The Pickens sentinel. [volume] (Pickens, S.C.) 1871-1903, 1894-04-12
GOV. TILLMAN TALKS.
HE MAKES A SPEECH 1OTHE TROOPS
AT COLUMBIA.


Aggravate Mstters-Pollee to be Used to
Enforce tho DIspc n,ary Law.
COLUMBIA, S. g., April 4.-This
morning about 1890 all the troops sta.
toned at the penitentiary numbering
about 400 wore marched to the front of
The State House BY the Governors Oh
ders. He intended to diemlss them from
the city but before leaving he wanted TO
make them an address. After thoy had
reen properly lined ou! the Governor
accompanied by Coils. Nixon and Watts
appeared at the middle door and advanced
to the first step. Citiz:ns generally
were crowded on the steps but Tlllman
ordered them TO stand back and give
him plenty Of room. When the crowd
made an opening for him the Governor
advanced and spoke as follows:
Citizen Soldiers, Volunteers aud Eel
low Citizens:
South Carolina today is attracting the
attention Of all the United States. The
situation here Ia 30 grave aud anomalous
that 1t is proper that clear and official
statement 60 forth -au analysis Of the
causes that brought it about. AS Cover
nor of the entire people (and have never
sought TO be anything else) it is b .st
that the statement come from me. All
are familiar with the cccurrauces Of the
past few days.
There has been q conflict between
cltizens and officers of the law. The
cause Of 1t all was those who resist the
enforcement of the dspensary because
they sGy it is tYranlcal, invades private
rights, ls unconstitutional and should not
be enforced. This is question that
should not be settled by armssbut by the
ballot. Let US look for moment at
the conse queuces, if the claim set forth
that private residences can't be searched
for contraband liquor. Why it amounts
TO repeal Of the dispensarY law in an
unconstitutional way. If a man Gun
keep whlskey in his house and make 81
saloon of it or if he keeps and carries it
In his pocket or other ise 10 saloons
then it is useless to have dispensary
law.
This law has been enacted cr &c pro
pie. IL is on the statute books and
have sworn to support The laT Of the
State. Until this law is repealed, 30 help
me Grd, [ exercise every power given me
to see that it is obeyed, Cloud cheers.)
I an not here to discuss the why's or
where fores, t q advantages or dlsadvant.
ageo OF the diapensary. IT will be ao ID.
cue in the mex. can paign and then you
can decide whether you Want it cunliEutd
or not.
When THE collision at Darlington oc.
cured the ne 1s was flashed all over ,hs
country that 100 mem were out in pur-
suit Of The con stables. How do tho tac,s
bear out the statements? The consta
bles had done their duty and had gone to
the depot They had been sent
there and tho chief constable
and others had been sent be-
cause the mayor had allowed them to
be insulted and cursed to their faces. A
mob had broken into the nmory and stol
en- the guus and we had the spect ,cie Of
citizens tf tho State seizjng State pro-
pertY to shoot down State Ulcers. /
was informed that the guns had been re.
turned but not having con nldence in Capt.
Thompson I ordered the Sumter com.
pany to 60 there. They went and every
thing being reported quiet 1 ordered
them back home.
Two boys, mele striplings, got into q
fight and soon SO men armed to the teeth
went to the depot. They picked quar-.
rel with the constables aud men On both
side were killed. The fault cannot be
clearly placed and probably never will
be known, but il ever it is it will be
found that the Constables SIMPLY did
their duty.
The mayor says the arms were stolen
IN iun but this shot Of fun occurred else
whcro and some of the companies we're
actually in mutiny. But thank God, there
were some brave men who responded
and you soldiers and boys are here today
as an evidence that no algorchy will
ever rule this State again. (Cheers.)
The mayor tries to lay the blame on
me by saying that 1 exercised power
that no Governor had ever attempted.
But when these troops-these band
box soldters--were ordered out they re-
fused to obey being influenced by poliLi.
cal raucor and men even went 80 Tar as
to fer assistance. 1t can't be dlspro~ed
that the Darlington hunting contabes
are not lJnchers at heart. The mayor
said he had right to ARE 81 them but he
had no right TO go with armed mon hunt
ing them unless accompanied by the
sheriff or eome lawful constable. The
thing has its ridiculous side too and it
looks like big April fool Joke. Here
a'e men admitting themselves to be
lynchers pranciug around The county
hunting for few cUnstables and there
hasn't been shot fred siuce the row
at the depot. They didn't want to fiod
them. Why didn't they lynch the man
they had in their power who was admit.
Ted to be IN the row. They slaDdered
themselves by proclaiming they would
lynch men whom they didn't want to
when theY had one in their power.
In 1876 l witnessed scene on this
very spot when this whole eXpIanade
clear to the monument was crowded
with mon indignant that the S ate House
bad been seizAd by troops. | was there.
We were all OF one mod then. We
were all brothers, friends, Caroluas aud
patri)ts. Today ~c are two hostile
m. l,.o - ,,