Historical Newspapers of South Carolina

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TIlE FORCE BILL. A BOLD CONSPIRACY AGA!NST AMERI CAN LIBERTY. South Carolina% Distinguishted Senator Says that Reed and his Cabal are Des perately Plotting for the Permanent Control of the Government. To the Editor of The News and Cou rier: The public mind, especially in the South, is very much agitated about the Federal election bill now pending in Congress, and I have received a number of inquiries in regard to it. It is scarcely possible to make individual replies to all, and therefore, with your permission, I will ask the use of your paper for that purpose. The provisions of the bill have been so generally discussed by the press that they ought to be quite well understood by those who read the newspapers, and it will not therefore be necessary to enter into details to explain them. I may say, however, in passing that a more revolutionary and dangerous measure has never before received the sanction of a majority in either branch of the United States Congress. It is without a parallel even in the exciting period of reconstruction, when the party in power did not scruple "to camp outside the Constitution" and carry measures of legislation with a high hand. I doubt if the most extreme Radical in those days ever dreamed (. proposing a scheme half so revolu tionary as this, or so subversive of the principles of our republican form of government. But the point of special inquiry now is, what will be the fate of the bill in the Senate, the House having passed it at the domineering dictation of an un scrupulous partisan Speaker. into whose hands the rules of a majority have placed absolute power, a power exer cised to stifle the minority, shut off legitimate and necessary discussion, and defeat the ends of representative gov ernment. There has never been any thing approaching the tyranny and absouteism of this one-man power in the House since constitutional and rep resentative government was founded never such a travesty upon popular government. Of course I can only speak conjectur ally of the fate of the bill in the Senate. The Republicans have a majority in that body, but at present there is no rule by which the gag c i be applied to the mi nority, no limit to Cebate and I trust no attempt will be made to frame one. I violate no confider e when I say that a large number of Republican Senators do rot approve of the proposed change in i :e elec ion laws, and I shall be very grievously and greatly disappointed if they yield their independent, private jrdgments to the behests of the con spirators in their party in their efforts against the liberties of the American people, for, in my judgment, it is a de iiberately planned conspiracy on the part of desperate partisans to retain power at any expense. I do not venture' too far, or indulge in extravagance, when I sav if they succeed it will be the beginning of the end of constitutional government in this country. So thoroughly am I convinced of this that I should despair of the continuance of popular institutions if the American people do not rebuke this desperate in vasion ot their liberties by desperate men when they have an opportunity to doso atthe polls. I cannot bring myself to believe they will permit such a flagrant violation of the principles of - home rule and local elf-government; nor am I willing to insult their intelli gence and patriotism by assuming they do not see through the pretexts and motives of those engaged in it. Frauds and intimidation mn elections in dhe South have been seized upon and exaggregated as a justification for this -assault on the rights and liberties of - the pepe. If all they say in this re gris true-and it is not true-if elec tons at the South are as bad as they represent them-and they are not-if the negro vote at the South is suppress edtothe extent they claim-and it is not-this bill will only intensify the evil and postpone indefinitely the correction of whatever wrongs exist. Whatever of truth there may be in these wholesalecharges againt the South -and I think I could aeinonstrate, if the proper ihmi' ts of this communica tion would permit. that in most in stances they are not true and in others greatly exaggerated-but whatever of truth there may be in any of them, it cannot and will not be denied that the suffrage is shamelessly snppressed and corrupted in many parts of the North bthe undisguised use of money and intmiation. So that these ixt least are not the people to taunt us at the Sou h with "suppressing" votes. Federal elec-. tior. laws will not correct the evil in either section or in either party. T'epublic opinon in each section, .aeach of the States, in all the States, alone can correct them. The laws are ample now to protect the ballot. Congress might pass an Act every week of its existence amending and ~adding to present statutes, and they - would be as ineffectual as existing laws, until a sound, healthy public sentiment condemns evil practices in elections, until the pubhec conscience revolts against them. So that neither section or party can with propriety charge the other with election frauds. They exist everywhere in our political system, to a __less or greater extent, and can only be eradicated by all sections and all parties rising up and putting upon them the seal of popular condemnation. Acts of Con reswill not do it. They have been tiadfailed. My observation and experience with representative n'en leads me to the con clusion that this is the prevailing opini ion among them in both parties and it is due to a large n~ mnber of the members of the Republican party, with whom I am thrown, to say they do not sympa tIhize with the present scheme of what is known as the Lodge bill to control Federal elections. They are as patriotic and devoted to the principles of home rule and local self-government as any body. But unfortunately for them and the country their party organization is under the control of a political junta, as unscrr-pulous and revolutionary as any that ever dominated the Commune of France. This desperate junta, desperate in its anxiety and efforts to preserve party power, desperate in its purpose to re tain control of the enormous revenues of the public treasury to be used as a corruption fund in elections, this junta has swept the conservative men of the party into the maelstrom of revolution ary proceedings inaugurated for the ob jects above stated. By such methods, by the merciless application of the par ty lash and the unscrupulous and tyran nical use of the gag in debate and viola tion of parliamentary right and law they have carried their measures through - the House. It remains to be seen 'whether their assalts upon the conserva tism of the Senate now being vigorously made, will prove effectual in that body. I am encouraged to .hope and believe they will not. I know that a large number of Re publican Senators donot approve of this election bill, and I believe they will have the courage of their convictions. In this I may be disappointed, but of one thing the country may rest assured the Democratic minority of the Senate - will exhaust every right and resource known under the Constitution and parliamentary lawv and usage to defeat this iniquitous and revolutionary scheme. If they fail, there is but one move left, viz, an appeal to the country. If in this they fail we. shall, as I have said elsewhere, see the