The Marlboro democrat. [volume] (Bennettsville, S.C.) 1882-1908, 1901-06-14
THE GOVERNORS REPLY
To the Letter Wrote Him by Senator
Tillman.

Following is a copy Of the letters
sent to Sonstor Tillman by Governor
MoSweeney:
Sir: Your letter of June 1st has been
received. / have carefully noted its
contents and tho most charitable viow
which | can tako Of it is chat it was
written in the heat Of passion and with
out due consideration.
noto that you say that l have stran-
scendod" my authority and that tho
governor "oan not compel a mcmbor Of
the Unitod Statos senate to no his
commission and exercise tho functions
Of that offioo if he chooses to surrender
it, and that you ''deolino for tho pre-
sent to Withdraw" your resignation.
Had you read carefully my lottor ad.
drossod to you and to Senator MoLsu-
rim, you must have soon that did not
oxpress any desire to compel nom.
Dor Of tho United States senate to hold
his commission and exercise the funo-
tions of that Office" il he choose to sur.
render it. My sole purpose in returning
tho resignations was to ask you gentle.
mon to consider calmly and thought.
fully the consequences to the pooplo Of
what judged to be hasty act, and
l must confess that l am somewhat
surprised at the tono Of your answor to
my request.
| consider the course which I took in
this matter to bo for tho bost intoros,s
OF the pooplo Of South Carolina, and |
am responsible to thom alone for my
action. And; Furthermore, ! atill holiavo
that my course has mot tho approval
| OF msjority of the oitiz,ns of tho
State, nor do | consider thom sun.
thinking cilizens," but mon who know
and rooognizs as fully as any people
on earth tho rights and duties and re-.
sponeibllltios OF citiz snship, and do not
mood tho servioos of any ono to tell
them their duty.
You inslnuatsd that have boon "im-
portuned" to await the oonvenioncc
OF any present or would be aspirants
who ARE not just yot roady FOR various
reasons to enter the contest brought on
80 unexpectedly" and that for this rea
son my action has taken tho direction
1T has, is unworthy of man holding
tho high commission which has boen
given you BY tho people OF South Car
oilna, and deserves notioo in this CON
neotion. However, may say for your
Deneht that J. alone am responsible for
my reply and will give account for the
course | have taken to tho pooplo who
honored mo and not to any ono indi-
vidual. 'lt
| In this matter I have done what
thought best calculated to promote tho
present prosperity and contentmont Of
tho people Of my State, and shall con !
tlnuo to do so rogardlebs Of what any
one man may say or think Of n my
course. 7 didshot thiak that political
campaign this summer could do any
good. However,, had the designations
boon unconditional and unrestricted, ,
my action might have been otherwise.
With due respect for your opinion,
think have as high conception Of the
otfi,e OF senator and its powers" as
you or any othor citizen Of this State,
and you :A"at. have known that the
briof interview to which you refer
meant that [ would simply meat the re-
sponsibility and perform my duty I'm.
der the conditions.
If you still wish to resign your com .
mission and will send to this Office an.
unconditional resignation, will oxer-
Disc the authority and power vosted in
mo by the people.
Respectfully,
M. B. MoSweeney.