The Laurens advertiser. (Laurens, S.C.) 1885-1973, 1901-06-12
AN UNOFFICIAL
CORRESPONDENCE.
Senator Til1man and Governor
McSweeney Exchanging Com

mcSWeeney Exchanging Com
pliments.
Sena or TiIlmsn sent the following
reply to Governor McSweency's letter
relative 10 the r,signations. He opens
new phase of the questions involved
by sugg; stirg / It the Senate itself
might take up the matter His letter is
as follows:
TRRNToN, s c.. June 1901
His excel, ncy, Miles Is. mcSweeLey.
Columbia, $ &
Dear Sir: | am in receipt of your
telegram in which you say | under
stand Senator McLaurin's letter to be
withdrawal OF his rcsignatiop,' and |
have read That wortby's communication
in which he giuciously consents, at
your ItQu' st To hold on to his commits.
sion as United States Senator and con
tinue TO serve the State as he has done
in the past To the best OF his ability
This leaves me one Of three a ternatives:
TO appeal to the Democratic executive
committee 10 take the matter up and
determine what the best interests e the
party require to be doue; TO appeal to
the Senate itself TO determine the quCs
tion as to whether a resignation from
luhl tptS w ldhC aI bolhC lutut Y
time is binding; or withdraw my own
rcsigl..:."" There are no prcccdents
on this ulrjcCt, because in the hundred
and twenty five years Of our national
| life. with more than two hundred rcsig.
nations from the Senate, no Senator has
hitherto been willing to occupy the
dcspiCablc attitude now assumed by Sen.
ator McLaulin and forced on me. am
certain of one thing, that the executive
of n State has no authority to decline n
resignation that has been rendered, and
| am equally certain that had your cx
ccllcncy confined your action within
legal bounds that your appointces would
be seated in the Senate when that body
meets in December, and hold their scals
until the Legislature should act in Janu
ary. My chief regl ct is that | am forced
by your action to engage in what the
outside world will consider q game OF
opera bouirc by withdrawing my own
resignation after Senator McLaurin's un
digniiicd and puorile action, but the pur
pose for which it was rendered has beer
thwarted by Senator McLaurins pre-
cipilous acceptance OF executive advice
Bob Acres has been outdone for once
AS have already said, had no motive
or purpose in rcsigning except to force
McLaurln, and there is nothing for mt
to do but accept tho situation and with
draw my resignation, if it be lawful t.
do SO. Yours respectfully,
B II TILLMAN.
Governor McSwccncy made the fol
lowing reply to Tillman's previous letter
and says he will accept an unconditions
resignation from Tillman, il he desire
TO resign:
COLUMBIA, 8. G. June 5.
| Sit N,nr L. nF lima OF hou h.o
received. | have carefully noted its con
tents and the most Charitab c view whic
| can take o. it is that it was written il
the heat Of passion and without du
consideration. | note that you say tina
have transcribed my authority an
that the Governor "Cannot compel u mem
Der Of the United States Senate to hol
his commission and exercise the funC
tions of that Office" if he chooses to SUI
render it. My sole purpose in rcturnin
tho designations was to ask you gentle
men to consider calmly and thorough
the consequences for the people of whs
judged to be q hasty act, and what yo
ADMIT to have been hasty act, and
must confess that l am somewhat sul
prised at the nc Of your answc to m
request
considered the course which l too
in this matter to be for the best interes,
OF the people of South Carolina, and
am responsible to them alone for m
action. And furthermore l still bclicv
that my course has met the approval {
a majority Of the citizens Of the Stat
Nor do | consider them unthinkin
citizens" but men who know and rccol
nizc as fully as any people on earth tn
rights and duties and responsibiitit
: OF citizenship and dc not need the Sc
vices of any one to tell them their duty
Your insinuatic II that have been " in
portuned to await the convenience {
any present or would-be aspirants VIII
sons, to enter the contest brought on 6
unexpectedly" and that for this reaso
my actions have taken the directio
I they have, is unworthy of n man holdin
2 the high commission which has bee
. given you by the people OF South Care
I lima, and deserves notice in this connet
, ton. However, | may say for you
benefit that | alone am responsible fc
my reply and will give account for th
} course have taken to the people VIII
have hOnOred me, and not to any ON
] individual.
r In this matter / have done what
@ thought best calculated tC promote th
: present prosperity and contentment {
| VIC pcoplC VI my OlaLC anu Sldi' SONIlnu
to do 80 regardless Of what any one ma
!, , may say or think of my course. di
not think that a political campaign tn
summer could do any good. Howeve
v had the designations been unconditiop,
and unrestricted, my action might hav
been otherwise. With due respect fC
your opinion, think have as hig
conception Of the office Of Senator an
its powers" as you or any other citizc
Of the State, and you must have know
that the brief interview to which yo
refer meant that l would simply NEE
the responsibility and perform my dut
under the conditions II you still wis
to resign your commission and will sen
to this office an unconditional rcsignt
tion, / will exercise the authority an
power vested in me by the people.
Respectfully,
Nj. B. MCSwEENKY,
Governor.