Keowee courier. [volume] (Pickens Court House, S.C.) 1849-current, 1893-03-09
THE FEDERAL PATRONAGE.
TiIInanites Propose Division of the
Spoils.
fCor. Columbia State.

Cor. Colum 5la state.
WASHINGTON, D. c., March .
The political leaders OF South Caro-
lipa, representing "the powers that
be-" are gathered in the Nation&!
Capital to devise means whereby
they can attempt to secure all of the
Federal patronage of the State. The
first battle over the matter took place
this morning after the arrival of
Gov. Tillman and those who accom-
panied him.
On arriving here the Governor was
met by Congressman McLaurin and
DR.. Sampson Pope. The Governor
is quartered with Senator Irby and
the Til!man Congressmen at the
National. All the other members Of
the party, and Gen. Richbourg and
staff, are quartered at private house
on G street, near Fourteenth.
Soon after the Governors arrival
the political pot began to boil. 1t
has been customary for some years
to have a conference of the State
delegation in Congress to look to the
distribution of the Federal patron
age. Such conference has been
insisted on by Senator Irby. notwith-
standing the condition of things in
South Carolina. 1t was postponed
till after Gov. Tillmar's arrival, and
was held at 10 o'clock this morning
at the National Hotel. Those pres
ent were Senators Butler and lrby,
Congressman Brawley, McLaurin and
Shell, andConeressmen-electT Talhert,
Latimer and Strait. Murray, the
negro Congressman-elect, was not
invited.
A number OF propositions were
submitted. The first was that all
appointments should be left to the
Congressman from the district in
which the office to be filled Wis
located. The second was that all
such offices as Collector of Internal
Revenue, Collector of Ports, ETC.,
should be left to the two Senator's,
who would draw lots for the choice
OF the respective places. The third,
offered by Col. Talbert, was that the
appointees for the places should be
chosen by ballot by the conference,
the vote of the majority making the
appointment.
Senator Butler declared himself as
opposed 10 any plan OF compromise,
and announced that he was a candi-
date against Tillman for reelection
to the United States Senate. He
said that the next fight in South
Carolina wouid be Butler and an
anti Butler fight, and he proposed to
look after>the interests.of those who
were pps arrayed against him and his
people.
The first ballot was on the ques-
tion of allowing the Senators to divide
the spoils, as above stated. The vote
stood 5 to 3 in favor OF it, Senator
Butler and Congressnen Brawley
and Shell voting against the scheme.
On the other plans three voted In
favor of them, three against and two
announced that they were not pre-
pared to vote.
Thus It was that the conference
ended without anything definite beng
accomplished.
1t is stated that Mr.. She'll an
nounced that, as he did not intend to
have anything more to do with poll
tics, he was going to appoint his per-
sonal and not his political friends to
office, as far as he could. Capt. Shell
says he would favor compromise,
whereby the State Senator's ara Rep
resontatives and the county officers
of the counties wherein the Offices to
be filled are located should recon
mend men for appointment. He
SAYS he will try to get another con-
ference and make the Congressmen
swallow this.
had talk to-day with one OF
the South Carolina leaders, who
remains here al, during the session,
and is not over partisan. He says
Hon. w. L. Mauldin is leading the
race over Donaldson and Pope for
the marshalship in fine form. lie
thinks Col. Joseph II. Earle is prac-
tically assured OF the appointment OF
District Attorney, though Solicitor
Schumpert is here at work. He says
that George d. Bryan has already
got the position of Collector of the
Port of Charleston. lie seems just
as certain of Marion Hutson for the
Collectorship of Beaufort. Capt
Jarnigan is working hard for some
consulate. Senator Butler, he says.
is strongly spoken of for the mission
to Japan or China. He asserts posi-
lively, notwithstanding recent deni-
ais, that Gen. Hampton has been
offered his choice of Railroad Com
missioner or Register of the Treas
ury, and has expressed his prefer,
ence for the latter. JohnJ. Hemp.
hill, he says, is an absolute certainty
as Chief Justice of the Supreme
Court for the District of Columbia
He also asserts that Congressman
Tillman has declined 70 seek any
thing, and is going back to his State
to raise big row. He. is out with
both Irby and McLaurin. Judge
Bacon is mentioned for the mission
to Paraguay.
"A leading Conservative official
tells me that the chances of the Con
servatives for Federal patronage are
far better than those of the Tillmar
men.
After the conference to-day Gov
Tillman accompanied Senator 1rby
to the Senate chamber, and remained
lon the floor without attracting the