The news and herald. (Winnsboro, S.C.) 1877-1900, 1877-10-27
r re stayed here just long enough to
fleece his partner and several credi
tors out of goodly sums of money
a POLITICAL plNIp,

| POLITICAL. PIAIp
About this time, Simon Cameron
the Winnebago chief, in whom it is
dltfictlt to say whether ability or
wlckedness is predominant, had
arisen from raftsman and printer
to II capitalist and statesman. His
peculiar politics demanded peculiar
tools and Simon was not long III dis.
covering the transcendant ability of
Patterson, as Il political pimp. Pat
terson was entrusted with the task
of manipulating tho counties of Ju,
niata, Snyder and Northumberland
In this humble occupation, occasion
ally swindling politically and tinan-
cially in small way, Patterson con.
tlnued until the opening Of tho war
displayed q fine field for a man
OF his acquisitivo genius. Cameron
became Secretary of War, and Pat.
terson was made paymaster in tho
army. BY the time tho senate mot,
it was proven that Honest John had
mistaken government funds for his
own, and that body refused utterly
to confirm the appointment, upon
direct evidence of fragrant over.
charges He quit the army in dis
grace. But another arena opened
or him.
| CANDIDATE FOR CONGRESS. ..
Cameron had him nominated for
Congress from the fourteenth Ponn-
sylvnnia district which Mt that time
had Republican majority of $500
votes. But the avenging Nemesis
was on his track. Fem had waited
as one without hope for that balance
due from Patterson, for eight long,
weary years. But it had never come,
Honest John laughed all duns to
scorn. So when Patterson began to
stump his district, Fem concluded
to stump it too. He had hundreds
of handbills struck off, entitled "a
plain Statement of Facts" in which
tho entire newspaper transaction
was detailed in every particular.
These he tackled up at ovory corner,
distributed in every public place, AMI
in addition, he himself narrated his
story to every farmer he mot, and
who had known him through his
former connection with his paper.
The handbill was racy, reading,
containing such expressions as tie
following Gle had his property
and refused to pay me from an sn-
nate dishonesty and u predetermin-
alton to dctroud nc" "Can he
have the presumption, aye, the in
sulting impudcnce to ask man to
vote for him. Or even to look IN,
honest "aa'. IN the tace ?" "Spurn
him from your presence and teach
other knavea who aim to make party
politics subscrvient to their ambi.
ton and their avarice, that honestY
IS the best policy.' and combine 'to
lash the a'ascal naked MrougA tie
aoorld p"
"Will the Republican party of thi,
district sanction and uphold the
dishonesty of this man, Patterson, to
represent the district with this
brand of dishonesty stamped upon
him ? Has it lost that high moral
integrity that has over characterized.
it? Will it put such man in a.
position to plundor the nation, or
sell his party whenever he can do 80
for his own benefit? What else can
be expected of knave who aspires
to such position 2"
This appeal, with Fenn's personal.
canvass and tho general odiuln into
which Patterson had even then
fallon at home, led to his d.....strous
defoat ; for tho Republican party had
not then become dcbauched, as it
now is. ~,
Patterson was led to consider
Fem pretty troublesome customer,
to have hanging around his heels ;.
and, somo time after made peace with
him by satisfying his Judgments.
The widow of Fenn's partner fared
not SO we'll, for Patterson paid that
in insurance stock which subse-
quently
PROVED TO DE BOGUS,
and utterly worthless. In 1873.
Mrs. Ledgwiclk wrote saying that
PATTERSON had never paid the debt
She adds "Mr. Patterson's conduct
was rascally, as you probably know.
/ have never had any communication
with him since Mr.. Ledgwick's
death. Never has he written wore"
abOut re1eaminr tho hop,Ia atnck"