The Pickens sentinel. [volume] (Pickens, S.C.) 1871-1903, 1893-04-13
FACE THEIR ACCUSERS.
THE DEMOCRACY OF THE BLACK
LISTED CoNGREsSMEN.

sSouth CRrObna COnRregsmen-They Ap-
q, pear in Fo1c, Before Postmaster Cen
ersl Blssell.
WASHINGTON, April 5.-The heal ing
given the blacklisted Congressman by
Postmaster General Maxwell today
was mighty interesting proceeding.
1t was held in the Post Office Depart
ment at p. m. and lasted until go.
There were present Senators Butler and
lrby, Representatives Shell, Strait, La
timer and Talbert and eX-Representa-
uveS tombstone and Hemphill. Senator
lrby having taken his private stonO-
grapher along, Senator Butler engaged
one also and you will have, in two or
three days, a full transcript Of the ar
gumentS.
Senator Irby started out by saying
that while his side was armed only
with facts he had the authority of q
gentleman for saying that Senator
Butler had come stick In hand and pis-
tol in pocket. Senator Butler chal-
!enged the name of his informant.
lrby said 1T was j. II. Tillman, Sena-
tor Butler said it was false; he had
never carried a pistol in his life; he
Was amazed that his colleague should
repeat so ridiculous a statement in this
presence.
Latimer spoke first. He claimed he
had always been, and would always be,
Democrat; that while he had opposed
Cleveland's nomination, he had ac-
qulesced Loyalty and helped elect him.
Mr. Hemphill said the question was
whether Democratic patronage would
be given to aid in opposition to Demo
cratic principles. He had the right, as
private citizen, to make recommen-
datiIns for office, and would continue
TO exercise it. The majority against
MIN In the primary had OnlJLbeen 173,
and he represented more Democrats
than Strait. He was surprised to see
these gentlemen here. If he had, like
a Democrat, be would not, like them,
be found asking favors of him.
Strait said that any assertion that he
was not Democrat was untrue.
MIR. JohnstOne made mastery sum-
mary of Latimer's record in opposition
to Democratic principles, and asked
question after question touching his
presence at the st. Louis convention,
etc., which Latimer didn't answer. He
p:9pounded these final questions with
great impressiveness, telling Latimer
not to qulbble or evade:
First-"Do you hold the Democratic
platform adopted at Chicago to be su-
perlor in its binding force upon you to
the platform or principles Of any other
pHSt9 No answer. u1saer."''9n 'sr*yay
Second-"Do you disapprove of, and
are you in opposition to the platform
OF the Third party adopted at Ocala?'
NOanswer.
Senator Irby asked Mr.. Johnstone if
he hadn't voted for Latimer. JOhnstone
said he had, as pledged in the primary
A similar question was subsequently
asked of IIemphill as to Strait, and
similar reply was made. The effort
was to show that these gentlemen had
thus admitted the Democracy of their
MIR. Talbert made a stump speech.
full of sound and fury, and pounded
the table until the noise resounded
through the corridors. He insisted
that this was humiliating spectacle;
that he had always been Jetfersonian
Democrat, "opposed TO corporations Of
all kinds and all classes" and that the
others ran on the same platform and
were in the same position, which he
claimed was Democratic.
Mr.. Shell said he was not called on
to defend his Democracy, as there was
no question OF it. Still, he cherished
Alliance principles as equal to any
other. lie had attended Alliance con-
ferenceS in Washington with John
stone in the last Congress, and could
say that no man contributed more to
the success of the Alliance demands
than did his friend Johnstone.
Latimer claimed last fall that John
stone had taken home from Washing
ton letters from Livingston.
Irby, interpolating: "And Watson
and Macune."
Johnstone-"I didn't do any thing of
the sort"
Latimer-"And from Tillman,
Everett and Moses"
Shell said Johnstone had repudiated
the sub-treasury bill.
Irby asked if he hadn't supported
the subtreasury scheme.
Shell said he had favored the linan-
cial aims Of the Alliance.
Johnstone emphatiCally denied that
he had supported the sub-treasury.
He had made his fight against it in 1890
and last year.
Shell admitted that tombstone had
said he didn't agree to the fiat money
and unsound money doctrines of the
Alliance.
Postmaster General Bissell asked
Irby If he wished to say anything.
Irby said he would wait until Butler
had spoken.
Butler said unless it was distinctly
understood that his colleague was run.
ming this conference he would not be
dictated to by him. When he YVES
,eady to speak, he would speak, and
not until then. If Irby desired to
speak. let him do so, on his own re.
sponsibility. and not attempt to dictate
to him.
Irby denied that he sought to die
tate. If Senator Butler stood neutral
between the "reform" and "anti-re-
form" factions in South Carolina, and
wished to remain in that position, then
he cheerfully accorded him the right
time.
Butler ironically thanked him for
his kind permission.
lrpy spoke with passion, aud so We.
hemently that he could be heard in the
corridor. He said he stood there as the
State Democratic chairman. and was
surprised, mortified, Inundated and
chagrined, In common with ali good
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