Year: 1879

HAMPTON AND BAYARD.


The debate in the Senate on Thursday on |
the bill abolishing the jurors test oath was
one of the most notable in many years. 1t
was participated in by several of the ablest |
Senators on both sides Of the house, and
served as means by which two of them
Hampton and Bayard- could place them
selves on the recordfn most emphatic man
ner. The speech of the South Carolina SEN
ator was calm and temperate one, eloquent
to degree, patriotic in its every sentence.
Though he has been denounced by the Re-
publican press of the country as hand
ed rebel, he gave utterance to sentiments that
no one need blush to avow.


"By no vote of mine,'' said he, will the ap-
propriations necessary for the efficient main-
tenance of the army be refused. 1t is compe-
tent for Congress to declare under what iml-
tations and upon what conditions those appro-
priations shall be made. The form in which
this is done regard immaterial. In my
Judgment it would have been best to adhere to
the general form, but as it has been deemed adj
visable to make the necessary appropriations
in another manner shall, in order to secure





majority. But in no event can consent to aid
In disbanding the army or impairing its eff
fciency. 1t is the army Of the South as well
as of the North-it is the army of the whole
country. In the late civil contest, on many a
bloody field, tested its valor, and no word or
act of mine shall depreciate its value or lesson
its usefulness" ' '2 Z


These are the sentiments entertained by
the Confederate brigadiers," from whom SO
much danger is apprehended by the Repub-
icans, and who have been accused of de-
sire to break up or starve the army that the
government might be the more easily cap
tured by them. These sentiments were ap-
plauded to the echo by his associates on the
floor of the Senate, and met with the hearty
concurrence Of every person who heard
them. They enunciated patriotic purpose
that is credit to any citizen, and though
they were disappointment to his political
adversaries, they will prove gratifying to the
country at large. These sentiments have
been expressed over and over again by the
leading Southern S enators and Representa-
tives, though in different language, and it
would seem that the Republicans might by
this time find it in their hearts to cease
naligning and misrepresenting the purpose
of men who are quite as patriotic as them
selves. But Misrepresentation appears to be
the chief reliance-the only oapital-of the
voluntary bankruptcy. ass.


Senator Bayard followed Gen. Hampton
in vigorous speech in which he took more
advanced ground than ever before as to the
right of Congress to enact the repeal laws
contemplated by the Democratic party. BE
was very emphatic in his assertion that tho
same people who elected a Democratic Con-
gress elected Democratic President in 1876.
''Our first duty" said he, SIS to supply every
thing needful for sustenance, but our pol
10y is not to be taught us by harrassing,
obstructive executive. Our measure of
patriotic duty is not to be dictated by him,
but by the oath we took to support the gov
ernment." These are defiant words for so
conservative statesman as Bayard to utter,
but the provocation has been great, and the
patience of men less earnest than he has
been exhausted by the obstructive course of
Mr.. Hayes-by his attempt to dictate to Con-
gress what measures it shall or shall not
enact. The effort made, too, to misrepresent
the purposes of the Democratic party by
charging it with the effort to withhold sup
plies from tho government when the Repub-
lican party is really responsible, is aggravat-
ing to every fair-minded citizen, and merits
Aho oavoroat rohuHo .-..-t,--.


These two speeches were important to the
whole country. The one fully avowed the
purpose of the Democratic party in the mat
ter of the voting of supplies to the govern
ment; the other explained it's attitude
towards Mr.. Hayes, and defended it on con-
stitutional grounds. Both ought to be
thoroughly perused by every voter in the
land. They are characterized by the highest
patriotism combined with fidelity to princi-
pie. They are clear, unequivocal and en-
phatic on all points upon which they touch,
and will be thoroughly convincing to all who
are not too strongly biased by partisanship
to listen to reason. ~