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An Independent Family Journal?Devoted to Politics, Literature and General Intelligence. HOYT & CO., Proprietors. ACTS Passed by the Legislature of South Carolina. An Act to Establish and Maintain a System of Free Common Schools for the State of South Carolina. Section 1. Be it enacted by the Senate'and Home of Representatives of the State of South Carolnai, now met and sitting in General Assem? bly, and by the authority of the same : state board of education. That the State Board of Education shall con? sist of the several County School Commission? ers and the State Superintendent of Education, Who shall be ex officio Chairman of the Board, and who shall be entitled to vote on all ques? tions submitted to the Board. The Board may elect one of its members as Secretary. Sec. 2. That the State Board of Education shall hold its first meeting at the Capital -of the State on the second Wednesday after the ap Sroval of this Act, and shall thereafter meet on le first Wednesday in October of every year at the Capital of the State, and at such times and places as the State Superintendent of Ed? ucation shall direct. The members of the Board shall be entitled to "receive a mileage at the rate of twenty (20) cents per mile, going to and returning from the meetings of the Board aforesaid, to be paid by the State Treasurer on presentation of a certificate signed by the Chair? man and Secretary of the Board. Sec. 3. That, for the purpose of procuring an uniform system of text-books, to be usee in the common and public schools throughout the State, there shall be a Commission of fve ap? pointed, to consist of His Excellency the Gov? ernor, who shall be ex officio Chairman; the Chairmen of the Committee on Education of | the Senate and House of Representatives; and, for the purpose of selecting the other two mem? bers, the Senate shall, by a majority of votes, appoint one, and the House of Representatives shall, in like manner, select the other: Provi? ded, Tnat the Commission, having decided upon a list of text-books, such list shall not be subject to amendment or change until the first of January, 1878, unless the authority be gran? ted to the Commission, by Act of the General Assembly, to amend or change the list afore? said : And provided, further, That the Commis? sion shall decide upon a list of text-books to be used in the common and public schools through? out the State, and shall furnish the same to the Board of Education at its first session. The meetings of the State Board of Education shall be held for the purpose of considering such matters as may be deemed necessary, and of taking such action as may advance the cause of common school education in this State. Sec. 4. Books shall be furnished to the pu? pils in the public and common schools of this State at ten per cent, above their cost to the State; and, in all cases where the paren ts neg? lect or refuse to furnish their children, attend? ing such schools, with suitable books, the Trus? tees of the several school districts are hereby authorized to furnish the same gratuitously to such pupils as they may be satisfied are unable to pay for them; but in all other cases they shall furnish books to the pupils who have failed to purchase books, and certify the cost of | the same, with the name of the person against whom they are charged, to the Assessor within whose district such school district may t>e situ? ated at the time when the annual assessment of I property is made; and it shall be the duty of | said Assessor to return the amount, ho cer? tified to the Auditor of his county, whose duty it shall be to place the same upon the county duplicate, and cause it to be collected at the same time and in the same manner that State and county taxes are collec? ted. Sec. 5. That the State Board of Education shall take and hold in trust, for the Stace, any grant or devise of lands, and any gift or be? quest of money, or other personal property, made 1? it for educational purposes, anc. shall pay into the State Treasury, for safe keeping and investment, all monevs and incomes from property so received. The State Treasurer shall, from time to time, invest all such money in the name of the State, and shall pay to the State Board of Education, on the warrant of the Governor, the income or principal thereof, as it shall, from time to time, require: Provided, That no disposition shall be made of any grant, devise, gift or bequest inconsistent with the conditions or terms thereof. For the faithful management of all property so received by the State Treasurer, he shall be responsible upon his bond to the State, as for other funds re? ceived by him in his official capacity: Provi? ded, however, That the Trustees of any School District of this State may take and hold in trust, for their particular School District, any grant or devise of lands, and any gift or bequest of I money, and apply the same in the interest of | the schools of their District, in such manner as in their judgment seems most conducive to the welfare of the schools, when not otherwise di? rected by the terms of the said grant, or devise, S"ft or bequest: And provided, further, That fore said Trustee shall assume control of any such grant, devise or bequest, they shall give a bond, to be approved of by the School Commis? sioner of the county in which such grant, de? vise or bequest is made, said bond to be deposi? ted with Clerk of the Court of said county. state