The news and herald. (Winnsboro, S.C.) 1877-1900, 1895-12-12
"xNCLu G;sG::uts' FAREWELL
The Aged Statesman Makes the Last
Speech Of the Session.


Below is given the farewell speech
Of "Cnc!e" George Gilman, delivered
to the Constitutional convention, when
no was 50 enthusiastically called for ct
the close of tie ccnvcntion's proceed
ines on the :inal night. It was the
last speech made in tie convention.
i was listened to with the closest at-
tentiou. It deals with the Federal
outlook in al interesting manner,
Here is the speech in fall:
Mr.. President and gentlemen Of the
convention: had no expectation OF
being Invited to address the convention
or-nothing in particular ard every
thing in general. But since I have
! been called on IN such a compliment
tary manner, 1 would either be more
or less than msn if I did not thank
the convention for such compliment.
M. President, we can a.! hope &
great deal from the Constitution We
have adopted. It IS Lot such al in
strument rs We would have made if We
had been free people. We are not a
free people. We have not been frce
the var. I Tear il will he some time
before sc can call ourselves free. I
have had that f&ct very painfully i'm
pressed upon he for several years. Il
We were free, instead Of having negro
suffrage, We would have negro slavery.
Instead oi having the United States
government We would have the Con
federate States government. Instead
Of paying 100000 pension tribute,
we would be receiving it. Instead cf
having many things that We have, vo
would huve other and better things.
But to the extent that wear permitted
to govern ourselves and pay pension
tribute to Our ccnqncrors, We have
framed as good On organic la~, take It
as whole, as the wisdom and patriot
ism Of he State could have desired.
Perhaps, sir, if were TO speak ap-
propriat=ly on such az OCCASION as this.
7 cvght to speak from a national point
Of view-about our FEDERAL relations
and about our future as fccecasted by
our present surroundings. But it is
too vast q subject to be taken otGhaGd.
The convention, though is tired out.
Many Of them are making preparations
to 60 home, and shall therefore not
attempt it.
I viii casually allude 70 few mat
ters in national politics which gave lie
hope Of better future for US. One is
the fact that 7 am satisfied that the
Republican party has adopted new
departure towards the negro. The
silver question has 20 great extent
superseded the negro question. It
was the silver question that saved Us
from not only mere reconstruction
hell il 1850, but that saved the govern
ment O: the United States from being
revolt ;!onized from top to bottom.
The Lodge force bill under Reeds
manipulation, passed the house CT re-
representatives. ard came within a one
vote Of passing the senate. So near
did we come to having ov7 present
form Of government overthrown, and
YET South Carolinians we're wrangll1g
over local matters here, simply
scranbling for Office without any pEin-
ciple ct stake and didn't seem to
realize now near We were to having q
? political volcano ezrloded under our
feet. Free silver saved Us. The free
silver senators said: "We are more
interested in free silver than we are in
the rights or wrongs Of the negro
and as the soutl is almost unanimous
for free silver, we would be parcel
Of fools to help the eastern States op-
press the south oq the negro question. y
Free silver then saved rs ia 1890, ald
I believe gentlemen, free silver vi
save Us in the presence OF tie over
vhelming Repub]ic'.a sentiment that
now dominates the north. Not only
dominates the north, but all the bor-
der slave States. Remember Della
ware, Maryland, West Virginia, North
Carolina, Tennessee AID Missouri al
went Republican st the last election
on account Of the Federal election laws
being repealed.
TIE free silver question will not die
soon. It IS living question. It has
as much vitality e. the negro Grlestion
ever had. OF course, Disraeli waa
tight when be said race Issue IN pol
;tics WAS the nost vital that ever
could be started. But a financial
question like free silver IS almost as
strong. It will te years perhaps BE-
fore the silver question IS finally set
tied, and Until it is the negro question
will be relegated to the rear. The Re
publicans realize that the negro ques-
tion is secondary question now, anu
hence it was they consented to the
repeal of the Federal election laws,
which gave them back the southern
border states, aud those border States
have gone to the Republican party to
stay. They have gone where they
naturally belong. Hence there is 10
more solid Democratic south. We are
to find other alliances and economic
issues are 70 take the place of the once
great issue. Besitits, the Republicans,
when they chose to exercise i, With
out passing any law, can exercise
great power over the sonth-sdnlitting
or excluding her representatives, or
senator's. They viii be put to tie
test whether they will be willing to
shut the doorsof congress to the South
Carolina representatives il the present
congress. Not feeling the necessity
for It in the house, they may not co it
excAptin so22e cases where they may
fesl it necessary to keep the negro IN
heart, to retain the balance Of power
in the northern States, which are con-
trolled by the negro votes because
shey have to do something occasional
IL. 1--<