beginning of tile end of home rule and ]ocal self-govern ment in this country'. We shall see the establishment of Alexander Ilamilton's ideal form of government-a strong. centrali'ed, corrupt power at the seat of government-magnifying, paternahizig the national authority, minimizing, paralyzing and ultmately estoyig shiall ,wo Tv -herst'ni idea of popular governniilt, popular rights and State autonony suplanted by 11nmilton's c-onterop~ t't or poua govermiioenit :dd the inaugu--tration 1' is it ish stem foruied after a cain survey of t iesitua Con. I may be inist aken. I sincerely trust that I am. I have always repoed implicit confidence in the patriotism of the great body of the Anierian people i their love of liberty. of home rule, of const itutional goverinient in their aver s~oii to despotism and oppression. whether that despotism and oppression is represented by kings. favored 4lasses or murestrained, irreponsible majoities, but the inroads of accumulated wealth, which is building up in our country and engrafting upon our institutions a pow erful plutocracy, the aggressiveness of coruorate power. do not encourage hope in the hearts of those who believe in government by the people and for the people, as laid down in our Consti tution. Whatever may be the fate of the pres ent force bill, I beg to impress upon all in the South who taket 1 - trouble to read this the importance o f self-restraint and moderation in action and speeen. Above all things that we do not visit a natural feeling of resentment upon the colored )eople. It must not be forgot ton they are not responsible and should not be held accomitable. Nothing would be more acceptable to the bloat ed and desperate partisans urging the passage of this bill than that we should have race contlicts in which the negro, as he always is. shall be worsted and kill ed. Many of them have not disguised the satisfaction they would derive from such conflicts, but with brutal frankness have admitted it in private conversation. I know how hard it is for white men anywhere, South or North, to contain themselves with patience and forbear ance in the face of the aggressive defi anee of the colored race. We ought nevertheless to practice forebearance up to the very last limit where it ceases to be a virtue, and try and control by ex ample those of either race who would precipitate collisions. I want to repeat the assurance that the Democrat minority in the Senate aid ed as I hope by conservative and patri otic Senators of the other side will leave no constitutional resou; ce untried to de feat this bill. and they must be sustain ed by moderation. self-resi raint and patience in all things on the part of their respective constituences. The South is not alone interested in this crisis. The blow is ained at her, but it will recoil and involve the liber ties of all the people of this country. Power is always aggressive, and power in the hands of unscrupulous conspira tors will not be content with its con quests in the Soutn. Nothing short of absolute and unchallenged and unchal levgable control of this Giovernment will satsfy them. It therefore behooves the South to move slowly, conservatively, moderately, and throw the weight of its great power on the side of that large number of patriotic people of the North (and they can be counted by the millions) who love liberty for its own sake, and who are as deeply involved as the South. M. C. BUTLER. Washington, July 23. DEATH INA CYCLONE. North Dakota and Other States the Scenes of Wreck and Ruin. DENVERt, COL., July 2.-At mid night occurred a terrific catastrophe that has temporarily isolated the towns up Clear Creek canon from the world. An immense cloud burst near the forks of the creek, pouring a de luge of water within the narrow walls of the canon. It completely demolish ed two iron railway bridges at Forks, and as far as can be learned, annihilat ed all structures in the vicinity. The restaurant, depot and outhouses were swept away by the flood. Fortunately, it is believed, no lives were lost. The immense column of water, laden with wreckage, went tearing down the ca non with the result that from Forks to Golden there is scarcely a vestige of railroad left. The greater portion of the roadbed was washed away and all means of communication are destroyed. After the cloudburst a furious hailstorm set in and it is reported that hail half a foot deep is lying in the canon. At 11 this morning a train loaded with bridge timbers andl conveying 200 men left Denver for tile scene of destruction. It will be about three days before the road is repaired. It was the regulation cyclone tearing and twisting across thecountry, levelling buildings and de stroying crops. Five persons were kill ed outright and a man and his wife probably fatally injured near Clifford. A Sensational Suicide. JACKsONVILLE, July 23.-G. Tate Carr, of Ocala, shot himself at Romeo .,-'ay on the eve of his marriage to Miss Ruby Weston. of the latter town, and the aiffair has produced a profound sensation. An Ocala special to the Times Union says: "Carr went down to Romeo on a special en 'ne last night, a ride of twenty-one miles. The mar riage was to have taken place at 6.30 this morning. The wedding breakfast was to follow and a bridal trip to the West. Will Weston. a brqther of the bride, as sisted the groom to dress. His toilet was nearly completed, when Carr asked Weston to go out into another room and get a pair of suspcnders. While absent young Weston heard a shot and return ing found Carr on the bed with a pistol ball in his temple. It was learned to day that before Carr took the engine he applied to several parties for a pistol, saying it was some distance from the depot to Dr. Weston's residence and he wanted something to protect himself in case of danger, and lie got George Bat tie's pistol. Carr had been dealing extensively in phosphate lands, and was reported to have made $25,000 by recent transac tions. It is learned, however, that the cash did not materialize, and the failure to raise money by a loan for the expense of the wedding trip is supposed to have induced suicide. Carr came from Illi nois live years ago, and was a young man of good habits and business ability." Can This~ Be True. CoLU3rima, S. C., July 26.-The llegis ter of this morning publishes the fol lowing: MAnIoN COUNTY, July 18th.18i0. We, the undersigned citizens, do here by certify that while awaiting the arri val of the 12:40 train on the night of the seveteenth inst., which was to carry the candidates for the State ollices from Marion to Kingstree, S. C.. we heard Captain B. 11. Tillman, without cause or provocation, mlake the following re mark in regard to the citizens of Cami den : "They are the G-d d--st, blackest set of sons of b-s that (God ever made!" (Signed) F. WA1RLEY MCKERR~ALL, RI. P. MULLINs, J tNiUs HI. EVTANS. R. L. CA R3IICIL\EL, 11. E. GuEGO, -Jr., . C2. W. McKAY, Jm., A Rumor Concerning Captain Courtenay. CHIARLEsTON, July 25-The Tillmon icon denies otlicially, this morning, the rumor that ex-Mayor Courtenay is to be the State Treasurer under the Tillman regime. A reliable gentleman told The Register correspondent to-day that no less a light than Dr. Sampson Pope of Newberry told him in the Charleston Hotel yesterday that the party hoped to get Captain Courtenay to accept tile Treasury portfolio because he was about the only man in the State who could "fund the State debt," or words to that effect. It may be mentioned that Captain Courtenay was, attentive. to Captain Tillman durmng his sojourn here and drove him out in his barouche on Wednesday afternoon. It is also just to Captaini Courtenay to say that he told The Register's correspondent a day or two ago that he would not accept any oc a aii..Coninmbia Register. COL. HO1YT VS. DI. POPE. 1 HE CHAiRMAN OF THE EXECUTIVE COMMITTEE IN DEFENCE. Actitu Prfollptly Met an4 Proof CIal lenaed--Tho Case Sumimed up a4 it Stand., anid Presented to the l'ublic. CoIuM1 ,S. C.. July 2.