The people's journal. (Pickens, S.C.) 1891-1903, 1896-07-30

SlEnS OF BratliiCntiOn, read Senator
Tfllman's reply'to Duncan IA follows 4:
TRENTON, s. G., Juty 70, 1896.
10 Hon. .Ino. Il. Duncan, Cululnbi
S. &.
My Dear Sir: Your letter OF July
9th, addressed to mo at Chicago, reach
ed me in the midst Of the hurly burly
attending the national convention, and
OF course there was neither time nor
inclination to answer it.
| reached home on tho lIth, but had
not recovered from tho fatigue and en-
citemcnt before the shocking tragedy
occurred which snatchcd from mo my
first born. | mention these things by
way OF explanation Of the delay In re-
plying to your letter
FRANKLY, must say that | am sorry
you wrote any letter, for rs am drag
ged reluctantly into this matter, must
speak with my usual bluntness. have
always regarded you as my personal
and political friend and us u good and
tfuc Rctormcr and for personal rcu.
sons would be glad to help you in any
way. You have IL perfect right to us-
pllre to any office in the gift of the pco-
pic and to use all honest and honorable
efforts to secure votes. | must sav,
however, that you had no right to mako
use OF tho private conversation which
you had with me in " manner calculat-
cd to deceive the public. There was
nothing in the nature OF u consultation
about it. You did not breathe a word,
or intimate even your purpose OF be-
coming candidate, and the teno!. Of
our entire talk was, RS you know, one
OF malignant criticism on your part Of
Governor Evans, while ! defended him
or asked for proof OF your accusations.
did tell you that expected to take
no part in the election Of Senator be-
cause believed the people Of South
Carolina, to be competent to Judge for
themselves, and that have no right
Ia any wise to attempt to direct or die
tate their decision. You did me Il
wrong, when. Us you are reported to
nave sad IN one OF your recent speeches,
you claimed | could "makc whom
pleased senator" 1t is an accusation
OF "bossism which the people must
resent and which you yourself must
feel TO be untrue. If you were not in
the heat Of battle in which self-luve
and vanity are calculated to blind you,
you would sec what is apparent to every
unbiased and calm mind, that you are
unjust to Governor Evans, and have
jumped TO rOnclu6iOns that arc unwar-
rantGd.
How can Governor Evans. working
for or accepting IL fee from Rhind for
legal services rendered before unu
alter the contract with the synuicatr
WAS signed, ho distorted into "dishon-
cety - l,hind received II commission
| for his services To the syndicate Gov
| ornor Evans is to receive II fec for his,
services to lthind. | did not know the
| nature o1 the agreement between the m
because IL did not concern me. But
| l.. NJ Int
attorney, for ! could not help hut know
it, when he acted rs counsel in bntl
the friendly suits brought before the
supreme Court, in connection with til,
bond issue. His connection with tn,
case Is Il matter OF record. What
stntcdHt WaltcrbOrO w;S true then ant
Is true still. Governor Evans had
nothing TO do with the making Of the
contract or the signing Of it, That
was the work OF DR.. Bates and myself.
Rhind organized the syndicate with
the assistance OF Lancaster and Will
liams, and they agreed to pay him a
certain commission. DR.. Bates and l.,
responsible Instruments in the transac-
tlon, were in constant dread that the
deal would fall through and the State
debt not be refunded. us one obstacle
alter another presented itself The
Judges Of thc Supreme Court lent every
assistance in their power by speedily
determining the questions Of law pres
cnt@d to them. Every department Of
the state government was willing and
anxious TO lend aid towards rcfundiny
the debt.
Governor Evans had nothing to do
with the transaction except in Eis ca
paclty rs attorney to the broker, whose
commission was at stake if the deal
failed.
If you were not blinded by prejudice
and passion you would be bound to
acknowledge what every lawyer in the
State would assert and sustain-thut
his being u State Senator could in no
wise make it dishonorablc or dishonest
to practice his profession under the
circumstances presented in this case
II you will remember, my last words
to you that night when VIC had that
conversation at Mr.. l'unch's, were
lake care that envy is not at the bot
tom OF this, and that tho people in the
State house do not accomplish the over
throw OF tho Reform movement, If you
keep on lighting one another in this
way" and now | repeat the warning.
If | saw anything in Governor Evans
| conduct to condemn, | would not hcsi-
tate, but believing, rs | do, that he has
DSSh Sui'VJ VI nv olICldl IliSCOnuuCJ,
cannot lend any help to drag him down
or allow anyone else to use me as the
instrument Of his und0ing.
Yours truly, b. IL. TILLMAN.
+. S.-Govcrnor Evans has written
me asking an explanation OF your
charges, etc, in connection with oul
conversation, and | have sent him q
| copy OF this letter as an act OF Justice
to him and to you. b. Il. r..
On Governor Evans concluding the
letter Duncan said "Governor, will
you permit Il question :"
Evans: Not one, sir. want nj
moro to dO with that man. [ told the
people in Charleston ! was going t,
buy Jackass with some Of my fee. III
| give it Duncan TO advertise himsol
with through the State" u.aughtcr.
AS for Judge Earle, he was doin.
more good on the bench sending pcopl,
to the chaingang than ho would i,
Washington.
Voicc-What viii you do there
Evans "Tcach sense to people like
you"
Judge Eatle, he thought, had better
answer the Kollock questions. He had