The Newberry herald and news. (Newberry, S.C.) 1884-1903, 1901-02-05

War;" published in 1866, the writer
Of that book describes Mr.. Tlllman,
in part, rs follows:
"a man of immense frame and
very considerable abilities, genial and
off hand, who quotes philosophy
from DeTocqueville, and historical
maxims from Gibbon. The man who
makes friends with everybody, and
is a genuine Red Republican in his
disregard Of what is called ancient
rights and privileges. Sitting with
great blue gray eyes, that seem al.
ways half asleep, he is always alert
i, and wide awake, slouching along
with rolling gait, he is careful
and earnest; utterly wanting in the
power of oratory or rhetoric, he has
made more points than any other of
the convention, and has carried all
of them but one, and that of minor
importance. He is the leader of tho
advance line Of the up country, dele
gated, not SO much by election as by
the Inherent force of nee sity, for
he fg'lts independently, aud leaves
them NO choice but to follow"
The foregoing description was
given of Mr.. Tillmau when he WAS
member Of the South Carolina
reconstruction constitution constitu
tional convention
Twenty five years after tho above
was written. Amos j. Cummings
wrote as follows of Mr.. Tilmau:
"He is quaint and hrnest and
makes speeches that touch the mar
row. In appearance he somewhat
resembles Greeley. But there is Il
manly ring in his voice, rs we'll as
virility in his arguments. Once con.
vinced that he is right, neither per
suasion nor force can drive him from
his position. Y X X
Detecting jobbery in Legislation, he
flies at it like bulldog, and there is
nothing. left of it when he gets
through with it,"
In 1866 MIR. Tillman was a Nom
ber of the South Carolina State
senate. Some time after 1865 he
went to Central America and joined
General Walker Of flibuster fame.
He WAS wounded in the fighting then
going on, and was taken prisoner,
but by promising not to meddle
any more with the institutions of the
country, he was released. He then
came back to South Carolina aud
settled down on his farm at Clark's
Hill. After the war Mr.. Tillman did
not attempt to practice law, but turn
cd his attention to farming.
His active mind would not permit
him to remain quietly on the farm.
He soon after his return entered
politics. He entered the race for
Congress against Robert Small, and
unsuccessfully contested his seat
That was for the Forty fifth Con
gress and was elected and took his
seat, but he was finally forced to
give way to Small again. He finally
secured seat in Congress and re-
manned member for seven terms,
and until he was defeated in 1892 by
Mr.. w. Jasper Talbert. During the
time he was in Congress be was a
member Of the committee on patents
and was part of the time chairman
Of the committee.
Amos j. Cummings. continuing
his remarks about Mr.. Tillman, says:
"He usually makes two or three
speeches each session, aud they are
speeches that command not only the
attention but the admiration of the
House. He brlongs to the old school
of statesmen, now almost extinct"
In 1893 he again entered poll les,
and ran for governor, bnt was de.
feated. Since then no las been liv
ing quietly Oh his farm at Clark's
Hill.
Mr.. Tillman was man of undoubt.
ed bravery. In 1870 he slapped the
face of D. II Chamberlain at q poll.
tical meeting where there were only
about two hundred white and several
thousand negroes, whom politics
we're red hot in South Carolina, and
it required man of nerv" to run fol
office Ho never backed an inch
from any mau.
Among tho most notable speeches
of Mr.. Tiliman while in Congrrs:
were his silver speech that was sc
highly complimented by Bryan, his
tariff speech, and the one he delivered
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