Bradford reporter. [volume] (Towanda, Pa.) 1844-1884, 1855-02-10


with the Office of United States Senator The main oiec-
tion urged against yea arises out Of an impression enter
teIestS eli our State.
We should be glad to see you here but if you cannot
visit Harrisburg before the election please give us III
letter the history OF NOur course III congress on te tl
question there to he mSappfchelsion abroad
in regard to your views, /! have properly understood
| them. B LAfOhlE.
MoxrRosE, Jan. 81 1855.
Ny DEAR SIR Your favor 10 hand last evening"
do not think sp II he at Harrisburg. The week vaca
ton between my Courts would he mostly occupied in the
journey leaving but little time To make the acquain
tlnce of gentlemen assembled a the Capitol Again.
if difficulties were in tile way am relactaut To show
myself at Harrisburg at this time Not that am ind1er
To the issue al the Senatorial election; but do not
wish to appear selfish and ambitious asirant for the
place. have not you well know, been eager for Sen
atorial honors have in any whatever been in
strIncntal in making nvsef candidate. The connection
of my with the Office of Senator is the result Of the
late signal revolution in the politics of this state and
my well known position at least, of the important
Issues upon which that revolution turned and not through
any vanity scheming of my To visit Harrisburg
at this time wond subject to suspicion and to the
charge of sinister and seljh motives, which wholly ana
emphatcally disclaim
do not deny that should feel personal pride in
election to of the highest ard most honorable positions
in the government but do deny that desire the place
for any selfish personal ends. should hope il elected,
to be of service to the country and to the cause of
sound principles. While claim eminent qualifications
for the office do nevertheless, believe that my election
would i'll respects, be fortunate especially 30 in uni
ting and ccmctin9 for future action the men who achiey
cd the late signal virtnry IN this State.
You say that The main objection urged against me arises
ont OF an impression entertained y many, that aIn un
friendly to the great Interests Of ON State. This is total
misappreheson of my feelings and position and springs
doubtless om the fact that in S4G could not act with
my colleagues n prohties ana Obstinate support oi the
riff bill passed that the act of AZ could not stand
i'll favor of it. revision and modification and in doing
this zeaouSy an To preserve for the great inter
ests of State permanent and ample security and to
this end laborcd indastrOuslr and perscTeringy. On
the floor of the House urged the laying specific in
[ q al THiD III Z
that should give security to interests against runOs
foreign competition entered into argument to prove
the propriety and advantage of specific over ad vdlorem
duties in respect to various articles and especially in
gard to IRON establishing, to my satisfaction, that
position well III respect to the interests OF the
also tp that OF the consumer and manufacturers that ev
cry interest would c promoted by laying specific duties
iron. appealed to the house behalf OF the iron in
erestS of our State claiming for it national respect and
consideration, insisting that the iron interest Justly
entitled 70 stand upon higher ground tanany other branch
OF manufacturing business, claiming for it truly national
character, necessary element of national defense, and
entitled therefore to the especial and most favorable
gard the nation Insisted that the same rule should
not he applied t0 interest OF this magnitude. that
applied to the manufacture OF thread tape pins buttons
&c, &c These are no doctrines put forth to meet
the occasion, but the doctrines placed the records OF
Congress and easily 0Gnd in its volmes of debates
not cnly spoke in behalf of the interests of State.
but 'c0,ked earnestly in the House and out of it, to give
To that interest an aafqnae and permanent security
believed then, and believe now II part even OI the De
mocrac delegation in Congress from this State would
have agreed to modification OF the tariff OF H. that our
great interests could have been aundanty secured If
majority of the Democrats from this State would have
agreed to support the bill they could almost have made
their own terms far PENNSYLVANIA interests were CON
cerned We met or twice in caucus. to see if part,
at least, could not agree upon the terms on which we
should support the bill In these consultations express;
ed earnest desire to shape my action to protect
the interests OF oar state. pledged myself iii the
would agree upon rates of specific duties for iron
to oppose the bill unless they were adopted by the House
Some two three of them believed favored this plan
but large majority would agree to nothing They would
stand by the talh OF IL III al its details agreeing to no
modification whatever. well recolect that Doctor Leis
of Columbia aud Bodlead. declared they would not
for any change whacycr if in the pew h The duties
iron and coal allowed stand raised above
the rates provided IN the S of ~ Such in fact was the
position of many in the delegation.
was pledged To modification of the act of ~: vet
intensely anxious that interests should not be put
in jeopardy said and did all in my power to protect
of my anxiety in this respect and repeatedly declar-
ed to the friends OF the BILL that if held its fate i'll my
hands, Il should not pass, until just and liberal
protection WAS afforded to the interests of our State
went far to and talk with Mr.. Dallas, while the
measure pending i'll the Senate, and urged him, in
he should hold the fate of the bill his force
its friends to liberal regard for great Interests
did net wish the defeat of the billof this there
dangcr-bu to compel its friends so to change it. as to
make the interests of State secure. Indeed anx-
ions was To bring about this result, that voted against
c0ncu1ring in Senate amendment Of tritng irlnortancc
1t is because OF this vote that the Washington Union and
PGnsyraRidn have charged me with desire to defeat
the bill in the final and trying hour of its fate. The charge
is untrue gave the vote i'll the hope of forcing the bill
into committee of conference, where | understood it
would be open to general amendment, and thus aiforing
more chance OF amending the bill the
interests of our State.
am of the firm belief that if six Democrats from Penn
sylvana would have acted with me, instead of ahering
mmovably to the act of ~, that State would have
obtained all that reasonably could have been asked, and
her great interests placed satisfactory and permanent
basis In the early stages of the BILL before its friends
had counted and marshalcl their forces could in
Judgment have secured adequate specific duties. In this
may be mistaken. but think not. 1t is certain that we
could have obtained fifty per cent. dd rai0rem. Even in
the latter stages of the BILL and when its passage
tain without any OF votes, anxious its friends
to secure Pennsylvania support (hOm party cOnSdera
tions that Kay who had the charge of the bill chair
man of the Committee of Ways and Means offered to
forty per cent. iron if half the Democrats from
State would then vote for the bill. Ii always seemed to
strange when the passage of the bill certain that
would not make of all they could get They
however, pledged to the tariff of H. and els
or to stand by their pledges than to explain to their
StituentS the for departure from them, however
good their might have been was pledged to
modification of the act of A. and after eNhlstng every
effort to the interests of State, redeemed that
pledge: declaring at the time did that if the bill de-
lSnded my vote. would withhold it until larger
measure of Justice was mctcd out to State.
have given full and truthful history of my action
the tariff in 1876 and of the feelings and motives that in
uenced my conduct The record will sustain this state
ment in all matters where the record can speak,
The Congressional Gt0beor rather Appendir-for 1916
must be in the state Library, and there YOU will find my
speech upon this subject The latter part of it relates to
our own State interests
You of liberty to make such use of this let
and nothing that desire to keep from the public. wish
you would preserve this letter copy it. so that
there cannot hereafter be any dispute to its contents
hope 1t will satisfy all. that now, and never
was hostile to the interests of my native State.
Very truly yours, b. WILMoT
HoN. B. LAPoRTE
nsSs~ The Legislature of Wisconsin met in
joint convention on Wednesday last, and bal
lOtpl three fines for I-nited States Senator