The Bamberg herald. [volume] (Bamberg, S.C.) 1891-1972, 1901-06-13
TILLMAN GIVEN A HARD B!FF.
Governor MeSweeney indites a Red
Hot Communication to South
Carolina Senior Senator.

A Columbia special says: Decidedly
the most sensational development in
the senatorial tangle in South Carolina
is a letter which Governor McSweeney
sent to Senator Tillman Wednesday.
In his communication the governor IN
formed Senator Tillman that if he
"still wishes to resign and will SEND
to this office an unconditional reslgna-
ton, will exercise the authority and
power vested in me by the people"
The letter reads as follows:
"Sir-Your letter Of June 1st has
been received. have carefully noted
its contents, and the most charitable
view which can take of it is that it
was written in the heat of passion and
without due consideration. note that
you say that have 'transcended my
authority and that the governor can
not compel q member Of the United
States to hold his commission and ex-
ercise the functions Of that office II he
chooses to surrender it. And that you
decline for the present to withdraw
your resignation.
Had you read carefully my letter
addressed to you and to Senator Nc
Laurin, you must have seen that did
not express any desire to compel
member of the United States senate
to hold his commission and exercise
the functions of that Office if he chose
to surrender it. My sole purpose in
returning the resignation was to ask
you gentlemen to consider calmly and
thoughtfully the consequences to the
people of what judged to be hasty
act, ana what you admit to have been
a hasty act, and I must confess that l
am somewhat surprised at the tone OF
your answer to my request. I consid-
cred the course which took in this
matter to be for the best interest of
the people Of South Carolina, and am
responsible to them alone for my &C.
ton, and, furthermore, still believe
that my course has met the approval
of majority Of the citizens OF the
state; nor do consider them unthink-
ing citizens, but men who know and
recognize as fully as any people on
earth the rights and duties and re-
sponsibilities Of citizenship and who
do not need the services Of any one to
tell them their duty.
Your insinuation that have been
importuned to await the convenience
of any present or would-be aspirants
who are not just yet ready, for va
rious reasons, to enter the contest
brought on so Unexpectedly, and that
for this reason my action has taken
the direction it has," is unworthy OF
man holding the high commission
which has been given you by the peo-
pie of South Carolina and deserves no
notice in this connection. However,
may say for your benefit that l alone
am responsible for my reply, and will
give accouI t for the course l have
taken to the people who have honored
me, and not to any one individual.
I'm this matter have done what I
thought best calculated to promote the
present prosperity and contentment or
the people Of my state, and shall con-
continue to do so, regardless Of what
any one may say or think Of my
course. did not think that a political
campaign this summer could do any
good, and acted according to my be-
lief. However, had the designations
been unconditional and unrestricted,
my action might have been otherwise.
With due respect for your opinion, l
think have as high conception Of the
Office of senator and it's powers as you
or any other citizen of this state, and
you must have known that the brief
interview to which you refer meant
that I would simply meet the response
bility and perform my duty under the
conditions. If you still wish to resign
your commission and will send to this
Office an unconditional resignation,
will exercise the authority and power
vested in my be the people.
Respectfully,
M. D. McSWEENEY, Governor"