Edgefield advertiser. [volume] (Edgefield, S.C.) 1836-current, 1894-05-30
GEN. BUTLER'S ANSWER,

reply to the Alliance questions
submitted to him through the
Chairman of the Alliance Execu-
tive Committee:
Taking up the questions of your
letter in their order, I beg to say
in response to the first:
Twill discuss any public ques-
ton the people may desire to have
discussed and as the Finances OF
the country are legitimate and
proper subjects for consideration,
I will discuss them with pleasure
and without reserve. l will refer
more fully to the last point Of your
inquiry, whether I will defend
them against the enemies of our
ivour) order, when come to dis
cuss the Alliance platform. I don't
quite understand, however, wheth-
or vou mean to ask me whether l
will defend the finances of the
country against the enemies of
your order, or the finances of the
country as proposed by the ALI
ancc. l assume you mean the lat
ter.
Replying to your second ques-
ton, beg to says that i'll my
political life, l have never allowed
any caucus, or society, or organlza-
ton, to bind my conscience, and
shall not do so in the future.
Caucuses. societies or organiza-
tons OF any kind which seek to
bind the political consciences of
any free American citizen are in
my judgment, inimlcal to that
freedom of conscience and politi-
cal action so essential to the pre-
servation of free, republican in
stitutions. / have attended many
carcuses of the Democratic party,
10 which l belong. l have never
heard the suggestion that any
mans conscience or political ac-
ton should be bound by them. l
never will, so far surrender my
individual judgment, as to be
bound by any caucus. | am loyal
to the principles of the Democratic
party, and shall maintain that
loyalty SO long as it adheres to
principles 1 think conductive to
the best interest of the people
not a day longer. I have been
under the impression that the
Farmers Alliance was not a pollti-
cal organization, but an "In-
dustrial Union" for the protection
of the farmers against .impositions
from other sources. / do not
believe in secret political organiza-
tions-we had sad experience
some years ago with them. What
ever concerns the political welfare
Of our people should be open to
the fullest freest, most public dis
cussion. In order to prevent i'm
position on the people, the light
must be turned on from all points
Of view. / recognize no master in
this country except the people
Caucus rule should not be allowed
TO usurp the rule of the people. L
will, therefore, say I will pledge
my loyalty to the demands of the
Alliance, so far as they meet the
demands Of my judgment, and l
cannot hold them above loyalty to
party caucus, because I make no
pledges to party caucuses,' and
deny the right of party caucuses'
or any other caucuses to command
pledges from me, to surrender my
conscience and judgment to its
dictation.
Coming now to the demands,
permit me to say by way OF preface
that that there seems TO q be very
grave misapprehension in the
minds Of somo people as to the
power of causcus over its mem
bcrs. ] have attended, Democratic
cancuses since have been III the
Senate, bat nobody dreamed of
binding any member of the caneqa
to vote against his judgment. For
instance, Democrats and Republic
cans differ widely among them
selves, on financial questions. a
i,f