The Abbeville press and banner. [volume] (Abbeville, S.C.) 1869-1924, 1912-09-04

burns with an even brighter flame
than when my health was vigorous
And my conscience is in fine working
order, too, l can assure you.
When I told my wife that I intend
ed to write an open letter to you and
outlined some Of the things I 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, COVER
nor, 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 now speak. You have been lied
on, slandered and abused almost be-
yond endurance, but SO was I. / 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.
I want those who consider Blease-
ism as Tillmanism to take this con-
trast In consideration when they
make UP their final judgment. TILL
manism as Tillman breaches 1t and
has always preached it is noble, high
and elevating. Bleaseism is selfish,
low, dirty and revengeful. q.
/ have been very greatly blessed
in my life and every day I return
thanks to the Creator for his many
blessings. The greatest among these
has been a good woman whom God
gave me in her youth and purity 40
years ago. / have, had one grief and
that was the knowledge that so many
good men in South Carolina seemed
implacable and irreconcilable in their
hatred 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. ] never did.
You had an opportunity when you
went into the governors Office such as
comes to few men in this life. Your
inaugural was a great disappointment
to your friends and provoked your en-
emies to renewed and relentless ac-
tivity. You had shown yourself too
little and narrow to be governor OF
any state for my dear sir, the COVER
ship is a very high honor indeed, but
it also carries the very heaviest re-
sponsibilities. You will recall when
you were elected two years ago l
wired you congratulations and added,
"let the heather rage. The heather
have ragged, but the righteous have al
30 moaned and their cries are now ris-
ing to heaven in accusation Of you.
i One Satisfaction.
Returning to the blessings which
have been showered upon me, / have
before die the satisfaction Of know
ing, as I now do know, that I have
won the admiration. love and conf1-
dence of the anti-Tillmanites OF old,
and of the Haskelites even, owe my
reelection to the senate to these men
mat came to me wnen some OF my
old friends, the "wool-hat one-gallus
boys" and my fellow citibens who
work in the cotton mills were shout
ing, "crucify him!" retire him to pri-
vate life!" 1--WE can no longer trust
him." etc. My reelection to the SEN
ate Is assured and l shall die in har-
ness when the Lord'g time comes for
me to go, conscious that all OF the
good people of the state now appre-
ciate me and realize at last what
manner of man / am.
1t is sweet thought to feel that
many of the Haskellites voted for me,
and right here want to say that
"Haskellites' ought not to be an epi-
thet of opprobrium in South Carolina
any longer. Judge Haskell and !
made friends before he died and /
always felt that he was blind IA
natic who had been led of into the
frenzy Of independentism by the same
emotions which your election has pro-
duced. He was knightly gentleman
and a brave soldier. Peace to his
ashes. Haskellism and Bleaseism
ought to be buried in the same grave
and the world hear no more OF either.
1t is time for South Carolinians to
Quit wounding each others feelings
and fighting like cats and dogs. No
good can come OF it and much harm
has already come Of it, and more Will
follow il we do not realize that
"house divided against itself can not
stand. As good men voted for Blease
as voted for Jones. They felt 1t to be
their right as citizens, and many OF
them religiously believed that their
liberties were in danger, for you, gov