The watchman and southron. [volume] (Sumter, S.C.) 1881-1930, 1903-04-08
SENATOR TIILMAN SPOKE.


Senator Tillman had to respond to
the call for speech at the banquet
rendered him by City Council at the
Charleston Hotel last night. Mayor
Smyth, in introducing him, said that
the Aldermen wanted to hear one OF
the Senator's characteristic speeches.
The Senator spoke briefly. He said
he had come here as the guest of the
Medical College faculty, and he added
that it afforded him great pleasure to
meet the people of the city once more.
.sI have had the pleasure and dis
pleasure of visiting Charleston on
many occasions and under many differ
ent auspices, he said, sand in my
time have had unique experiences
here. I appreciate the courtesy ex-
tended to me however, and can only
express the hope that if we did have any
unpleasantness in the past it has all
disappeared. I want to say in justice
to myself that have been misuRder-
stood by the people of Charleston.
The revolution of 1890 was run on the
principle that there we're other parts
of South Carolina besides Charleston.
I thought that the rest of the State
had been IN obscurity long enough.
But I never tried to injure your city.
never allowed myself to forget
Charleston, or the part she had taken
in shaping the history of the State. l
had to fight you because you fought
me. Applause. In that respect l
was like the man who was once taken
prisoner by the Indians. They we're
escorting him to the place where he
would furnish the amusement for the
dance of death, but he remembered
that he had bottle of whiskey in his
pocket, and he quickly got them
drunk. Afterwards. he said that he
had killed as many of them as they
had killed him. And this warrants
ne in saying that whipped you as
often as you whipped me.
.'When l was Governor l was not
allowed to deal with you like other
sections of the State. You were SO
much in love with yourself down here
that you couldn't see beyond Ten
Nile Hill, and you didn't seem to
know that there was anybody else in
South Carolina. Il had to resort to
harsh methods, it was only done to
carry out the law.
ssi want to claim for myself that
since / have been in the United States
Senates have tried to represent Sonth
Carolina as whole, and to look to the
best interest of every community. Ii
[ have helped Charleston it was simply
a matter of duty and not because l
was trying to get you to change your
attitude toward me. I didn't care
whether you gave me your votes or
not. / never wanted your support un-
less could get it with your consent.
If can ever serve Charleston, I trust
that you will always find me ready to
do it. l bear no ill-will to you.
s'I want to say once and for all that
I recognize you as South Carolinians
and I hope you recognize me as one.
I have great love for Charleston,
inst as I have pride in the entire
State. But at the same time you must
remember that you are not the whole
shooting match down here
Senator Tillman said he hardly
knew what to talk about, and he
wanted to be excused. He said he mad
to make a speech tonight and he had
no idea what he would talk about. He
said that he would always have the
most pleasant recollections of his visit
to Charleston, and that if this was
sample Of what was to come he was
sure the subsequent proceedings would
interest him all the more.-News and
Courier.