-The follow ing correspondence between Col..ames A. Hoyt. Charman of the D1emocratic State Executive Committee, and Dr. Sampson Pope, of Newherry,. S. C., will be found very interesting reading just now : G nEENVILLE, S. C., .July 7, 10. Dr. 8(impson Pope. ANurberr, S. U. Dear Sir-In the proceedings of the Democratic County Convention of Newberry County, 1 lind the following statement in the preamble and resolu tions introduced by you : "Said Execu tive Committee did meet, and by a vote of thirteen to one, did refuse to give us a State primary." As this refers dir ectly to the meeting of the State Exe cutive Committee, held May 8th, 1890, I respectfully ask that you will furn ish me with your authority for making the statement. It is a matter of simyle justice to the Executive Committee that an unqualified statement, purport ing to give its precise action at a defi nite time, shall rest upon good author ity, or else that the statement be re tracted, it unsupported by such author ity. Let me assure you that no such action was taken, and that your infor mation is entirely incorrect: The Exe cutive Committee has never voted up on the question of a State primary at all. I hope you will recognize the im portance and propriety of correcting so gross an error, which does a flagrant injustice to gentlemen occupying a re sponsible position in the Democratic party of this State. On other points we may differ widely, but there can be no difference of opinion as to the ob vious course on your part to rectify this matter, which has obtained the sanction of a County Convention through your instrumentality. Very truly yours, JAMES A. IIOYT, Chairman Stato Democratic Execu tive Committee. NEwBERRy, S. C., July 8th, 1890. Dear Sir-The resolution referred to the refusal of the committee in May (a day or two after the Ridgeway speech) to call a convention looking to the question of a primary being submitted to it. My recollection when I drew it, was, and is now, that N. G. G. in his letter published the next morning in the News and Courier, stated that the Executive Committee stood 13 to 1, and stated, I think, "that it was no secret." If you have the paper you can, by ex amining it, see whether or not I was wrong. I have not a copy of it. Very Respectfully, SAMPSON PorE. GRiEENVILLE, S. C., July 14. 1890. Dr. Sa=Rc a Pope, Newbery, S. C.: Dear 6 ;': Y(, ir favor of the 8th inst., has been received, and answer de layed by my absence from home. As I have already assured you that the State Executive Committee did not vote up on the question of a primary at the meeting held May 8th, the reply you make is quite unsatisfactory. You have based an attack upon the Execu tive Committee on information that is totally incorrect, and your statement in reference to what N. G. G. said the next morning in the N ews and Courier is equally wide of the mark. He refer red to the Executive Committee as be ing 13 against and one for Tillman, but this is very different from refusing "to give us a State primary" as you allege was done. I will be very glad to know whether you propose to make the correction, and in case you decline to do so, I will print this correspondence in justice to the Executive Committee. Yours Respectfully, JA3IEs A. HOYT. Chairman State Executive Com mittee. NEWBERRY, S. C., July 16, 1890. Dear Sir : Your letter of the 14th was received, and in reply I have this to say : Mr. Gonzales obtained infor mation from some member of your committee upon which he based. his letters of the 9th and 10th of Miay to the News and Courier. I have been un able to get a copy of that of the 10th, tl-e one of the 9th being short on ac count of the lateness of the hour of ad jounment of your committee. He stated, if I recollect correctly, that the question of a primary was acted on, and further stated that the committee stood 13 against Tillman to 1 for him. If I recollect properly this last state ment was italicized and in figures. Your committee raiet again on the 25th of June. Our convention met on the 28th of June. During all of this time that elapsed between May 8th and June 25th no correction of Mr. G.'s statement was made by your committee, nor was any action taken upon it at your meet ing of June 25th. You allowed it to stand that 13 of the 14 members pre sent were against Mr. Tillman, and it was only after the publication of our proceedings had on the 28th of June that we hear of any denial. We had a right to infer from that statement that a vote calling a convention for pri mary had been taken, and that it stood 13 against and 1 for. You say that no ,ote was taken; you say that no action was taken on the primary. It is not possible, then, that an outside agree ment was had on the question, and de cided so as to avoid the question com ing up in the meeting. If you will give me the names of one or more of the 13 who favored a convention for primary outside or inside of the meeting on the 8th of May, I will cheerfully correct to that extent. You go so far in your first letter to me as to say, "The Executive Com mittee has never voted upon the ques tion of a primary at all," and that, too, after they had called a convention for that purpose to meet on August_13th. I am not a member of your committee. and do not of course know how you de cide matters coming before you, but I do know you decided to call and did call a convention by some means known to yourselves to meet on August 13th to 'take into consideration a primary. These are not days for quibbling or hair splittine. I am willing that the public shall "dccide wvhether or not I have misrepresented your committee. You are at liberty to publish this cor respondence from beginning to end and the letter of Mr. Gonzales, publish ed in the News and Courier of May 10th, with it, but it must be~ all pub lhd. Very respectfully, SAMPsoN POPE. ( REEXvIL LE, S. C., gJuly 17, 1890. Dr. Sampson Pope, iRewberry, S. C.. Dear Sir: I am just in receipt of your favor of the 16th inst. 1 regret th at you did not see proper to inform yourself as to the facts before introduc ing the resolutions into the County Convention. You seem unfortunate also in not being able to procure a copy of the News and Courier for May 10th. as that seems to be your authority for making the positive statement to which your attention has been called, namely, that the State Executive Committee by a vote of thirteen to one refused to or der a State primary. In order that you may learn, at this late day, what N. G. G. said in his correspondence on the 10th of May, I will quote the paragraph in full: "The members of the Demo cratic State Committee left for their homes to-dlay. While they have taken no oflicial action in the matter, and have endeavored to make no discrimi nation in favor of either the Tillman ites or the Anti-Tillmanites, it is an omen secret that the members of the comnittee regard the Tillman