The Anderson intelligencer. [volume] (Anderson Court House, S.C.) 1860-1914, 1893-05-10
NJ. L. DONALDSON REPLIES.
he Is willing that the Alliance Should
Pass Judgment Upon Both.

he Is willing that the Alliance Should
Pass judgment Upon Both.
The following reply of Col. N. L. Don.
aldson, to Governor Tillman's explana-
ton of the blacklisting, will appear in
the Cotton Plant:
GREENv1LIE, S. O., May 1, 1893.
Mr.. EDITOR replying to Governor
Tillman's confession to having blacklist.
ed me to President Cleveland, and the
reason he assigns for so doing shall not
attempt to "link" Mr.. Tillman as citizen,
with Mr.. Tillman as Governor, nor vice
versa, but to deal with him as man to
man, recognizing the fact, as the public
will also, thatif his conduct in this matter
is shown to be true and noble and manly,
it will only give lustre to the Office which
he holds, and that on the contrary if his
course has been untrue, ignoble, and un-
manly, his Office as Governor will not
shield him from the contempt of all right
thinking men.
When first saw the reports in the
newspapers that the Governor of the
State had included my name In q black.
list to Mr.. Cleveland, I in common with
the people generally gave butlittle credit
to it, but receiving no statement from the
Governor denying it, I wrote him letter
of inquiry, which letter be saw fit to ig=
more. shall take up his public state.
tneuts, however, and answer them seria-
tim.
He disclaims any reference" to my
private character, or any feeling of resent.
ment, or desire to injure me, and yet he
deliberately proceeds to charge me with
betrayal of the Alliance" and "treachery
to the people and to the Alliance" thus
making deadly thrust at my character
and reputation. We read of one Joab of
olden time, who, while maddened and
blinded by political jealousy, pursued a
faithful servant of the king, one who
was on mission to unite and barnonize
the people, and when he had overtaken
him this Joab while stroking the beard
of his victim, in great show of friendship,
thrust the cold steel under his fifth rib.
Perhaps Governor fillmah has yet to
learn that to stab a mans character,
whether openly, as Joab did Amasa's
person, or under cover of supposed secre.
sy in blacklist to the President means
death to the victim.
The first reason given by the Governor
to prevent further betray-' of the Alli-
ance" is that I was repud,.ad by the
Democracy Of Greenville County, etc. So
far as my failing to be elected delegate
to the May convention is concerned, l
have the records to show, for they are in
the hands of three as honorable men as
live in Greenville County, that in cau-
Gus of reformers, held just before the
meeting of the County Convention, bal.
lot was taken for delegates to the State
Convention to be voted for in the open
convention. About one-half of the bal.
lots cast for me we're not reported, and
still the number of ballots counted for me
made me an alternate, which, according
to rule of the caucus required that my
name be printed on the tickets to be used
in the open convention, having failed
therefore by the counting out process to
keep ma off the ticket, it was discovered
in the convention, after large number of
them were distributed to the unsuspecting
members, that my name was left off the
tickets. This arousiDg suspicion in the
minds of some, an investigation was made
and the facts as above stated sworn to and
published by the investigating commit
tee. It was but natural therefore, land
certainly nothing could have been more
gratifying to me too) that my friends with
whom I had so long associated in the
work of reform, seeing the persecution
that was attempted towards me should
rally almost to a man to my support IN
the State Convention. Is it not remark.
able position for the Governor to put the
members of that convention in when he
states that through the influence of a
few Alliance men," they unanimously
conferred the most honorable and respon-
sible position, within their gift upon one
80 unworthy as he would have me ap
pear?
If there was any "presumption" in that
convention as to my being opposed to the
nomination of Mr.. Cleveland, was not
aware of it then nor since, till the Cover
nor makes the bald statement, that such
was the case. To be entirely frank he
makes that statement in the face of indu
bitable proof to the contrary, for my po-
sition towards Mr.. Cleveland was given
to the press as early as February, 1891, and
was printed in the newspapers all over
this State, and in other States as we'll,
and know be read my views, as then
expressed.
The Alliance gave no evidence of look
ing upon my preference for Mr.. Cleveland
as a betrayal of them, either at that time
or since. Moreover the convention voted
down resolution toinstruct the delegates
to Chicago, as the records show. AS to
the resolution afterwards adopted, con-
demning Mr.. Cleveland's former admin
istration, it will be remembered by dele
gates, who talked with me on the way to
Chicago, that l thought the resolution as
expressive of the sense of the convention
must have its bearing upon their action.
1 went to Chicago, not as delegate to
vote in the convention, but to meet the
Democratic National Executive Commit
tee, in order to organize with that COM
nittee for the work of the cOmpaipn.