New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1897-05-10
WAS PATTERSON ELECTED!
AN ELECTION CONTEST WITH soMp
PECULIAR FEATURES
GOLD DEMOCRAT AGAINST SILVER DEMocRAr-A
BIO VOLUME OF TEsTIMoNY-soME RAcf
GOLD DEMOC

AND INTERESTING READING
ley TELEGRAPH TO THE TRBuNEI
Washington, May S-The testimony III tue W.
tested-elccton case of Patterson against Cariha'n
of the Xth Tennessee District, has been prinlcu
and II makes a fat volume OF l.&5 pages Inc
case presents several peculiar aspects. ana '"e
discussion of 1t in the House OF Hepresen.a,iYe'
will undoubtedly be lively and interesting Coohe
Patterson was a member OF the Llld' Lii'u an.
LIVth Congresses, to each OF when ne was e,ce'
on the regular Democratic ticket. Inc o'see n
vote and majority he ever received was III i''-'
when his vote was l2l64 and his majority 100 III
that year the total Of the district amouh'eu "
,c on which WAS about fifteen thousand less than
the total vote in 1885, when Phean was the Dei"o
cratic candidate, and about four thousand less
than in 1896 In the Lid Congress Coiohei fa''ci
son trained with the Administration soun'
money" faction OF his party but ne was ie"o'"
mated as the regular Democratic cahdida'e III '''
and was reelected by majority OF apou' '"'i''
two hundred, receiving the support Oh po'" '"'
lions Of his party. .
fractional feeling ran high In the Memphis dis-
trict I'm 1896 and Colonel Patterson had peeh 50
aggressive and outspoken in the expression OF MS
views I'm opposition to the free and unllmiteu SILVER
coinage and In advocacy OF the single so'o S.".'''
ard as well as in his support Of the Cleveland Al
ministration that the Free Silver men, who had
control of the regular Democratic party organza-
ton and machinery I'm the Nth Dlstrlct' hom'"a'e'
Edward w Carmack and Patterson became the
Gold Democratic candidate. having been lhuuceu
to take the field by the Sound Money Democrats
most CT whom were business men Of Memphis
rho fight was a hot and exceedingly bitter one.
and attracted general attention, despite the mo-
mentoIs National struggle then in progress me
Cleveland Administration gave Patterson all the
aid in its power, and Bourke COCHRAN, Coiohei
John r. Fellows ard other Sound Money Demo-
Gratis from outside the State contributed iree! vi
their eloquence in his behalf
The Republicans did not place candidate IN
the field but gave Patterson a quasi Endorsement
and all the votes they were allowed 10 cast anu
have counted This was an exceedingly senerousS
h nci G that the Repabeahs Of the district had
for years been deprived OF the free exercise o OF
had been robbed Of the fruits Of baferson
victory by the party Of which Go,o'ei hcneaciary.
on the other hand, II IS asserted and geneTnaiIy
believed thar large pTop0riqbn ion 81 Na
tiona and State tickets in 1875, os oorvasso1
According to the oGa returns nf Isl as votes It IS
instructive DIS well as interesting 70 ma aiie "a
"a Grounds that were set forth by. Colonel
Eaton, the Republican, counted out IN lSss, III ms
aioged. and hardly denied in the memorable con.
test over the Gocernorshp when was sto'eh ny
'' %ccord%g to Colonel Patterson the same means
were employed by the Free Silver Democrats TO
we Is nov contending before the House Of Repre-
.entatiycs that were used by the party managers
an mlS ota for "ongress and This may be
Among the means hespecies ana shH hnt n,ere
cast for Patt'ron; the falsitca9n and sup
of the election returns OF various b
fui rejection on technical grounds and various
oHsr for S'f%f" The Gna~fS
partisan election boards tie cec,ors
,arious precincts and so on ,ho
AIR Carmack's vigorous denias of each and al! me
do no. seem to be by any means concinsve, a.,
,hought may appear otherwise 10 tie members pl ns
and Sit more than thirteen hundred pages OF printed
testimony in order to get at the truth MnGn ., o. nr
uninerostng reading; in fact. it Is as entertaining
in some respects the report or not ana many
sUiced political joint debate. IL has mayor az
pungent and at Inc same as distinctive as that of
the conclusion OF CaImacks answer 10 me notice
of contest" which is fairly indicated In the foow-
ing excerpts: ,.,.. ,,ro,,,,,,,
.oaJ all Tho charges fraud Illegally and irregu-
larity upon which you based the claim that you were
elected Instead Of me the accusat3ns Iou ' hsen
repeated al nauscam against the people OF your
Congressional district and particularly against your
been in control OF the election machinery OF this MS
rct The fac that YOU have added your voG, TO
truth nor dignity TO SANDER. You cannot elevate TO
a plane Of responsibility the calumnators Of your
step. descend to their level.
During the whole course of your political leader
ship in this district your people have endured the
same vncation for your sake that they now suffer
at your hands. You yourself have been held up to
execration by your former political adversaries as
the embodiment Of all that Is wicked and corrupt In
politics You have, unfortunately, by your past
political course. and especially by the violent and in
temperate character OF public utterances cone
much TO give color of truth to these accusations.
In the abrupt departure you have recently made
from your former habits OF speech you have
simply illustrated the adaptability Of your y, con,
science TO the exigencies Of your ambition. When
YOU suddenly ceased 10 rant about negro DONNA
ton and began 10 cant about purity OF election,
you changed your methods without changing your
character
'In the race between YOU and me received an
overwhelming majority of the Democratic vote In
this largely Democratic district. The same people
who I'm the past have voted for yc and against
your opponents. and by whose votes you have
held your seat in Congress, voted for me and
against YOU in the recent election. The claim you
now make. that you were elected by Republican