superintendent of education. Sec. 6. That the present State Superinten? dent of Education 6nall continue in office until the election and qualification of his successor. At the general election in 1872, and every four years thereafter, a State Superintendent of Ed? ucation shall be elected in the same manner as other State officers, who shall enter upon the duties of his office on the first day of January succeeding his election. Sec. 7. That he shall, before entering upon the duties of his office, give bond, for the use of the State of South Carolina, in the penal sum of five thousand (5,000) dollars, with good and sufficient sureties, to be approved by the Governor, conditioned for the faithful and im? partial performance of the duties of his office; and he shall, aL?o, at the time of giving bond, take and subscribe the oath prescribed in Sec? tion 30 of Article It of the Constitution of the State, which oath shall be endorsed upon the back of said bond, and the bond 6hall be filed with, and preserved by, the Secretary of State. Sec. 8. That the State Superintendent of Ed? ucation shall receive as compensation for his services, the sum of two thousand five hundred (2,500) dollars per annum, together with Mb actual cost of transportation when traveling on public businesa. Sec. 9. That he shall have general super? vision over all the common and public schools of the State, and it shall be his duty, as far as practicable, to visit every County in the State, for the purpose of inspecting the schools, awa? kening an interest favorable to the cause of ed? ucation, and diffusing as widely as possible, by public addresses and personal communication with school officers, teachers and parentR, a knowledge of existing defects, and of demrable , improvements in the government and instmc-; tion of the schools. Sec. 10. That he shall secure uniformity in the use of text books throughout the common and public schools of the State, and shall for? bid tie use of sectarian or partisan books and instruction in the schools. Sec. 11. That he shall prepare and transmit the several county School Commissioners, school registers, blank certificates, reports, and such other suitable blanks, forms and printed in? structions as may be ne cessary to aid school officers and teachers in making their reports and carrying into full eiFect the various provis? ions of the school laws of this State; and shall cause the laws relating to common schools, with such rules, "egulations, forms and instruc? tions as shqll be prescribed by the Board of Education, to be printed, together with a suita? ble index, in pamphlet form, by the person authorized to do the State printing, at the ex? pense of the State; and he shall cause copies of the same to be transmitted to the several Count}' School Commissioners for distribution. Sec. 12. That it shall be the duty of the State Superintendent of Education to collect, in his office, such school books, apparatus, maps and charts as can be obtained without expense to the State; and also to purchase, at an expense not exceeding fifty dollars a year, rare and val? uable works on education, for the benefit of teachers, authors and others who may wish to consult them; and the said sum is hereby an? nually appropriated for this purpose out of any moneys in the State Treasury not otherwise appropriated. Sec. 13. That copies of all papers filed in the office of the State Superintendent of Education and his official acts may be certified by him, and when so certified shall be evidence equally and in Like manner as the original papers. Sec. 14. That the State Superintendent of Education shall submit in his annual report a statement of his official visits during the past year. Sec. 15. That he shall make a report, through the Governor, to the General Assembly, at each regular session thereof, showing: 1st. The number of persons between the ages of six (6) and sixteen (16) years, inclusive, re? siding in the State on the first day of the last preceding October. 2d. The number of such persons in each county. 3d. The number of each sex. 4th. The number of white. 5th. The number of colored. 6th. The whole number of persons that at? tended the free common schools of the State during the year ending the thirtieth day of the last preceding September, and the number in each county that attended during the same pe? riod. 7th. The number of whites of each sex that attended, and the number of colored of each sex that attended the said schools. 8th. The number of common schools in the State. 9th. The number of pupils that studied each of the branches taught. 10th. The average wages paid to teachers of each sex. 11th. The number of school houses erected during the year, and the location, material and cost thereof. 12th. The number previously erected, the material of their construction, their condition and value, and the number with their grounds enclosed. 