move ment, as organized and pressed, a seri ous uienace to the solidity of the Dem ocratic party, and that none of the fourteen who gathered here last night are supporters of Tillman, except Mr. Gary, of A bbeville." I do uot know the source from which Mr. Gonzales received the information, and which was evidently obtained after the miembers had left the city, but I do not doubt the correctness of his state urnt. Yet uhat is the rleva.ncy be tiel his statement and the declaration you made, deliberately and without 4;ualificatiou, that the State Executive Committee had refused by a vote of thirteen to one to order a State prima ry ? You are obliged to admit that there is no coinection whatever between the statement of Mr. Gonzales and the de claration contained in your resolutions. Because thirteen out of fourteen were opposed to Mr. Piliman, as a matter :>f fact, is no justification whatever for an absolute declaration that is utterly groundless and without the shadow of foundation. The thirteen members who are thus misrepresented by you have just as much right to oppose Mr. Tillman as you have to support him, and to distort their opposition to him as being against a primary is one of the vEry queer features of this campaign. I repeat again that no such action was taken on the question of a primary election on the 8th of May, or anything akin to it, and the statement contained in your resolutions is entirely baseless and gratuitous. Therefore, you had no right to infer from the correspondence of N. G. G. "that a vote on calling a convention for primary had been taken and that it stood 13 against and 1 for." It follo ws that there could be no denial of a thing which never existed, and it is plain enough that your authority dis proves your own assertion. The or'y vote by yeas and nays on thato(.casion was upon the date for holding t e No Ginating Convention. Some favored " :p*- aber 3rd and others September 10th, which was offered as a substitute, and the vote was upon a motion to lay on the table-ayes 5 and nays 8. The substitute (September 10th) was then adopted. I am not writing at random. but with an exact copy of the minutes before me nor am I taking so much pains to cor rect your egregious error on account of any personal reasons, but because you succeeded in getting the endorsement of the Newberry Democratic Conven tion, thereby giving the declaration an importance it did not otherwise possess. I cannot close without giving a mo ment to the extraordinary query con tained in your last favor, wherein you say: "Is it not possible, then, that an outside agreement was had on the question, and decided so as to avoid the question coming up in the meeting?" The members of the State Executive Committee have always shown the courage and manliness to act openly and in accordance with their convic tions, and the insinuation you make is only another injustice added to the in jury already done. There is not the slightest shadow or pretext for this violent supposition on your part which is in keeping with the spirit of your resolutions. I will furnish this correspondence to the newspapers, so that the public may judge as to your course in this *matter. Respectfully. JAXES A. hOYT, Chairman State Dem. Ex. Com. AN EQUAL DIVISION. Five Anti-Tillmanite and Five Tillman Delegates Elected. SVITER, S. C., July 24.-The County Democratic Convention met in the Court House, and was called to order by Coun ty Chairman P. P. Gaillard. The roll of clubs was called and the list of delegates handed in. After the old clubs report ed twenty new clubs were enrolled. Col. R. D. Lee read a paper protestiuagainst the enrollment of any new clubs. Im mediately upon this protest, Col. J. J. Dargan arose and contended that all new lubs in which there were no specific harges or contest should be enrolled. The confusion was great, and the Till anites were greatly excited. Col. Dar an beloging to a new club, the point was made that he was not yet a member f the convention. The point was sustained, but, on mo ion, he was allowed fifteen minutes to ddress the convention. He spoke of he intense feeling in the convention, and in el~oquent terms appealed to both factions to be true to themselves and onsider the good of the State and party aove faction; and as it appeared to him hat the factions in this County are aout equally divided he proposed that his convention send an equally divided elegation to the State Convention be ween the Tillmaites and the anti-Till nanites. Col. RI. D). Lee insisted on his otion and there was a spirited debate etween him and Colonel D~argan. Great confusion here prevailed, and, olonel Dargan, representing the new lubs from which no protests were en ered, demanded that those clubs be en olled. At this point pandemonium eigned surpreme and a general row was ith some difficulty avoided, and the hairman for a while lost control of the onvention. After an earnest speech by Ion. Marion Moise, Colonel Lee with-I rew his notice of a general protest and he new clubs were then enrolled. The onvention after this got in a better humor, and the enr'dling of the new lubs was proceeded with amid great onfusion. After the new clubs were enrolled Col oel J. D. Blanding offered a resolution hat in view of the evident irreconcilable ifferences in the County, both factions ithdraw and each faction organize and end each five delegates to the State onvention. Colonel Dargan seconded he resolution. This resolution caused reat confusion and remarks were made y several gentlemen,. The resolution et with general favor and was carried ith a hurrah, The Tillmanites repaired to the engine all and the meeting was presided over y Mr. H. R. Thomas. Mr. Thomas ade an honest appeal to the meeting to end their best men. Mr. H. R. Thomas as elected a delegate by acclamation. n motion it wvas agreed that four names eciving the highest number of votes be eclared delegates and the live receiving he next highest number be alter ates, and this was done. The proceed ngs of this caucus were characterized y the greatest confusion so that it was amost impossible to tell what was going The anti-Tillmanites met in Mattheis en Hall, with Dr. Jlohn S. Hlughson in ie chair and John T. Green secretary. ive delegates and three alternates to the State Convention were elected. The onvention then reconvened. The re ~ort of both the Tillman and anti-Till an factions was received and confirm d amid great enthusiasm. The conven tion adjourned without electing a new ounty chairman. The question of a rimar-y or convenitioni was next consid red.-Columbia Register. Two More for Reed's Fold. WAsuINGTOx, .July 22.--Reed has cheduled for next week another elec tion of Republican contestants by the Iouse. Miller of South Carolina and agston of Virginia are to be first elect ed. It is said that they were kept so long because it was feared that they ight not vote for the force bill, but they would probably have voted just as eed said. The real cause seems to be the determined effort of their own~ party n the Smoalls vs. Miller case and of ah one in the Langston case to keep them out. But Reed is hearing from the olored poiitical clubs in the doubtful orthern states and feels that another election must be held by the House. It s uite possible that Reed may not let ontestant Chalmers speak on the 11oor ten the Mississippi case come up, nowing, as he does, that Chalmers has a speech full of dynamite for the force bill. _________ An Aliance Candidate Wina. ATrL ANT A, (.,. J1uly24.