Washington sentinel. [volume] (City of Washington [D.C.]) 1853-1856, 1855-04-05

session the bargaining commenced among
these factions, in the selection Of candidate
for United States Senaor. The day set apart
for the election was, We believe, the 18th OF
February. The Democratic party met in eau
Gus, and nominated Mr.. Buckale,c, a State
Senator, and one of the most answering, able
and sterling Democrats in the old Common
wealth. The sailed powers under Know
nothing lead, met in caucus, and made what
was called a nomination, and the battle COM
menced. 1toentyeigM Democrats only were
found standing by the Democratic nominee,
whilst more than one hundred were arrayed in
opposition to him. The "alles' would not
stand by the candidate given to them by
their caucus, and their votes were scattered
among half dozen patriotic aspirants for
the high place. Several days here expend-
ed in unavailing efforts to concentrate the
strength of the various factions upon ia
vorite candidate-when the election was post
poned for two weeks. In the meantime, every
species of party machinery was putin motion
every allurement which tacticians of the "rule
or ruin" school could devise, was held out to
rally the discordant, huge, shapeless mass upon
iayorite candidate, with whom to beat and
crush the indomitable Democracy. Solemn
pledges were made, that if their candidate
succeeded, he would mould himself into any
political shape and form that might be required
that he would be part Wing, part Knoac-
nothing, part Free-soiler part Abolitionist, with
a slight sprinkle of buccaneer Democracy and
that he would advocate the principles and meas
ures of oil those factions in the Senate of the
United States! But all would not answer.
There were too many in the field, anxious to
serre their country, and they were afraid to
trust to the professions of each other.
AT the second meeting of the Legislative
Convention, several ballottings were had, which
but little changed the complexion Of the first
trial. The opposition forces failed to rally
sufficient strength upon any candidate belong
ing to their motley concern, to elect him.
TwENTY-THREE DEMOCRATS, whose names de-
| serve to be kept forever hereafter, floating at
the mast head of their party, still chung to
| BUcKALEw, their gallant candidate And
these noble t,centg-three, stern and determined
in their integrity and purpose, defeated an OPP
position as inveterate in its hate of the Demo
cratic party, as any that ever existed in the
Legislature of Pennsylvania-an opposition,
too, counting one hundred and eight members !
There were one hundred and thirty one votes,
polled on the last trial for Senator-two mem
bers only being absent
/ 1t will be recollected that after the second
failure to elect, another postponement was
made until early in next October-a few days
before the general election in that State The
Know nothing leaders, however, have been
untiring in their efforts ever since to rescind
the resolution of postponement, and make
another attempt to elect during the present
session. They are aware that their only hope
of success in electing candidate is to accom-
plish it before their present forces scatter
The legislative halls at Harrisburg will never
be graced or disgraced with their presence a
second time. They have been weighed in the
balance and found wanting;" and the honest
citizens of that State who have been entrapped
into their secret caverns are beginning to see
and know it. 1t may be put down as certain,
therefore, that the present Legislature will not
venture another attempt to elect United
States Senator-and the sturdy Democracy Of
the Old Keystone Commonwealth will settle
the question on the second Tuesday of October
next, by electing an oldfashioned Democratic
Legislature, who viii send to the Senate of the
United States a statesman fit to be the successor
of such men as JAMES BUCHANAN and GEORGE
M. DALLAS.