13th. The counties in which teachers' insti? tutes were held, and the number that attended the institutes in each cour ty. 14th. Such other statistical information as be may deem important, together with such plans as he may have matured, and the State lloard of Education may have recommended for the management aud improvement of the school fund, and for the more perfect organization aud efficiency of the common schools. Sec. 16. That he shall have power to examine all persons who may make application to him, as to their qualification for teaching school in this State; and that to all persons of good mor? al character who pass a satisfactory examina? tion he shall issue a certificate of qualification for teaching school in the State of couth Caro? lina ; which certificate shall authorise the per? son to whom it is given to teach in any of the common schools of this State, in which his or her services may be desired by the Trustees of the school in which he or she may make appli? cation to teach, without any further evidence of qualification. Said certificate shall be valid for the term of two (2) years, unless sooner re? voked. Sec. 17. That he shall annually, on the first day of November, or as soon as practicable thereafter, apportion the income oi the State school fund, and the annual taxes collected by the State, for the support of schools, among the several school districts of the State, in pro? portion to the respective number of pupils at? tending the public schools, and he shall certify such apportionment to the State Treasurer. He shall also certify to the Treasurer and School Commissioners of each County the amount apportioned to their County, and he shall draw nis orders on the State Treasurer in favor of the County Treasurer of each County for the amount apportioned to the said Coun? ty. " Sec. 18. That there is hereby appropriated, out of any money in the State Treasury not otherwise appropriated, the sum of eight hun dred (800) dollars annually, to the State Super? intendent of Education, for the purpose of de? fraying the expenses of clerk hire in the office of said State Superintendent of Education; said sum to be drawn quarterly by him, and to be disbursed by the said State Superintendent for the purpose herein named : Provided, That the said sum of eighc hundred (800) dollars shall be in full for the annual payment of all clerk hire of said Department. Sec. 19. That the State Superintendent of Education shall discharge such other duties as may be provided by law; and he shall deliver to his successor within ten days aftar the expi? ration of his term of office, all books, papers, documents and other property belonging to his office. Sec. 20. That in cases of vacancy in the of? fice of State Superintendent of Education, the Governor shall appoint, with the advice and consent of the Senate, a person to fill such va? cancy, who shall qualify within fifteen days af? ter his appointment, and shall continue in of? fice until the next ensuing general election, when a person shall be elected to fill the unex pired term; and should the person so appoint? ed fail to qualify within the time specified, such failure shall create a vacancy. county school commissioners. Sec. 21. That the present County School Commissioners shall continue in office until their successors are elected and qualified.? There shall be elected in each county at the general election in October, A. D., 1870, and at the general election every two years thereaf? ter, a School Commissioner, who shall hold his office until his successor is elected and quali? fied. Sec. 22. That on the first day of January next succeeding the date of his election, he shall take and subscribe the oath of office pre? scribed in Section 30, Article ii, of the Con? stitution of this State, which oath he shall file in the office of the Clerk of the Court of the County in which he was elected, and shall im? mediately enter upon the discharge of his du? ties ; and upon the failure so to do, or if for any other cause there should be a vacancy in the office, the Governor shall appoint a person to fill such vacancy, who shall qualify within fifteen days after his appointment, and shall continue in office until the time prescribed for filling said office by election, as herein provided; and should the person so appointed fail to qual? ify within the time specified, such failure shall create a vacancy. Sec. 23. That he shall have the general su? pervision of all the common and public schools in his County. He shall visit each school in the county, at least once each regular term thereof, counsel and encourage Trustees and teachers, see that the common school law is properly enforced, and do whatever may pro? mote the cause of education in the county. Sec. 24. That it shall be his duty to see that in every school under his care there shall be taught, as far as practicable, orthography, reading, writing, arithmetic, geography, Eng? lish grammar, history of the United States, the principles of the Constitution and Laws of the United States and of this State, and good behavior. Sec. 25. He shall, on or before the first day of October in each year, forward to the State Superintendent of Education an extended re? port, containing an abstract of the reports made to him by the various school officers and teachers in his county, and showing the condi? tion of the schools under his charge, suggest? ing such improvements in the school system as he may deem useful, and giving such other in? formation in regard to the practical operation of the common schools, and laws relating thereto, as may be deemed of public interest. He shall also include, in his report, such other matters as he shall be-directed to report by the State Superintendent of Education. Sec. 26. That should he fail to make the re? port required in the proceeding section, he shall forfeit to the school fund of his county the sum of fifty (50) dollars, and shall besides be liable for all damages caused by such neg? lect. Sec. 27. That he shall, at all times, conform to the instructions of the State Superintendent