Yorkville enquirer. [volume] (Yorkville, S.C.) 1855-2006, 1902-02-26

Of the rules or violation
Of order the senator violating 1t must
take his chair and he cannot be recog-
nized by the presiding officer again un-
til the senate has relieved him OF that
by motion. OF course the senators from
South Carolina can be relieved from
the condition in which they are now so
far as recognition by the chair Is con-
cerned by a motion and by a majority
vote. What will happen after the two
senator's have purged themselves so far
as 1t is possible of the contempt the
chair will be prepared to rule whenever
that question Is raised" ...
At the conclusion of the ruling OF
President Frye Senator Blackburn said:
II move that the senior senator from
South Carolina be given the floor.
"Why one senator from South Caro-
lina?" interjected Senator Spooner.
II move that the two senators frcm
South Carolina" began Senator Black
burn.
"That's right" said Senator Spoon
er.
BE given the floor" continued Sen
ator Blackburn. ito make any state
ment in their own way to the senate to
purge themselves of the contempt"
The motion was carried.
In a breathless silence Senator TILL
man rose to address the senate. He
was calm and collected and gave no in
dication by his manner Of the tremend-
Gus scene In which he had been ore or
the principal actors but short tine De-
fore. He spoke deliberately and either
one of the hundreds Of the auditors
leaned forward eagerly to catch his
words. He said:
"Mr. President: I have always es-
teemed 1t an honor and privilege to- be
a member Of this body. had never hao
any legislative experience when came
here and my previous service as COVER
nor of South Carolina for four years
had untitled me in a mea sure to enter
this august assembly with that dignity
and regard, proper regard. Will say,
for its traditions and habits and rules
that Is desirable.
"I have been here seven years.
have in that time learned to judge men
with a little more catholicity Of spiri.
than I did when I came here. I have
found a great many people here IN
whose personal integrity and honor and
regard for their obligations as gentle
men I have implicit confidence; but
have seen 80 much Of partisanship.
have seen so much of what I consider
slavish submission to party domina-
ton, that I confess-I have felt some
what at a loss how to judge men who
in one aspect appeared to be 80 high
and clean and honorable and In anoth-
er appeared more or less despicable. l
say this because of the fact that one
of the senators has seen fit to allude to
some matters that occurred in the de-
bate this afternoon. I now want to
say that so far as any action or mine
has caused any senator here, or the
senate as a body, or the people Of the
United States to feel that I have been
derelict, and that L have not shown
that courtesy and proper observance OF
the rules Of this body, that regret 1t;
I apologize for it. was ready to do
that two minutes after I had acted, but
under the provocation which was
known to all of you I could not have
acted otherwise than did, and while I
apologize to the senate and am sorry
that 1t has occurred, I have nothing
more to say"
Senator McLaurin rose at the conclu-
sion of Senator Tillman's brief address.
He, too, was calm, but 1t 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. His
statement follows:
"Mr. President: did not realize that
I was in contempt of the senate nor
do 7 think now If my words are read In
The Record that I was In contempt OF
the senate, but at the same time, as the
senate has ruled that I am In contempt
of this honorable body, beg leave to
apologize.
"I desire to say, Mr.. President, that
I have been very sorely and severely
tried. I was in attendance on the COM
mittee on Indian affairs when I receiv-
ed a message from friend in the SEN
ate that my presence was needed here.
"The history Of the vote on the Span
ish treaty Is known to all Of you. There
have been statements made in newspa-
pers and insinuations that had been
Influenced by improper motives In con-
nection with my vote on that treaty.
Knowing in my soul and knowing that
God in Heaven also knows that 1t was
false, when was told that 1t was CEN
tered down to me was so outraged by
what I considered most brutal as
sault upon my honor as man, and es-
pecially in view Of the fact that in the
beginning of the session, after the ac-
ton Of my party associates, made a
most careful and deliberate state
ment. explaining all those matters,
I did not feel, as q man that I could
ever hold up my head again II I did not
resent it in the place where 1t was de-
livered, in the strongest and most forci-
BILE language that I could employ.
with that, Mr.. President, I am done.
except I have this to say: If there Is
any more talk Of that kind or any more
~
AS Senator 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 against him there might
be trouble, there was an evident stir In
the senate. Several senators rose to
their feet, as II half expecting renew
ed outbreak Of trouble. Senator Bacon,
Of Georgia, and Senator Patterson, Of
Colorado, both Of whom were sitting
near Senator McLaurin, urged him to
stop where he was, Senator Patterson
saying:
II beg the senator to refrain"
IT will refrain then, Mr.. President"
said Senator McLaurin. AS he resum-
ed his seat he made an effort to COM
pose himself as If to dispel any fear on
the part Of those about him that 1t
might have been his intention to pre-
cipitate further disturbances by any
violent comments.
OTR RECJ.OJTDED SENATOR'S.