The chronicle=news., 1914-09-17
4 SMOOTH TRICK
OF PATTERSON
TO GET OFFICE

the first time Thomas Patterson was
elected to office In Colorado he put
smooth trick over on the people of
the state. ','
| MIR. Waldo tells the story as fol-
lows: I~t&
The recent primary election,
which will cost the people OF Fre-
mont county something over $4,000.
and the lack of interest thereon
shown by three-fourths of the voters
of the county, set me to thinking If
there had ever been an election In
which so little interest was exhibit
ed. The prominence of the name of
Mr.. Thomas NJ. Patterson quickly led
to recollection of his little private
election whereby that eminent po-
|litical trickster secured q seat in
congress against the wishes of the
people of the state he misrepresented.
doing so of course by means of legal
|technicality.
In order to understand the mat
ter it is necessary to refer to few
|statutcs. as follows:
BY an act of congress approved
February 2. 1872. it was enacted
|among other things that:
The Tuesday next after the first
Monday in November in the year
Ieighteen hundred and seventy-siS ts
hereby fixed and established as the
day in each of the states and terri
tories .of the United States for the
Ielection of representatives and dele
lgates to the fortyfifth congress" - =
This became section % OF the re-
vised statutes of 1874. On March 3.
1875. two acts Of congress were ap-
Irroved One of these provided: ..-...
That section - of the revised
statutes. prescribing the time for
holding elections for representatives
Ito congress. is hereby modified so as
mot to apply in any state that has
lnot yet changed its way of election
and whose constitution must be
amended in order to effect a change
In the day of the election OF said Of
ficers in said state
The order was the enabling act for
colorado. which, In section 8, pro-
lvided:
THAT until the next general GEM
jsus said state shall be entitled to one
Representative in the house OF rep
lresentatives of the United States.
which representative, together with
the governor and state and other Of
lficers provided for in said constitu-
ltion, shall be elected on day klb-
lsequent to the adoption OF the fon-
Institutional convention 81
In supposed accordance with these
: llaws the constitutional convengoif
lin article Z. section Z, provided I at:
The general election shall be held
oil the first Tuesday of Octohcr In
the year our Lord eighteen hundred
and seventy-cight."
The state of Colorado was admit
ted by proclamation OF date August
II. 1876, and in that year both po-
Iitical parties held conventions and
lrcspectively nominated James u. Bel
lford and Thomas NJ. Patterson for
! Representatives to complete the un-
expired term of the forty-fourth con-
gross. On October :; Mr.. Bcltord
was elected TO both of those posi-
ltions by n considerable majority. but
Mr.. Patterson. entirely without any
warrant in the constitution or laws
Iof the state of Colorado. persuaded
certain of the election boards who
Ihad acted on the third of October,
TO convene on the seventh 'the Tues
lday after the first Monday Of No
lycmber and hold little private cleo
ltions for representative of the forty
fifth congress.
| ta nrnrtnrt
Imont county in which such election
was held in Canon City. II 'remem-
Ter that was in Canon City on the
dav and In passing down Main street
lin the evening saw light in room
wherein a few men were congreRatcd
land on inquiry was told that they
were holding Mr.. Patterscn's cleo
lt;on. The result was that In the lew
precincts where polls wer" opened
len November few of Mr. Pat
lterson's friends voted for him while
1.-The remainder of the people OF Colo
Irado. without regard to party. look
led upon the whole matter as
joke.
But Mr.. Patterson gathered M the
returns and wnen the forty-iifth con-
rress admitted him to the seat and
he held 1t until the people of the
state got another chance to express
their opinions. which they did in
1878 by electing MIR. Patterson. by
a large majority. to stay at home.
Thereafter Mr.. Patterson remain
cd in private life until enough new
comers had arrived in Colorado to
elect him to .;c United States SEN