of Education, as to matters within the jurisdic diction of said State Superintendent. He shall serve as the organ of communication between the said State Superintendent- and school au? thorities. He shall transmit to school officers, or teachers, all blanks, circulars and other com? munications which are to them directed. Sec. 28. That each County School Commis? sioner shall receive as compensation for his services, including expenses of transportation within his county, an annual salary of one thousand (1,000) dollars, except the County of Charleston, in which county he shall receive an annual salary of* fifteen hundred (1,500) dollars, payable quarterly by the State Treasurer. COUHTY board of examiners. Sec. 29. That the County Commissioners of the several counties shall furnish the School Commissioners of their respective counties with an office and tlie necessary office furni? ture. Sec. 30. That it shall be the duty of each County School Commissioner, immediately af? ter the passage of this Act, to divide his Coun? ty into convenient School Districts, for all pur? poses connected with the general interest of. education, and re-district the same, whenever, in his judgment, the general good requires it. Each District shall be confided to the manage? ment and control of the Board of School Trus? tees hereinafter provided for, who shall hold their office for two years, and until their suc? cessors arc elected and qualified. . Sec. 81. It shall be the duty of the School Commissioners of each County to select two suitable and discreet persons, who, together with himself, shall constitute a Board of Exam? iners, whose duty it shall be to examine all candidates for the profession of teacher, and to give such persons as are found qualified a cer? tificate setting forth the branches of learning he or she may be found capable of teaching ; such examination to be renewed every year. No teacher shall be employed in any of the common or public schools without a certificate from the Board of Examiners or the State Su Serintenrlent; but certificates furnished by the oard of Examiners shall be valid only in the counties where issued. A majority of the County Board of Examiners shall have power, for good and sufficient reasons, to cancel any certificate issued by them before the expiration of the time for which said certificate was grant? ed. Sec. 32. That the Board of County School Examiners shall meet at least twice a year, at such places, and at such times, as the County School Commissioners shall appoint; that the County School Commissioner shall be Chairman and Clerk of the Board, and shall keep a fair record of their proceedings, and a register of the name, age, sex; color, residence and date of certificate or each person to whom certificate is issued, and in case a certificate be cancelled, shall make a proper entry of the same. Sec. 33. That it shall be the duty of the County Board of School Examiners, at their first meeting, to order, in and for each and ev? ery Bchool district in their county an election for a Board of three (3) School Trustees, whose duties shall be as liereinafter prescribed. The said County Board shall also have power to fill, by appointment, all vacancies which may occur in tne respective School District Boards of School Trustees in their county. school districts and trustees. Sec 34. For the purpose of conducting the election provided for in the foregoing Section, a public meeting of the voters of each school district shall be called by order of the County Board of Examiners; said meeting shall be pre? sided over by one member of said Board of Ex? aminers, or a person by them appointed; shall keep a fair record of its proceeuiugs, to be de? posited with the County School Commissioner, and shall then proceed to elect three persons resident in the said school district, to serve as School Trustees for one year: Provided that fif? teen days1 notice shall be given of every such public meeting. Sec. 35. That the said Trustees within fifteen (15) days after their appointment or election shall take an oath or affirmation faithfully and impartially to discharge the duties of their office, which oath the members are authorized to administer to each other. Sec. 36. That it shall be the duty of the said Trustees, any two of whom shall constitute a quorum, to meet as soon as practicable after having been appointed or elected and qualified, at such place as may be most convenient in the district, and organize by appointing one of their number Clerk of the Board, who shall preside at the official meetings of the Trustees, and shall record their proceedings in a book provided for that purpose: Provided, That each member of the Board shall be duly notified of such meet? ings by the School Commissioners of the Coun? ty. Sec. 37. That it shall be the duty of the Trustees in each school district to take the man? agement and control of the local educational interests of the same, subject to the supervis? ion of the County School Commissioner, and to visit the school at least twice in every month during the school term. Seo. 38. That it shall be the duty of the Trustees in the several school districts to make, or cause to be made, annually, in each school dietrict, by the first day of September, an enu> mcration of all the children between the ages of six (6) and sixteen (16) years, resident with? in such school district, distinguishing between male and female, white and colored; and the Clerk of said Board of