The Caucasian. (Clinton, N.C.) 188?-1913, 1894-09-20
HOW RANSOM GOT
To THE SENATE.
T-E sTcRf Or RaSscoS Aca SsEos
70 TrS SENATE n ,sss ToLo ~
I-En NAN a@C pkS.PulGTE TrE
cEbl H31r CLkfTCsPCA
ELt CF ARKANSAS
>INbR sItERu pin RANSOM
INEE RECoG>IEE Ills nENEtAC-
1pR.

>INbR sItHEu ARDS pin RANSOM
tNEE RECoo>iFE Ills nKNEtAC.
loR
4 Ntals.u au-9 oui,tsi >tst~sa,ut ~ Esa-
SONS I.ttn,atioa af Hase"tu--'' That
nasuu~a tarm"r> Autauss" Hasia..-
Ns, rr..tpitst- ,sar d~ aa1a - state
r"Itti'>--~,ndvrita Mas t,c a Candidate
ard Hcat Ean~ua, aud tar'i. n"th.
l>l-s.al aD Tue C,u,,,,>p
" WASHINGTON, h. &. sept. Il.
Eansom's alleged offer ofthe short
term 10 Jaws Is settlement of the
Senatorial contest recalls tn a veteran
newspaper man here the circum-
stances OF kausum's admission Ia
the Senate in lSr2. lis sca. was
contested hy Abbott on the ground
that the members Of the legislature
voting for Ransom being under po-
lIucal disabilities their votes were
nullItics. 1t WAS Ahbots claim that
the legal vote Of the legislature was
cast for him. This Nlcw Was sus-
tanned ln a minority report submit
TED 10y Matt Carpenter, an eminent
lawyer. The case was hung up b.
fore the election committee, aud AL
though the majority report favored
Ransom, there Was ~ doubt appar-
entity, that the contest before the
Senate would end IN Abbot's favor.
Besides the informant, who talked 10
your correspondent to-day, says there
is only one other living witness to the
story. Emerson EthcrIdge, of Mem
! phIs, Tennessee, figured ia the ar
rangvmcnt and he viii sustain the
statement here given aud printed for
| the first time.
RANSOM TRADED IN.
The trade 10y which Ransom got
his seat Ia the Senate, said the IN
form;nlt, happened in this way 1t
had It's inception in conversation
at the National hotel early ia April
1872 between Senators Nickcrs and
Hamilton, If Maryland, Robertson
/ 4
pins, Tennessee, and myself. Sena-
tor \tckers said he had information
that satisfied him that AbOtt would
be seated; that it would be an out
rage and that 1t ought 10 b. prevent
| ed If possible. That was the opln-
ION of all the gentlemen named,
who with one exception, were Demo
Gratis. suggested that a way out
of the difficulty might be found If
the conditions were agreeable to the
Democrats. 1t was about the time
Of the Liberal movement and the
, Democrats and Liberals were pull
lug together against Grants admin
Istration. Together they were strong
enough III the Senate 10 prevent the
coniiI nation of Grant, nominations.
1t 50 happened that the Arkansas
Senators sere divided. Rice was
Liberal and Powell Clayton
straight Republican. CLAYTON had
the distribution of the patronage but
with Democratic aid Rice was strong
enough to hol' up the combinations.
An Internal Revenue Collector, the
the Postmaster at Little Rock and
TWO Or three other Important Clay
ton appointments here hung up. /
went to Cayton aud submitted a
proposition to trade votes in return
for enough votes 10 seat Ransom
if the Democrats would agree TO the
confirmation of his appointments.
1t was unhesitatingly accepted with
assurances that the arrangement
could be cOnsummatcd within day
or two. Upon reporting TO the
Maryland Senators the result Of
many negotiations they went with
me 10 see Senator Allen G.. Thur
man. \ caucus Of Democrats was
hastily called, the proposition sub
mItted and agreed to constitutional
ly. | was present at the caucus. Mr..
Thurman insisted that Clayton must
, deliver his goods first as AN ernest
} Of good faith, with the understand
ing that an executive session would
E Immediately follow Ransom's admig-
sion for the purpose of consummat-
: ing the trade. Clayton readily ac-
J cepted the condition. Two days af-
terwards a roll of the Senate was
handed Senator Thurman with GER
tain names marked indicating the
votes in favor of RansOms admission.
! On the 23rd Of April the contest
: was called up, admission quickly
followed and Immediately afterwards
, an executive session. The Liberals
were taken BY surprise. The session
h was long and stormy, but finally
! eEded in the confirmation Of Clay
, tons appointments. And that's how
Ransom got his seat. | was setting
4 in the press gallery and immediate
= ly after Ransom was sworn in Sena-
, tor kIckers motioned NE TO come
down. Ransom was brought out
and was introduced to him. Sena-
tor Nlckers in presenting me said
i Senator Ransom you are indebted II
i this gentleman for the trade that &c.
K cured your seat. Senator Hamilton
:, repeated the same assurance. Ran.
u som was effusiye in his acknowledge
I. ments. Meeting him on the avenu,
two or three days afterwards he look
cd at me as though he thought he
had seen me somewhere, but never
spoke. | have not spoken TO hin
r. since that day"
le WHO Is THE INFORMANT.
IL lie was soldier in the southern
:, army, serving as Lieutenant, Major
u on General Terrell (now minister u
IL Turkey staff and Colonel. He is d
lawrar and writer and has henn