The Anderson intelligencer. [volume] (Anderson Court House, S.C.) 1860-1914, 1879-01-23
The Contest for Senator Buffers Seat.
WASHINGTON, January


Senator Sharon, of Nevada, arrived
here tonight, his first appear ace in
Washington for nearly two. years. He
will be on hand in the Senate chamber
tomorrow. 1t is understood that the
purpose of the Republican Senators is
now, at the first auspicious opportunity,
to reopen the Butler Corbin case. The
report of the majority of the committee
on privileges and elections, declaring
Corbn entitled to the seat, has been
ready for some time, and action will be
called for on it. When Mr.. Butler was
admitted as Senator from South Carolina,
with Senators Conover and Patterson
both voting for him, he had but one ma
iority. If the case is brought up now,
Mr.. Sbaron's vote against Mr.. Butler will
make it q tie, and the casting vote of
Vice-President Wheeler will give the
seat to Mr.. Corbin. This is the Repub-
lican calculation, but it is possible that
the calculation may be at fault.
On the occasion of Mr.. Buffers admis-
sion to the Senate, Judge Davis, of Illi-
nois, did not vote at all, for the reason
that he had doubts as to the legality of
Mr.. Buffers election, although some of
the friends OF the latter asserted that
Judge Daris's vote in his favor would be
forthcoming if necessary. If this state
ment was correct perhaps the vote of
Judge Davis can be counted on by Mr..
Butler at this time, which would still
give him one majority. 1t is true that
there were quite a number of Democratic
Senators who entertained the same doubts
as Judge Davis, and who thought the
South Carolins Legislature ought to go
into q new election for Senator, but as
they walked manfully up to the scratch
then, of course they will do so second
time. This doubt rs to the legality of
Mr.. Buffers election was shared also by
members of the South Carolina Legisia-
ture, in Columbia, in April, 1877, after
President Hayes had recognized the
Hampton Government. Members of the
Legislature were then debating the pro-
priety of having a new election for Sena-
tor, and it was said that one of the main
causes which dissuaded them was q dis
tinct intimation from Governor Hamp-
ton that he would give the certificate of
election to Mr.. Butler, and to no one else.
However, Mr.. Butler is in the seat, and
the probability is that he will stay there
if Patterson and Conover both stick.
The casting vote of the Vice-P President
would, it is extremely probable, be dis
regarded by the Senate after it becomes
Democratic on the 4th of March, as the
ground was taken that the Vice.Presi
dents constitutional prerogative gave
him no right to vote on the question of
the admission of Senator.
Mr.. Eaton gave formal notice that OH
the 4th of March, 1879, he would move
to declare any seat vacant the occupant
of which had been admitted by the vote
OF the Vice-P President. The only hope,
therefore, it would seem, that the Repub-
licans can entertain of getting Corbin in
is to seduce either Conover or Patterson
from the Butler side. If they can do
this, the victory will be theirs. There
are rumors that Mr.. Conover is dissatis-
fed and mad with the Democrats because
they would not let him come to tine
House of Representatives from Florida,
but, as his support of Butler has always
been understood to be due solely to per-
sonal reasons, this may make no differ
ence. AS to Mr.. Patterson's course, there
are curious stories afoat in Democratic
circles tonight to the effect that Patter-
son, at the time Butler was admitted,
would have succumbed to the pressure
and obliquy heaped upon him, and de-
serted Butler, had he not been held up
by the hand of Don Cameron that Don
Cameron, on account of personal friend
ship and other reasons, wanted Butler
admitted, but of course, for reasons of
policy, could not give his own vote to
him. Strange as this may seem, it is be-
lieved to be true, and it is really not so
wonderful as many things which con-
stantly occur Telegram to the Bal
GUore Sim