The Portland daily press. [volume] (Portland, Me.) 1862-1921, 1877-11-27
Washington Dispatch to the Chicago Timesl
The Recreant Senator's.
Senate when Conever and Patterson
Jsinea Hands with the Democrats.

The rare spectacle of felon in the hands of
his keepers walking about the Senate floor in
their charge and voting as they directed is one
that has never been seen 10 the Senate before,
A more humiliating sight than John j. Patter-
son in his subsection to General Butler and his
Democratic associates is rarely seen in politics
He cane into the Senate worn and wrinkled
with the fatigue of his criminal trial. From
the first he never voted without openly consult
ing with the Democrats. walking over and
consulting with them as each vote was pro-
posed Pattorson's gray-brown hair was
brushed back in crinkly, waving masses from
dead white face. His black eyes snapped un.
certainly with the expression of rat in trap.
His short, brown moustache was gnawed short
over tromulous lips, pale with nervous agita-
ton. Was this man trembling on the brink of
a penitentiary, that he never remained still?
He would 60 to his seat, and then dash to the
cloak-rooms, and then to his seat, and then
over to the Republican side. At first his own
party men would talk with bin. Later they
left HIM to himself, while oven Democrats
talked to him patronizingly, knowing to what
extent he was an abject tool of their will.
Nothing but the most imminent danger and
relentless grip upon his very life could have led
Patterson to openly stand up to-day
and desert his Republican associater.
The contempt showered upon him by
all sides was the most whitening punish
ment that is ever fastened upon an official
rogue. He had no credit with anyone. What
he did was not the result of any conscientious
belief, but because of abiect fear and to escape
the penalties of his crimes. The same iron
power had the possession of Conover. He con-
suited repeatedly with the Democrats. Several
times he lodged vote and then vas brought
back. Once he voted with the Republicans,
but was Immediately seized by the Democrats
and hurried into the cloak rooms until he came
back and changed his vote. AS he rose in all his
shambling, pitiable weakness and huskily said
that he desired to change his vote, this carpet
bag Senator did his inner conscience the intense
f1attery of blushina boiled red color up to the
top of his bald skull. 1t was bad management
to have the subsection OF these poor devils made
so apparent. They had sold out; nobody que,-
toned that but they should have been drilled
ia advance, and not have needed so much open
instruction upon the floor of the Senate. Dur
ing the discu ssion the straight military figure
of M. @. Butler tightly buttoned in a hslf-dress
coat, was seen calmly walking to and fro isstbe
rear of the Democratic seats. He has clear
cut, deadly quiet face. His cold gray eve.
straight nose, thin lips and prominent chin
mark man of unusual force of character He
sat in the rear of the Democrats to-day, like q
general watching battle under his own COM
mand, Patterson fawned before him, and
during the debate Conover snuggled down by
the side OF this cool. collected, gravs-looking
man, as If he needed further reassurances from
the wrath of his Republican colleagues.
An old politician, who has seen numberless
political fights sat through the two hours de-
bate to-day with a pair of eyeglasses perchsd
upon his nose in the gallery. This weary,
worn spectator did not take his eyes from be-
hind the dead rest he had through his glasses
upon the scene below. He never took a long
breath till the adjournment came Then be
shut up his eyeglasses with a snap, as he said
''This is decidedly the most interesting session
of a political body have ever Witnessed