The Manning times. [volume] (Manning, Clarendon County, S.C.) 1884-current, 1894-03-14
DESIRES No THIRD TERN.
5. P. 1lLlMAN is NOT A Gu5ERNATO-
RIAL CANDIDATE:

5. P. 1lLLMAN is NOT A GU5ERNATo
RIAL CANDIDATE:
Mr.. 7. +. TlrGsl Explains HIS Position IL
the Race-Lcttsrs OF Regret from ". D
Evans and W. II. Enerbee-Dr. Thinner
man Desired 20 bo Present.
AEBEvILLE, S. c., March 5.-The fol
lowing letters were received by tn
committee in charge of the meeting
here today:
Columbia, S. c., Feb. "a, 1884,,
Messrs. John II. Blake, r. R. Hemphill
J. II. Morrah, Isaac II. McCalla,J Johr
E. Bradley.
Gentlemen: Your letter of the 22nG
Instant inviting me as one of those
who will probably be candidate fol
Governor, thus to address mass meet
lug at Abbevllle G. H. on salesday il
March, reached me yesterday. In reply
permit me to say am not candidate
for the office of Governor, not desiring
q third term. Therefore ! do not come
within the category of those you Wish
to hear speak. Such being the case,
respectfully decline the invitation and
will not be with yon. Thanking you
for the compliment, am, Very truly,
{ B. r. Gilman.
Messrs. John r. Blake, r. r. Hemp
hill, John II. Morrah, Isaac II. Mccall.
Ia and John E. Bradley, committee, Alb
beville, S c.
Gentlemen: have the honor to &C.
knowledge the receipt of your invita-
ton to address the people of Abbeville
as candidate for Governor. l desire
to express my thanks for the compli,
ment, but have never declared that I
would or would not be candidate.
had not supposed that the ReloIEe,s
would again place candidates before
the people by convention, but that
the people OF their own motion would
erayitate to some man or men In suf-
fcient numbers to warrant him or
them in entering upon canvass OF the
State. with reasonable hope of success.
At present our people are puzzled and
in a somewhat chaotic condition. I'm
less we proceed wisely, discord aad
dangers are before US. My judgment
opposes eny nominating convention
either carly or late. am no schismat.
ic and will cheerfully abide by tho de-
cisloD of the majority; but deem it my
duty to earnestly advise against it.
I was one of the first promoters of
the Farmers Movement. the aim Of
which was an Agricultural College.
We expanded that in to the Reform
party. and appealed to the people of all
classes against political combination
called ring. which had opposed and
for time defeated the college and had
practically deprived majority of the
people of their proper influence upon
public affairs. Our object was to go.
cure to every Democratic voter IN the
State the privilege of casting his ballot
direct to every officer from Governor
down.
The farmers being scattered and re-
moved from centres OF political lnfor-
nation were practically disfranchised,
because before they could become aware
of what was going on, n,slateS were maze,
convention packed and nominees de-
clared.
This was due to the Convention plan
Of nominations, in presence of negro
majority, which prevented revolt. The
men who composed the so-called ring
were of no worse type of human na-
ture than politicians generally. No
one believes they were. But ring Is
inherent in the convention system un-
der our political conditions. II we
therefore return to it, another ring
must inevitably evolve sooner or later
in our ranks. And who will compose
it? Evidently the most extreme and
violent. The scarecroW of the old ring
was Radical Rule" The scarecrow
Of the future ring will be "Anti Rule. !"
The people will throw up their hats in
honor of victory, as they suppose OF
their party, while in fact they are re-
enslaving themselves. For what do
they when they commit their rights,
power, liberty and means OF self de-
fense to few, who are autocratlc ab-
solute and responsible to nobody!
There is no way to punish them III case
they bartered the Offices among them
selves. There is but one way for the
people to maintain their influence up
on public affairs aud that is to use IN.
telligently their votes.
lam aware that true and unselish
Reformers are advocating the ConYen-
ton, although it is going back upon
our PRINCIPLES. Why? 1st. Because
we have not established square prl-
mary, but a primary for electors. End.
Because as several candidates for Gov
ernor may be il the race, is feared
that this will give the Conservatives
some supposed advantage. This fear
in the face of our large maj ority must
arise from distrust of the ReformerS
themselves, which is groundless. This
mistrust has grown out OF untortu-
nate personal recrimiuations between
some of our influential Reformers. All
danger can, and must be aVerted, by
thorough organization of the Reform
forces to secure their full strength IN
the Democratic election.
Our real danger is from the passions
and prejudices which exist. A violent
minority in the State makes a violent
majority. There are Reformers al
ready, who if they could, would rot al
low Conservatives to vote at the De-
mocratic primary. And there are Con-
servatives who would disfranchise the
whole Reform party. Itrequires NOR
al courage for the Reformer5 to be just
to the Conservatives and vice versa.
Passion is supplanting reason. Mud
singing and pulling down one man
to build up another is low politics, but
it thrives where passion rules and
when selGshness supplants patriotism.
This is evil and hurtful to both fac
tions and dangerous for the State. It
is leading in a short line to a split III
the Democratic party.