The times. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1890-1903, 1894-04-03
TILLMAN's SUNDAY.
He Played the Despot All Day-riis Speech
at the Pcnitentiary.

He Played the Despot All Day-Uis speech
at the Penitentary
COLUMBIA. s. c., April 2-Tillman
played the despot in Columbia, s c..
all day Sunday. His troops occupied the
telegraph Offices, and no dispatches were
allowed to 20 out without the approval
Of his representatives. Not untll urged
late in the evening by Senator irby from
Washington to allow press dispatches To
be sent did he pretend TO remove the en-
bargo on newspapers Even then IL was
seen from tn character Of the dispatches
received that censorship was being
exercised.
Governor Tillman started the days ex-
citment by making a speech In the open
air I'm the grounds Of the Executive Man
| sion. standing in front of the mansion
| with his large wool hat I'm his hand
The speech was addressed TO the mem
bers Of the Governors Guard Of this city
One Of the first companies in the state
TO throw down its arms and refuse to
| obey the orders Of the Governor to 90 10
Darlington was this company He sent
| for them 10 come TO him this morning.
The twenty-three members, having dis
| handed by mutual consent. came without
arms. their rifles having been taken from
Them. The grounds about the mansion
were guarded by the members Of the
Edeefcld Huesars, the Governors home
company.
Never before had any one in Columbia
seen the Governor at such white heat.
The words that fell from his lips were
of such character as 10 blanch the face
of every man who stood in the ranks.
He said things that couldn't have been
harsher or more calculated to make the
blood Of any man boil over. Captain
Raternan. at the end could scarcely trust
himself to speak, and when he did he
hesitated and his voice was like whis-
per.
Before the Governor had finished one
young man stood back. unbuckled ms
belt and dashed his accoutremenis al me
f<et OF the Governor, walking away win
folded arms. Quickly another followed
then four others. and I'm quick succession
all left but eight men and the officers.
The crowd Of citizens who were watching
the proceedings from a distance sent up
cheers.
Governor TiIiman's Speech
Sunday afternoon thirteen companies
| went TO Darlington on the Governor >
orders. The companies had been masseu
al the State penitentary. and all came
| from the country towns in the northern
part of the State. a large crowd OF ciu-
zens was present when the troops went
off. but there was no disorder. The sol
| diers were hissed and hoOted at, but that
was all. They left on an Atlantic coast
Line train. This road has been seized
| by the State and no trains can 80 out
| except on the Governors orders.
Before the soldiers left the penitentiary
| Governor Tillman appeared He mounted
a gallery on one Of the prison buildings
| and addressed the men. He said;
"As chief Executive of South Carolina
| / wish TO say a few words 10 you before
your departure. / thank you for the
! promptness and zeal displayed by you
| i'm responding to the call of duty. Many
of YOU have doubts as to the justice OF
the cause for which you go.
you are Reform Democrats and Ants,
but all South Carolnians. thank God.
The cause of your going is the defence
| of the dispensary law IL is law so long
| as IL stands on the statute books, until
! repealed or declared unconstitutional py
| the Supreme Court. The newspapers nave
sown the seeds of discord by teaching
you that there are portions Of the law
which invade private rights. They kno"
when they say that, they lie.
"The right TO search private houses on
warrant is as old as law itself. They
know that they are not telling the truth
| when they try TO make you believe that
these men at Darlington were defending
their liberties. ] said In my message 10
the Legislature that there would be no
use of "a large force Of constables If the
police Of the cities would enforce the
law. but they won't do it.
THE Dispensary law is not the issue
now. but so long as ii is on the statute
books. so help me God, / intend to enforce
70. Ii Is not a question OF politics 10 be
fught out by ball and powder, but by the
ballot. SO much for the opinion that you
are going to uphold tyranny
when the news came Of the trouble
al Darlington, God knows | was never
more shocked. When the officers of the
law were shot down i was horrihed The
sheriff teegraphed me that he was power
less.
My first impulse was TO appeal to the
military Of Columbia. What did they
DO? They surrendered ingloriously the
honor of being in the service OF the
State. but thank God, there are men left
who will obey orders and not be swayed
from the path Of duty by biased politi-
cal opinion.
1.-TWO companies at Florence and Sumter
did likewise when the action Of Colum
bia was known 10 them. We then be-
held the spectacle OF the Adjutant-Gen
eral of the state running all over II [,
try and get men TO 30 their duty. | theT
ordered out the Fourth brigade. tha
crack Charleston company. and all the,
did was TO dicker with me as TO wha
was their duty. These towards in Charles
ton did just like those i'm Columbia.
Being without a company at my com
mand. I east about 10 see what / coult
do to UNFOLD the dignity of law Thanh
God | found the men in you. You ar,
going on a delicate and dangerous mis-
sion. You must remember that the Darl
ington people are yOur fellow citizens
but they are in insurrectoD, and IL Il
necessary for you TO go there 10 uphol,
the law. l see they have gone 10 worl
and destroyed a State dispensary. Nobod.
did this the but the ex-whisky men an,
their hirelings.
"You so as an arm OF the law. but yoi
must treat the Darlington people will
consideration. but If you are ordered Il
shoot. you must do H. or anarchy viii
prevail I'm the State | hope 10 restor
YOU TO your homes as early as possible
but the law must be upheld or the Stat
l ..o,,oxor,opt will ha he Laughing stool