The Manning times. [volume] (Manning, Clarendon County, S.C.) 1884-current, 1896-03-25
SENATOR TiLLMAN'S POSITION.
The Possible Refusal Of this National Con-
vention to Declare for Free Silver.

SENATOR IiLLMAN'S Posi- | ION.
The Possible Refusal Of this National Con-
rention to Declare for Free Silver.
The following correspondence be-
tween Rev. r H. Rid and Senator
B. R. Tillman has recently appeared
in the Cotton Plant:
REIDvILLE. S. c.. Feb. ), 1896.
The Hon. g. r. IIlman. Washing,
ton, d. c.:
DEAR SIR: After my kindest re-
CARDS to you personally, | write to-
day to say that l have read with great
pleasure your speech in the Senate
Chamber on the goth utimo. 1t
has the ring Of your speeches in 1890
on State politics, which first drew my
attention to you and led me to admire
your good sense, courage and ability,
and made me s.eadfast friend and
supporter. | was born and reared
near John G.. Calhoun and have al.
ways voted the Democratic ticket.
While am Democrat of the type Of
Jefferson, Calhoun and Jackson, | am
thoroughly disguised with such De
mocracy as we have exempli6ed in
Cleveland, Carlisle and their support
ers. It IS only name-a shell; all
the principles of true Democracy are
extracted from it.
presume that in the month of May
our Democratic clubs will be called
together to send delegates to the Ma.
tional Democratic Convention which
meets next July in Chicago to nomin-
ate candidates for President and Vice
President. My religion and my pat
riotism have produced such co1vic-
tons of right, truth and duty that my
conscience forbids me to take any part
whatever in sending delegates TO an
other National democratic Conven-
ton since the control of the party has
fallen Into the hands Of the Shylocks
of Wall street.
As you have doubtless seen in the
papers, the Populists and the free sill
yer men will both hold National Con-
ventions lin St. Louis on the 22nd of
July, and, after having adopted their
platforms, will, by conference commit
tees, agree to nominate the same can
Gidates for President and Vice Presi-
dent am convinced that our only
hope to emancipate the toiling masses
from the grasp of organized monopoly
and to drive the money changers out
of the temple of our liberties is to en-
list under this banner, and 1 have de-
termined to do so. l agree with you
that our present financial system is a
patent contrivanee with thieves at
at one end and dishonest officials at
the other to rob the American peo-
ple,"
The following l think would be
a good plan to carry our State into
the national reform ranks. You are
aware that the reform movement in
South Carolina in 1890 under your
leadership captured the State Demo
cracy. Can we not capture it again
this year for the genuine national re-
form party on the issue of the free
coinage Of silver, aud send our dele
gates to the free silver conyention at
St. LOUIS? Will not this fusion ticket
command the support of all true re-
form elements in the United States,
and give us glorious victory over
covetousness and corporate greed,
which are The chief causes of all our
troubIes2 On the silver issue the De-
mocracy OF our State will be nearly
unit.
VIII not such a course send you
into the silver convention with an un-
divided State at your back, and in.
crease your chances for nomination
for President2 This is what your
friends in South Carolina would like
to see. believe that the candidate
who receives the joint nomination of
Populists aud free silver men at St.
Louis will be cur next President.
May God so order it, is may humble
prayer.
1t seems to me that you can carry
the State without any serious division
among the Democrats. Such course
will heal our divisions, and prevent
the organization of another political
party and give lis again true Demo
cracy, it may be under another name,
but whats in a name?'
l hope you will give me your views
on the plan have suggested. Your
reply will not be made public without
your permission. Stamp enclosed.
With best wishes for your success, |
remain yours respectfully,
R. H. REID.