Clarksville weekly chronicle. (Clarksville, Tenn.) 1873-1890, 1884-06-14
PURCHAsABLE DELEGATES.


A New York Times correspondent
tells how three colored delegates from
Tennessee who went to the Chicago
convention as Arthur men, sold out to
the Blaine party. The correspondent
overheard the following conversation
between Mr.. Albert Daggett and Sam
McElwee, a big, black negro from
Brownsville, who was delegate from
the Ninth district The correspondent
says: IN
Early this morning Mr.. Albert Dag
gett was called upon by s. A. McElwee,
delegate from the Ninth Tennessee
District; John Pruitt, of the Fourth
District, and ]. G. Watson, of the
Eighth District. McElwee, as spokes-
man, said he had something very inn
portant to say to Mr.. Daggett, and the
Brooklyn manager" took him down
into corridor of the Palmer House
and talked with him in a window,
within the hearing of Times cores
pendent, who was reading the morning
paper. Daggett did not conduct his
Conversation with .McElwee in a low
tone and Mr.. McElwee spoke loud
enough to be heard. ..-..-.I -..t
"We1l talk business" began Mr..
Daggett, as he leaned with both, hands
upon the windowsill. "What do you
want to say ?" I'D.
There are three men from my State
who want something" ....
what are they, Blaine men ?" asked
Daggett. .,... 4.
NO, sir" answered McElwee, turn
ing toward his companions; they are
Arthur men," ......
well, what do they want something
for ?" ...'..
They need money. They must
have assistance" answered McElwee.
"Pruitt, McEIwee and Watson" an
swered the spokesman.
@What do they want ?" demanded
Daggett, with nervous promptness.
"They want $600-$200 apiece" was
McElwee's response. III '-.....
"SiX hundred dollars" said Daggett
thoughtfully two hundred dollars
EACH" p. -...r.-- .........
eyes, sir" was the polite response.
@Well, you come up to my room,
parlor n, after the Convention to-day
and I'll talk further with YOU"
The party then left. Some time af-
ter the report got out that Daggett
had tried to buy two Southern dele
gates at $3.50, and he was called upon
by several persons to explain. He
waited in his room during the after
noon for visit from the needy Ten
nessee delegates, but McElwee, Pruitt
and Watson did not appear. The
Tennessee people ought to remember
these men, and send delegate of diff
ferent sort to the next National Con-
vention. -...... ... ....s5. r..
If the Times correspondent would
familiarize himself with the complex
ion and make up of the Republican
party in the districts which those
worthless represented at Chicago, he
would know the utter impracticability
of his advice to send delegates of
different sort to the next National
Convention" The party in the Ninth
District, for instance, is composed al
most entirely of negroes who own no
property and have no education. Sam
McElwee is a power among his dusky
brethren and though there are some
republicans in the Ninth
District, (such men as Hon. D. A.
Num- and Capt w. ]. Lyle,) they
don't outrank Sam in the estimation
of the Republican voters and conclu-
sive proof that he had accepted bride
would not degrade him in the eyes of |
his constituents. While such state OF
things lasts, the Southern delegate to
National Republican conventions will |
be for sale. ...|..