Keowee courier. [volume] (Pickens Court House, S.C.) 1849-current, 1893-05-11
COL. NJ. l.. DONALDS0N'S REPLY TO
GOVERNOR TILLMAN.
Cotton Plant.

GREESv1LLE, S. c., May l, 1893.
In replying to Gov. Tillman's con-.
fession to having blacklisted me to
President Cleveland, and the reason
he assigns for so doing, shall not
attempt to "link" Mr.. 1'illmsn 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, that
if 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 con-
trary if his course has beer untrue,
ienoble and unmanly, his Office as
Governor, will not shield him from
the contempt of all righ+ thinking
men.
When l first saw the reports IN
the newspapers that the Governor OF
the State had included my name in a
blacklist to Mr.. Cleveland, in COM
mon with the people generally, gave
but little credit to it, but receiving
no statement from the Governor
DENYING it l wrote him letter OF In
ouiry, which letter he saw fit to lg-
more. | shall take up his public
statements, however, and answer
them seriatim.
He disclaims any preference" to
nv private character, or any feeling
of resentment, or desire to injure me,
and yet he deliberately proceeds te
charge me with "betrayal' of the al
lance, and "treachery to the people
and to the Alliance" thus making 2
deadly thrust at my character anc
reputation. We read OF one Joab OF
olden time, who, while maddened ane
blinded by political jealousy, pursued
faithful servant of the king, one
who was on mission to unite ane
harmonic the people, and when ne
had overtaken him this Joab, while
stroking the beard OF his victim, II
great show of friendship, thrust th'
cold steel under his fifth rib. Per
haps Gov. Tillman has yet to lesrI
that to stab a mans character, whe
ther openly, as Joab did Amasa'
person, OF under cover OF suppose
secresy in blacklist to the Preslden
means death to the victim.
The first reason given by the Gov
ernor to prevent sfurther betrayal Q
the Alliance" is that l was repudi
ated by the Democracy Of Greenvill
county, etc. SO far as my failing t
be elected delegate to the May con
vention is concerned, ! have tn
records TO show, for they are in tn
hands of three as honorable men a
live in Greenville county, that in
caucus Of reformers, held just befor
the meeting of the county conver
ton. a ballot was taken for delegate
, to the State convention to be vote
, for in the open convention. Abor
! one-half of the ballots cast for N
were not reported, and still the nun
Der of ballots counted for me mad
e me an alternate, which, according
: a rule of the caucus required that m
d name be printed on the tickets to
n used in the open convention. Havln
failed therefore by the counting OF
process to keep me off the ticket,
g was discovered in the conventio
# after large number of them we
n distributed to the ulsuopecting men
- bers, that my name was left off Il
8 tickets This arousing suspicion
IS the minds of some, an investigate
e was made, and the facts as abo'
o. stated sworn to and published by II
e, investigating committee. 1t was .
> natural therefore (and certainly not
ing could have been more gratifyi1
II to me) that my friends with whom
had SO long associated N the work
h reform, seeing the persecution tn
,Awas attempted towards me shou
:. rally almost to man to my suppo
4 in the State convention. l.. 2ot
remarkable position for the Govern
le to put the members of that conve
ul ton in when he states that "throu