The Savannah morning news., 1902-02-25
SEVERE ON TILLMAN
PRESIDENT BARS HIM FROM DIN
NER TO PRINCE.
HIS INVITATION WITHDRAWN.
TILLMAN HAD REFUSED TO RE-
CALL ACCEPTANCE.

President EndeavOred to Let Him
Down Easy. But the south Caro-
Iinian WOuid Not nave II so-An
Insult, Says MIR. TiIlman-He De-
fends HIS Course In the Matter.
McLaurin Demands Investigation
of the TiiImnn Charges.
Washington, Feb. 24.-The President
has withdrawn his invitation extended
to Senator Tillman. of South Carolina,
to attend the dinner to be given to-
night in honor of Prince Henry of
Prussia at the White House. It Is
stated that this action on the part of
the President was made necessary from
the fact that owning to occurrences on
the floor of the Senate last Saturday the
senator from South Carolina was de-
clared in contempt of the Senate. Sem
ator Martin of Virginia accepted an
invitation in Senator Tillmans place.
The invitation was extended to Senator
Tillman owing TO the fact that he is
the ranking minority member of the
Naval Affairs Committee.
There was a sensational sequel to the
decision of the President to eliminate
Senator Tillman's name from the list
OF dinner guests. The President
sent for Senator Cockrell, of
Missouri, and asked him as a friend
and Democratic colleague of Senator
Tillman to suggest to the latter the
propriety of Withdrawing his accept
ance OF the dinner invitation The
President explained his attitude In the
matter and said that in view of the
contempt proceedings, Mr.. Tillman's
presence would not only be an affront
TO the Senate. but a discourtesy to
Prince Henry. MIR. Cockrell accepted
the commission and later telephoned to
the President that Senator Tillman alb
solutely refused to withdraw his ac-
ceptance, in response to the Presidents
suggestion. The President then imme-
diately cancelled the invitation In a
note he dispatched directly to Sena-
tor Tillman shortly before noon to-day.
In this note which was very brief and
formal, the President stated he regret
ted he was obliged to withdraw the in
vitation. simultaneously Senator Mar
tin of Virginia was invited to take
Senator Tillman's place at the dinner
as the next ranking Demoratic menu
Der of the Senate Naval Affairs Conn
mittee.
The Invitation withdrawn.
The following il the letter from the
White House withdrawing Senator
Tillman's invitation to dine there to-
night:
white House, Feb 24.-The Presi-
dent regrets that he is compelled TO
withdraw the invitation to you to dine
tonight at the White House. Very
truly yours. George b. Cortelyou,
Secretary to the President"
Commenting upon the letter, Senator
Tillman said:
'"The President, of course, has the
right to invite any one he chooses 10
dine with him officially or otherwise
and also has the right to withdraw
such invitation. AS / am not conscious
of having done anything personal or
official which gives the President the
right to insult me, l am surprised at,
his action. The invitation to this din
ner came to me unsought and. unex-
pectedly, and so far as the withdrawal
is concerned, 1t is a matter of absolute
indifference to me. 1t is the motive be-
hind 1t which seeks to put me in the
condition of unworthiness to meet the
President and his guest before final ac-
tion by the Senate. Prince Henry, the
Presidents guest. comes from a coun-
try where custom makes 1t obligatory
upon any man who regards himself a
gentleman to promptly resent an in
suit and the method is by challenge to
a duel. That was once the CUSTOM but
II is now obsolete in the United States
and we have been forced, as a people
here, to cling to the old 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 to give it,
An Insult Says TiIIman.
"As for my being in contempt of the
Senate, which / presume is the ex-
cuse for this insult at the hands of the
President-that / deny. l have been
guilty of a breach of the rules and the
privileges of the Senate. The Senate
was not sitting as court, but as a
legislative assembly. II has the right
to expel me If II sees fit and l am
ready to abide its judgment and ac-
tion. 1t has the right to arrest me
and to hold me in custody until il
makes disposition of my case; but II
has no right to gag me, and the Pres
ident has no right to Judge me guilty
of conduct unbecoming a gentleman un-
less he bellies all his antecedents, which
lead one to believe that he would have
done just as / did under the circum-
stances. AS TO which of us is the gem
tleman I'm this matter, in view of the
invitation to dinner at the
White House and its indecent with
drawal. / am willing to abide by the
aud pu1auf 0f a N hra We and aaff-paanaoe-