The Abbeville press and banner. [volume] (Abbeville, S.C.) 1869-1924, 1896-02-05
TILLMANS PlTCHF0RK.
HE usESlT UNSPARlNGLY ON CLEVE-
LAND AND CARLISLE.

LAND AND CARLISLE.
Terrific Arraignment of the Oppressors o
the People--The Crowds In the GalIerie
Could Not be Restrained. but Applaudet
Him Again and Again.
WASHINGTON, Jan. 29.-The presen
tation of committee reports on Cuos
and a highly dramatic and sensauona
speech from Mr.. Tillman, the new
Senator from South Carolina, fur
nished two stirring events in the Sen
ate TODAY. The majority resolution
on Cuba. presented by Chairman Nor
gan. asks the President to urge Spair
to grant belEgerent rights to the in
surgents, while the minority report
offered by Mr.. Cameron, directs thu
President to lake steps towards secur
ing from Spain the complete indie
pendence of Cuba. Both resolution:
went to the Senate calendar.
Such torrent of invective has sci
dom been heard in the Senate as thai
in the speech of Mr.. Tillman. Veter
an members of the body characterized
the speech as one of the most remark
able in the history of the upper branch
of Congress. 1t abounded In state
ments of a sensational character, ar
raigning President Cleveland, Secre
tary Carlisle and other men IN high
places. There was directness OF state
ment and a dramatic manner of dellv'
ery which awed floor and galleries
The gestures of the Senator were used
frequently in acting his words. Al
one point he made a profound salute
and clipped his hat to Sherman as the
financial victor of a quarter OF cen
tury. The galleries were moved alter
nately to applause and laughter.
Pausing for sip of water amid roars
of laughter, he remarked, II seldom
wet my whistle while I speak; still.
YOU can't run a windmill on water"
The next moment there was a hush
through the chamber as the Senator
applied such names as Judas" to q
member of the Cabinet, or character
lied the President in superlative bit
terness. At times the Senator's voice
sank to q whisper, as for instance
when he gave warning of the approach
of popular revolution and commu
nism and the marching on Washing
ton of host with rifles in their hands
Again his voice resounded through the
chamber and the outer corridors as ne
called Senators and members COW
ards" for not resorting to lmpeach
ment.
MIR. Tillman took the floor at
o'clock. The galleries filled quickly
and the Senator was accorded close
attention. He moved down from his
rear seat to one in the front row i'm
mediately in front of the presiding Of
ficer. Although provided with manu-,
script he began extemporaneously.
During Mr.. Tillman's bitter criticisms
of the President, he laid aside his
notes and put Senators and galleries
in roars of laughter by telling how,
as Governor of South Carolina. he had
come here to inaugurate the President
and had stood four hours out in the
snow and sleet until he was nearly
frozen to death to do honor to this
President. "Aud," concluded the Sen
ator, Il ask God to forgive me for
doing it."
At one point, after bitterly arraign-
ing the President, the Senator address
ed himself to the Republicans and ex-
claimed: why have you not i'm
peached hims You have the majority
to do it."
Mr.. Hawley interrupted with the
query: "Why didn't the last Congress
do this2"
"He is not impeached," continued
the Senator, because he carries out
your Republican policy. The last
Congress was no better than this"
Senator Tillman, in his introducto-
ry remarks, referred to the so-called
Senatorial dignity which does not per
NIT applause from the focr or gale
ries. He was a farmer pure and SIM
pie, he said, accustomed to speaking
in the open air upon the hustings,
where men were free to applaud if
they felt so disposed. In the Senate it
was considered undigni6ed tn applaud
the galleries being reprimanded and
the Senators confronting the orator
with "a Senatorial stare which turned
him into stone" Senators got up like
school boys and read essays in mon
otonous tone to empty chairs. Where
was the purpose of the founders of the
country when they made the Senate
the greatest deliberative body in the
word9 1t was never intended that the
speeches of a Senator should be buried
in the archives, which was now the
case.
"How much of this, Mr.. President" "
exclaimed Mr.. Tillman, lis due to self
complacency, to the feeling among
you'll hardly feel prepared yet to say
among us-that you are the Senate?
How much of this so-called Senatorial
dignity, of which we hear so much
is worthy of preservation? 1t hangs
over this chamber like a wet blanket
it smothers down independent action !;
it obliterates the man and we are here
the puppets, the cogs in the wheel of
party, to do the bidding of the manip-
ulators of the party machines"
These words, uttered with much en-
ergy, provoked the first manifestation
of applause in the galleries, which the
Senator hardly seemed to notice. He
returned to the assertion that he was
the only farmer, pure and simple, in
the Senate, although out of seventy
million people, thirty-fve million were
engaged in agricultural pursuits. As
farmer he had broken the barrier
and forced his puav into the Sonata md