The Anderson intelligencer. [volume] (Anderson Court House, S.C.) 1860-1914, 1877-12-27
AFTER THE BATTLE.
What Butler and Patterson Have to Say
Of It,

OF 1t.
From, the Washington Poa December 1sth. e
A reporter of the Post met Senator
Butler, of South Carolina, on the avenue
yesterday, and asked him how the peo-
pie of his State felt towards Senator Pat
terson. He replied:
'The people generally certainly feel
more kindly towards him than they did.
They feel like letting him alone"
"What do you mean, Senator, by let
ting him alonef"
'1Let the law take its proper course and
give him fair show. Not to crowd him
down with the judiciary, legislative and
every other department of the govern
ment at once"
elias his course towards you lead to
this change of sentiment9"
"No doubt it has, to very large ex-
tent"
"Some of the newspapers have accused
you of using your influence, Senator, to
stop legal proceedings against Senator
Patterson"
"Those papers misrepresented me, not
to use more severe term. made no
effort of the kind, and did not see the
Attorney General during my visit to the
State. I had nothing whatever to do
with the judicial proceedings against
Patterson. 1 did refuse to bear the
charges passed by the Legislature against
him to the United States Senate, and I
would do the same thing again. Patter-
sons motive in his course towards me
may have been to conciliate public opin.
ion, but I would be an ungrateful dog
not to appreciate his assistance, no mat
ter what his motive was. L think it was
out of place to ask me to lay those
charges before the Senate. I will not
sacrifice my manhood for political friends
or enemies either. There was never the
shadow of bargain or agreement of any
kind between Patterson and myself, but
he acted fairly towards me, and I shall
treat him fairly in return"
"Your visit to South Carolina, then,
had no reference to the Patterson case7"
"None whatever. I have not inter-
fered in it one way or another, and do
not intend to. I shall do my duty to my
party and my State, as I see it, and 1
will leave the judiciary to deal with Pat
terson's CASE"
"And Senator Patterson is likely, then,
to have fair trialS"
eyes. Public sentiment in South Car
olina is much changed towards him, and
the people are in favor of giving him a
fair trial"
SENATOR PATTERsoN's ACCOUNT.
The reporter also made call on Sen.
ator Patterson at his residence on Elev-
enth street. The Senator was reclining
on lounge in his parlor, and traces Of
his recent severe attack were apparent in
his face. He was suddenly attacked last
Saturday night while alone in his library,
and for awhile. his condition was regard
ed as critical. After saying he had i'm
proved very much, the Senator laughing
ly added:
"I was very much reduced in health
and strength. I got down in weight to
12O pounds, but what else could you ex-
pect with everybody fighting met Here
they were piling indictments on me in
South Carolina, and sending requisitions
after me, and at the same time the Ex-
ecutive was pitching into me here. And
nobody to help me. The Democrats
would have helped me, but they dared
not. IF the Democrats had helped me,
the cry would have been raised that's a
bargain That cry was raised anyhow
when I voted for Butler"
Seriously, Senator" inquired the re-
porter, "was there any kind Of an under
standing about that vote of yours7"
"No, sir, there was not. Why, ! said
way last spring I intended to vote for
Gen. Butler. l made no secret of it then.
I have letter just received from Senator
Lowry, of Iowa, an old acquaintance, in
which he reminds me that / told him last
spring / would vote for Butler. / met
him one night accidentally, the first time
I had seen him for fifteen years, and be
writes me that in that conversation / said
intended to vote for Butler. Until
Butler came here / hadn't seen him but
once in four years."
"What induced you to vote for Gen.
Butler, Senator?"
cit was question of principle, of right
and wrong. I never believed, and don't
think now, Hampton was elected, but
his Legislature was legal. He had a
majority of returning board members.
During that contest / telegraphed to
Chamberlain night after night to get a
majority of the whole number of the
Legislature. But he was stubborn, and
contended that majority of l16 mem
bers were sufficient, while the House was
composed of 124 members. He could
have got returning board majority by
throwing out Storey and putting another
man in his place."
"By changing one man on the return
ing board {"
nYes, but he wouldn't do that. He
said the people would talk. told him
to let them talk; that he wss trying to
accomplish a purpose, not to make public
opinion. But Chamberlain and Corbin
and those other governors down there
would have their own way. They would
not listen to advice until they got into
trouble, and then they we're willing to
take anybody's advice"
"The Republicans first accused you of
making bargain, didn't they?"
"Oh, yes. I knew they would, and
that is one reason 80 publicly an
nounced my purpose of voting for Butler.
There was no sense in making party
question of Buffers case any more than
the case of Eustis. / told the Republi-
can Senators that if they would go into
caucus and make party question of
the Corbin and Kellogg cases, l would
vote for both of them. dared them to
do that, but they wouldn't, I said to
them make this party question in eau
Gus, and I'll vote for Kellogg and Corbin,
but if you don't, you leave it an open
question for each Senator to decide, and
i'll vote according to my conviction of
what is right. I told the Republicans
that the question of the legality of But
lers election was not for me to decide.
1t had already been decided by the course
of the Republicans in South Carolina
and hv the President"