The Anderson intelligencer. [volume] (Anderson Court House, S.C.) 1860-1914, 1878-01-17
THE WAR ON SENATOR BUTLER,
A Strange Story Of the Conspiracy to. vs.
cate His Seat.
specia, 10 the Baltimore Gazette.
WAsHINaToN. January 8,

| WASHINGTON, January 8.
The Republicans of the Senate art
working with all the resources at theil
command to complete the scheme ito
oyerthrow both Patterson and Butler al
the reopening of the Senate: The true
inwardness Of this conspiracy has never
been told, although correspondents have
had. their skirmish lines out for several
weeks past. The statements made have
all proceeded on the hypothesis that the
line Of attack was to be directed against
Butler on the merits Of report on The
legality of the South Carolina Legisla-
turei now being constructed by. Senator
Cameron, of Wisconsin, and Christiancy,
were members Of the Senate sub.commit-
tee sent to investigate affairs in that State
last fall. This rt,iit has been said,
was to be submitted to the full committee
on privileges and elections at the first
meeting, reported on favorably BY a party
vote and then introduced in the Senate;
where it has been stated there would be
some probability Of passing it and then
following it up with q resolution declar-.
ing the body which elected Butler illegal
and vacating his seat. IF these state.
ments were at all reliable, taken on their
face value, tits hard to see how the Re-
publican, knowing the majority which
seated Butler would not waver, could ex:
pect to succeed in any effort to pass such
resolution: y si,'.sS z, -! = I!
THE REAL FACTS, :is9
however, are very different, and, great
care has been taken to- conceal tthem;,
Before the vote to. seat Butler had been
taken, it will be remembered, a aresol1s
|. tion was pending in the South Carolina
Legislature to instruct Gen. Butler ito
present to the Senate the report prepared
in the Patterson case, wherein bribery;
was alleged. Immediately on the, seat
ing of Butler this resolution was so
changed as to strike out Buffers name.
as he had POSITIVELY refused to;take the
role of prosecutor after Pattersons
courageous conduct and vote in his be-.
half, and was so modified. as to provide
in: general, way for presenting these
charges to the Senate Gen: Butler. does
not attempt to disguise the fact that he
used all his influence to put a stop to. the
prosecution of Patterson, as he believed;
it foolish to proceedato such extremes in,
view of. the fact that men who were
charged with plundering the State treas,
ury had been let alone, while Patterson's
alleged fault consisted iii paying money
out of his own pocket to further. his own
ends. This resolution, after having gone;
through various ,modifcations and been
indiferently considered il both. branches,
of the Legislature, was finally tabled in,
in the State Senate by reference to the
committee on Federal relations. It: was
hoped and believed by Gen. Butler, and
great many Democrats of South Caro-,
lima, that it would die there, and Patter.
son would be quietly permitted to sit ont
his term without any further trouble from
that quarter. They believed it due to
him, as he had braved. his own party in
securing South Carolina native represens
tation on the floor of,.the Senate.
/! It soon became evident enough, how;
ever, that Governor Hampton was not
disposed to let the resolution sleep there.
When Hampton's determination became
known here among the politicians of both
sides it had. the effect to encourage the
Republicans and eorrespo pondingly depress
the Democrats. A meeting of Republic
can Senators, to which publicity has
never yet been given, was held on Friday
before the adjournment at the residence
of q Southern Republican Senator, and
the matter was there. discussed. Nearly
the entire strength Of the Senate was
present. Senator Edmunds spoke for
nearly an hour, and was followed by
Hoar, Dawes, Christiancy and Cameron
of Wisconsin, the latter con6ning him.
self to the law questions involved in the
consideration of what it requires to con-
.stitute a legal body. It was then deci-
ded that in order to succeed it was:of
prime importance to have the, case against
Patterson taken out of the clutches Of
| the legislative committee and made avail
able as a lever in the Senate. When this
scheme was outlined, FIVE Senators, all oi
whom sympathized more or less with
Senator Patterson, withdrew from the
conference. They were Chaaee, Jones,
of Nevada, Cameron of Pennsylvania,
Conoyer and Rollins. They, refused to
lend themselves to a plan which proposed
| to persecute Patterson for his vote in the
Butler case, because they contended this
action never would have been resorted to
had Patterson stood by his party. They
Hooked on it as piece of revenge. 4
The matter was given into the hands
of Senator Angus Cameron, of Wiscon'
sin. He has matured q plan. 1t is t.
secure possession of this prepared report
against Patterson and hold it over Pat
terson's head as q threat. He will bt
| told that if he refuses to sustain his party
lin the resolution declaring Buffers sea-
vacant, this report will be introduced and
| referred to thecommittee ontthe judicia
ry, whose chairman, Mr.. Edmunds, viii
stand ready to present q report and re-
commend Patterson's dismissal from the
body. It will thus be seen that the ope
rations against Senator Butler are al
based on: whether Cameron is able tt
secure this report, and thus have the inn
portant lever on Patterson. They believe
that when the alternative is given him o
supporting his friend or saving himsel
human nature will not be strong enough
to hold out and Butler will go by thu
board. 1t has been part of the plan Il
pet Conover in line. and the most fatter
Ing promises have been made him in tn.
way of patronage if he will come bacl
on this resolution. AS he voted witt
Patterson on personal grounds to saw
| him from his South Carolina troubles, j
was believed more than probable that b
would also vote with him again for tn
same reason, and the result would b
Buffers defeat. 1t requires only ma
| jority vote to declare seat vacant, Will
two-thirds are required, to expel. It vii
be remembered also that Senator Dayi
took a course which would seem to indi
cate that he did not believe either Butle
] or Corbin had been legally elected, 70
4 he voted against the resolution to'sea
Corbin, and lodged vote on the resolu
ton to seat Butler. It is claimed BY tn
/ ~ = 4 L q. ,oe