Trustees shall return to the County School Commissioner a duplicate report of the same: Provided, That in case the enumeration of scholastic population of any school district is not made, as provided for in this Act, by that time, the County Board of School Examiners is herewith authorized to ap? point new Trustees for such school district, un? less for good and sufficient cause the Trustees have failed to act. Sec. 39. It shall be the duty of the Board of Trustees to hold a regular session in their School District at least two weeks before the commencement of any or every school term, for the transaction of any and all business neces? sary to the prosperity of the school, with pow? er to adjourn from time to time, and to bold Special meetings at any time or plaee. Sec. 40. That the Board of Trustees shall have power to establish and make all arrangements for the common schools of districts, paving due regard to any school-house already built or site procured, as well as to all other circumstances proper to be considered, so as to best promote the educational interest of their district: Pro? vided, That if said Board of Trustees shall fail to establish schools and build school-houses, when and where the necessities of the people require them, it shall be the duty of the Coun? ty School Commissioner, and he shall have the power, to establish and build the same at the expense of the school fund of such school dis? trict. They shall employ teachers from among those having certificates, and discharge the same when good and sufficient reasons for so doing present themselves; but they shall em? ploy no person to teach in any of the schools under their supervision unless such person shall hold, at the time of commencing his or her school, a certificate to teach, granted by the County Board of School Examiners, or by the State Superintendent of Education. Sec. 41. That should the Board of Trustees be unable otherwise to procure sites for school houses, they are hereby authorized to appoint a jury of view of five legal voters of the county, who shall locate said site as the public interest may require; but except in a city, town or vil? lage, said site shall not be located within two hundred yards of the dwelling of the owner of the land taken for said site without his consent, given in writing. The said jury shall assess the value of the same, and report their action to the Board of Trustees, who shall secure the title and pay for the site, as decided by the jury of view, out of any moneys available for that puq)ose. Sec. 42. That when it shall so happen that persons arc so situated as to be better accom? modated at the school of any adjoining School District, or whenever it may be desirable to es? tablish a school composed of parts of two or more School Districts, it shall oe the duty of the respective Boards of Trustees of the School Districts in which such persons reside, or in which such schools may be situated, or of the School Districts, or the parts of which the school is to be com posed, to transfer such persons for education to the School District in which such school house is or may be located; but the the enumeration of scholars shall be taken in each District as if no such transfer had been made ; and such school, when so composed, shall be supported from the school funds of the re? spective School Districts from which the schol? ars may have been transferred. Sec. 43. That the school year shall com? mence on the first Monday of October, and close on the last Friday of June in each year; but the County School Commissioner shall have power to limit the school year according to the school fund apportioned to his County. Sec. 44. That it shall be the duty of each school teacher to make out and file* with the Clerk of the Board of Trustees, at the expira? tion of each school month, a full and complete report of the whole number of scholars ad? mitted to the school during each month, dis? tinguishing between male and female, the aver? age attendance, the branches taught, the number of pupils engaged in each of said branches, and such other statistics as he or she may be requir? ed to make by the County School Commissioner; and until such report shall have been certified and filed by the said teacher, as aforesaid, it shall be the duty of said Board of Trustees to require the same, and forward to the County Scnool Commissioner, before said teacher can draw pay for his or her services. Sec. 45. That the State Superintendent of Education, or any County School Commis? sioner, or School District Board of Trustees, may receive, in behalf of the Stale Board of Education, any gift, grant, donation or devise of any school house, or site for a school house, or library for the use of any school or schools, or other school purposes within the State, and are hereby invested with the care and custody of all school houses, sites or other property be? longing to the State Board of Education with? in the limits of their jurisdiction, with full power to control the same in such manner as they may think will best subserve the interests of common schools and the cause of education, subject to the control of the State Board of Education. CHARLESTON city board of school commis? sioners. Section 46. That it shall be the duty of the School Commissioner of Charleston County to organize, in all those Districts outside of the city of Charleston, formerly known as Parishes, a suitable number of schools, as soon as practi? cable after the passage