The Atlanta constitution. [volume] (Atlanta, Ga.) 1885-19??, 1895-09-23
Two TillmanS and Irby Have Sharp
Debate About Butler.
BEN RESENTS THE COMPARISON
Saks He Will Make as Good a Senator
as His Predecessor.
BUTLER COUNTY WIPED Off THE MAP
Brothers Speak Holly of Each Other.
A Sensational Scene on The Floor of
the Constitutional Convention.

OF war. HOW dIltbiiiiNt "
tho sensational scenes enacted on the
floor of the constitutional convention to-
day are the above words. The two greatest
of the recognized reformed leaders-Tlil-
man and lrby-along with other stalwarts
of the South Carolina political world, be-
came involved in political controversy
that caused Irby to rake Tillman fore ANA
aft.
Fraternal relations were cast to the
winds ly the Tillman brothers and time
and again the president had TO call upon
the scrgc@i t-at-arms of the convention ana
order him to preserve the peace. No such
st sensational event, it is safe to say. has
ever occurred in the state of South Caro-
lima within the past decade. The slumber-
ing volcano began to give forth it's pre-
mouitorY rtmblings soon after the speech
of cx-Concf Cssman Tillman on Saturday
and during Sunday night these rumblings
became louder and more threatening in
character The atmosphere was warm
The mass Of birthstone flowed down in
tycr-increasing volume and the peaceful
bosom of the sea of harmony upon the
b, rdcrs of which the delegates nave been
standing for a whole week was made IT,
multuous In fact, harmony was engulfed
and disappeared.
Scenes we've enacted which those who
witnessed them will never forget; words
we're uttered by impassioned men That
nothing can ever wipe from the pages of
South Carolina history. The Tillman
brothers We're particularlg severe upon
one another.
one single word-"Butler'- the cause
Of the whole explosion and the flow of
dy namite charged verbal darts that We're
fired thick and fast.
The whole thing came from George ID.
Tnlmau's speech in regard to the estab-
lishmeut of Butler county and the action
of the convention in SO establishing and
nj inn Ia in the absence of Sp a
ator IiIIman The senator never
more bitter. perhaps, IN his whole career.
Things that he said of General Butler
were rough and in the excitement he did
not minCc his words in speaking of his
,tdcr brother His whole frame he
spoke seemed to CULVER with passion. Ir-
by. too. spoke with more energy and pas
sion than he has ever yet been known TO
Ben Tillman Wakes Hot.
Ben Tilman attacked the character of
General Butler ia strong Language. He
said Butler had disgraced his name. He
smoke Of his absence when his brother
spoke on Saturday (and with deliberation
he added 1T is perhaps, fortunate that
was not here, for from what | read in the
pancIs ass 10 the speech made on this floor
ana what I have heard from gentlemen
since my arrival as TO it, ! might have
been unable to discuss tho matter in cold
blood"
Now. however. ne could dismuss the
matter deliberately from the standpoint of
reason.
"Fhe-c are reasons of a two-fold char
actor why Wuuli pray God to Ue delivered
from the task. but whenever duty calls me
/ have answered TO the call II cannot
be said that 1 nave ever shirkcd my duty.
J have. therefore, risen. sir. to do justice To
Tie living and to the dead.
"Thrcc-tourth5 of the people Of the sec
ton composing the new county wanted
th, name OF Saluda. Some have said that
IL was because l was opposed 10 giving
the county the name of that man Butler.
Men, mat was true, but that was not the
greatest reason. Already the news has
been flashed far and wide that the reform
convention of South Carolina sat down
upon the reform legislature Of South Car
Cuua, which repudidted Butler ana eject
ed mc to tho senate They tell you TO leave
out NJ. G. Butler in naming the county
you cannot divorce the name from NJ. I.
Iutlcr and it Will be heralded
from one end Of the country 10 the other
that you have Iopudiated your country
Talk about names of tamlcs. my nave
you no counties named for your lliustlous
IIalne McDunc, Ilamlin and others?
say that this last representative of the
name of Butler has dissraccd IL. You
viii ask how, why and Wncn? ! VIII tell
YOU We are told that prejudice rose
against him because he could not give
office TO the horde that followed him beg
,eing for patronage like hounds after
rabbit Nou know whether that is true
or no. You have been told. too, that it
viii be a long time ere this state viii be
represented by his superior, and that there
was fear that il would he long time be-
fore this state would even have his equal
here. ] don't blow my horn. 1 only
know this, that / have met all my OPP
lit fssVIN
as man ever was fought the stump
and everywhere that / have been called
upOn to face them, and the people have
expressed their verdict in my honor /
can afford To pass by in contempt any COM
parisons.
AS to my friend on the right, by his
vote on Saturday, ! can only say that he
seems to have pleaded guilty to the charge
of iufcriority 10 this person. / here
sert today that NJ. G. Butler cannot get
100 votes in his county for any office that
he might desire. Who would dare dis
pute it,"
Irby Replies to Tillman.
Senator Irby said he would not stoop TO
engage in this debate if he had not been
attacked for voting for Butler county.
Speaking of Ben Tiliman, he said:
"With his characteristic consistency, af-
ter making one of the bitterest speeches
of his life, he ends it by saying that he
ing on this floor.
The gentleman dares TO criticise me
because I dared to exercise the right of
member TO vote as | pleased. l did not
intend il as "A special compliment to NJ. G.
Butler, bat / throw back in his teeth that
nothing NJ. c. Butler may DO win ever dis
grace the name of Butler in South Caro-
lima. 1t viii live Qacing Senator Tillman
and shaking his finger at him) when you
are dead and forgotten. Cloud applause.)
l am not the champion of Mr.. Butler. L
have fought him as earnestly as any man,
and no man i'm this state had more to do
with his defeat than l did. but General
Butler went down and you had not the
masnanimty TO let him pass and not fol-
low him into this convention. We are
not here as the adhcrents of any man.
So help me God. 1 will not vote for any
law that viii not tit both factions in this
state. Applause)
Il sincerely regret that the great leader
of the people of South Carolina should so
far forget himself at the very threshold
of this conventions session, when ii is pre-
cminently necessary that we should meet
as brother Carolinians, that he should
undertake to pop his whip over my head
] proudly acknowledge that l voted for