-The Walton t'outy Alliancemen in their vote of last Saturday practicallysettled the Con ressional race in this district. Walton has alwvays been a Stewart stronghold umd when'the news came that it had gonle for Livingston the Stewart men threw mp the sponge and so did Judge Stewart himslf. WHAT IT AIS T0 1)0. ADDRESS OF THE PRESIDENT OF THE NATIONAL ALLIANCE. Col. Leonidas L. Volk show1 Iow Lthe Farmiers Have Gone from Bad to Worse lie Tlinks the Alliance Will Educate The Farmer. UREENVILLE, S. C., July 24.-Col. L. L. Polk. President of the National Al liance, delivered an address to-night to a large audience at the Opera House. About eight o'clock Dr. J. Wi. Stokes, President of the State Alliance, in a happy speech presented Col. Polk, who, he said, combined the Nestor and Achilles of the great Farmers' Alli ance. Col. Polk came forward and ad dressed the audience for two hours on Alliance topics. A synopsis of the ad dress is here given as we find it in the News and Courier: He expressed himself as delighted at being in South Carolina, and especially that grand old town, Greenville. He had been from the lakes to the Rio Grand, from the Atlantic to the Golden Gate of California. The warm recep tion given him by the South Carolina Alliance delighted him. He considered no place a brighter or happier home than the Piedmont belt of South Caro lina. He reminded the young men of the State, when seeking the Eldorado, that they had it at home. Had been on an official tour of the Alliance States, and was returming home. He had a mess age from the people of the great North west to deliver to the Southern people. This he would do in the course of his address. It pleased him to see the great unity that existed everywhere. It was there and when he came he found it here. It was the design of God that ours should be a great coun try, united in every way. He had been speaking since June 24, every day, Sun days excepted, and his voice, as could be seen, was very weak, so he would make a rambling talk. He was going to speak plainly and tell the truth as it was. If anyone did not want to hear that he could not interest him. Farm ing was a very quiet occupation, hence farmers were a quiet, unobtrusive peo ple. There had never been such an up heaval in the popular affairs of our country. There was a cause for it, and it was his intention to show these causes. He expected to wabble a good deal, and in this connection told a very amusing enecdote about the old man and boy who went hunting-the old fellow did the shooting and killed the birds, but was accused by the little boy of holding the gun over the whole tree. He made the assertion that the cause of this trouble came from a radical point. All admitted depressio' in ag riculture, but gave every reason but the right one. He asked why the railroads and manufacturing interests were so prosperous, and why were towns and fortunes built up so rapidly as never before? But then there was a peculiar fact in this connection: When did the people ever know agriculture to lan guish as to-day ? The people were taught we had a grand Government, where all had equal chance; but there was something wrong. The farmers before him fed the whole people; noth ing could be done without them. Jay Gould with all his gold, would starve. It would not feed him. In 1850 the farmers owned 70 per cent of the property, in 1860 only 50 per cent, while now they own only 23 per cent, but the taxes have not decreased a bit, but have even increased. He re ferred tothe taxes on assessed property and not the indirect taxes. It had been just the other way, factories, banks, etc. He gave these figures, as the people could reject him and his ar gument, but not facts and figures. Crops had continued to decrease in val ue while lots cif improved machinery was used. This even failed to make farming profitable. It was no use for him to tell them agricultural interests were depressed. They knew it. There were men before him who had owned land-he did not know whether they owned it now or not-had worked hard and lived eco nomically, but they were poorer to-day than ten years ago. It made him ex claim: "Great God! how can this be so in this great country of ours ?" He could only refer the people to the sta tistics, where they could see it was so. Another matter of peculiar interest was that the smaller farms had been ab sorbed by the larger ones. Where then was the money ? When he we'it to New York and other large cities along the Atlantic seaboard he was struck with their grandeur. When rolling across the beautifulgreen prairies of the West he viewed her great capabilities and he could in all this exclaim: "WVhat a great country is mine!" But when he went to a quiet country home, where the old family Bible lay open in the neat little cottage, where the mothers taught their sons and dadghters the duties and responsibilities that awaited them, he must cry aloud that the great ness of a country is in the family home. When he looked at the condition of our Republic he was struck with the likeness it bore now to the great and fallen republios that had been buried in the dropping sands of time. The people were becoming fast divided. The wealthy were arrayed against the poor. The trouble was the poor were being swallowed up by the rich. When ever the farmer's boat was wrecked all must go down with it. The farmers were charged with being lazy. He de nied this. The South Carolina farmers were the best dressed body he had met. He did not want to be inquisitive, but would like to know how many $30 suits were in the crowd, or how many they. had at home? They were certainly making a brave fight under adverse circumstances. When he went to Washington he called on the great statesmen there to inquire of them the reason of depres sion in agriculture. He first met Mr. Dodge, the great statistician. Mr. Dodge said they needed diversification in agriculture. How beautiful, how nice this sounded. But he bad fallen into a bad habit of not believing every thing that was told him. He generally found out for himself. If diversifica tion was needed why was Michigan in such a bad condition with her diversi fied farms ? It was the same in Massa chusetts, one of the old States, so Mr. Dodge's theory did't work, in the last mentioned State 142 farms had been abandoned, right by the factories, where whistles were dinner horns for the occupants. This, too, in a brief time. These.figures were given in the Governor's message. In Newv Jersey he found that their superior knowledge of diversified agri culture availed them nothing, so he was compelled to think Mr. D~odge was indeed "dodging" the question. lHe next talked with some of the United States Senators-fello ws we call "statesmen." Mr. Morrill, one of the oldest members, told him very modest ly that it was "over-production." These statesmen charge that the farmer is lazy, yet say there is "over-production." In other words, the reason the farmer was so poor was because he made too much. Yet he thought farmers were to blame for this depression. They were like blue birds: lie remembered when a boy going in the field where the young birds were and dIropping pebbles in their mouths. The little fellows didn't hesitate to swallow them as long as you dropped them in. The farmers, just like these had swallowed all, swore it was good and called for more. lHe used to do that, but it had choked him. All the wheat shipped from this country would give only 2% ounces more per (lay to the people, and if there had been money to buy it, wouldl have been consumed. If Mr. Morrill could hear the hungry wail of the poor children he would never ac use the farmers of overdoing the bus iess. There was no such thing as long as a child called for bread. The trouble is under consumption. When or-n is cheap money is high. When anyone says to him "corn is cheap." he would ask him where is the dollar? Fif':een or twenty years ago you could pay a thousand dollar note with ten bales of cotton, now it takes thirty bales,. Son ien were so irreverent as to .