu-
mcnt. rhetoric, invcc,iyc, and dcnunciaton
have boon exhausted by on, opponents, and
can scarcely hope that any pttcrancos OF
mine will alny tho prejudiccs which have
boon aroused or carry conviction to tho ,ninds
Of the people.
These are potent reasons to enforce my
silence, and under ordinary circumstances
should have adhered to my determination to
take no part in tho debates of this session.
But tho subjects which have engaged the
attention of Congress and of the country
during the present session arc not Of ordinary
Importance. and tho tone and temper of the
debate, which has bcon prolonged through
weeks Of vehement and angry dcnunciation,
impose upon the representative Of tho South
at least the duty Of honest protest. Against
my wishes, therefore, and under cvery
disadvantage imposed upon me by my physi-
cul condition, l must, as one of those rcprc-
scntatires, ask tho indulgence Of tho Senate
whio place upon record my earnest protest
against tho injustice and the unlairnGss with
which wo havo been treated.
The President pro temporc-Thc Chair
would state to the Senator from South Caro-
lima that If at any time it would be moro COM
yenient to him to speak sitting ho is ut por-
feet liberty to do so.
Mr. lIampton-I thank you, sir.
Day after day hnvo wo listened whilo Sc,
nators of great reputation, high ability and
whose words arc tho creed of thousands OF
conscientious and patriotic citizens huyo do
nounccd tho opinions and the actions of
Southern men rs revolutionary and trcasona-
blo 1t has beon declared that tho Democrat.
ic caucus rules tho Senate nni the Southern
"cnpcrs run lnc CAUCUS, ulctatlnS tho policy
to be pursued. The ablo and distinguished
Senator from Ohio (Alr. rhurman) with equal
truth, justice and candor has, it is true, mot
and rcfutod that charge by assuming for the
Northern and Western Democracy the re-
sponsibiity of tho present political situation
But in spite Of this generous assumption
Of responsibility on his part, tho truth still
romans that wo OF tho South do mako tho
Democratic majority in this Chamber, and we
orp tl.S 10, r.
and support as for what wo suggest. | have
not tho presumption to make any claim to
leadership here, but while not attempting to
lead it is my duty to know where and whom,
follow, and for my vote which | may cast
here shall never ondcavur to shield myself
from responsibility behind any man or any
party. If tho policy support is revolution
airy, am the rcvolutionist; if there is treason
in my vote. l nm tho traitor.
But sir, ask in all seriousness, what arc
tho issues before tho Senate to which snch
languagcis appropriate? might demand Of
Senators on tho other sido the proof that any
action Of ours was revolutionary might open
the Constitution and. reading it's precise and
emphatic definition Of treason. ask who Of us
is "lcvying war against the United States or
giving MD and comfort to their enemies" or
what overt net of violence We arc proposing
to commit? But do not desire to make a
nero technical argument. / desire to meet
tho accusation in its spirit as woll as in its
letter. What are the issues before us2 Lot
US understand them distinctly. But first lot
mo say what are not tho issues wc arc diss
cussing. 10 mo there is no question, thcro
can be none, rs to tho propricty Of making
tho appropriations necessary for tho support
Of the Government in all its departments.
Upon this point there shall be no misapprc.
hension ofmy position. BY no vote of minc
will tho appropriations necessary for tho cfiis
ciont maintenance of the army DO refused