Wilmington journal. [volume] (Wilmington, N.C.) 1844-1895, 1873-05-02
The way they FELL the story .iH
Scotland.

The way they FELL the story .in
Scotland.
We copy the following from the
Edinburgh Scotchman OF April 9th:
To pay ESQ, 900 for all office tenable
only for seven years at an annual
salary Of 81, 400, would seem to be :,
simple but sure way Of losing -e4O, 200:
but this is what the Hon. "Honest
john Patterson now United States
Senator for South Carolina, did t.
secure his seat in the Upper House of
the American Legislature, and he
Imcommonly good one for himself. Ii
Patterson considered the honor of
being an United States Senator wortI,
the difference between the price at
which he bought his seat and the
amount of his salary, he probably
intends to make up this differ
ence by selling his own vote to
whomever might wish to buy it.
A man willing to engage i'll this kind
of business might well deem Il seat i'll
the American Senate at ESQ, ZOO,
Mr.. Patterson evidently did-and some
weeks before the consummation of the
bargain which he called his election,
and which took place i'll the Legisla-
tlIre st Columbia, the capital of South
Carolina, last December, he avowcd,
with refreshing candour and frankness,
hisintention to purchase his seat at that
price. Mr.. Patterson was IL ''carpct-
Dagger" from Pennsylvania, who went
to South Carolina two years ago, and
there successfully put III practice some
schemes of legislative corruption III
regard TO railways. The Legislature
of that unhappy State-once one Of
the proudest and purcst of the AIneri-
can commonwealths-was then, rs it
now is, largely composed of negroes
these Mr.. Patterson easily bought up,
and thus accomplished what, i'll the
American slang OF the period, IS known
as the stealing of a railroad" BY
this operation he netted the sum OF
EGO, 900; and in December last he re-
solved to use a portion Of this money
to secure his election 10 the Federal
Senate. 'Ihaye made 300. 900 dollars
said he to a friend in Washington, "by
buying the niggcr Legislature OF South
Carolina, and this winter / am going
to take $50, 900 dollars, and have my
self elected to the Senate" He was as
good as his word and we have before
rs long and official account of how he
did it. The story has its interest, and
it can be told in few words. the first
step was to open 'eXtensive headquar
ters in the Capitol Saloon Building on
Maine Street, Columbia" this
building being 4 gaming establish
ment. Sc Here lie rented q
suite of half dozen rooms," which
were then fitted up IN manner showing
much care and forethought. They
were of various degrees of elegance,
according to the various tastes of the
members whose votes it was desirable.
to obtain. In some, the floors We're
richly oarpeted with noiseless velvet;
the walls were hung with alternate
mirrors and paintings; the liquid hos
pitahty of the host sparkled Ill cut
glass decanters upon rosewood builets;
and over all a ''meiIow light was
thrown from gilded chandeliers. -
These apartments were for the enter
tainment of the more aristocr"tlc
members of the Assembly; and other
rooms were provided for those Of the
dusky Legislators whose previous views
of life had been from the vantage
ground OF the rice swamp Or the cot
| ton-feld, and who would have been i'll
! With genuine delicacy, Mr.. Patterson
provided for their accommodation
places in which they felt quite at home.
These were large rooms, with 1lnadorn :
| ed walls and uncarpeted floors !;
| but III each there Was Il table
Oh which continually stood 8. an
hourIy-replenished jug of corn wills
| ky Here ''the rural members
were entertained after their own
! heart and here they received also the
sums OF money which were necessary,
! in addition to the whiskey, to convince
them of the propriety of testifyinG
their gratitude and affection for Mr.
| Patterson by sending him to represent
| South Carolina IN the Federal Senate
J The necessary number Of these Legs
lators being tins bought, at prices
ranging from .E13 up TO c2oo, day
was set for the ''election, and Ar
Patterson was chosen by decisive
majority i'll both Houses of the I.egis-
I ture.
The new Gardner gun, which com
bines both magazine and brecch-
loader, fires twenty-seven shotsln sixty