of this Act. He shall visit said schools not less than twice during each year, and shall perform such other duties as are prescribed for County School Commis? sioners in this Act. Upon failure or neglect to discharge the duties imposed upon him by this Section, when reported to the State Superinteu tendent of Education, the said State Superin? tendent is hereby empowered to take such measures, as, in his judgment, may be necessary to enforce a faithful performance of duty on the part of said School Commissioner. Sec 47. That the School Commissioner of Charleston County, in conjunction with one suitable and discreet person from each ward in the city of Charleston, to be appointed by the Governor, shall constitute the Charleston City Board of School Commissioners, and who shall continue in office until their successors are elec? ted and qualified. The School Commissioner of Charleston County shall he ex officio Chair? man of the said Board, and may assemble the members thereof any time at his discretion. They (the Board) may appoint one of their number Clerk of the said Board. The powers and duties of the Board aforesaid shall De the same as those of the Board of School Trustees of the several School Districts. Sec. 48. That at the next regular municipal election held in the City of Charleston, and at every regular municipal election thereafter, one Scnool Commissioner shall be elected by the legal votes of each ward, who shall continue in office until his successor is elected and qualified. Sec. 49. That all Acts or parts of Acts in? consistent with this Act, or supplied by it, are hereby repealed. Sec. 50. That this Act shall take effect from its passage. Approved February 16,1870. Senator Sawyer's Speech on the Georgia BfJL The following are extracts from a speech de? livered in the United States Senate, on the 18th inst, by Senator Sawyer: If we should strike out what is knowxras the "Bingham amendment," it is well understood that we should be sanctioning a proposition made by those who now administer the govern? ment of Georgia to extend the period of their official life two years. I am not sure that the exact language of the Constitution of the State of Georgia, and of one of the ordinances passed by the Convention which framed the Constitution, does not give a pretext of the prolongation of the official terms of the State officers. A more complete mode of depriving the gov? ernment of Georgia of its Republican charac? ter than the insertion of a section in its consti? tution, giving power to the Legislature to per? petuate itself and the other officers of the State, can hardly be imagined. Yet this is precisely what is claimed now. And if we strike out the Bingham amendment, and pass a bill precisely similar to the bill passed in the Mississippi and Virginia cases, it will be inter? preted as a sanction by Congress of the exer? cise of this power. We have been forewarned that such is the intention. The Bingham amendment is opposed because it interferes with the exercise of this power. And if at the end of the two years for which this prolonga? tion of official tenure is proposed, this Legisla? ture of Georgia should again deem it to be for the interest of the colored people or the loyal people, or any other class of people in Geogia, that they should have a new lease of power, why should they not again change the time of election, and once more begin anew their of? ficial terms ? Would there be, logically, any termination to this lease of power ? Can a Republican Congress afford to permit a course so utterly subversive of the first prin? ciples of Bepublican government ? If you do not propose to recognize Georgia as entitled to equal rights with other States; if you propose to keep her out of the sisterhood of States, to deny her the right to be represented here and in t:ne national House of Representatives; if, in short, you propose to keep her in a provis? ional condition, then you may appoint her Governor, her judges, her sheriffs, her Legisla? ture. You may control and direct all her poli? cy. You may tax her and rule her as you will. Her people destroyed her legal State govern? ment. They rebelled against the authority which they were bound to obey as paramount. They made war on the national Government. Th ey were conquered, and are subject to the will of the conqueror. I believe you have all I the rights of conquest over her people, and if J she is not fit to be restored to her forfeited po I sition, use your authority in such a way as to ! fit her in the shortest possible time and to the highest possible degree for such restoration. I I do not object to her being kept an inchoate, a provisional State a long while yet if any con? siderable proportion of her people are so little loyal as to allow them to make war on all those who love the United States Government, and who would see the laws of that Government enforced. But if you regard her admission to representation now as essential and necessary, if you think the ends of good government in Georgia are only to be compassed by having ; her Senators and Representatives admitted to j their seats in Congress, if you purpose now to ? invest her with the garb of a State in the Union I of States, let her come in with a government Bepublican in form and substance; letherpeo? ple feel that they are free to elect their own ru? lers at the times appointed in the Constitution they have made and you have approved. You have invested the colored men of Geor? gia with