The Newberry herald and news. (Newberry, S.C.) 1884-1903, 1902-03-18

ulSu uSllUo1 dIIF0 oOoIj QUILL % 1no
Senate of the United States, they
we're confident that he could not have
intended any reflection upon the Of
flee of governor of this State or its
people. For this reason Mr.. D. H.
Magill wrote him to explain and the
senator replied in the following let
ter:
United States Senate,
Washington, D. O.,
March, 4, 1902.
Hon. D. II. Maglll, Greenwood,
Dear Sir:-I have your kind let-
ter of March, 1st. In reference to
the expression used by me in my
apology to the Senate, that my pre-
vious service as Governor of South
Carolina for four years had untitled
me in measure to enter this august
assembly, with the dignity and re-
gard-proper regard-I will say, for
it's traditions and habits and rules
that Is desirable." I would say that
the only reasonable construction to
put on the words, and my meaning
was that when I was governor it was
my business to handle problems,
many of them very important and
without consulting any one, and act
entirely on my own responsibility,
and the habit of mind which natur
ally resulted, from that manner OF
thought and action, and the work as
executive, untitled me in measure
for service here. None but a gan
grened imagination, or some one
anxious to misconstrue, will think
that I meant that governor of South
Carolina can not be dignified and
act with decency and courtesy on all
occasions. Things are so different
in the Senate that I have never yet
become used to them.
While am writing, l wish to say
that my action here was a necessity,
and while I regret as much as any
one that circumstances were of a ma
ture, so I had no alternative but to
strike my colleague, I believe my &C
tion meets with the approval of a
large majority Of the Democrats IN
the House and Senate. Not that
they approve the giving of a blow
in the Senate, but they think there
was nothing else to do, and had l
taken the lie my own self-respect
would have been gone, and my SER
vice here in the future of no effect.
So then, l have but one comment
to make in answer to newspaper
criticisms published in South Caro-
lima. It does look hard, that when l
am making the best fight l can against
the Republicans here, and acting in
the capacity of one Of the fighters in
the Senate, delegated by the Dem
ocratic side to answer the strongest
Republican, Senator Spooner, on
party question, that some of my own
people, Democrats in reality or ap-
parently, should stab ne in the back,
while 1 am engaged all along the
line in front by Republicans. 1t
however demonstrates the fact that
there are some in South Carolina,
who are anti Tillmanites, first and
Democrats afterwards and will seize
on any and every thing to give me a
stab. We will let that pass though,
and I will 90 back to my people
feeling, as I have felt for a long
while that I have the respect and
support of a large majority of them
and for those who are so narrow and
prejudiced as to be unable to see any
good in any thing that I do, feel
only contempt and pity.
The dinner incident was not of my
making and in that I have no doubt
as to the sentiment of the folks at
home. The statement has been
made that it was an official dinner.
This is untrue because Pierpont Nor
gan, Robt. Lincoln and ten or fifteen
other private citizens we're invited.
The invitation to me came unsought.
l had no special desire to attend the
function but before | had any notice
whatever that it was desired that my
acceptance be withdrawn the whole
THING was ventilated in the. morning