The Charleston daily news. [volume] (Charleston, S.C.) 1865-1873, 1872-11-27

really Lu6 SuDJecL WHlCn euSIosooo LILO iaooso v
the attention In all political circles here, a.
present, is the senatorial succession and the
chances of the various aspirants therefor
This s the most serious subject that is to oc
cupy the attention of the Legislature during
the next two weeks, and, indeed, promises. te
be the main topic OF conversation, and The
chief staple of news until lt shall be disposed
of BY the vote of the Legislature. In Joint as
sembly, on Tuesday, the TO- h proxlmo. have
patiently interviewed each Of the three prln'
clpal candidates for the position, and, as 9
matter of news and record, will endeaVor to
state, fairly and conclsely, the substance Of
what each has to say.
/ The first of these candidates In point OF
prominence appears to be ''Colonel" John j.
Patterson, better known as "Honest john
I do not know how he comes by either title,
but he Is probably quite as much entitled to
the one as to the other. He Is a PennsylVa-
nian, al ex-member of the Legislature OF that
keystone State, and now the President of the
famous Blue Ridge Railroad Company. He
says that he has the inside track on the sena-
torlal question, and ls perfectly sure to win.
He appears to assign no reason why he should
be supported, except that he wants the posi-
| ton, and Is no worse than the other men who
have put themselves forward for election. he
says that Scott processes to desire the position
chiefly as an endorsement Of his past record,
but that Scott secured his last election as Gov
ernor on the same plea, and that If he isto be
constantly elected to positions which he
| has dlsgraced, or reelected to better
places, as an endorsement" of his past ac-
tlons, 1t Will get tiresome and monotonous
| after awhile, and had better be stopped now.
As to Elliott, he says that he is only making
fight on the ground of color, and that that
thing is played out; that he Is not even popu-
lar among the men ofhls own race, who begin
to see that the Issue OF color Is an unsafe one
for them, and that, of course, he cannot ex-
pect the support of white men. AS to his
plan of campaign he says, ssrcastically and
ironically, that 1t is pity to corrupt the In
nocent youpg men from the country who
compose The majority of the Assembly, but he
has observed in battles that "Heaven is on
the side of the heaviest artillery" and he
believes that In South Carolina politics for
tune favors the longest purse That longest
purse be claims TO own, and he talks grandil-
oquently, but vaguely, OF $4,000 bets upon
himself against the field, and OF other gigantic
amounts Of ready cash, which he is pre-
pared to throw into the Assembly, or
anywhere else that 1t can be made effeo.
tive. He is also industrlously circulating
tho statement, though his tooters and whip
psrs-in, that 'he Is man Of his word, whose
promises can always be trusted" &C., which
may mean that he desires to conduct this
campaign on the short credit principle, and
pay his supporters only in case the fight be
won. His friends refer, as a proof Of bis
square dealing, to The fact that when the Blue
Ridge scrip swindle was driven by bribery
through the Legislature he fulfilled all bis
promises promptly and faithfully, and paid up
In full for every vote that was bargai0ed for;
but his enemies unkindly assert that In that
case he was not spending bis own money,
and that In this case, where he will be CON-
PEELED to depend on his own resources, he
may not be relied upon 10 faithfully discharge
his ''honesl" obligations. This latter lnsnua-
tion, however, may be pure sander, and ex.
perlence has shown that In South Carolina
In this year Of grace 1872 the heart OF The
political man is 'deceltlul above all things,
and desperately wicked"
Governor R. X. Scott Ia also very prominent
In the senatorial race. He says he has no
money 10 spend for his election, but he be-
lleves be has as much money as will ever be
actually spent by the most lavish Of
his opponents. He relies upon his long
afillation with the party, his connec-
tlon with The colored race both as
a bureau commander and as Cover
nor, and the fact that he has always watched
their Interests. He says that now the Gov
ernorshlp Is or his hande.. he ls ready to
admit Just where and how he has made mis-
takes, and that his frank confession OF those
mistakes should be a guarantee against their
repetition. While, however, he admits hs
mistakes, he claims that 1t would have re-
quired very Napoleon of statesmanship TO
have filed his position with all its uncomforta.
BILE and demorallzlng surroundings Without a
fault or blunder, and ne thinks that on the
whole the Conservatives OF the State should
have no reason to strenuopsly oppose his elec-
ton as senator, and II elected he promises to
be earnest and dlligent In advancing the ma
terlal Interests of South Carolina, and In &C.
curing good and acceptable Federal officials
In this State.
General Robert B. Elliott, the coloreG con-
gressman from the third district, is the last
named, bnt by no means the least important
of the three prominent candidates. He says
that he had no intention OF running on any
other issue than his personal and comparative
merits, but that the question OF color has been
forced upon him by the industrious circulation
of bis opponents charges that that was his only
line of policy. He has therefore accepted the
question of color as an element which enters
into the campaign, and he Is satisfied that his
enemies have put weapon In his hands with
which he can slaughter them. He dlsclalms
vehemenlly any Intention of using bribery In
any manner whatever, and says that he was
as largely instrumental as any other one man
in securing the reform pledges In the Republl-
can State platform, has taken especial occa-
son since the election to reiterate them, and
will make 1t his business whether in or out of
tho nnited Statea Senate tn hOld the Depp State