The Saint Paul globe. (St. Paul, Minn.) 1896-1905, 1901-06-02
Mr. IIuNAN STANDS PAT
SAYS HIS RESIGNATION AS SENA-
TOR FROM SOUTH CARO-
LIMA GOES
CALLS DOWN GOV. MsWEENEY
Says the Chief Executive of the
State Has No Option but to
accept TiIIman's Res
iEnatiOn.

COLUMBIA S. c.. June 1-Senator
Benjamin R. Tillman has declined 10
withdraw his resignation and says Gov.
AIcSWe eney transcribed his author ty
in sending the designations back to the
senator's.
Senator Tnlman has written an open
letter which has no, yet Re ached | e
governor. in which he says in part:
Your eXcellency. of course, has The
right, and it is entirely proper to return
my resignation and advise more serious
consideration. In declining to accept, 1
am sure yOu have tran cended your au-
thority. 1t viii take very little investi-
CATION and reelection to convince you Of
TINS. You cannot comr e. a member OF
the United States senate to hold MS
commission and exercise rhe funcL- CnS #
Uhat dice II he chooses to surrender It.
My action in rendering my resignation,
while hasty was not ill-advised, and 1
am firmly conv:ncei of the wisdom of
my course upon reflection.
personally, l had nothing to gain ard
everything to lose, and l 40 no. feel II e
need of further instructions or vindica-
ton because l have just Geen reelected
by the people With pracr cal unanim y.
1 offered to resign in order to bring
about the resignation of my colleague
and thus put US on a level, with equal
rights to go befo3s the people and ask
an endorsement of Our respective courses
1t is somewhat remarkable that you
SuOulu ask Une senators VINO nave re-
signed TO take time TO consider, WI en-
you yourself are repeated TO be reaIy
TO appoint two senators in two minutes
and half after re-eV-ng an immediate
resignation.
Your conception of the Office OF sena-
tor ana its powers can be best under
stood by the ease with which you think
you can fill it. 1t was not my fault
that an immediate resignation was not
sent you. You declare that the people
are entitled to one year OF peace and
freedom from political battles and bit
terneSs. l am ready to acknowledge that
this is very desirable. but our race has
ever thought war preferable to dishon T.
and unless l am very much deceived,
q large majority of the people of South
Carolina would be glad of an opportun ~
TO have those principles and polici s
which they support Loyalty + preSent6 d
in the congress of the United States.
Il am aware that there is strong oppo-
EitiOn in certain quarters to a camI "a n
in this off year to iii two vacanc es n
the senate Many unth:nking citizens
do not know it's importance. Many W, o
would be aspir2nts are NOT just ready, fer
various reasons. to enter the ntest
brought 'On so unexpectedly. 1t Is not
convenient or suitable and, therefore,
they have no doubt impOrtuned your eX-
cellencv to await their convenience.
claiming that it is for the public wei
fare.
marked that the session of congress be-
ginning next December marks an era in
the history of our republic, and the pa
triots who viii then and there inaugu-
rate struggle for the old landmarks
and the preservation Of our free institu-
tions will need every voice and vote that
can be had The fact that the Republi-
cans have a good majority in the senate
does not alter the case in the least. The
recent decision of the supreme court pro-
mitigating the damnable doctrine that
this republic. whose bedrock principle is
the consent of the governed can &C
quire by conquest or purchase territories
and peoples. to be controlled and taxed
without representation, through con-
gressional absolutism, must be met and
exposed. and plans must be laid for a
battle to the death by the lovers of de-
mocracy and liberty against this heresy
81 claim to represent the people, and
q voice their wishes. The result of the
Gaffney meeting had brought Senator
McLaurin within reach of his const.t''-
ents and it was to obtain this answer
ct once that prompted my conduct at
Gaffney.
Your excelfsncy's action gives him a
Ioophole, and the censure or blame must
rest where ii beIonoS
There is nothing personal in ~. a.
titude towards Senator McIaurin NotN-
ing but sense of duty forces me to the