New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1878-01-09
"SUBJLCT TO RELAPSFS.'

| the physical condition of the Hon. J0hn d.
Patterson of South Carolina. He has been re-
| ported in so many stages of i'll health, varying
from deaths door to cOnvalcsccnce, and there
has been such Indebtedness as to the precise ma
ture of his ailments, that an incredltous pubic
has been half inclined to believe this able
statesman was "shamming." Such suspicion
having found expression in some irreverent
newspaper. we have been gratified to observe
certain other newspapers administer dlgnlneu
rebuke to such reprehenslble behavior toward
a United States Senator. The only grounds
for the suspicion were that illness would be
convenient excuse for his absence from South
| Carolina. where it is said his constituents
are more anxious to see him than he Is
to see them and the further fact that no
one seemed to know what allied the stricken
| statesman. Among other reports which have
gained currency since he went into retirement
and began to issue bulletins as to his condi-
ton, was one that he would shortly re-
sign his seat in the Senate and give the
South Carolina Legislature an opportunity to
choose his successor The rumOr having
trclllcd into the sick chamber, reached the
noble invalid's ears. 1t lifted him up like the
shock of galvanic battery. To the
only person Except Ben Butler and
"hs doctors" who has seen him since
he was taken sick, he said on Mon
day, in denial of this Infamous insln-
uation 81 shall not resign under any
consideration. If | am to be sick | should
be a fool to resign. because can lie here
and draw my $13 a day" Could there be
noblcr sentiment expressed than this And
vet il is lust what we should haze expected
of Patterson. After all, it is the men
who pay for their seats who must appre-
ciate them. No doubt Senator Barnum,
of Connecticut would reply in similarly
| lofty strain if approached on the subject OF
rcsigning. Any man who can lie dbed and
draw $13 day. or can travel about the
country and attend to his private business on
| the same terms, would, in the vigorous language
of Patterson, abe fool to resign" Mr..
| Pattcrson's seat, it must be remembered Is one
| of the most costly in the Senate Chamber
We doubt if even Mr.. Barnum's cost
more. II is not strange then that he prOpped
| himself I'D on his pillows when he heard the
runor. and repealed with burning indignation
| the charge that he contemplated rcsigning.
! "Rc,ign2n said he. "Ncver while / can lie
"hcre and draw $l3 day" We should have
known he would take that view of it. If
South Carolina wants his resignation it must
offer at least Sl3 day for the balance of his
term. Less than that he will not take.
From the same gentleman to whom he COM
| inundated this well-considercd purpose, we
get something like definite information as to
| the cause Of the Senator's illness He says he
! is not shamming Sickness" and that all the
| stories 10 that effect are false. This seems to
be authoritative, and notwithstanding the
| statement of the gentleman referred tC-that
"Mr. Patterson does not look sick; that his
face is Of good color. and that his eyes are
"bright and piercing,"-must be accepted rs
final. If the man himself says he is not sham
ming, that ends it. The doctors who have been
saving all along that he appeared TO be well
enough, must be set down as ignorant and
unfit persons. Mr.. Patterson himself says ne
| is subject to rclapscs." " Simon Cameron" he
SAYS. "has invited me to visit his farm,
"and | think | shall do so, but | am
subject 10 these rclapscs. and | don't know
"whcn another will come ON In almost
single word he describes n disease which has
thus far bafled the highest human skill.
These reapscs!' And that. if we may
| be allowed the expression. Is what's the
matter with Patterson. He has them, aud
/ i subject TO them, ard never knows when
they are coming on. 4 little later Oh
in ths interview ne said to his visitor, 81 am
unable 10 move and even this conversation
cxcitcs me and makes me fear n relapse And
50 at length we learn beyond question that
his sickness is no sham; that though he looks
well and his color is good, and his eyes bright
and his physicians can discover no ailmcnt,
he il actually subject to rclapseS, and never
knows when another il coming on. Is it any
wonder that he sits up in bed and draws Tl3
day, and declines to visit Simon Camcrons
farm, and looks out for relapses ? We should
say not. ID il pleasant TO know that the one
visitor besides the doctors who IL admitted
| to the bedside of the Iuddy invalid
Is Mr.. Benjamin +. Butler, than whom few
men in the country have had larger experience
Of lapscs ms well ~ reapscS. Mr.. Butler can
teach him, if anybody can, how to bear up
under both-how, indeed, to turn both to
coed account. 1t il not Mr.. Buffers habit,
however, to wait for his relapses, propped up
on pillows, at $l3 day.
OF the precise nature Of Mr. Pattcrs0n's re-
| lauscs he has not in the interview referred
TO- given Us any information. We know, how
ever. that lie is not liable to relapse TO
South Carolina, and he says he does not
dare, at present, TO relapse to his native Penn
sylyana and the hospiiable Simon Cameron'S
farm. We only know that he is "subject to
"rclapses," and We suspect they broke out
on him about the time the case Of General NJ.
C.. Butler, of South Carolina, came up in
the Senate He certainly lapsed and
rcapsed at that time once or twice
in The most striking and conspicuous manner.
| al. Ill, hat Kf..at