The Anderson intelligencer. [volume] (Anderson Court House, S.C.) 1860-1914, 1889-08-22
How Webster Won His Place.
From tie Boston Herald.

Edwin Dudley and the members of the
Massachusetts Club. He was the. candi-
date Of the regular Republicans of his
State, and 30 far as the party can be said
to be organized, had the party organization
behind him. The candidate of Mr.. Dud.
ley, and the Independents was first George
G. Alexander, a Democratic State Sena.
!. tor from Kershawi County, and q sorehead.
When it was found that he Bould not win,
the Independents tfotted out other candi.
dates, and it seemed as if the dark
horse would win. But Mr.. Webster takes
first money. 1t is the most important
Federal position in South Carollua, and
the Independent party may Be said to be
done for. Webster was really the only
Harrison man who came up prominently
for the place. He was delegate at the
last Chicago Convention, and one of the
few who didn't sell out to Gen. Alge..
He voted six times for the Hoos:er eandi.
date. The agent of the Massachusetts,
Republicans tuos only week in South
Carolina to discover what ground swell
reform movement the Independent party
represented. The come-outers had never
elected anybody to anything. They had
never even voted for any body for hything.
but Mr.. Dudley Was satisfied that they
would if they had a little Federal pap for
nourishment. ~ -
g In51S82sorehead Democrats iu.two or
three of the counties, who enjoyed the
confidence of neither whites nor blacks
anywhere, proposed to put up State
- oh 1T khoSr IN rphon fhoy
couldn't get candidates to stand the pro.
|.iect had TO lie abandoned. In 1884 the
same :slemart claimed recognition on the
Republican electoral tisket, and for some
unknown reason were allowed to name
half tho electors. In two or three of the
Congressional districts it was proposed to
run the candidates, but the divisions
amounted to nothing. The Independents
managed to live during the Cleveland
Administration, but they kept very quiet
about their Republicanism.
just beforcl the last election W. ".
Eussell, who turned out afterwards to be
candidate for United States marshal,
and three other Independents vent n North,
talked somewhat in tie campaign in
Massachusetts, and had printed in Re.
/ publican newspapers accounts of their
organization, which didn't exist. Russell,
| indeed, maintains that he talked so efec.
lively in the 9th Massachusetts district
!, that Edward Burnett cent, for him to try
to find out what his power was. Mem
bers of tho Massachusetts club, who had
money and reform ideas to spare, were
easily enlisted in the Independent cause.
Some hundreds of dollars we're sent down
for the support of the Columbia Daily
Record, the State organ of the party, and
great results were looked for. Mr.. and Mrs.
Dudley spent few days in Charleston
and few days in Columbia. Congress.
man Lodge introduced Mr.. Dudley to the
President, and Senator Hoar otherwise
| interested himself in the movement which
| he represented. Mr. Dudley went still
farther north and made his report to his
employers. 1t made column and half
| in the papers and almost made its author
national character. Itrepresented that
South Carolina would be g Republican
| state in two or three years if the Inde.
Cendents we're only encouraged with a
ssw Offices.
This time, it seems, the President was
sot fooled. Alexander, the Democratic
State Senator, was made the candidate OF
{ the Independents for internal revenue
collector by Mr.. Dudley in place of
another man. So far as known the can.
didate did not appear on the field, but
Pussell did appear along with numerous
,ther patriots, who, like himself, were to
have denutv collectorships at 81 800
year if the scheme worked. Russell
claimed following of four hundred In
dependents in his county-white men
who were sick and tired of voting the
democratic ticket in South Carolina.
Webster confronted him with an offer to
withdraw if he would prove that he had
forty followers. They made their head
quarters With Ex.Supreme Judge a. J.
Willard, who gave the State of South
Carolina to Tilden in 1876, and is now
claim attorney in Washington.
The. Independents were able by the
clamor of their representation almost to
bother the life out of Headman Clarkson.
That usual unerring executioner gave
Russell sorae dozen ior fifteen postofices;
in South Carolina, and gradually, as the
truth came in from the localities most
concerned, undid the work by removing
the Independents and appointing better
persons.
Between the regulars aud the Indepen.
dents Chairman Brayton of the State
Committee was in heap Of trouble.
He was a Sherman man at Chicago, as is
well known, and didn't sell out; but the
supposition is that he knew that his
delegates were selling out to Alger right
and left. That is the reason why John
Sherman refused to even see Brayton
when he called at his K street house soon
after the Inauguration. That was
Brayton's first setback. He went down
and down. First, he wanted to be the
head of some bureau, then he wanted to
be the South Carolina district attorney,
| the United States marshal of that State,
then q consul anywhere, and finally,
when the Independents seemed to be
making it hopelessly warm for Mr.. Web.
ster, he took new hope and made a break
for the internal revenue collectorship,
his old position under President Arthur.
During the long fight three or four
other candidates bobbed up.
Webster's fight was very simple. He
stopped here few days on his way to
Vermont, his old home, where be was
taking his wife and children for visit,
and showed himself, with good letters of
recommendation, as to his character, to
persons whom the President trusts. It
| was dwelt upon with assiduity that he
he had voted for Harrison six times at
Chicago, and had helped to nominate
him. There was really nothing to be
ashamed of 10 Mr.. Webster's record. He
was from Orapgeburg, and had been the
Republican County Chairman, aud not
one of the selling out kind, for fifteen
years. He had lived in the State since
1865, and everything he had was there.
He vas the son of old Alonzo Webster, of
Weston, VT, and had graduated from
Middlebury College. He went South
with his father just after tho war, when
Bishop Baker sent him to Charleston to
reorganize the Methodist Episcopal
Church Of that diocese. The old gentle
man was after that president of Claain
University at Orangeburg, which was
named through him, after Lee Ciahin,