the right to vote. Her own Supreme Court has decided that the colored man, under her constitution, has the right to hold office. You have caused the colored men elected to the Legislature in 1868 to be restored to seats from which they had been unjustly ousted. Under the auspices of your military command? er and of the Governor the Legislature has been so reorganized that its legislation will be in the interests of freedom and justice. You have thrown around every citzen the protection of the Civil Rights bill; you have caused to be Ingrafted upon the Constitution of the United States the Fourteenth and Fifteenth Amend? ments; you have complete power to enforce the provisions of the Civil Rights bill and those Amendments; you have hedged around the rights of all citizens by all sorts of defences. Enactments could hardly do more. What can? not be done to defend the rights, the lives, the liberty and property of the citizen by the pro? visions already made, and those now proposed to be enacted by Congress, and which will doubtless be enacted soon, can hardly be con? sidered within the scope of legislative enact? ment. Let us not deceive ourselves. Bass this measure without the Bingham amendment, and we shall ere long have the "Georgia ques? tion" before us j>gain. Can it be supposed that bitterness, party strife, outrage and violence will be decreased by a measure which is in pal? pable violation of the organic law you have approved and enacted for Georgia? Will Democratic citizens of Georgia be induced to join the Republican party because, having just punished thcin for infractions of that Constitu? tion, you now permit, nay enact, a violation of its spirit and purposes by our own political friends? If Georgia be not in a condition to elect State officers who will do all that such officers can properly do for the reign of order and law, then let us hold her under the power which the rebellion of her people has rendered paramount to all other power as she is now placed. Mr. President, I am aware that it is an un? gracious task to oppose men who call upon us tor a particular measure of relief. I listened to the eloquent appeal of the Senator from Mississippi (Mr. Revels) yesterday, and wished in my heart I could vote with liim on this bill. I feel all he feels, I know as well as he does the evils which he so eloquently depicts. I will go just as far as he will in any measure which seems to me to be a lawful, a constitutional, a fit measure for affording safety and protection to that race of which he is so worthy, so able a representative. I know their excellent quali? ties ; I saw their praiseworthy conduct, their humane, their magnanimoiie conduct during the trying times of the rebellion. I have seen their law-abiding, their docile, their manly,' their magnanimous course since. I shall stand j by and defend their rights just as long as my j life lasts, just as long as I stand by my own. j But I cannot consent to do for them what I would not do for my own race. I cannot con? sent for them to violate what seems to be cor? rect policy, not for Georgia alone, but for the whole country. Men, arms, money I will vote to defend the privileges of all classes in Georgia, j To take from the people of Georgia a right plainly given in their Constitution, a Constitu- J tion approved by Congress, and to do this in i violation of the spirit of our agreement with them, i? a sacrifice of principle too great to make. The end sought by the Senator from Mississippi is a good one; the means by which he proposes to accomplish it I do not. think can ? be justified, nor do I think them effident for t?te j end sought. First Speech of Berels, the colored Senator* from Mississippi. Senator Revels, of Mississippi; mads his <U but as a speaker in the United States Senate oil the 16th inst. The galleries were crowded with anxious spectators, listening to the first speech ever uttered in that place by a person of Afri? can descent We quote the moat striking pai sages of this notable effort: I am well aware, sir, that the idea is abroad that an antogonism exists between the whites and blacks; that that race which the nation raised from the degradation of slavery,, and en-? dowed with full and unqualified rights and privileges of citizenship, are intent upon pow? er, at whatever price it can be gained. It has been the well-considered purpose and aim of a class, not confined to the South, to spiead this charge over the land, and their efforts are as vigorous to-day to educate the people of this nation into that belief as they were at the close of the war. It was not uncommon to find this same class, even during the rebellion, prognos? ticating a servile war. It may have been that the wish was father to the thought, and, sir, as the recognized representative of my down-trod-1 den people, I deny the charge, and hurl it back into the teeth of those who make it, and who, I believe, have not a true and conscientious do sire to further the interests of the whole South. Certainly, any one possessing a knowledge of the colored population of my own or any other State, need not be reminded of the noble con? duct of that people under the most trying cir? cumstances in the history of the late war, when* they were beyond the protection of the Federal forces. While the Confederate army pressed into its ranks evety white male .capable of bearing arms, the mothers, wives, daughters and sisters of the Southern soldiers were left defenceless and In the power of the