To Hell With Such Law.”
December 8, 1906
Summary
At a conference in Chicago, Senator Tillman’s response to the equal suffrage law leaves him a “sorry spectacle for the civilized world.” He says: “The law? To hell with such law.”
Transcription
“To Hell With Such Law.”
Senator Benjamin R. Tillman address at Chicago, Ill., Tuesday, November 25th, 1906 was all his bitterest enemy could wish. He lost his equilibrium and threw away his temper in a manner that left him a sorry spectacle for the civilized world. His abuse of Mayor Dunne, the executive head of the municipality that was affording him protection showed bad taste and poor judgement.
Every reflection upon that distinguished gentlemen reacted with terrific effect upon the Senator making them. What must be thought of the Chicago Union Hospital officials, who permitted such performances? Certainly, the colored people who protested against permitting Senator Tillman to deliver his address were amply justified.
There was one feature of the address that should not be forgotten, and that was Senator Tillman’s exclamation when confronted with the Fifteenth amendment to the Constitution of the United States that he is sworn to maintain and support. In a frenzy of passion, he is said to have exclaimed, “The law? To hell with such law.” It should not be forgotten that if Senator Tillman did utter such language, he was guilty of perjury in its most offensive sense. If he cannot and will not accept the Constitution of the United States as a whole then he is not eligible to the office of United States Senator…
The law which Senator Tillman renounces and denounces reads as follows:
“The right of citizens of the United States to vote shall not be denied or abridged by the United States or by any State, on account of race, color, or previous condition of servitude.”
To this Senator Tillman replies, “The law? To hell with such law.” The law to which white and colored citizens called the attention of Pres. Roosevelt after he had issued the order discharging from the service of the United States and forever barring the colored soldiers of Companies B, C, and D of the 25th Infantry from holding civil or military positions in the government…
Senator Benjamin R. Tillman address at Chicago, Ill., Tuesday, November 25th, 1906 was all his bitterest enemy could wish. He lost his equilibrium and threw away his temper in a manner that left him a sorry spectacle for the civilized world. His abuse of Mayor Dunne, the executive head of the municipality that was affording him protection showed bad taste and poor judgement.
Every reflection upon that distinguished gentlemen reacted with terrific effect upon the Senator making them. What must be thought of the Chicago Union Hospital officials, who permitted such performances? Certainly, the colored people who protested against permitting Senator Tillman to deliver his address were amply justified.
There was one feature of the address that should not be forgotten, and that was Senator Tillman’s exclamation when confronted with the Fifteenth amendment to the Constitution of the United States that he is sworn to maintain and support. In a frenzy of passion, he is said to have exclaimed, “The law? To hell with such law.” It should not be forgotten that if Senator Tillman did utter such language, he was guilty of perjury in its most offensive sense. If he cannot and will not accept the Constitution of the United States as a whole then he is not eligible to the office of United States Senator…
The law which Senator Tillman renounces and denounces reads as follows:
“The right of citizens of the United States to vote shall not be denied or abridged by the United States or by any State, on account of race, color, or previous condition of servitude.”
To this Senator Tillman replies, “The law? To hell with such law.” The law to which white and colored citizens called the attention of Pres. Roosevelt after he had issued the order discharging from the service of the United States and forever barring the colored soldiers of Companies B, C, and D of the 25th Infantry from holding civil or military positions in the government…
About this article
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Location on Page
Upper Left Quadrant
Topic
Contributed By
Emma Roberts
Citation
“To Hell With Such Law.”,” Black Virginia: The Richmond Planet, 1894-1909, accessed February 15, 2026, https://blackvirginia.richmond.edu/items/show/841.