The watchman and southron. [volume] (Sumter, S.C.) 1881-1930, 1912-09-04

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murderers and cut-throats. and then
consider the infamy of bodily and
openly Offering to pardon any man
who would kill certain people. Don't
You see 10 what criminal folly you
have been led to give people the
right to think that you will pardon
men who assassinate your enemies?
Such an infamous idea never entered
any but crazy mans brain.
In your desperation, attempting to
reply to my indictment Of you in the
Ferguson letter, you were unscrupu-
lous enough to say:
Il fear no evil from Senator Till
mans letter. except that possibly his
mind has become more diseased of
late than 1T was when L had my last
talk with his confidential physician.
Everyone knows that you allude to
DIR. Babcock. And q more knightIy
gentleman or a more loyal friend to
me never breathed and I know YOU
had no authority for it. He is not
the type of doctor who discusses his
patients and their ailments with Tom.
Dick and Harry.
want to say to you that / know
since my last stroke of paralysis in
February, 1910. my memory has been
much impaired, but the other parts of
my brain have gradually and very
increased in efficiency and
vigor. and i am now fully capable of
doing as good work as ever did. The
only reason why have felt unwilling
to make speeches in the Senate and
on the hustings this summer is be-
cause l know cannot speak with
any force or vigor without turning on
the full voltage of the dynamo. I'm
der excitement the blood rushes to
the brain, for that is the way the mind
works. DIR. Babcock had warned me
that to attempt to make a speech
would mean grave danger and the
probable bursting of a blood vessel
followed by paralysis or death. There.
fore l have refrained and restrained
myself. though at times the tempta-
ton has been very, very great. But,
Governor, while my memory is poor
the moral fibre in me is as sound as
it ever was, and my patriotism burns
with an even brighter flame than
when my health was vigorous. And
my conscience Is in fine working or
der. too. can assure you.
When told my wife that intended
to write an open letter to you and
outlined some Of the things / intend
ed to say, she pleaded with me thus
"Blease Is not wholly bad man. He
Is passionate and has been tantalized,
abused and misrepresented until he
has lost all sense Of responsibility and
self-control." Recollect, Governor,
this same noble woman has been
your advocate with me until your re-
cent statement came out about what
occurred last spring in Washington.
She knows you told an untruth and
has never forgiven you. 1t Is in this
spirit l now speak. You have been
lied on. slandered and abused almost
beyond endurance, but so was 1. ]
had courage and self-control enough
TO rise above it. You have been weak
enough TO surrender to the impulse
to strike back and to strike below the
belt.
l want those who consider Bleasc-
ism as Tillmanism To take this con-
trast in consideration when they
make up their final Judgment. Till
manism as Tillman breaches it, and
has always preached it, Is NOBLE, high
and elevating. Bleseism is selfish,
low. dirty and revengeful.
have been very greatly blessed H..
my life and every day / return thanks
w N"'S - S~SSA ANA UlcSSlu6S.
The greatest among these has been
good woman whom God gave me IN
her youth and purity forty-ive years
ago. ! have had one grief and that
waS the knowledge that so many good
men in South Carolina seemed impla-
cable and irreconcilable in their ha-
tired Of me. These men truly and
honestly hated me as badly as many
South Carolinians hate you now, but
there are more of them In your case
than there ever were in mine, thank
God. Honesty compels me to say that
you deserve the hate and distrust in
which they hold you. l never did.
lou had an opportunity when you
went into the Governors office such