The watchman and southron. [volume] (Sumter, S.C.) 1881-1930, 1897-09-01
Duncan Withdraws.
Plain Talk to Evons Why He Entered
tke Race-A Statement Also From :
lMcLaurin.

1O~U8y ~ tuS uUol uoy Va ASes oSs0'e =
the ballot for the United States senator.
ship. TIE election taks place the day
sitter tomorrow. The campaign has
closed and everything is ready for the
voters to go to the polls on Tuesday
moroipg aud deposit their ballots for
the man Of the theis choice.
There is Of course no eod of political
ch.s as fhe time draws SO near
TIE campaign closed Saturday With
toe meeting IN Florence county. Since
that time there has been change 10
the situation. Ipstead Of four candi-
dates going before the people 90 Tues
.day for the Office Of United States SEN
ator, there will be bnt three. Saturday
night Mr. John T. Duncan withdrew
from the race. iesuipg the following ad-
dress announcing his withdrawal:
To the Public:
L suppose that the voters Of the State
have all understood my attitude in this
campaign since my Newberry speech
I withheld my name from the ballots,
aid as to-day closes the campaign /
Withdraw my name from the list Of can
didates
Ny primary object in fling my
pledge was to justify ny fight of last
year il Evans attempted TO pose as a
martyr.
He has tin,diy asserted, as I see
from the papers. that he was beaten by
..liee aud slaDders, . and at Lacrens he
added that had been "dared to come into
this race" !" and where now was .'ihe
Que to confroot him r. ] accepted
this challenge and left the bedside of
my wife to confront him at the next
meeting. which waa at Newberry-
There Ispoke and Erst threw down the
gauntlet. which be dared not pick up.
I asked bin to specify wherein had
misrepresented or slandered him, offer
ing as the same time to produce positive
proof with accumulated evidence to sub
stantiate every word had uttered
about hin
He dwels not upon his wrongs on
that occasion, aud made ridiculous at
tempt to divert attention by saying.
.sIf any man had any thing personal
against him he know where to fod
him. 2 That record of his besdared rot
touch upon, and as for the man be wish
ed $50 confront him" he.reaily did not
seem anxious TO see him
Judging from some recent threa. of
his to hold some one TO personal ac
count. it appears that his desire to cali
to account increases in proportion to
the increase Of distance between him
self and lis would-be victim. and de
creases as tue distance grows less. even
up to the point of meeting, when all
outraged feelings and vindictive designs
vanish.
Had circumstances been different. I
might have made the campaign. but |
vas unwilling to take from the votes Of
other candidates TO increase the chances
of this uu sorthy man.
/ beg pardon of the general public
for having this much to say of this mao
in explaining my position.
/ commend him to your tender mer-
cies. and ask you to pity him, forgive
him if you may, but retire him from
politics for the good Of your State. and
I shall again be pleased at.haviug you
a second time vindicate my fight of
last summer. By retiring such men
from politics trast that better era
may dawn. wherein we may cease to
our differences, but increase 10
unity Of purpose for peace among our
citizens and prosperity in oar land.
JOIN T. DUNCAN.
----as---s-s---G.