Unwilling to Take his Own Medicine
September 1, 1894
Summary
Senator Butler of South Carolina withdraws from the Democratic party primary, deciding to run as an independent, further showing the disunity of the Democratic Party.
Transcription
Senator Butler of South Carolina who has been conducting a joint canvass over that state with Governor Tillman for the senator-ship, has created something of a sensation by unceremoniously withdrawing his pledge to stand by the action of the democratic primary to the extent of supporting its nominee. This would indicate that he will run as an independent. Republicans both white and colored have been [unintelligent] out time and [unintelligent] just such men and [unintelligent] as Senator Butler and his supporters.
It would seem now that he is unwilling to take his own medicine, for he is quoted as saying:
“I beg to say in withdrawing the paper filed by me with Thompkins, Secretary of the Democratic Executive Committee, announcing my candidacy, I am following the footsteps of distinguished reformers, who are unwilling to submit their claims to a primary where everything from coroner up has been cut, dried, packed, and slater down by the ring, when the result is slated and known by the ring before a vote has been put in the ballot-box.”
For our part, we are careless as to the result. As the matter stands our people have little to expect from either wing and while seated upon a woodpile out of harm’s way from the contest, yell “Go it, ye cripples; may the best man win!”
It would seem now that he is unwilling to take his own medicine, for he is quoted as saying:
“I beg to say in withdrawing the paper filed by me with Thompkins, Secretary of the Democratic Executive Committee, announcing my candidacy, I am following the footsteps of distinguished reformers, who are unwilling to submit their claims to a primary where everything from coroner up has been cut, dried, packed, and slater down by the ring, when the result is slated and known by the ring before a vote has been put in the ballot-box.”
For our part, we are careless as to the result. As the matter stands our people have little to expect from either wing and while seated upon a woodpile out of harm’s way from the contest, yell “Go it, ye cripples; may the best man win!”
About this article
Source
Location on Page
Upper Left Quadrant
Topic
Contributed By
Carlos Serrano
Citation
“Unwilling to Take his Own Medicine,” Black Virginia: The Richmond Planet, 1894-1909, accessed January 20, 2026, https://blackvirginia.richmond.edu/items/show/1492.