The Pickens sentinel. [volume] (Pickens, S.C.) 1871-1903, 1891-06-04
THE ALEXANDER MATTER.
CORRESPONDENCE BETWEEN TIL {
GOVERNOR AND PROFESSOR.

Document with not Much In ii.
The following is the correspondence !
between Governor Tillman and Pro- /
lessor Alexander, in regard to which SO
much curiosity has been manifested:
THE GOVERNORS FIRST LETTER.
pRNATE.) April -, OF.
DEAR SIR: In tO-dayS News and
Courier l find mention made Of the sub.
ject matter Of your talk with the TruS-
tees yesterday and prominence given to
aqueStiOn pr0pOunded by me. | desire
TO disclaim all knowledge Of this pub
licity, and 1 regret that your earnest
and frank statement, which strongly
excited the admiration and sympathicS
of many Of the Trustees, should have
gone forth in such Il way and at such Il
time.
| cannot refrain from giving cXprrs.
sion to my own feelings in the matter,
and to say that while | fear your open
ayOwal of such doubts will inevitably
sever your connection with the college
that do not share in the slightest in
the feeling which will cause men to crv
out against you and demand your dis
miSSal. The seeker after truth, the
man who in this vale Of tears honestly
strives to know and to do what is right
without pandering to tie prpiuuiccS or
rant multitude, must, like the meek and
lowly Jesus, expect persecution and
sorrow as his lot. TO few is given the
ability or VIII to swim against the cur
rent Of popular ideas or attack Old Gus
toms. The masses of mankind inherit
their religion and have no well defined
opinion on this subject. In proportion
as they are ignorant are they bigol cd
but must not trcSpasS further on your
xN,Nl,, -.
you know that | do not share such feel.
lngs.
with assurance Of the highest resp; Ct
l am very truly yours,
B. Il. TILINAN.
TO DR.. w. J. Alexander.
REPPT TO DIR. ALENANDEE'S EEpl'E EST
COLUMHNA, =. G., May 10. lN9l.
Prof. w. j. ALEXANDER Columbia, =. e.
DEAR SIR: Your letter Of yesterday
asking permission to publish Il private
letter | wrote you on April -, cOncrrn-
ing your statement before the Trustees,
Is ut hand. The letter in question was
not written with view to its being
made public, and it may place me in a
false position unless it could hp clahD-
rated, which hardly know how to do.
This you can readily understand that
as l am not professor Of religion of
any kind would not like to appear I've
tore the public in tho role of IL critic.
wrote with my usual frankurSS and
there IS nothing in my letter whirh |
would not aVOW If necessary, but do
uot think the circumstances at present
require 1t. just rs you refuse TO give
your rellg!ous views ut first on the
Sround or "private property" | don't
think mine should be brought ont in
this way. And | therefore cannot con-
sent to your request for leave to publish
my letter
IL you are very anxious that should
give an expression OF opinion ON your
leaving the college, will give my non, ST
oHlnion in IL statement TO the press or
IN letter to yourself. In tins event
VIII DE glad to see you rs soon as may
De convenient. Yours truly, Nr,
u. II. TILLMAN.
DIR. ALEXANDER ACCEPTS.
CoLrMElA, :. C., May -, 1891.
G0vern0r Is. X. Tillman, Columbia. =. {
DEAR SIR: In your letter Of to-day
which have just received, you dcclin.
TO allow me to publish your letter writ,
ten to me on April ~ i. Thc nnhIira.
ton OF this letter could not, so far as
can see, DO you amy 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 |
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 4
statement on the subject with the I'M
derstandlng that | may publish it if |
see NJ. l accept this Offer and will
thank you to forward me such Il state
nent at your earliest convenience,
Very respectfully.
w. j. ALENANpEE
GOVERNOR TlLLMAN'S STATEMENT.
MAY 20, 1891.
1'rof. w. >. Alexander, Columbia, sc.
DEAR SIR: Your letter Of MAY 49,
asking me to furnish statement of
the causes which Occasioncd your re
tirement as professor from the :. G..
college comes duly to hand, and re.
ply Al my earliest convenience And |
40 SO more readily because have seen
erroneous statements going the rounds
or the press charging that had writ
ten you Il letter to the effect that your
relglouS views were the cause of YOUR
not being reelected. | will be us brief
rs can be making the matter clear.
ANA OF course it is understood that |
speak 1or myself alone and not for the
Board of Trustees.
~ u,
a majority and minority report had
oeen prepared suggesting Il plan Of re.
organization. In both of these the
chalrs which you hold were abols!.rd,
ana the studies divided and added to
other classes
AZ the first meeting the whole faru!
w. one by one, were Invited before rs
ana asked to give their views ON the
proposed reorganization. During thc
nearing your religious views became Il
naCter OF discussion. The question of
ar. ar. sloan as to Bain's skcpticsm caus
ing you very frankly and broadly 10
ap9w your own skepticism. After it
mao mao lasted long while, to bring ma.
ters TO an end, asked as to your brlirr
IN Christ; as you declined to answer
tne BOARD was left in ignorance of
VIVA %nat you did believe. Nothing was
said by you at that meeting about vomr
being Unitarian '''''' '''''
Next day wrote you private letter
expressing my admiraAon and sym.
pathy, put expressing the opinion that
SuCl views WOul6 inavitoIlu o..,'N