Semi-weekly standard. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 1853-18??, 1856-07-19
From he Harrisburg (Pa.) Reporter.

Buchanan was assailed by Mr.. Morgan of New York
and Mr.. Cooper of Pennsylvania, upon the floor of
the House of Representatives with the charge of
once having said, in Fourth Of July Grafton, that
{" if he thought he had one drop of Democratic blood
in his veins he would let it out" This charge was
promptly contradicted by Mr.. Ramsey and Gen. Keim
Of the Pennsylvania delegation
1t is not our intention at present to make any
ments upon this ridiculous story. which first origin.
ated in 1928, Immediately preceding Mr.. Buchanans
fifth election to Congress, but merely republish
the letter of that gentleman to the editor of the Penn.
sylvana Inquirer and Courier, dated Feb 81, 1888,
contradicting the charge explicitly and unequivo-
cally as to silence the SANDER it was supposed for
ever. This letter was elected by q similar charge,
made in debate by Mr. Cox, member of the Con-
vention for amending the Constitution of Pennsyva-
mia in May 1887 twas then promptly repealed before
the Convention by the present Judge Porter and
Emanuel G. Reigart, both members of that body
the first prominent De.nocra and the latter one
Of the Anti. Masonic party in Pennsylvania. Had
this sentiment, or anything like it been uttered
by Mr.. Buchanan at political meeting at the
court house in Lancaster" these two gentlemen,
from their position and character, must either have
heard it themselves, or Immediately heard it from
others, both of them being residents of that city
when it was alleged to have been uttered and Mr..
Reigart having resided there ever since. The charge
would have specially attracted public attention at
that time, as Mr.. Buchanan was successful cand-
date for the State Legislature both in October, 1874
and October, 1915
Mr.. Cox, not satisfied with the contradiction of
Mr.. Porter and Mr. Reigart, endeavored to obtain
proof OF the charge and renewed, in letter to the
editor of the Pennsylvania Inquirer and Courier,
dated Feb. "a, and published in that paper of Feb.
%, 1888, the testimony which he then adduced in
support of it, and all which could be collected after
laborous search, consists of the certificate of
certain Anthony McGnn, and an extract of a letter
from George Ford ST., both of which it will be per-
ceived are referred to in the following letter of Mr.
Buchanan:
WASHINGTON City, Feb. ~, 1888.
To the Editor Of the Penn. Inquirer and Courier:
SIR: have this moment perused the letter of j.
F. Cox, published in yesterday Inquirer. His late
official station, as member of the Convention, in.
duces me to notice the stale SANDER which he again
repeats, and which 1 n0w pronounce to be utterly
and absolutely Jalse, matter from ohot source it
may haue proceeded or shall proceed I never did,
upon any occasion, public private whether at the
Court House in Lancaster elsewhere, declare that
:" if knew had drop of Democratic blood in nv
veins would let it out, any words to that eff.
feet. 7his ridiculous story Is 0lthout sha6oaO Of
foundation.
The first version of the story was, that had used
the expression in an Grafton which had delivered
at the Court House in Lancaster, on the Fourth of
July, 1915. The Grafton itself disproved this asser-
ton, and then, after NJ Cox had made it a subject
of debate before the Reform Convention, in May
last one of the papers at Harrisburg solemnly an.
nounced that the expression had been us,d by me
on the floor of the House of Representatives. this
city, in reply to Gov. Floyd of Virginia. and that it
could be proved by gentleman who had formerly
been Democratic representative in Congress from
Pennsylvania. The scene is now again shifted to
the Court House in Lancaster, and certain Antho.
ny McGnn is the witness He states that "a num-
Der of years ago." while was addressing political
meeting there assembled, he had heard me use the
expression already stated, in emphatic man
ner, with my right hand elevated above my head"
He does not state the year when this expression was
used, nor the name of any other person who was
present at this public meeting.
1t does not seem to have occurred to Mr.. Cox that
if had uttered such sentiment as that attributed
to me, in the Court House at Lancaster, it would |
have been heard by hundreds of people; that it |
would Immediately have become the subject OF uni |
versal remark and universal condemnation; and that
it would have been severely and justly commented
upon in the newspapers of the day. Had it been
true there would have been no occasion for him to
resort to Anthony McGlnn to prove the charge nor
to conversation alleged to have been held with
Mr. Peter Shindel, who, although q respectable, is
an aged man and from defect of memory, Incl
dent to that period of life, must have confounded
what may have been stated to him by others with |
what he had heard himself: But again repeat, no |
matter what has been or shall be the witness, the
tale is utterly and absolutely false.
Shortly after the SANDER was made subject of
debate by Mr.. Cox in the reform convention, a |
number of the oldest and most respectable citizens
of Lancaster, without distinction of party, signed
a certificate disproving the charge, so far as it was
possible for a negative to be proved, which was |
placed and still remains in the hands of one of my
friends. After what had been said in the reply to |
Mr.. Cox by Mr.. Porter and Mr.. Reigart, who must |
either have heard the expression had it been used
or heard of it Immediately after, deemed it wholly
unnecessary then to publish this certificate.
Yours very respectfully,
JAMES BUCHANAN.
We have said, I'm the commencement of this arti-
ce that we would at this time publish nothing but |
Mr. Buchanans own letter. We have, however, pro.
cured copy Of the certificate to which Mr.. B. re-
fers and give it publicity below for the first tine
In doing So we will boldly assert that the thirty
subscribers to it are gentlemen of as much moral |
worth and responsibility be found among the |
same number Of individuals in any other commune
ty in the Union; and venture to say that no re-
spectacle man in Pennsylvania, of any political par
ty, after reading Mr. BIS contradiction, endorsed by
the cool and deliberate declaration of these gentle.
men, will reiterate the CHARGE believing himself in
its truth. |
CERTIFICATE.
Several Of the undersigned have known Mr. Bu- |
chanan ever since ne first to Lancaster to study
law with the late James Hopkins and the others for
many years past. We are all convinced that fiat |
public meeting at the Court House or any where
else in this city, he had used such expression
or anything like it. which has been attributed to
him by Nh. Cox, in the convention, to wit: THAT !
he had thanked his God he had not drop of Dem |
ocratic blood in his veins, and if he had he would |
let it out. some of us would have heard it. and all
of us would have heard Of it, and it must have be.
come subject of general conversation throughout |
Lancaster. To the best of our knowledge it was !
never mentioned by any person until the year 1928.
Immediately before Mr.. Buchanans last election to
Congress on the Democratic jackson ticket As this