Democratic Northwest and Henry County news. [volume] (Napoleon, O. [Ohio]) 1894-1905, 1896-04-09
Gov. Scott Visits His Old Home
i'm South Carolina.

Upon the recent visit of Gov. Scott
to his old home in South Carolina,
| the Gov. received a most cordial
welcome from his old friends and
neighbors. OF course the newspaper
correspondent cornered him, and had
all interview with the Governor We
clip the following from the Columbia
Daily Register, from its notes upon
the visit of Mr.. Scott to that city:
Mr.. Scott was Governor of South Carroll.
ma from 1865 to 1872. he was a volunteer
in the Union army from Ohio entering the
| service as Lieut.. Col. and rose to brevet
| Brigader General. He came into this State
in reconstruction days as a Federal COM
missioner. He was the possessor of a COM
| Portable fortune, most of which he says he
lost in South Carolina. He remarked yea
terday thathe had not been desirous of seek
ing gubernatorial honors in South Carolina,
but was urged to become a candidate by a
number of white Democrats (probably the
same crowd which clung to Chamberlain
when the Straightout campaign of 1876 was
proposed) who frankly said that they would
prefera man of their own sentiments and
convictions but, recognizing the impossi-
bility of electing such one at that juncture
would support him, having confidence
that the white people of the State would re-
ceive better treatment from him than from
a member of the more rabid wing of the
Republican party. Their appeals, he says,
decided his course. he became a candidate
and was overwhelmingly elected, his op-
ponent, Mr.. W. ID. Porter, carrying but one
county, which he humorousy asked to be
allowed to govern.
Gov. Scott always paid his debts, which is
much moro than can be said of some of the
other Republican leaders of that day, and
made number of personal friends among
those who were his bitter enemies political
| ly His name appearsin number of places
in the "Frauds Reports, but he got off COM
paratively easy, the worst proved against
him being his prominence in the harrying
of the Ku Klux and his expenditure of large
sums from the public funds for the arming
of the Republican cohorts.
Mr.. Scott departed from South Carolina
in 1877 and has since been living near To-
ledo, o., where he had large tracts of land,
which he bought when that country was
little moro than bowling wilderness and
which have sin"e enormously apprectiat d
in value. Since leaving South Carolina he
has not taken much part in politics, though
he has attended a number of party conven-
tions.
The reporter remarked to the ex- Governor
that he would find it hard to convince the
people of South Carolina that his visit here
at this time had no political significance
whatever; that the anxiety of the Republican
Presidential sspirants to secure the support
of the Southern delegations was we'll known,
and the fact that he was from MlKinley's
State and would be supposed to be we'll ac-
quainted with the ways and means of pulling
Republican wires in this State, in which he
once had such distinguished success at that
business, would cause people to come to the
conclusion that he was here in the interest
of the Napoleon of Protection.
Gov. Scott smilingly reiterated his decla.
ration that he was here to attend to private
business and for the benefit of his health
He admitted, however, that he would not
have the least hesitancy in informing anN
one who wished to know that Mckinley was
his choice for President ard was, in hit
opinion, sure winner. He said he and Nc
Kinley were warm personal friends and, il
Mckinley should became the next tenant o-
, the White House, he (Scott) would find thu
latchstring of the national executive man.
sion always on the outside and word frou
: him would go long way to ward securing
mn appointment for friend. If Mckinley
should be elected, some of Mr.. Scotts ole
; fl ends and associates in South CaroIial
will be reminding him of this statemen
and begging the benefit of his pull. He ex
: pressed the utmost confidence that Nc.
Kinley would get the nomination and woul
be elected. He explained that while tn
, politicians were against Mckinley, the pee
pie were for him and, whom the people 90
notion in their heads, it was wise for th
politicians to clear the track, unless the
wished to be run over. Turning over pag
in his memory, he remarked that he re
7 membered how in 1910, when he WAS Is year
old, the politicians were against Genera
Har 'ison AID the people made him Prasi
dent by tremendous majority, aud said h
believed that this year would witness anoth
er triumph of the people over the politician
in the nomination and election of Mckinley
: The Republicans of Ohio are solidIy and en-
= Enthusiastically supporting Mckinley, and S
| are the Republican masses. Mr. Scott sal
/ if the selection of a Presidential nomine
). were left to vote of tho Republican mas
ses he believed Mckinley would be tn
choice, getting twice as many votes a
! would be cast for oil the other candidates