The herald and news. [volume] (Newberry S.C.) 1903-1937, 1917-04-24
MEMORY OF GOOD
NAN BESMIRCHED
Eulogizing TillmaR at Expense OF
Late Gen. Butler, Falsely Stating
Senator Is Confederate Veteran.

Columbia, April 21.-If ever the
memory of man who served his State
with splendid heroism in war and with
distinguished ability and patriotism
in peace, was held up to reproach, II
has been done by publication, OF
date today, which boasts that its cir
culation is over million a week.
It presents a cut of Senator Till
man, and pays a tribute to him, say
ing that be is veteran of the Con-
federacy, and Gin his first contest for
the United States senate, defeated
Gen. Ben Butler, carpetbagger.
Such appalling ignorance of the his
tory, not only of South Carolina, but
of the nation, would be pathetic, if II
were not for the fact that reference
to practically any historical work OF
the period would have enlightened
this magazine with its million-a-Week
circulation. It would hardly be pos
sible to crowd more mis-statements
of fact in so short sentence.
1t is needless to point out in
South Carolina newspaper that the
gentleman whom Senator Tillman de-
feated was Gen. Matthew Calbralth
Butler; that Gen. Buffers mother was
a sister of both of the Commodo:es
Perry, of the United States navy; that
his wife was a daughter Of War Gov
ernor F. W. Pickens; that he entered
the service of the IConfederacy as
captain, and rose to the rank of major
general when he was only % years OF
age, and that following the war he
served South Carolina in the United
States senate for Is years; that IN
later war with Spain he served as
major general under the flag Of re-
united country; was on the commls-
sion with Admiral Sampson and MAJ.
Gen. Wade to superintendent the eva
cuation of Cuba by the Spanish army;
that he was a member of the COM
mission which received the island
from the Spanish general, Castellanos,
and that later he was appointed
member of the court-martial that tried
Commissary General Eagin.
Tiilman Not Here.
History also records that Senator
Tillman is not veteran OF the Con-
federacy, except to the extent, accord
ing to Garlington's "Men Of the Time,
that he cleft school in July, 1854, to
Join the Confederate army, but was
stricken with severe illness, which
caused the loss of his left eye, and
kept him an invalid for two years"
When shown the publication, and
asked if he intended to take any ac-
ton in the matter DR.. F. W. z. But
Ter, of this city, son of the late Gen.
Butler, said that he had placed the
matter in the hands of his attorneys
for investigation, and that he intend
ed to push it vigorously, if there was
any law, criminal or civil, which
would cover it. "It does seem to me,
he said, ''that if it is case OF lgnor-
ance, it is ignorance so blatant, con-
sidering the fact that the history OF
my fathers life was so prominently
identified with the history not only
of South Carolina, but of the United
States, that it is ignorance which
amounts to wantonness, and from
which malice would he implied, to
say the least. However, the matter IS
in the hands of my attorneys, Messrs.
Cole /. lBease and G.. T. Graydon."
The Law.
In the case of State VS.. Haffer, l6z
Pacific Reporter, As, the courts OF the
State of washington have lately de-
cided that "every malicious publ1ca-
ton otherwise than by mere
speech, which shall tend to e2-
pose the memory Of one deceased to
hatred, contempt, ridicule or obloquy."
is a criminal libel. The case is thus
referred to by leading law publica-
ton (Wesr Publishing company's
docket} for April:
Reverence to the name Of Wash
ington has been accorded by the
courts of the State bearing that great
name, in holding that their statute
declaring that every malicious puo-
lication otherwise than by mere
speech, which shall tend to e1'
nose the memory of one deceased to
hatred, contempt, ridicule or oDlo-
ouy.' is criminal libel, applied to
one publishing an article traduclng
the character of Washington. The
contention of council for appellant
was that the information did not