blacks, upon whom the chains of slavery were still riveted; and to bind those chains the closer was the real issue for which so much life and property were sacrij ficed. And now, sir, I ask how did that race act? Did they, in those days of Confederate weakness and impotence, evince the malignity of which we hear so much ? Granting, for the sake of argument, that they were ignorant and besotted, which I do not believe, yet with all their supposed Ignorance and supposed creduli? ty, they, in their way, understood as fully ai you or I the awful import of the contest. They knew that if the gallant corps of native soldiers were beaten back, and their flag trailed in the dust, that it was the presage of still heavier bondage. They longed, too, as their fathers did before them, for the event of that epoch over which was shed the hallowed light of inspiration itself. They desired too, with their fathers, to welcome the feet of the stem* gers shod with the peaceful preparation of good* news. Weary years of boriaage had told their tale of sorrow to the Court of Heaven. In the councils of the Great Father of All they knew the adjudication .of their case, albeit delayed for years, in which patient suffering had nearly exhausted itself, would, in the end, bring them the boon for which they sighed?God's most blessed gift to his creatures?the inestimable boon of liberty. They waited, and they waited patiently. In the absence of their masters they protected the virtue and chastity of defenceless women. Think,- sir, for a moment what the condition of this land would be' to-day if the slave popu? lation had risen in servile insurrection against those who, month by month, were figbtftig to perpetuate that institution which brought them1 all the evils of which they complained. Where would have been the security for property, fe male chastity and childhood's innocence ?" The bloody counterpart of such a story of cruelty and wrong would have been paralleled only in those chapters Of Jewish history as recorded by Josephus, or in the still later atrocities of that reign of terror which sent the unfortunate Louis XVI and Mario Antoinette to the scaf* fold Nayy the deeds in that drama of cold? blooded butchery would have out-heroded the most diabolical acts of Herod himself. Mr. President, I maintain that the past record of my race is a true index of the feelings which to-day animate them. They bear toward their former masters no revengeful thoughts, no ha? tred, no animosities. They aim not to elevate" themselves by sacrificing one slhgle interest of their white fellow?citizefls; they ask but the rights which are theirs by God's universal law, and which are the natural outgrowth, the logi? cal sequence of the condition in which the leg? islative enactments of this nation have placed them, They appeal to you and to me to see that thev receive that protection which alone will enable them to pursue their daily vocations with success, and enjoy the liberties of citizen? ship otj the same footing with their white neigh? bors and friends. And here let me say further that the people of the North owe to the colored race a deep ob ligation which it is no easy matter to fulfill. When the Federal armies were thinned by death and disaster, and sombre clouds over? hung the length and breadth of the republic, and the very air was pregnant with the rumors of foreign interference?in those dark days of defeat, whose memories yet haunt us as an ug? ly dream?from what source did our nation in" its seeming death throes gain additional and new-found power ? It was the sable sons of the South that valiantly rushed to the rescue, and but for their intrepidity and ardent daring many a Northern fireside would miss to-day paternal counsel or a brother's love. Sir, I re? peat the fact, that the colored race saved to the noble women of New England and the Middle States the men on whom they lean to-day for security and safety. Many of my race, the rep resentatives of these men on the field of battle, sleep in the countless graves of the South. If those quiet resting-places of our honored dead could speak to-day, what a mighty voice, like to " the rushing of a mighty wind," would eome up from these sepulchral homes 1 Could wa resist the eloquent pleading of their appeal? Ah, sir, I think that this question of immediate and ample protection for the loyal neopie of Georgia would lose its legal technicalities, and we would cease to hesitate in our provisions for their instant relief* Six Years in TRArarm?The Richmond correspondent of the Petersburg Index relates the following: A gentleman in this city receiv? ed this morning, a letter written to him in 1864, from Columbia, on the canal. It was given irr care of one of Rosscr's men, who were then fol? lowing Sheridan's raiders and after passing through many hands and going over the whole State, nas finally reached the person for whom it was intended with seal unbroken. It con? tains one piece of information which is yet new. The lady (the writer] owned a beautiful Canadian pony, for which she asked the protec? tion of Sheridan?then raiding through thp countrv. He promised that the dear little pony should" not be taken off by his soldiers. How? ever, when they left he was taken off. The la? dy grieved much over the loss of her pet, and gave him up for gone. A few days afterwards e was returned from Yanceyville^where Sheri? dan then was. This being the only instante of Sheridan's horse honesty, J think it Btoaldto pat upon record.