Year: 1879




ing up the bill which he has laid before |
the senate, do not propose to discuss
it specially ; L rather prefer to make gen.
have been under discussion during the
session.


Tho main roason why do not desire
to speak particularly to this bill is that
1 can hardly suppose there is senator
on this floor who will object to Its pas
sage, for it strikes from the statute-book
one of the most infamous laws which has
ever disgraced legislation. 1t is simply
to strike off law which was placed
there, it not by mistake, by fraud, and
therefore do not feel that it is necessary
for me to enter into the discussion fur
of how the present law can be used to
tyrannlze over the people of the country.
In the recent trials IN the United States
circuit court at Charleston short time
ago a Jury was summoned. One of the
judges who was on the bench could not
take the test oath. The district attorney
assistant attorney had likewise been in
that army. They of course could not
take the test oath. And yet when the
jurors were brought up every democrat
had that cath applied to him. while all
men who were not democrats. men who
had served through the whole war, if
they were republicans, were allowed to
take their places upon that jury without
having the oath administered to them


l think it is not necessary to say any
thing more to show the improperly, to


say the least, of allowing law of that


sort to stand.


There are many reasons which make


me reluctant to obtrude my views on


the senate at this time. l recognize


fully the propriety of that unwritten rule


of the senate which imposes silence upon


the new and inexperienced members OF


this body until they have become familiar


by association with the experience of


their older and wiser colleagues. The


physical disability under which labor


not only makes all exertion painful to


me, but units me to do justice either to


the great questions now pending or to


myself. and cannot, therefore, address


the senate at length. Nor IS it necessary


to do so. Argument, rhetoric, ,invective,


and denunciation have been exhausted


by our opponents, and l can scarcely


hope that any utterances of mine will
lay the prejudices which have been
aroused or carry conviction to the minds


of the people.


, These are potent reasons to enforce
my silence. and under ordinary clrcum.
stances l should have adhered to nv
determination to take no part in the de.
; bates OF this session. But the subjects
which have engaged the attention OF
, congress and of the country during the
: present session are not OF ordinary i'm.
8 portance. and the tone and temper O.


the debate. which has been prolonged
s through weeks of vehement and angry
: ! denunciatlon. impose upon the repre-
/ sentatives of the south at least the duty


of honest protest. Against my wishes
8 therefore. and under every disadvantage
: : imposed upon me by my physical condi
3 tlon, must. as one OF those representa-
. tives, ask the indulgence OF the senat,


while l pace upon record my earnes
: protest against the injustice and the un
3 fairness with which we have beer
4 treated.


= The President pro tempOre. The chal
10 would state to the senator from Soutl
y Caroliaa that il at any time-t would b
5 more convenient to HIM to speak sitting
y he is at perfect liberty to do so.
- Mr.. Hampton. thank you, sir.
Day after day have we listened Will
IS senators OF great reputation, high abili
i ty, and whose words are the creed O
= thousands of conscientious and patriot
5s citizens, have denounced the opinion
y and the actions of southern men as rev
s. olutionary and reasonable. 1t has bee
ls declared that the democratic caucu


rules the senate and that the souther
y members rule the caucus, debating th
u u policy to be pursued. The able and dis
& tinguished senator from Ohio Mr.. Thu
y y man with equal truth, justice, and car
7s dor has, it is true. met and refuted tha
Il charge by assuming tor the northern an
Is western democracy the responsibility {
81 the present political situation. Br