The Bolivar bulletin. (Bolivar, Tenn.) 1888-1946, 1902-02-28

q word, however, was spoken. Inc
Senate, never in its history, had re-
ceived such shock.
"Mr. President" said Mr.. Foraker,
who had moved into the main aisle, Il
move that the Senate go into execu-
tive session"
Without comment, every Senator Ia
boring under the emotion which all
endeavored to conceal, the motion was
agreed to, and at 1852 the doors were
closed.
The proceedings after the doors
were closed covered almost two hours
of time and resulted in the adoption
of resolution in the form of an order
as follows:
Ordered that the two Senators from
the State of South Carolina be de-
clared in contempt of the Senate on
account of the alteration and per-
sonal encounter between them this
day in open session and that the mat
ter be referred to the committee ON
privileges and elections, with instruc-
lions to report what action shall be
taken by the Senate in regard there
to-"
After the secret session the Senate,
at Sis, resumed business in open
session.
81 move that the two Senators from
South Carolina" began Mr.. Blackburn,
''be given the floor to make any state
ment in their own way to the Senate
to purge themselves of the contempt"
The motion was carried.
TiIIman's Statement.
Amid breathless silence Mr.. Tillman
rose to address the Senate. His calm
manner gave no indication of the ire
mendous scene in which he had been
one of the principal actors a short
time before. He spoke deliberately
and every one of the hundreds of
auditors leaned forward eagerly to
catch his words. Said he:
Mr.. President, L have. always es-
teemed it a high honor and privilege
to be member of this body. l had
never had any legislative experience
when 1 came here and my previous
service as Governor of South Carolina
for years had untitled me in a meas
ure to enter this august assembly with
that dignity and regard-proper re-
gard, l will say-for its traditions and
habits and rules that is desirable.
Il have been here seven years. 1
have in that time learned to judge
men with a little more catholicity of
spirit than 1 did when l came here. 1
have found great many people here
in whose personal integrity and honor
and regard for their obligations as
gentlemen l have implicit confidence;
but l have seen so much of partisan
ship, l have seen so much of what 1
consider slavish submission to party
combination that l confess I have felt
somewhat at a loss how to judge men
who in one aspect appeared to be so
high and clean and honorable and in
or
able l say this because of the fact
that one of the Senators had seen fit
to allude to some matters that &C.
Cured in the debate this afternoon.
L now want to say that so far as any
action of mine has caused any Sem
ator here, or the Senate as a body or
the people of the United States, to feel
that l have been derelict, and that l
have not shown that courtesy and
proper observance of the rules of this
body, that 1 regret it; 1 apologize for
it. 1 was ready to do that two min
utes after l had acted, but under the
provocatinn which was known to all
of you 1 could not have acted other
wise than 1 did. and while I apologize
to the Senate and am sorry that it has
occurred, have nothing more to
say"
McLaurin "SoreIy Tried"
Mr.. McLaurin rose at the conclusion
of Mr.. Tillman's brief address. He,
too, was calm, but iC was evident that
he was suppressing his emotion by an
effort. He spoke with greater feeling
than had been manifested by his col
league, particularly when he told the
Senate how sorely he had been tried
by the accusations which had been
made against him from time to time.
He said:
''Mr. President, 1 did not realize
that l was in contempt of the Senate,
nor do 1 think now if my words are
read in the record that 1 was in con-
tempt of the Senate, but at the same
time, as the Senate has ruled that I
am in contempt of this honorable
body, 1 beg leave to apologize
81 desire to say, Mr.. President, that
have been very sorely and severely
tried. l was in attendance On the COM
mittee on Indian affairs when 1 re-
ceived a message from a friend in the
Senate that my presence was needed
here.
"The history of the vote on the
Spanish treaty is known to all of you.
There have been statements in news
papers and insinuations that 1 had
been influenced by improper motives
in connection with my vote on that
treaty. Knowing in my own soul, and
knowing that God in heaven also
knows that it was false, when 1 was
told that it was centered down to me,
was so outraged by what l consid-
cred a most brutal assault upon my
honor as man, and especially in view
of the fact that in the beginning of
the session, after the action of my
party associates, 1 made a most care
full and deliberate statement explain
ing all those matters, l did not feel as
a man that l could ever hold my head
up again if did not resent it in the
place where it was delivered in the
strongest and most forcible terms
that could employ.
with that, Mr. President. 1 am
done, except have this to say, if there
is any more talk of that kind or any
more
AS Mr.. McLaurin uttered the last
sentences of his address, intimating
that if there was any further effort to
press upon him the accusations which
had been made again him there might
be trouble, there was an evident stir
in the chamber. Several Senators rose
to their feet as if half expecting a re-
newed outbreak of trouble.
Mr.. Bacon and Mr.. Patterson of
Colorado, both of whom were sitting
near Mr.. McLaurin urged him to stop
where he was, Mr.. Patterson saying:
81 beg the Senator to refrain
81 will refrain, then, Mr.. President"
said Mr. McLaurin. AS he resumed
his seat he made an effort to COM
pose himself as if to dispel any fear
on the part of those about him that
it might have been his Intention to
precipitate further disturbances by
anv violent comments