The Manning times. [volume] (Manning, Clarendon County, S.C.) 1884-current, 1891-06-03
DIR. ALEXANDER ACCEPTS.

COLUMBIA, S. c., May ~, 1891.
Governor B. Il. Tillman, Columbia, 5. G.
DEAR SIR: In your letter of to-day,
which have just received, you decline
: to allow me to publish your letter writ
: ten to me on April 22d. The publica-
ton of this letter could not, so far as
can see, do you any harm, and would
settle the question in the minds of most
persons as to the cause OF my removal
from the University. Unfortunately,
most of the evidence in my possession
is under the seal of privacy; that seal l
hoped you would break and let the truth
come forth. / regret, therefore, that
you decline to allow me to publish your
letter.
You offer, however, to furnish me a
statement on the subject with the un-
Outstanding that l may publish It II l
see fit. l accept this offer, and Will
thank you to forward me such a state
mens at your earliest convenience.
Very respectfully,
w. J. ALEXANDER.
GOVERNOR TILLMANS STATEMENT.
MAY 20, 1891.
Prof. W. j. Alexander, Columbia, S. c.
DEAR SIR: Your letter Of May ls,
asking me to furnish statement OF
the causes which occasioned your re-
tirement as professor from the s. Z.
College comes duly to hand, and l re
ply at my earliest convenience. And l
zdo so more readily because | have seen
erroneous statements going the rounds
of the press charging that ! had writ
ten you a letter to the effect that your
religious views were the cause of your
not being reelected. will be as brief
as can be making the matter clear.
And of course it is understood that l
speak for myself alone and not for the
Board Of Trustees.
When the Trustees met on April p,
"a majority and minority report had
been prepared suggesting a plan OF re-
organization. In both OF these the
chairs which you hold were abolished,
and the studies divided and added to
other classes.
At the first meeting the whole facul-
ty, one by one, were invited before US
and asked to give their views on the
proposed reorganization. During the
hearing your religious views became a
matter of discussion. The question of
MIR. Sloan as to Bain'S skepticism cauS
ing you very frankly and broadly to
aYow your own skepticism. After 1t
had lasted a long while, to bring mat
ters to an end, asked as to your belief
in Christ; as you declined to answer
the Board was left in ignorance OF
what you did believe. Nothing was
said by you at that meeting about your
beiIe a Unitarian
Next day wrote you private letter
expressing my admiration and SYM
pathy, but expressing the opinion that
such views would inevitably cause
a severance of your connection with
the institution. I did not speak for
any one but myself, and gave my own
opinion only.
At the meeting of first Of May the col
lege was reorganized. your chair abol-
ished, and this would have happened If
you had never given any information as
to religious views, because 1t was one
which could be naturally and easily di-
yided. You again appeared before the
Board and read your protest, which has
been published, claiming to be Uni
harlan Christian. In the election which
followed you were not put in nomlna-
tion for any chair and, Of course, it is
left to conjecture whether you would
have been elected had your name been
presented. These are facts, and will
only add that Icannots any ground for
the cry of religious intolerance which
has been raised. You and your core
ligionists have no cause for complaint
that I see. TheIe is g vast difference
between allowing a man perfect relIg-
ious freedom and putting him in a po-
sition to teach MS dogmaS. Speaking
for myself l can say that fitness and
high moral character will govern my
vote in choosing a faculty for the col
lege, as believe it viii the other Trus-
tees, and no Unitarian will be ostra-
cised for conscience sake.
Yours respectfully,
3. Il. TILLMAN.
THE STATEMENT NOT SATISFACTORY.
COLUMBIA. S. c., May %, 1891.
Governor B. r. Tlllman, Columbia, 5. {.
DEAR SIR: Your communication OF
May 21 came duly to hand. but as it was
published that you would be absent
from the city tor a few Gays have de
ferred writing to you until today. l