The Montgomery advertiser. [volume] (Montgomery, Ala.) 1885-1982, 1902-02-25

WILL NJ ATTEND DINNER

p Washington. Feb. 24.-The President
has withdrawn his invitation extended to
Senator Tillman of South Carolina. to
attend the dinner to be given tonight in
honor of Prince Henry of Prussia, at the
White House. 1t is stated this action
on the part of the President was made
necessary from the fact that it was due
to the occurrence on the floor Of the
Senate last Saturday. The Senator
contempt of the Senate. Senator Martin
of Virginia, a member Of the Committee
on Naval Affairs. has accepted an invita-
ton in Mr.. Tillman's place. The invita-
ton was extended, originally to Mr.. Till
man owing to the fact that he is the
Affairs Committee.
The following Is the letter from the
White House Withdrawing Mr.. 1illman's
invitation to dine there tonight:
White House, Feb. "a. )
THE President regrets that he Is COM
PEELED to withdraw the invitation to you
to dine tonight at the White House.
Very truly yours.
George B. Cartelyou,
secretary to the freStuent
Senator Tillman Talks.
Commenting upon the letter MI. Till
man says:
1.-The President, Of course, has the right
to invite any one he chooses to 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 .ofIicial which gives
the President the right to insult am
surprised at his action. The invitation
to the dinner came to me uhsought ana
unexpectediy and so far as the with
drawal Is concerned II Is matter OF
absolute indifference TO me.
1T Is the motive behind 1t which seeks
to put me In the condition of unworthi-
ness to meet the PRESIDENT and his guests
before final action by the Senate comes
from country where custom make 1t
obligatory upon any man who regards
himself a gentleman to promptly resent
an insult and the method is by challenge
to a duel That was once the custom,
but it is now obsolete In the United
States and we have been forced as
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
a blow, not to give 1t.
"As for my being in contempt of the
Senate, which 1 presume is the excuse
for this insult at the hands of the Presi-
dent, that deny. I have been guilty
of a breach of the rules and the privi-
leges of the Senate. The Senate was not
sitting as a court, but as legislative
assembly. 1t has the right to expel me
if 1t sees fit, and / am ready to abide
by its Judgment and action. 1t has the
right to arrest me and hold me In Gus
tody until it makes disposition of my
case; but it has no right to gag me, and
the President has no right to Judge me
guilty of condu ctunbecoming gentle
man until he bellies all his antecedents
which lead one to believe that he would
have done just as l did under the cir
cumstances. AS to which of us is the gen.
tleman in this matter, in view of the UNI
sought invitation to dinner at the White
House and its indecent withdrawal, am
willing to abide by the judgment of all
brave and self-respecting men,"
Senator Martin Substituted.
There was a sensational sequel to the
decision of the President to the decision
of the President to eliminate Senator Till
man from the dinner of the guests The
President sent for Senator Cockreli and
asked him as a friend and colleague to
Senator Tillman to suggest to the latter
the propriety of withdrawing his accept
ance of his dinner invitation. The Presi-
dent explained his attitude to the latter
and said in view of the contempt proceed
ings, Mr.. Tillmans presence would not
only be an affront to the Senate but a
discourtesy to Prince Henry.
Mr. Cockrell accepted the commission
and later telephoned the President that
Mr. Tillman absolutely refused TO with
draw his acceptance in response to the
Presidents suggestion. The President
Immediately cancelled the invitation in
note he despatched directly to Mr.. Till
man shortly before noon today. In this
note, which was very brief and formal.
the President stated that he regretted
that he was obliged to withdraw the in
vitation. simultaneously Senator Mar
tin of Virginia, was invited to take Mr..
Tillman's place at the dinner as the next
ranking Democratic member of the Sem
ate Naval Affairs Committee.