New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1874-09-01
P4TTERSON,S PANACEA.

Senator Patterson has returned from South
Carolina in terrible fright. He has no man
ner of doubt that the War of Races is coming
off Immediately. All over the State there are
murders and rObberies without a moments
Oause. There Is network of "rifle clubs"
under the control of one secret leader who
has only to whistle and Immediately $4,000
armed white Democrats will spring from the
hiding places where they have been drilling
in profound silence all Summer, and will pro-
coed to repeat the massacre OF St. Bartholo-
news Day. 1t is true there is negro
militia the State administration is entirely
in the hands of the Republicans and there
are Federal troops at York, Columbia, and
Newberry, who may be relied upon in case of
necessity. But all these considerations give
Mr.. Patterson no comfort. If the negro
militia should be called out, he believes it
would be attacked and cut to pieces; and he
is confident that the next election will be fraud
ulently carried by the Democrats, although
their opponents have great majority of the
population and control the entire election
machinery.
We can understand how Mr.. Patterson must
moan, and wiring his hands, and shed salt
tears by the bucket, at the bare thought of
anything like dishonest elections. After he
was chosen to the Senate three members of the
South Carolina Legislature made affidavit that
he had agreed to pay them various sums, from
S65 to $1,000, to vote for him, and on this
charge he was arrested and held for trial.
The friendly Legislature thereupon deposed
from Office the magistrate who had committed
him. and also removed the Commissioner of
Jurors, appointing in his place negro who
proceeded to summon the Grand
Jury in manner contrary to law, thus invali-
dating all its prOceedings,-very much of
course to Mr.. Patterson's disappointment.
The prime agent in this legal operation was
the same ex-AttOrney General Chamberlain
whom Senator Patterson is now supporting
for Governor. There can be no doubt there
fore that if there is any one thing John j.
Patterson does. despise more than another 1t
is fraud in the elections. Nevertheless no be-
lieves "the future of the party in South Caro-
"lina is bright" under certain conditions. He
must have "more troops" and third term
for Gen. Grant AS for the troops, his cOnstit-
uents "cannot get along without them" There
are soldiers enough, he cOnfesses, "tO preserve
"order )" but he wishes them to be distributed
all over the State at election time, and under
their protection and influence he would have
no doubt of the result. We should not have
much ourselves.
Mr.. Patterson seems to have inOcuated
Attorney General Williams with some of his
own terTors, and the two statesmen are going
to Long Branch to urge upon Gen. Grant i'm
mediate interference. 1t will seem to most
reasonable men that if there is any part of
the United States where the cOlOred people
enjoy pretty liberal exercise of their rights
that State is South Carolina They have had
their own way there for a number of years
they have taken possession of the Legislature
they fill most of the Executive Offices and
own all the rest they have nearly ruined the
judiciary; they have emptied the treasury;
they have destroyed the State credit; they
have cOnfscated large share of the land by
outrageous taxation; and with the assistance
of the authorities at Washington they have
turned the elections into farce. What more
do they wantf The whites are at their mercy.
They have made such horrible use of their
unrestrained power that South Carolina has
become a melancholy and disgusting spectacle
to all the world, and many of the best friends
of the colOred race have come to doubt their
capacity for self-goyernment, at least until
they have passed through some generations of
tuteage. If anything can be done to save
them from themselves, and Danish the vii
famous adventures TO whom they have given
their confidence, in heavens name let US do
it. But insolent carpet-baggers like Patterson,
camoring for more troops. more Federal in
reference. more buying and selling of voters