-y a gaood God had allowe'l over production, lie had more faith than that. When money is high labor pro ducts are low. Through the statesmen the money has gone to Wall street; for many years the National Government was "for, of and by" the ring. The Farmers' Alliance was going to change this condition of things by edu cation. The masses ought to know their condition. Some will say, "You are goinigr into politics," but all that was from those little politicians. He would like to ask who had more right to poli ties than the farmer? To whom did the party belong? The Alliance was as full of politics as an egg was of meat. When anyone came into the Alliance he had to leave his little political flag at the door. A Congressman, some time ago told him that tariff reduction was all that was wanting. He asked him why were the people of free-trade England complaining? The financial policy of the Government was to suit the few at the expense of the many. The fight between the Democratic and Republican national parties is a side show. You "holler" and vote for these statesmen, and hear them tell you they stand on the tower of liberty, your watchmen. When you say, "Watchman, how goes the night?" he answers. "All is right; plough on." He said the farmers had a measure they must support-the sub-treasury scheme. The politicians fight it because it is uncon stitutional. He defied any lawyer or man to show its unconstitutionality and the constitutionality of the nation al banking system. When you men tion the bill these "statesmen" turn up their eyes like owls, and tell you it is unconstitutional. Those Congressmen who will not support our demands we will elect to stay at home. As to himself he was not a lawyer, had gone to school only ten months in his life, but, as a farmer had the right to speak for them. He raised his hand and vowed never to support a man who would not support the people. Here the Colonel asked the Reporter to take what he said down literally. I have no prejudice against lawyers. Have never villified one. Have a high opinion for them as the supporters and expounders of civil lib erties; but I think the proportion of representation they have in our Con gress is to6 much. Against the big lawyers, listen to their little tattlers. Col. W. J. Talbert here asked Col. Polk how many farmers were in the National Congress. He replied, thir teen. Mr. Talbert stated that the News and Courier attacked him and asserted that there were thirty-five. Col. Polk said that is about as near right as they ever get things. He said just a word about the News and Cou rier. If he were the farmers and took that paper, paying six dollars or seven dollars for it to slander their leaders, he would go home and have a guardian appointed for himself or consult his mother and dear wife about it. When ever he heard of the News and Courier he felt like pulling off his hat. He then gave a brief account of the condition of the Alliance in all sec tions. It was national reform we need ed. He urged the Alliance to stand together and fight National, not State matters. He paid a tribute to South ern ladies, and closed by thanking the audience for their kind attention and the Alliance for its warm reception. A Level-Headed View. A farmer, writing to the Lancaster Review, objects to the passage of reso lutions by Democratic clubs requiring candidates for county offices to endorse Tilman or any other candidate. H-e maintains very correctly that "to in ject the bitterness of the State canvass into the county canvass would destroy the harm~ony and endanger the unity of the Deniocratic party." He assumes that "the farmers as a class do not in tend to exclude other classes from office or from participating equally with themselves in elections," for, he main tains, "to deny other classes such 'equal rights' would be suicidal and result in the defeat of the Democratic party." lie says, further and very truly, "Unity among all clases of white people is essential to their political supremacy. If the bitterness of the State canvass is transferred to the county canvass this unity will be jeopardized. Candidates for political office," he says, "might. be called upon to endorse or reject political platforms or principles, but should not be permitted to ride into office on the merit or popularity of other candidates simply by endorsement of their can didacy, but should stand Cr fall upon their own merit or dczrerit. Week can didates will doubtless try to ride into office on the shoulders of a popular can didate simply by endorsement. This would lead 'to combinations among voters as well as candidates, and would end in ring rule, the very thing we wish to avoid."________ A Hole in the Line. The Watertown, N. Y7., Times, Repub lican, says: "The Republican Congres sional Committee has issued a circular calling on the Republican press to fire all alonig the line into the Republican Senate to force it to pass the federal elec tions bill. There will be a small hole in the line, so far as the Times is concern ed. It believes the bill to be suicidal and the Republican Senate is most wise in hanging it up. The longer it is hung up the less excuse there will be for taking it down. The negro is every day becommng more and more able to take care of his rights, as do all other citizens, by the strength of his own intelh gence and will. The accumulation of this kind of power both to whites and blacks must be the salvation of the South, and a statute law will not hasten the day, but might delay it. Smallpox in Mexico. SAN ANTONIO, TEXAS, July 22. Smallpox is epidemic along the3Mexican side of the border. At Piedras Negras twenty-five per cent of the population has been affected and the percentage of fatalities has been very high. In New Laredo there have been upwards of two hundred people stricken with the dis ease. The M1exicans have taken no pre autions against its spread, and in many of their smaller towns it is raging uin hecked. The Western Cloudburst. DENVERt, COL., July 23-Telegrams from Central City yesterday reported heavy rains in that section during the past three days. In the afternoon the storm culminated in a heavy cloud burst over Winnebago and Maryland mountains, doing great damage along the line of the Colorado Central road. wo men and a child camping on beav er break were swept away by a raging torrent. ________ Asiatic Cholera in Kansas. ATCHIsON, July 18.