The times and democrat. [volume] (Orangeburg, S.C.) 1881-current, 1909-01-12

Washington, Jan. 1.-THE fol.
lowing the full text of the speech
delivered in the United States Sen,
ate today by Senator Tillman in an
swer to President Koosevelt's Sian.
derous charge about the Oregon land
deal. The speech was delivered to
crowded Senate. The Senator'S
entire speech is printed below:
Mr.. President, rise to a question
of personal privilege.
For the first time in the history
of this government, as far as I have
been able to learn, a member of this
body has been brought to the bar OF
public opinion, before the Senate
itself to be judged under indictment
by no less a person than the Presi-
dent of the United States. The
manner of the doing of its and the
animus and zeal displayed by the
Chief Executive are worthy of con-
sideration.
The papers in the case were sent
to Senator Hale as acting chairman
of the Committee on Appropriations
late on Tuesday last. l had no in
timation in regard to it until after
the Senate met on Thursday. BY
that time the air was thick with
rumors, evidently coming from tn:
White House. directly or indirectly
that a Southern Senator was in the
tolls of the Secret Service; and soon
it was understood that Senator TIL
man was the man..
Having been Informed by Senator
Hale of the character of the charge
Thursday afternoon, and that he
would call meeting of the Appro-
priation Committee on Saturday 10
consider the papers relating to the
Secret Service sent him by the Presl'
dent, l expected to have opportunl-
ty to examine fully into the case
and make such defense or eXplana-
tiou in the Senate itself as / thought
proper. l understand the President
had notified Senator Hale that there
was no need for hurry, and that he
would not give the papers to the
press before Monday; but on Friday
morning he changed his mind and
notified Senator Hale that he had
determined to give all the facts TO
the newspapers that evening, and
they appeared Saturday morning. Il
was we'll to remember that the uni
versal custom heretofore, and the
courtesy due by any executive to q
legislative body demnaded that haV'
ing sent the papers to the most i'm
portant committee Of the Senate,
they were in the possession Of that
body, and it was gross breach OF
propriety to make them public. This
we'll illustrates the executive attl'
tude towards this body. He gave
the communication 10 the press be,
fore the committee had seen the
papers and examined into the MAJ,
ter.
1t is we'll understood that the
President is an adept at advertising
and that he has used the press with
more skill than any man in Ameri'
can politics. He realizes the int
portance of getting in the frs
blow" though it was below the bell
and might we'll convict him Of COW
ardice. But he cared nothing fol
either courtesy, custom, or decency
thus treating the committee and the
Senate with that contempt which
has been his wont.
Another probable reason for hi;
great haste was that he sought tc
distract attention from the actor
of the House of Representatives or
Friday in laying part Of his message
on the table by the sensational ac
cusations against man who has hat
long service in the Senate. l could
| have made my statement to the
Senate and to the country just al
easily on Saturday as l make i
now, for I have nothing to concea
and there was no great need for de
lay or preparation; but realizin&
that the great influence and power o.
the Chief Executive was being ex
| erted to the limit Of his ability Il
blacken my name and destroy m!
character, and that his words and tht
exhibits which lie sent would be Civ
en- the widest publicity, while nj:
own statement would probably III
epitomized on account of the pressur'
on the wires, I decided to wait unit
today. with the hope that my de
tense. without being unavoidabl!
mutilated, would reach the people
in good time. This. the newspape
men tell me, would not have beer
possible on Saturday. This is suf
ficient explanation, I trust, for de
lay.
An examination of the President
letter to Mr.. Hale, which might jus
as we'll have been special message
! of the type with which we are 50 IA