The Abbeville press and banner. [volume] (Abbeville, S.C.) 1869-1924, 1895-02-27
THE FAT IN THE FIRE.
SenatOr.Irby Tells us Much Of Big
and u Little U-He Wants No
Letting up of the Past War.

Letting up OF the Past War.
fare.
Washington ID. e. February %.
am receiving letters from all over the
State protesting against the conSumation OF
a scheme or agreement between Senator elect
TilIman and Governor Evans on one side and
John Calvin Hemphil and Joe Barnwell, OF
Charleston, on the other. My friends Of the
reform movement seem anxious 10 know
whether am acting in colluslOn with Cover
nor Evans against what they conceive TO be a
sacrifice and surrender of principle and right
in the election of delegates to the state con,
ventiOn. / wish you would favor me with
the publication of this letter, which must
TO say necessarily be brief. That |
was not consulted by either side To
this agreement, and without my subsequent
acquieSence can not 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.
I.aureus and TWO or three others endorsed
his position in the election of members of the
legislature, and we went to the legislature To
be sneered at and almost spit upon by To-,
ring or clan in the State that was controlled
abso utely by the Cal Hemphill and Joe
Barnwell class of politicians. When we had
reached the climax, the crisis, Tillman back
ed down and wrote letter withdrawing from
politics or having anything 10 do with II.
Men who were as much in sympathy with his
ideas and opinions as he WAS even In an ap-
parrently ignomlDiOus minority were unwil-
,
whom we had dared to lead and they cont n
ued the fight in the legislature. He was tied
hand and foot. He could not have gone be-
fore the people OF South Carolina for any of.
flee after his letter of retirement but for the
death of Mr.. Clemson bequeathing his prop
erty to the State for the benefit of the far
mers. This gave him new opportunity and
at my suggestion he came back into the po'
litical arena.
We met at Dan Tomkin'S house on the line
of Edgefield 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 Barnwel. The condition and un.
derstanding was that Tillman was TO lead
and be the nominee of the farmers for COVER
nor. This is where the March convention
| ried on by the preparation of manifesto
which was published in January following
| that calling the March convention which
| nominated Tillman for governor.
| So far as was concerned the results were
| all that wanted. | did not expect any posi-
! ton and my promotion TO the speak kershir
! and to the United States senate was as greai
| surprise to me as it was to my many friends
| Since my election TO the Senate l 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 advo
Gated at the March convention and intended
| 10 be carried to success was the calling OF Il
| constitutional conven tion ,and may say here
| that it was the hardest fight that we ever had
since 1890 We had Cal Hemphill. Joe Barn
! we'll, the editor of The State and Of The
| Greenville News opposed to that call. say
| il with proper respect and friendship TO oui
| present governor that when the crisis came
and IT looked as If defeat would follow tbt
action Of the State convention oyerwhe
mingly he fled the State and could not be
| found by telegram or letter.
Senator Tillman stood true to me, as chair.
man of the party and did all he could. We
did our best to make this call and are now be
ing abused and vlified all over !ne United
States on the charge OF corruption and fraud
had, at least, expected him TO stand by the
people whom he had led since 1890, and moi
90 into any alliance or compromise Uor COM
promise means surrender of principle) with
such men as Barnwell and Cal Hemphill. !
know what II means after the most aiihful
loyalty to Tillman since 1885 up TO this time.
also know what il means after throwing my
self into the breach just one year ago 10 save
Evans from disgracefu defeat, to dare op.
pose any scheme that they may agree upon
If terms. of agreement between this crowd
had been fair and honorable 10 the people
and TO the reform movement would not say
a word, but 1t means the defeat of the object
Of the constitutional convention, and the
sooner the people OF the state know II the
better for them. Ispeak rs an individual re.
former, and not as State chairman, because
as State chairman have already acted. al
had hoped that the primary scheme would
have saved the party from wreck. ] want
1t understood now and for all time that ] will
not and do not, agree TO any equal division
of delegates to the convention.
AS for Laurens We propose to stand upon
principle and to elect our delegates from
among men who can be trusted to take care
Of the rights OF the people, men and genuine
democrats OF the county. Any agreement by
Tillman or Evans is gratuitOuS and cHnnol
bind u.s. An equal division with lot OF
sworn conservatives and half of the Tilman-
ties who will prove treacherous when ihc cri-
sis comes means an utter failure OF This COLI
yentiOn TO take care Of the rights and proper.
" nj npDnle
premacy.
Before the election was held in November
intimated in an interview that division OF
delegates according to numerical strength OF
each faction would possibly be fair but know
ing that we controlled three-ffths (at leasD
would not have imposed the Idea Of an equal
division upon any sane man.
When / was cnntending before Cleveland af-
ter having supplied him with majority OF
$4,000, Hemphill and Barnwell refused any
proposition looking to an equitable distribu.
ton of the patronage and / got no support
from the newspapers opposed to our faction.
but on the contrary, they said that reforIners
were not democrats and were not entitled TO
any showing. Yet these men, Barnwell and
Hemphill, a prom ent cockoo for Cleveland.
Invite Tilman, the leader Of the forces op-
posed to Cleveland and who has his pitchfork
ready TO stab into the bowels Of the president,
into conference 10 settle the question as to
what the different counties should ito, ana
Tillman walked into the parlor OF the spider.
My election to the senate has not in anyway
changed my feelings to the people OF the
State. If we. the refOrmcrs. stand firm we can
win, but we had better be defeated by allow
ing Cal Hemphill and Gonzales TO 60 with the
negro than TO simply surrender In a way like
this.
Ihumbly suggest that Tilman, the agitator
now the paciticator, has been completely de-
throned, and Evans, If he is sincere, has heen
bamb mbooZed. AS for myself think any sane
man will see that | have been betrayed; but
honor and defeat are much better and prefer
able to me in the selection OF delegates TO this
convention than a diShonorable compromise.
II iswell enough for the "Forty." the leaders
of the Conservatives and the pacflcators, to
be up aud get ready for the fight, for I am sat
isfied that the true men who were In this
movement from its incipency from principle
will not submit to any such agreement. The
combination will not do. combination be-
cry reformer knows they can not sleep in the
same log long.
[ am very busy here. but after the 4th OF
March will return home and take hand In
this fight. Sink or swim, live or die political
ly. I am ready TO stand to the principles OF
the first March convention as against all COM
ers and all of its enemies.
The main principle of the convention was
constitutional convention to be controlled by
men who were its friends and not it's enemies.
The poor white men Of the State are not safe
with any such poSsum and coon combination.
Their rights under the homestead exemption
can not afford to trust men like Cal Hemp
hill, Joe Barnwell, Gonzales and a. b. Will
liams.
1t would have been far better had this con-
vention failed in November last than that the
reform movement should be defeated and the