--There _was _a genuine case of Asiatic cholera in this city yesterday. Every symptom was eveloped, except that it was sporadic. The victim was Mrs. WV. R. Bishop, the wife of a well-known citizen, and she died within twenty-four hours. T wo prominent physicsans pronounce d the case undoubtedly Asiatic choler a. Barnweni Tired of it. Col. J. A. IHoyt, chairman of the State Democratic Executive Committee, has eeived official notice that the Barnwell ounty Convention has requested the withdrawal of the campaign appoint ent for .July 30th and the speakers have been notified that the appointment has been cancelled. T1 H E Augusta Chronicle says the cen ss is not panning out well for the Re pnblicans. The Northern and Eastern states are barely holdinig their own, while the growth of population in the South is something enormous. It is Lode il or e rish. A SENSATIONAL LETTER. WILL CAPT. TILLMAN BE GOVERNOR OF SOUTH CAROLINA? Some of the Reasons and Causes Given by the South Carolina Correspondeut of the Au;usta Chronicle Why Ile Will Never Reach the Goal. CoLLM.ImA. S. C., July 19.-Will Till man be governor of South Carolina? Every man, woman and child in the Palmetto State is asking this question, and echo only answers: Will he? There are o great many who believe he will be, and there are a great m any who will bet that he will not be. South Carolina politics has never b;fore been in such a disturbed state. Even the turbulent days of "76" were not a match to the present situation. Then it was white man against negro. Now it is brother against brother, household against household. It is a death struggle between two giant factions, and which ever goes down will stay down. To one not ac quainted with the situation and judging from the perspective it would appear that Tillman is sure to win, but "there are more things in heaven and earth, Horatio, than are dreamt of in thy philosophy." Capt. Tillman has brought himself into notoriety by posing as a reformist. He has gained the ear of the people by declaring that there are abuses and corruption in the State government, and he has won a large faction over to him by promising to correct the abuses and expose the corruption. There is a large faction that declares that his charges are the cry of a demagogue and mischievous agitator, whose only aim is to secure office. Each faction poses as an exemplar of constitutional Democracy. Principles are settled now-a-days by the arbitra ment of mastery. If Tillman is allowed to be governer of South Carolina the fact substantiates his charges, and it goes abroad that he, the exponent of true Democracy and the champion of the people, has wrested the government from the clutches of an oligarchy whose power was used to oppress and to plunder. To defeat him would re verse the situation. If both factions are Democratic the predominance of one over the other must inevitably cause a split of the party. And this is why Tillman may not be governor of South Carolina. His oppo nents claim that his methods are un Democratic. To bind themselves to the action of a convention controlled by his allies would be to submit to defeat at the hands of a faction believed to be un-Democratic and hostile to good gov ernment. On these grounds some of the best and purest Democrats advo cate a direct appeal to the ballot box. If the negro can be marshalled, into the ranks against Tillman they believe it will simply be fighting the devil with fire. They hold that the election of Gen. Earle or Gen. Bratton by such means would be no more disreputable to them as Democrats than being beaten by Tillman. Therefore if there is any ir regularity on the part of the Tillman faction in the August or September conventions this will be the inevitable program. The negro vote can be had for a "consideration," and with the white anti-Tillman contingent would defeat Capt. Tillman at the polls. There are thousands of men in South Caro lina who would not vote for Tillman for any consideration, and this conting ent will have a voice in the coming events. And there is anoi~aer reason why Tilman may not become governor. There is a possibility that he will not live to see election day. Some of his friends openly assert that an effort will be made to assassinate him. He is said to have received letters informing him that plans have been formed for his assassination. The temper of South Carolinians is such, however, that a proposition of this kind would appear absurd. But if a riot should occur at any of the approaching meetings, re suting in bloodshed, it is a generally accepted conclusion that he would be killed. That he is hated with an un compromising venom is not to be de nied, and there are hundreds of promi nent men in Carolina representing the wealth and intelligence of the State who would look upon Capt. Tillman's death as a benefaction. Capt. Tillman realizes the seriousness of his attitude and frequently expres ses himself as fearful that he will be assassinated. He has point blankly re fused to participate in the, debate at Charleston on the 24th instant, because the speaking is arranged to take place in the opera house at night. His pre sentiments are supposed by some to have dictated this action, but it is doubtless only a surmise. Anticipating trouble the citizens of Orangeburg have appealed to the State executive com mittee to call off the meeting at that place. It, however, will not be done. There are other meetings where trouble of a serious nature will likely occur and the coming week will no doubt afford some lively reading matter. L. H. PrrrILLO. capt. Dibble on the situation. The following is an extract from a letter written by the Hon. Samuel Dib ble to a gentlemian in Colleton County and published in the Walterboro Press: "Our State is in a bad fix politically, and our farmers have no conception of the damage that is being done to us abroad. 'Tillmanisni' will stop capital from coming to us; will cost us millions of dollars of increased burdens, which our taxpayers will have to pay, to meet higher rates of interest on our bonds. and will encourage the Radicals to swing the federal election bill on us, and give us ]ots of trouble. If ever South Carolina farmers were playing a game which is going to be costly to themselves, now is the time. And yet they think it is a mere a amusement of the hour-to shout Tillman!--that don't cost them anything. If some of them were here and knew how it looks to an outsider-could see ourselves as others see us-they would probably re flect ai little." We Must Stick Together. The Hion. William HI. Felton, of Georgia, is one of the ablest men in the State, but for many years it was imossible to keep him in the party traes. Recently, however, he has given his support to the Straightout Demo cracy. He was asked a few days ago about the rumors that he would be an independent candidate for Congress. He admitted that he had been urged by parties all over the district to make the race, but said : "I will not be an inde pendent candidate, and if I enter the political field my claims will be subject to the decisions of the Democracy. I believe the time has come when all Democrats should b~e closely united." In the same interview Mr. Felton pro nounced the force bill the most iniquit ous measure ever urged before Con gress, and declared the sub-treasury scheme unfeasible and unr~ sonable. Turning Out Democi.ats~. WAsmnioTox, July 18.-The House committee on elections to-day decided two more contested cases in favor of the Republican contestants. They were the Florida case of Goodrich vs. Bal lock, decision in favor of Goodrich, and the West Virginia case of McGinnis vs Alderson. decision in favor of McGin nis. This makes a total of sixteen cases decided by the committee this session, ten decisions being in favor of the Republicans and six in favor of the sitting Democratic members. Light Frost in New York. WasmIsGTON, July 21.