The watchman and southron. [volume] (Sumter, S.C.) 1881-1930, 1902-03-19

Maglll, "a lawyer OF Gnis piaco' aa9
ceiyed the following letter from Sena-
tor Tillman in response to a letter
from him:
United States Senate,
Washington, D. c.,
March 4, 1902.
Hon. D. II. Magill, Greenwood, S. c.
Dear Sir: have your kind letter OF
March 1st. In reference to the ex-
preston used by me in my apology to
the senate, that stMy previous service
as governor of South Carolina for four
years had unified me in measure to
enter this august assembly with the
dinity and regard-proper regard
will say, for its traditions and habits
and rules that is desirable,'' I would
say that the only reasonable construc-
ton to put on the words and my mean
ing was that when | was governor 1t
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 in mind which naturally re-
suited from that manner of thought
and action and the work as executive,
unified me in a measure for service
here. None but gangrened magma
ton or some one anxious to miscon-
strue will think that I meant that
a governor of South Carolina cannot
be dignifed and act with decency
and courtesy on all occasions. Things
are so different in the senate that l
have never yet become used to them.
While I am writing I wish to say
that my action here was necessity
and while I regret as much as any
one that circumstances were of a
nature, so I had no alternative but
to strike my colleague, believe my
action meets with the approval of a
large majority of the democrtas 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 taken
the lie my own self respect would
have been gone, and my service here
in the future of NO effect.
So then, I 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 can against
the republicans here and acting in
the capacity of one of the fighters OF
the senate, delegated by the demo
cratic side to answer the strongest re-
publican, Senator Spooner, on party
question, that some of my own people,
democrats in reality, should stab me
in the back while I am engaged all
along the line in front by republicans.
It, however, demonstrates the fact that
there are some in South Carolina
who IRE anti-Tillmanites first and
democrats afterwards, and will seize
on any and everything to give me a
stab. We will let that pass, though,
and l will go back to my people feel
ing as l have felt for long time, that
l 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 anything
that 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 Morgan,
Robt. Lincoln and ten or fifteen other
private citizens were 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
papers, and I was thus notified public
ly that the president was trying to
punish a senator before the senate had
taken action. Had the president sent
a mutual friend, in quiet way sug-