The Manning times. [volume] (Manning, Clarendon County, S.C.) 1884-current, 1896-02-26
THE SOUTH CAROLINA CON.
TESTS.
Mr.. McLaurin Gives His Opinion
About the Committee and Tai
bert's Secession Speech.

Mr.. McLaurin Gives His Oplnlon
About the Committee and Tai
bert's Secession Speech.
Washington, February 20.-Spec-
ial: Interest in the South Carolina
contested election cases continues to
grow as the time for reporting them
back to the House draws near. To
day it was said by member Of the
election committee that these cases
would be reported to the House early
next week. Representative Thomas,
of Michigan, Republican, and Repre-
sentative Jones, of Virginia, Demo
crat, of the Committee, having these
cases in hand, are absent from the
city, and it is said they have gone
to South Carolina to get the official
returns from certain precincts in
Charleston, which are supposed to
bear particularly on the Murry-El-
liott case, and at the same time to
obtain some information for the COM
mittee before these cases are finally
reported.
In the meantime the members in
terested are on the anxious bench,
and the contestants and other friends
are exerting all the influence at their
command upon the Republican mem
bers of the House. There is believed
to be q majority and minority report
on these cases, and there is apt to be
a full debate upon the question OF
the constitutionality of the registra-
ton law of South Carolina.
In this connection Representative
McLaurin, who is personally inter-
ested in one of the contests, said to-
day that he does not believe the re-
cent speech of his colleague, Mr.. Tai
bert, will influence the members of
the election committee dealing with
these cases. Said he: Il believe the
report is exaggerated. Mr.. McCall's
committee is composed of sound law
yers and are honest men; they can
not he swaved by puerile considers
tions incident to Mr.. Talbert's speech.
I believe they will stand by the law
and the evidence and render their
decision accordingly. Under any
circumstances Mr.. Talbert did exactly
right to resent the attack Mr.. Pear
son, of North Carolina, made upon
our State. As for myself will never
sit in cowardly silence and hear my
State abused and her Senator de-
nounced as an Anarchist merely be-
cause contest is hanging over my
head. I never hunt a fight, but as
long as Mr.. Talbert and myself are in
the House and the honor and dignity
of South Carolina is impugned the
threat of contest elections cannot
muzzle my tongue. 1t is like a man
slapping you in the face. I don't
care how big he is there is nothing
to do but to hit him back" Mr.. Nc
Laurin is member of the committee
on ways and means, and he is one OF
the most energetic Representatives
in the present Congress. He is serv-
ing bis third term and is an efficient
member of the South Carolina del
egatiou. Continuing he said: 81 do
not approve of thrashing over the old
straw of the late war, because no
good can come out OF it. My friend,
Mr.. Tslbert, was attacked BY Pear
son and he defended himself. After
ward they had an adjustment OF their
difficulty and they are now good
friends. I think it unwlse to contiu-
ually agitate the war issues, for I am
a nationalist in politics and have no
use for little mud puddles, State
rights politics we frequently see play
ed in Congress. I am for the Union
Srct on1 then for nv State"