The daily gazette., 1877-04-04
Matthews as Hayes Agent
AN INTRIGUE FOR THE ELEC-
TION OF A REPUBLI-
CAN SPEAKER.

ALMOST FORMAL OFFER OE TRADE
AND BARGAIN-TRYINa TO ALLURE
SOUTHERN DEMOCRATS WITH THE PRO-
MISE OF OFFICIAL PATRONAGE.
WASHINGTON, April 3.-With the set.
tlement of the South Carolina case, the
intrigue, for the election of Republican
Speaker reappears. 1t comes too late to
be successful. Delay and broken promis-
es are in the way. AS before Stanley
terviews during the past twenty. four
hours with prominent 6outherners in
town, Matthews and Schurz went as
near to formal offer of trade and bar
gain as men could go without committing
themselves TO a.f1at suggestion of party
treachery. Hampton and Butler are not
men who lay themselves open to propo-
sails of this stamp, but no reasonable
doubt appears to exist in the minds of
men familiar with yesterdays conferences
that encouragement from these two men
would have brought plump offer from
Matthews and Schurz. From first to last
Hampton has been SO wholly master of
the situation that Matthews's plausible
suggestions fell to the ground. They are
being industriously renewed elsewhere.
Friends of the Administration, probably
without foundation, are not slow to claim
the assistance of Ben Hill in such q bar
gain, and with him FELTON, and Bell, two
Georgia Congressman, of whom the last
succeeds Hill in the House. Since Col.
Aston withdrew his application for the
Georgia Marshalship, an application back
ed by Senator Gordon, the Administration
has had NO pretext even on which to
claim the support of that Senator. With
him will stand the Georgia delegation
Postmaster General Key is trusted to do
something in Tennessee One, perhaps
two members are expected in North
Carolina, and some hope Is had of Texas |.
In all these directions the Presidents de-
lay has left small encouragement for the
Hayes Democracy. ~. rAf 2 \
The curious fact in the situation tosday
is that Matthews, who manipulated the
intrigue of February last, is now actively
and industriously at work on another.
Hayes is backing him. He misses no
chance to suggest to Southerners that
the patronage is within their reach.
Within day or two he talked over the
entire list of Federal officeholders. Re-
publicans all, in Southern State, with q
leading Democrat of the State; the Co
vert, and, in some cases, open sugges-
ton being that this Democrats opinion
and that of his friends could dispose of a
great deal of this patronage if the right
management was made.
This is Matthew's intrigue In the House
He has another in the Senate. He as
sured Hampton and Butler of his friend
ship yesterday. The same day he told
friend to assure Patterson that Corbin, |
Buffers rival, would be admitted, which |
happens to be precisely what Patterson
doesn't want. Said Matthews yesterday
to friend whom he wished to open in
tlmate relations with Patterson and the
rest of the gang: "YoH must assure
Senator Patterson that tits very painful /
to us to be forced into this attltIide. We
only OCCUPY it In the State. In the Sem
ate we shall vote to admit Corbin.' It
will probably be still more painful to
Matthews TO find himself in a minority
in the Senate on this and perhaps on
some other matters. Bowen said to-day
that he should toll the single Republican
member from South Carolina, who was
elected by him and from his district, to
make terms with the Democrats if he
could vote with them any way. That is,
"There is no reason why we should be
any more faithful than this d--d Ad,
Said Bowen to-day in |
substance patterson, who has NO pos |
sible future in South Carolina, talks of /
Corbin, and claims assurances /
from Don Cameron, who says that a State |
government good enough to Withdraw /
troops Is good enough to elect United |
States Senator" This is Patterson's side l
of the story. Don Cameron has been |
latterly credited with advanced ideas on l
the subject of its administration and its 1
Southern policy. However this may be,
one intrigue is set off by another, and if /
Matthews goes on paper in this agree
ment, he may. find it hard to reconcile |
his promises to Southern Democrats in |
the House and to Southern Republicans
N the Senate