The Washington times., 1902-02-25
DenounceS Him for With
draWal of Invitation to
Dine With Prince.
JUSTIFIES His OWN CONDUCT
Action StigmatizeS Him Un-
justly as No Gentleman.
Whether He or President Is Gentle
man. Senator TiiIman Declares
His Willingness TO Abide by the
Judgment Of Brave Men.

Senator TilIman was not a guest at
the White House dinner to Prince Henry
last night The invitation of President
Roosevelt was Withdrawn by him in let
ter sent to the Senate yesterday.
In answer to the action OF the Presi-
dent, Senator Tillman yesterday after
noon gave out a statement, believed to be
almost unprecedented in American his
tory. accusing the President OF indecency.
and asking that all brave men" declare
between them which is the gentleman.
Due to Senate Fight.
President Roosevelt took the action
he did on the matter because of the
TilIman- -McLaurin fight in the Senate on
Saturday, and because those Senators
have been adjudged in contempt OF the
Senate and deprived of their Senatorial
rights.
at first sent to Mr. Tillman that it was
the wish of the President that he with
draw his acceptance OF the invitation.
This Senator TilIman is said to have re-
fused to do.
The Letter Of Withdrawal.
The President then sent the following
letter to the South Carolina Senator:
my Dear Sir: The President regrets
that he is compelled to withdraw the in
vltation to you to dine st the White
House. GEORGE B. CORTELYOU,
Secretary to the President
Senator Tiilman felt the humiliation OF
this action very keeniy, and, singing IN
der the rebuke, he conferred with some Of
his Democratic colleagues and prepared
his statement.
The Open Letter.
II is as follows:
The President, of course, has the right
TO invite anyone he chooses TO dine with
him officially or otherwise and also has
the right to withdraw such invitation.
AS l am not conscious of having done
anything personal or official which gives
the President the right to insult Iae, l
am surprised at his action.
The invitation to this dinner came to
me unsousht and unexpectedly and so
far as the withdrawal is concerned it is
4 matter CO absolute indifference to me.
1t is the motive behind it which seeks
TO put me in the condition of unworthi-
ness to meet the President and his guest
before final action by the Senate
Prince Henry, the Presidents guest,
comes from country where custom
makes it obligatory upon any man who
regards himself 4 gentleman to promptly
resent an insult, and the method is by
challenge TO a duel That was once the
custom, but Il is now obsolete in the
United States. and We have been forced
as a people here to cling to the Anglo
Saxon rule OF considering the lie direct
as the first blow, and no man could hold
up his head in decent society should he.
being near enough to answer the lie with
blow, not give it.
Not in Contempt.
as fer my being in contempt OF the
Senate. which I presume is the excuse
for this insult at the hands of the Presi--
dent-that I deny. I have been guilty of
a breach of the rules and the privileges
Of the Senate.
The Senate was not sitting as court
but as L legislative assembly.
1t has the right to expel me if it
sees fit and l ar: ready to abide its
judgment and action. 1t has the right to
arrest me and to hold me in custody until
II makes disposition of my case. But it
has no right to gag me, and the President
has no right to judge me gully of con-
duct unbecoming a gentleman, unless he
bellies all his antecedents, which lead one
to believe that he would have done Just
as ! did under the same circumstances
AS TO which of US is the gentleman in
this matter, in view of the unsoaght in
Vitation to dinner at the White House
and its indecent withdrawal, | am willing
10 abide by the judgment OF all brave and
self-respecting men"