Yorkville enquirer. [volume] (Yorkville, S.C.) 1855-2006, 1911-07-07
FIELDER ON BLEASE.
Atlanta Attorney Makes Fourth of
July Speech at Dublin, Ga.

Dublin, Ca, July 5.-The barbecue
and good roads rally held here on the
Fourth, was a big success. A large
crowd was present, and all thorough
ly enjoyed the address of Hon. Thos.
B. Fielder of Atlanta, a former Dub
Unite.
Mr.. Fielder was greeted enthusias-
tically by the large crowd. Quite
number from distance came in au-
tomobiles to be present at the barbe-
cue, Macon sending good delegation.
The barbecue was held under the
auspices Of the Dublin Chamber Of
Commerce, and was the first public
function by that body.
Col. Fielder spoke in part as follows:
Il am unable to restrain a natural
impulse to refer to an episode in my
life Of recent occurrence, which has
brought me into unpleasant notoriety.
If in doing 80 / trench upon the pro-
prieties Of the occasion, l plead In ex-
cuse and extenuation the fact that !
crave above all things the continued
confidence and friendship Of the peo-
pie of Laurens county. 1t is not my
purpose to tax audiences with the full
details Of this episode, but I merely
desire to briefly advert to II that you
may understand that / shall In the
end receive from you the welcome
plaudit, well done, thou good and
faithful servant
About four years ago l was en-
ployed by the state Of South Carolina
to assist her splendid attorney general
in the Herculean task Of cleaning out
her Augean stables Of their filth and
corruption, feel that can in NODES
ty say that the task was not only hon.
orably and creditably performed, but
the services met with the approval Of
the best people of that state, resulting
in the restitution to the treasury of
that graft soaked and graft ridden
people of, approximately, half million
dollars, and in the indictment by the
grand juries Of the several counties
thereof of more than a score Of the
thieves and plunderers.
I'm the last gubernatorial election
the criminal element Of that state sue
ceeded in electing one Of their num-
Der to the governorship. / am in pos
session of evidence, written and oral,
which in my judgment, would not only
justify, but demand his impeachment.
If I could read in this presence the
hundreds Of letters from the good but
graft ridden people Of that once glor-
ious commonwealth in which their
greatest Acknowledgements are ten
dered and their prayerful God-speeds
are wished me in the great work at
hand in ridding them Of this moral
and political leper, his confederates
and allies, am sure would receive
from this audience such shouts Of ap-
approval as would make the welkin
ring. I will detain you long enough
to read you extracts from but a few of
these letters"
rood
lowing extracts from letters:
1.-The offense which you have COM
mitted, which is grievous in the sight
Of our present governor, Is the great
success you have attained in expos
ing him and his friends in crime"
Have read with interest the pro-
ceedings in the controversy between
yourself and our vagabond governor
= l want to say with Hub Evans,
Blease and Fred Dominick right in
Newberry, and in control Of things
there they could convict most anybody
they wanted to by packing a jury and
the plunder bund Of South Carolina,
knowing that you are the man will go
to any extent in perjury and forgery
to convict you, and Blease Is making
every effort to discredt you in this
state and thus attempt to weaken the
evidence you produce against him by
declaring upon the ignorant rabble
that he had you prosecuted for at
tempted bribery Governor
Browns refusal to honor Blease's
requiston is heartily approved by ev-
cry decent law-abiding citizen Of South
Carolina"
Permit me to say that while / do
not approve of all you have said and
done in this matter, yet 1t is impos-
sble to escape the conviction that you
now hold in your hands very largely
the fate of South Carolina for the next
few years at least. 1t Is to be pre-
sumed that you fully appreciate the
gravity of the responsibility, which by
reason of circumstances rests upon you
at this time. There may not be with
you the motive to act that would
move a citizen of this state, but many |
are honing that you will justify the |
placed I'm you by our people. |
In conclusion permit me to say that |
if the reprobate who occupies the gov
chair can be induced to accept |
your challenge (Which the good people
of South Carolina feel sure you Will |
never be able to dO), to sue you Tor |
libel. ii will give me pleasure to tur-
nsh you a list of 500 of the most prom
inent citizens residing in every portion
Of South Carolina who will cheerfully
swear that they know the general
character of Blease that his character
is bad and from q knowledge OF his
character they would not believe him
on oath" !