Yorkville enquirer. [volume] (Yorkville, S.C.) 1855-2006, 1877-12-20
after vindicating his course in supporting But.

after vindicating his course in supporting But
Ter, and defying his colleagues to read him
out of the Republican party, closes with a
dash at the Presidents conciliatory course,
which, he says, is "bult on broken political
trust, its cornerstone laid in black ingrati-
tude, and cemented by the blood of betrayed
political friends"
Notwithstanding his harsh criticism of the
President, few days after the delivery of the
speech, Patterson was told by Senator who
is on intimate terms with Mr.. Hayes, that if
he would call at the White House, he would
be cordially received. Accordingly, he called
on the President, and their conference is re-
ported to have been of the most friendly and
cordial character. Patterson frankly told
the President that the policy of his admins
tration toward the South, since the 4th Of last
March, had destroyed the Republican party
there, giving as his reasons for expressing
such an opinion, that the Legislature of South
Carolina, which formerly had good working
majority of Republicans, has only one Re-
publican member left in it, and even that one
is about to resign. He also said that since
Wade Hampton had been placed in office by
the President, not Republican meeting had
been held in the State of South Carolina, and
further than that, he challenged the President
to name single instance in which Repub-
lican meeting had taken place anywhere in
the South since this administration came into
power. "If you will point to single meet
ing" said he, II will resign my seat in the
Senate" The President replied that he had
never thought of that before. He admitted
that he did not remember hearing of any such
meeting. though he disclaimed any intention
of injuring the Republican party by his acts,
and did not think he has done or is doing so.
As to Gen. Buffers opinion of the effect
Pattersons speech will have in South Carroll,
ma, the Washington correspondent Of the New
Orleans Democrat gives the following:
I put the question to Butler "What will
the people of South Carolina think Of John
after what he has said and done for them in
the last few days?"
patterson has never been hated by the
people of South Carolina as bitterly as is i'm
agined up North" said Butler, deliberately.
"He has never been regarded as the worst of
the carpet-baggers, and in, many respects he
has enjoyed better personal repute than any
of them. He is, as you see, a man of strong
enthusiasm and weak, or at least, not inde'
pendent judgment. When he was acting
with the Republican party he went his length
in seconding all its moves and executing all
its mandates, excusing himself on the ground
that everything is fair in politics. But he
never has been really bad man in his own
impulses. He and are no more alike than
the two antipodes, and yet I have always
felt kindly toward him, because, whatever
else he mi ght do, he would keep his word re.
ligiously and was consistent with himself"
"How will South Carolina read Johns de.
fense of her as it will be printed in the Re-
cord?"
Like a revelation. And they will give
him warm place in their affections. Even
if, by Conover's mishappenings, I should be
kept out of my sent in this body, Patterson
will receive full credit from the people of South
Carolina. He will be kindly dealt with and
his family will be pleasantly met by all our
people in an overflow of generous gratitude
for his fidelity to their interest in these days.