The Anderson intelligencer. [volume] (Anderson Court House, S.C.) 1860-1914, 1895-03-06
REPUDIATED BY IRBY.
He Kicks Vigorously Against The TiIlman
Deal.

| ITO the Editor of the Ne'cs and Cou-
rier:: am receiving letters from all
over the State protesting against the
consummation Of scheme or agree
ment between Senator-elect Tillman
and Governor Evans on one side and
John Calvin Hemphill and Joe Barn
we'll, of Charleston, on the other. My
friends of the Reform Movement seem
to be anxious to know whether I am
acting in collusion with Governor
Evans against what they conceive to
be sacrifice and surrender Of princi-
pies and their rights in the election Of
delegates to the State Convention. /
wish you would favor me with the
publication of this letter. which must
necessarily be brief, to say that I was
not consulted by either side to this
agreement and, without my subsequent
acauiescence, cannot be bound in any
respect by what has been done.
In 1885, when Tillman commenced
his most remarkable career, [ was
among the first who echoed for him in
Laurens County. Laurens and two or
three others endorsed his position in
the election Of members of the Legis-
lature and we went to the Legislature
to be sneered at and almost spit upon
by the ring or clan in the State that
was controlled absolutely by the Cal.
Hemphill and Joe Barnwell class Of
politicians. When we had reached
the climax-the crisis, Tillman backed
down and wrote letter Withdrawing
from politics or having anything to do
with it. Men who were as much in
sympathy with his ideas and opinions
as he was even in an apparently igno-
minous minority, were unwilling to
follow him and forsake the people
whom we had dared to lead and they
continued the fight in the Legislature.
| he was tied hands and feet. He could
not have gone before the people Of
South Carolina.for any Office after his
letter of retirement but for the death
Of Mr.. Clemson, bequeathing that
property to the State for the benefit
Of the farmers boys. This gave him
new opportunity, and at my sugges-
| ton he came back into the political
arena. We met at Dan Tompkins's
house, on the line Of Edgefeld and
Abbeville Counties, in the Spring of
1889, and agreed upon fight that
would give the people Of the State
control and dethrone the party led by
Cal. Hemphill and Joe Barnwell.
The condition and understanding was
that Tillman was to lead and be the
nominee Of the farmers for Governor.
This is where the March Convention
scheme was agreed upon and the work
carried on by the preparation Of a
manifesto which was published in
January following that calling the
March Convention which nominated
Tillman for Governor. So far as I was
concerned results were all that [ want
ed. I did not expect any position,
and my promotion to the Speakership
and to the United States Senate was
as great a surprise to me as it was to
my many friends. Since my election
to the Senate [ have tried in every
respect to be true to the people who
elected me, both in Washington and at
home. One Of the main principles
that was advocated at the March Con-
vention and intended to be carried to
success was the calling Of Constitu-
tional Convention, and I may say here
that it was the hardest fight that we
ever had since 1890. We had Cal.
Hemphill, Joe Barnwell, the editors
of the State and Of the Greenville
Mews opposed to that call.
I say it, with proper respect and
friendship to our present Governor,
that when the crisis came, and it look.
ed as if defeat would follow the action
of the State Convention overwhelm-
ingly, he fed the State and could not
be found by telegram or letter. Sena
tor Tillman stood true to me as chair
man of the party, and did all he could
We did our best to make this call, ant
are now being abused and vilifed al
over the United States on the charges
of corruption and fraud. had al
least expected him to stand by the
people whom he had led since 1890
and not go into any Alliance or com
promise for compromise means sur
render Of principle) with such men al
Barnwell and Cal. Hemphill.
I know what it means, after th'
most faithful loyalty to Tillman since
1885 up to this time. I also know
what it means, after my throwing my
self into the breach just one year ag'
to save Evans from disgraceful defeat
to dare to oppose any scheme that the!
may agree upon. If the terms O.
agreement between this crowd hat
been fair and honorable to the peopl
and to the Reform Movement, woult
not say word, but it means tn
defeat of the object Of the Constitu
tional Convention, and the sooner tn
people of the State know it the bette
for them. [ speak as an individua
Reformer and not as State chairman
because as State chairman 1 hav
1