Savannah courier. (Savannah, Tenn.) 1885-1979, 1900-08-10

They are row singing, willie, we
have missed you" over in Perry.
In his printed speech Mr.. Sims says:
"Mr, Sims showed from the Congress
sional Record of March Gath, 1899, that
there was vote on bill for the free
coinage OF silver after two days debate
on special rule, on motion to table
the bill and amendments, when the vote
was las to l4S, being an exact tie, and
that Mr. Enloe was absent and not
paired; that it took the vote of Speaker
Crisp to make said vote tie, and that
had Mr.. Enloe been present the motion
to table would have failed and the bill
would have passed"
Fellow-citizens missed the first roll
call on that bill because | was engaged
in other very important work at the
time. The pension investigating COM
mittee was in session when the roll call
began. A witness was on the stand tes-
tifying, and knowing that there are al
ways two roll calls before the vote is an
nounced, the committee waited to con-
clude the examination of the witness be-
fore taking recess to vote on the sill.
yer bill. We all thought we were ad-
journing in time to get In the hall before
the second call of the roll, but only a
part of the committee got in in time to
vote. was one of those who missed the
vote, because | was detained, for few
moments, being the prosecutor before the
committee, to see about ether witnesses
to be examined that day.
The roll is called in alphabetical order.
My name commencing with the fifth let.
ter OF the alphabet, was called early in
the call, and when entered the hall the
clerk had passed 1t, and though they were
still calling the roll, l could not vote
| announced my presence and asked to
have my vote recorded 10 order that the
record might show the facts, and where
| stood on the question. A man with an
affidavit face ON him makes dangerous
witness before jury, but will not ash
you to pass on question of veracity be
tween me and Mr. Sims.
In his printed speech carefully pre-
pared in advance, he coldly, deliberately
and positively says "Had Mr.. Eulot
been present the motion to table would
have failed, and the bill would hav,
passed"
There is the direct charge that | pre-
vented the passage of the bill. Tit
record shows that the motion to table die
fail. The record shows that the bill wal
voted on nine other times that day. ant
that voted for it nine times, and that i
did not pass.
In 1892, 1894 and 1896 was tried OF
this charge before the Democracy of thi
district and they nominated me each tim,
in the face of these facts. / will read you
letter from Speaker Crisp that was pub
lished in 1892, and read by me from tn
stump in the presence of my competitor
Col Cole, and the assembled Democrat
all over this district, but the gentlemen
who bring this charge rely on the forget
fulness of the public and the fact tina
many have become voters or moved int
the district since this occurred. acqui
Col. Cole of participation In this. / In
troduce disinterested witness to testif,
against these interested prosecutors VIII
back up each other, and while one swear
the other prosecutcs.
Speaker Crisp had no motive to de
ceive or to misrepresent, but he loved
truth and justice, and lie was an homo
to his country. In connection wit
Speaker Crisp's letter | sent the follow
ing communication:
House of Representatives
Washington, d. c., May 6, 1899.
To my Democratic friends:
My duties have been unusually arduou
during this session of Congress on &C
count Of the pension office investigation
and my work has been confined in grea
measure to the investigation. The test
mony which have adduced before tn
committee will make more than a thous
and printed pages. have worked III
ceasisgly in the examination of witnesses
searching records and hunting up the ey
idence, and it is not yet finished.
thought as my Democratic colleagues di
that could not engage in more impol
tant work than in the investigation Q
a bureau which disburses between OH
hundred and thirty.five and one hundre
and fifty millions Of dollars annually
This with all my other duties has pr,
vented me from writing to my consti
uents much except in response to bu
mess letters. My attention has bee
called to various publications in one forl
or another which are intended to defe,
my denomination, and several.slch publ
cations have been sent to me by FRIEND
In the district. ] cannot stop fghtir
the enemy in front, to meet every {
tack in the rear, and / appeal to N
J. friends in the district who have stood /
me in the past to stand firm until i r
turn and can be heard If ! have vi
lated any pledges made to the people !.
brought any thing but honor