The Laurens advertiser. (Laurens, S.C.) 1885-1973, 1893-10-24

as there Is breath of life in us. w
have no alternative compatible wit
honor and should we die at our post
have no doubt that our constituent
, would elect others to fill cur place
who would do the same. Hence tn
oarbarous efrort to coerce by brut'
force must In the end prove futile
am opposed to it as q Senator be
cause 1T Is Incompatible with tn,
dignity of this honorable body. Thi
is the highest deliberative body in tn,
nation. Here we have many of oul
wisest men, and questions presented
are weighed by men of the mos
mature judgement and experience
and to admit that any question cannot
be decided by reason and discussion
without personal conflict of physical
force and endurance Is to reflect upor
the sincerity Of the members of this
honorable body. 1t is contrary to the
laws and usages which have always
| governed the deliberations of the
Senate. Every law and usage of this
body from it's foundation has been
based upon the presumption that here
Senators would engage in mental con
hct only. 1t Is contrary to the Con
stitution of the United States because
according to that democratic document
the three branches of the Government
wore supposed to be coordinate and
independment Of each other, and this
effort to coerce this body at the bidding
of the Executive is a bold and flagrant
violation Of the spirit of the Constitu-
tion which, If now tolerated, will be a
precedent for the future prostitution OF
| the Senate to the complete and absolute
domination of the Executive.
have said that my people were op.
| posed from the first to the nomination
of MIR. Cleveland. They entered their
protest, violent as some people would
say, in May, 1892, opposing his nomi-
nation. For this they have been con-
demned, but unjustly so. They oppos-
ed him through their representatives
to the very last at Chicago, brt, true
and loyal Democrats as thoy have
always been, they supported him at
the general election and gave him
$4,000 majority over Mr.. Harrison,
thereby giving practical demonstration
of their devotion to the Democracy.
They believed that the Democratic
party of this nation would be true to
the promises of it's platform, and with
this understanding they supported Mr..
Cleveland
For myself have always been a
Democrat. I have never voted other
than the Democratic ticket. | have
tho honor to be tho Chairman of the
Democratic party In South Carolina
BY the Democratic party was elected
to the high position which now hold ;
but as Democrat, true as I sincerely
believe, to all of it's principles, must
demand that halt be called upon this
unusual, irregular and outrageous pro-
ceeding by Senators favoring the un-
conditional repeal of the purchasing
clause of the Sherman law.
If the Democratic party are respon-
sible for the laws which are enacted or
repealed during this administration,
the Democrats alone should decide the
policy Of our. party. I would be willing
to submit this or any other question to
the caucus of the Democrats of this
Congress, and if majority decide
against my opinions should yield but
| must and do now most solemnly pro-
test against the right of a minority OF
the Democratic Senators to use Repub-
licans to coerce into submission q ma
jority of the Democratic Senators and
to enact laws to which the Democratic
party of this nation are opposed.
We believe that it was unjust, un-
fair and undemocratic for the National
Convention to use the representatives
of Republican States to foist upon us q
| nominee that does not represent us,
but it is also flagrantly wrong that
that nominee, after his election, should
use the Republican party to pass laws
that mean ruin and destruction to the
palmer and poorer class Of the South
and West. We are told that it is all
right for the minority to desert the
platform and use Republicans to enact
this law which q majority of Demo.
Gratis oppose, but that it would be
| treason for me to desert the platform
upon the questions of tariff reform.
This is palpable ahsurdity, because
| the Administration forces, by allyine
| themselves with Republicans to enact
measures in the interest of the wealthy
and favored class and opposed to the
interest of the masses of tho people
establish precedent and place them
selves in an attitude which not only
justifies us, who l truly believe re
present the people, but makes it in my
opinion our bounden duty to oppose
such tariff laws as may meet the ap
proval and be presented by this unholy
alliance. If this great crime against
the people is perpetrated by them il
regard to this, the most important ol
all the legislative question now before
the people, [ dare to not follow them
|
other questions of lessor Importance.
And when say that will not fol
low them upon other questions, meal
to convey the idea that the people o
South Carolina will no longer follow
the leadership Of men who assume
that they are the Democratic party o
the nation and reflect and give utter
ance alone to true Democratic princi
pies and doctrines.
| mean to say that any tariff law
any revision of the tariff which shal
be offered hero under the same auspices
as those which now propose to commi
tho crime against silver, will be opel
to such suspicion as to preclude an,
Democrat from lending it his support
A tariff law, sir. prepared by th
hybrid political alliance now marshal
ing its ranks for the suppression b,
force of the voice Of the people in thii
Chamber must inevitably be regarded
by the rank and file of the Democrac,
OF the United Statee as part of tn,
conspiracy against silver desired to b.
consummated here. Such being tn
case, when | assume the attitude tha
| have indicated, | believe that speal
for the people of my State.
AS for them and myself, there coul,
never be desertion of, any withdrawal
from, the Democratic party, so long q
1T pursues the policies of its platform
The Democrats of the United States
sir, prefer to follow the platform of tn
Democratic party than that contingen
OF the Democratic Senators who hav
plainly abandoned the platform on thi
question, and who, sustained by tn
Executive, are endeavoring to cOmmi
a crime which, in my Judgment, coul