Saint Mary's beacon. [volume] (Leonard Town, Md.) 1867-1983, 1873-01-16

RossesY 81 wno..Ala. Hon.
Robert Bsosn Elliott. eolored member Of
Congress from Sos,h Caroliaa. Who "a,
candidate ios the Unissd Seasss Senate In
the lass eeassss. takes souber view Of
he situation. He thinks that uoeev ~,
esd very freely to .scsrs Passer.ou's elee.
tioa. and adds:
Nov understsnd me. I am not saving
this cot Of person.l feeling. Twas can
didsss brfsse the Legislature and Was de.
feated. can bear defeas. but the humil-
istios the thing has bsoaghs upon our
colored rsee-,hstis what burss me. Our
rses i bow o. mil before the world 70 to
its 6ssess to govern. What will b said
after sseh Wholesale bayies Up as this :
The eoloscd men. % yoa know. are in
large majority in the Legislature. and
then for tbem 10 deliberately cell out By
Wholesale 10 blew thst vs can't get over
for years. Il is blow Ut our integrity.
our booesty, our manhood. The report
has gone 70 the world ihss the eolored Lex.
isla.ors making Laws fr South Carolina.
have been bribed BY Wholesale. and the
report il unfortunately true. What vii!
the world think Of il!
The charges against the Legislature
which elected Patterson TO the Senate are
attracting % nseh attention that il doe.
- sssn possible thst he Usised States
o95sas - aaard to pass them over in 81
Isss5 h fSaszssPsl;s J6.zssz. : stssls
ing organ Of the Administration. feels
constrained to say:
The charge that John ]. Patterson
bought his election to the United States
Senate from South Carolina is supported
by specifications Of corruption 50 strong
and numerous that the Senate owes it to
itself to order IN Investigation. II one
half that is charged about the manner Of
bis election 10 true. be Is utterly undc-
serving Of seat in that body. and hou-s,
men Of all parties have right to expect
that tue Senate Of tho United States 10, in
its Organization and functions. the most
digui6ed deliberative body in the world.
and should b. the pnrest. It 10 a grc.,
thing for any man honors5ly and fairly
to represent sovereign State. but it Is
eorrsspondingly infamous for him to buy
his way into that high and sacred position.
There have been some weak aud mediocre
men in the Senate Of late years. end it 10
high time that the people aud the Senate
itself should unite to elevate the standard.
Above all things. no man should enter
there whose election bears the slightest
tint Of fraud. Patterson ca Is himself a
Republican. bat the indications are that
he II corrupt man, and that his election
was secured thro' wholesale bribery. I,
is to be hoped that an independent press,
regardless Of party. will demand an in
vesligalion Of the case.
1t may be safely assumed tha. when
Mr. Patterson presents himself to be sworn
in, the Senate will make due inquiry into
the scandalous allegations which have been
made in the case-will make due inquiry
and admit him. What 10 the difference,
We would like to know. between the CT line
Of Patterson in buying up black legi.la.
tive votes and the crime of other Senators.
now holding seats. who have made them
selves lawmakers by the purchase of white
ones? The difficulty in these days. say,
a wit at our elbow. is. no. in buying up
people. but in keeping them Dough. when
they have once fairly sold themselves -
And the tredt " Laier investigation is
beginning to show. We are sorry to admit.
that the traffic ofbuying and selling among
our public men is not limited either to
black people or TO black republicans.