-Light frost is reported at dillerent points North of here last night. Such report comes from points near Baltimore in central 'Figures of the Situation." The G(reenville News fgures as fol lows on the approaching contest in the State Democratic Convection: Couities sure for Tillman: A bbeville............ ............. 12 .\ ik n .................... ......... 10 A iderson.......................... 10 Iarnnell.......................... 12 Chester................ ........... 8 Colleton........................... 12 Edgefield.......................... 12 I ailipton ................ ......... 8 Laurens........................... 8 Lexington......................... 6 Lancaster......................... 6 M arlboro................ .......... 6 Newberry......................... 8 Oconee....................,........ 6 Union................ ............ 8 Of these counties Abbeville. Aiken Chester, Colleton, Hamptou, Marlboro Newberry, Oconee and Union, with 79 delegates, have already elected and in structed their delegates. The Counties sure against Tillman are: Charleston.......................... 28 Richland........................... 12 Fairfield.......... .......... 8 Sumter............................. 10 H orry.................... .......... 6 Georgetown........................ 6 70 Of these Richland and Georgetown have already taken action. The total strength of the State Con vention is 320, the number required to nominate being 161. With 132 conceded Tillman and 70 against him there re main 118 delegates to be fought for. Of these Tillman must capture 29 to win or his opponents must capture 91. The counties constituting the fighting r ound are: Beaufort........................... 8 Berkeley........................... 12 Chesterfield......................... 6 Clarendon.......................... 6 Darlington......................... 8 Florence.......... ........... 6 Greenville.................. ....... 10 Kershaw......... ........... 8 Marion......... ............. 8 Orangeburg............... ........ 12 Pickens.................... ........ 6 Spartanburg........................ 10 Williamsburg................ ...... 8 York......... ............. 10 118 Republican Politics. The Republican Congressional Con vention of the Twenty-fifth District of Pennsylvania a few days ago, after a struggle which lasted for several days, nominated Major McDowell over the Hon. Charles C. Townsend, present in cumbent. The nomination caused great surprise, as Mr. Townsend is a friend of Senator'Quay and had that gentleman's backing. The convention had hardly adjourned before charges of the use of boodle by the backers of Major Mc Dowell were openly made, and the Pittsburg Dispatch recently published an affidavit from one of the conferees from Beaver County, in which he con fesses that he was paid $300 to chan his vote from Townsend to McDowll and he further stated that the two other conferees from Beaver County were paid a like amount. An official call for an investigation has been issued by the chairman of the Republican committee of Beaver County. Major McDowell asserts positively that no matter what is done or proved in connection with the alleged purchase of conferees he will under no circumstances withdraw or consent to a new conference. It seems positively funny that Senator Quay should be beaten in a game where boodle figures. No Stagnation Here. The Boston Advertiser having refer red to South Carolina as the "least pro gressive of the Southern States," the Manufacturers' Record volunteer's the following manly defense of the State: "The Advertiser, as usual when it refers to Southern matters, displays either ig norance or a purpose to misrepresent. South Carolina is far from bemng non progressive. It is rapidly pnshhmg to the front, especially in the m~anufacture of cotton goods, and SouthsCarolina mills are going to be the liveliest iron petitors that New England mills will have to meet. In 1880 South Carolina had 14 cotton mills, with 82,334 spindles and 1,676 looms, while it now has 44 mills with 417,730 spindles and 10,687 looms. Next to Georgia it leads the South in the number of spindles, and as to the quality of the goods produced, it was only a few months ago that the Boston Commercial Bulletin stated that the Clifton Mills of South Carolina were producing such fine goods that they were being imitated by several NewEn gland mills." Captain Ben TiBman. It is popularly supposed that Captain Ben Tfillman lost an eye studyn Greek by a lightwood-knot fire. Ti is a mistake. An eminent physician and surgeon says that the South Caro lina "Moses" when a mere lad went out swimming. He made a vigorous dive and struck his forehead on a rock at the bottom of the stream. The skull over the eye itself was so injured that it had to be removed. He was para ly zed for a consideratble period, and this was the reason why he did not go tothe war as his gallant brother did. It was physically impossible for him to do so; andl therefore no charge of his want of intrepidlity cani hold water. There never was any question of his pluck, and, however violeutly he mnay be dis agreed with politically, he has shown wonderful powers of mind atnd unquail ing courage-Augusta News. Republicans at Work. We notice from the Hampton Guar dian that a full county ticket has been decided upon by the Republicans of that county and will be put up against the Democrats in the November elec tions. There has not been as much activity among the Republicans in this State since 1876 as seems to be develop ing this year. They never showed, as much interest in the matter of securmg~ registration tickets even in a presiden tial election year. The family quarrel we are having has revived hope among them. There will be need for Democrats to get together before the November election. We fear, however that they are getting further apart. But we must not divide-we cannot. Newberry Herald and News. The Census a Farce. The taking of the census was a farce in some places. A Raleigh dispatch asserts that no census of South Greens boro, Guilford County, N. C., wvhich has a population of three thousand, has been taken, and one township in the county has no enumerator. And in tocky Grove township, Orangeburg County, S. C., there was no enumeration whatever. It begins to look as if the ensus is a farce all over the State, 8s we hear complaints from nearly every section as to the careless manner in which it has been taken. Hoyt Interviews Sheli. Colonel .James A. Hoyt, of Greenville, visited this place last Wednesday. Hie and a brief interview with Captain Shell regarding the political situation. We have not learned the result of the con erence, but presume no definite under standing was arrived at.-Laurensville Ierald. _________ WriEN one reads the Anti-Tillmanl papers it looks as if Tillman waswe ning, but take up the Tillman papers md it will appear that he will not only sweep this State, but will take in sever 1 counties on the Georgia side of the Savannah. THE rank and file of the Demrcrat e party have no notion of splitting. fter the September Convention names :he candidate they will all fall in line mud march to victory. THE Augusta Chronicle well says: 'Candidates for oflice are p roper sub jects for criticism, but not for missrep -esnttion or abuse."