The Anderson intelligencer. [volume] (Anderson Court House, S.C.) 1860-1914, 1902-03-05
ANDERSON s. G., WEDNESDAY, MARCH s 1902

,.,,,, SAoeAon W 1uttetlSdCe. Ac.
I1iiman not only made the charge
without any avowal Of o purpose to in
vesugate but also disclaiming knowls
edge OF evidence to establish the Of
fence and this he said after tho charge
mad been specifically end unqualifiedly
denied by Mr.. McLaurin.
"Such a charge, under any circum-
stances would be resented by any man
worthy to be q Senator; but, made as it
vas In this instance, it's oifensiyeness
was greatly intensified. This feature
OF his offense. coupled with the fact
tnat ne also commenced the encounter
by quitting his seat some distance
away from Mr. Mcl1aurin, and, rushing
violently upon him, struck him in the
face, makes the cause one Of such ex-
ceptional misbehavior that q majority
OF the committee are Of the opinion
that his ofTense was of much create.
gravity than that of Mr. MoLaurin.
1.-The penalty of q censure by the
Senate In the nature Of things must
vary in actual severity in proportion to
the public sense of tho gravity of the
offense of which the offender has been
adjudged guilty. Therefore. notwith-
standing the fact that in the opinion
OF majority of the committee there is
q difference in the gravity of the Of
fences under consideration your com
mittee are of the opinion that public
good and the dignity Of the Senate will
be alike best promoted and protected,
SO far as this particular case is con-
cerned, by imposing upon each Senator
by formal vote the censure of the Sem
ate for the offense by him committed
and therefore recommend the adoption
of the resolution"
At the conclusion of the reading of
the majority report Mr.. Bailey, of
Texas, offered the following statement
as representing the views Of himself
and four other Senators
"We dissent from 80 much of the re-
port of the committee az asserts the
power Of the Senate to suspend a Sen
ator and thus deprive State Of it's
vote. and 30 much as describes the Of
fences Of the Senators as Of different
gravity; but we approve of the resolu-
tion reported"
The report of the minority of the
committee then was read.
In this statement the Senators sign-
ing it say that while they accept the
statement of the case as made in the
principal report they do not agree with
the majority Of the committee as to the
punishment proposed by the majority.
They then say:
The junior Senator from South
Carolina is guilty Of supplementary
language. The senior Senator from
South Carolina is guilty of physical
violence. Neither In the statutes OF
any State or in the common opinion of
mankind are these two offences the
same. The slightest form of punish
ment is a reprimand or censure. It ie
the latter which the majority proposes
to infliot for two offences differing in
character and gravity. The minority
of the committee are of the opinion
that this punishmenti is inadeuuate. and
that to ignore the difference between
the offences is unjust. The minority
OF the committee is of the opinion that
suspension Of the two offending Sena-
tors from their senatorial privileges
heretofore inflicted should now be for
mally adjudged and continued for diff
ferent periods of time"
:. The report concludes by recommend
ing that Senator McLaurin be suspend
ed from his functions as Senator for
fivo days and TINT Senator Tiliinan be
suspended for twenty days.
Mr.. Pritchard's addition to the above
statement is in the following Ian guage:
II concur. in all the foregoing views
except as to the punishment of the
junior Senator from South Carolina. It
has already sufferedis adequate to his
offence. make orecommendation as
to the punishment to be imposed on the
senior Senator from South Carolinn.D
When the name of Mr.. McLaurin of
Mississippi was reached in the roll call,
he said
"Being related by kinship to one of
the Senators involved, i ask to be ex-
cnsed from voting.n
The request was granted.
Mr. McLaurin, of South Carolina, one
Of the offending Senators, said in re-
sponse to his name. which had becn re-
stored to the roll: 81 refrain from
voting for obvious reasons.n
When Mr. Tillman's name was called
he rose deliberately. Every eye in the
chamber was fixed upon him. His fece
was stern and set and he was pale as o
sheet. Evidently ne was laboring un-
der great emotion.
..Among gentlemen" said he. slowly
and his words were heard distinctly in
the uttermOst parts of the chamber,
can apology for an Offense committed
under the heat of blood is usually con-
sidered sufficient"
Then he resumed his seat amid gasps
OF aston1shment among Senators and
spectators.
MI. Burrows hastened to the desk of
the official photographers and directed
that Mr.. Tillman's words be written out
at once.
The resolution was adopted, 81 to 12.
AS soon as the vote was announced
Alr. Burrows demanded that the state-
ment of Mr. T'iIlman made durin q, tha