Keowee courier. [volume] (Pickens Court House, S.C.) 1849-current, 1890-07-17
such an agreement, and Tdeclined to
do SO on the Ground that the propo-

do SO on the ground that the propo-
sition was to be submitted to the
Executive Committee, and AS its
chairman I would insist that the
agreement be placed in our hands
without any dictation on our part.
It was their proposition to hold an
other State Convention, and it was
! our duty to consider it.. Colonel
Earle admitted the proprieuy &, this
course, and the next day, at Union,
submitted q written agre ment to
Mr.. Tillman, which he refused to
sign, and gave as reason that
"thero was trick in it,"
These arc the facts relating to the
call for the August Convention.
Ordinarily, it would be regarded as
ungracious and discourteous to criti-
cise any one for doing that which
you had requested to be done, but
the rare facility with which Mr..
1'illman jumps from one conclusion
to the opposite side of the question,
as has been abundantly demonstrated
in the campaign, will account for his
assertions upon the State Executives
Committe since the call was issued
for the August Convention. He
and his followers are welcome to the
distinction enjoyed BY unjust and
unfair accusations against the Com
mittee, but let me say that the action
taken by the Committee was mani-
nous, which includes Col. Eugene
B. Gary, of Abbevillc, the candidate
for Lieutenant Governor on the Till
man ticket, and Judge Nj. j. Hough,
of Lancaster, who is also understood
to favor Tillman for Governor.
These gentlemen were present when
the resolution was adopted which
called the August Convention, and
they entered no protest against the
action of the Committee.
| Now, in all fairness and candor,
let me urge that the serious questions
involved in the result of the August
Convention be considered with the
careful scrutiny which their impor-
tancc demands. After the refusal to
sign the agreement NJ Union, it is
doubtful whether tho Executive
Committee would have ordered a
preliminary Convention, except that
it was convinced of the ovcrwhelm-
ing necessity for measures which
would make the nomination in Sep
tcmber acceptable to all factions of
the party. The Committee were
unanimous on this point, and after
full discussion it was agreed to Sub
nit the questions involved into the
hands of the people, whose decision
would be accepted IA final by every
one. The Executive Committee
was powcrlcss to order the election
of delegates by primary, the coun-
tics were taking action in advance
of the time suggested, and the call,
ing Of State Convention vas the
only resource to obtain fla arbi-
tramcnt at the ballot box, which
would end the pending contest to
the satisfaction of all. This is the
true and only reason for the deci-
sion reached by the State Execu-
tive Committee, and all statements
and insinuations that they were in
fiucnccd by sinister and designing
motives arc absolutely and unquali-
fiedly false, whether these dccla,a-
tions are made by candidates of high
or low degree, or put forth by self
appointed censors in control of part:
san newspapers.
The threatened decapitation of
the Executive Committee nocd not
excite any wonder and it is certain
that not member will shed any
tears when his term OF service cx-
pircs, whether in August or Scptem-
Der. Under the most trying circum-
stances, we have sought to discharge
delicate and important duties with
out fear, favor or partiality, and
while tt is the only Executive Com
mittee that has ever boon similarly
situated, it may be fairly claimed
that it's official action is lust, conss-
tent and impartial. The supreme
purpose i'll view has been the unity
and the pcrpctuity of the Demo
cratic party in South Carolina, and
when the passions and prcjudices of
the hour are gone forever i; will be
seen that the conservatism and i'm
partality of the Executive Com
mittco have been instrumental in
preserving the organization whose
maintenance and supremacy are
| vitality imDOrtant to tho white nnn