The Jeffersonian. [volume] (Stroudsburg, Pa.) 1853-1911, 1860-03-22
The Contest in the State.
IIarrishnrr. March S. 1860.


OF tbe delegates we're ardent Curtin men
He is yet young man, hardly over forty,
and of the most proposing appearance
and address He is one of the very best
popular speakers in the State, aud that
fact contributed greatly to biz success
He has never filled any public position
excepting that of Secretary of the Com
nouwealth under Gov. Pollock. He is
an earnest, iDdefatigable man, and has
given lifetime and ardent support to the
great principles Of Protection to Ameri-
lean Industry and Slsvery Restriotion.-
He will take the stump early in the fight,
and will proclaim his principles iu his
watohless style 10 every section OF the
State.
The Reading Convention has nomina.
ted the Hon. Henry d Foster of West
moreland county as the Free Trade can
didate for Governor. Never vas scheme
so skilifuliy managed as the nomination
OF Foster. Wttee ha1 clear majority
of the Convention committed to bin; but
be was not acceptable to large portion
of the patty. and be was made the victim
of d combination. involving the basest
treschery. While the nomination of Eos
ter is made to appear as spontaneous
affair, quite contrary is the fact. When
the motion was made to nominate Eos
ter by acclamatioD, Wittee had just re-
ceiyed 81 votes and Foster "a; but oDoth-
er ballot could net be taken. or Wittee
would have been nominated, ani the
break was made Just in time to pregent it.
The truth is. that Wittee was clearly i
Identified with the Buchanan Administra-
tion and its policy. and even portion of
Mr. Buchansn'S officials, who desert the
setting for the rising sun. cou-pired to
spring Foster upon the Convention, and
thus defeat Wii;ee in order to escape, il
possible the odium of the Buchanan pol
10y in the contest.
There is no couoeaiing the fast that
there was treaty OF peace concluded at
Reading between the Buchanan managers
and few unprineip!ed leaders Of the an
ii Administration forces. The Buchanan
men bad nominal but not practical
CO ajority in the Convention. and princi
ples were utterly iguored and "a bargain
struck over the future spoils. 1t is due
to the true men who erected the stand ard
Of revolt against the Free Trade and Sla.
vcry extension policy OF the Buchanan
administration--the Hickmans, the
Schwartzs, the Forneys and their COM
patricts-to say that they ere not parties
to this union, aud will sPurn it as will
THOUSANDS of their folfowers. But the
State will nevertheless be contested with
degree OF vigor and earnestness that was
not manifested in the struggle Of s39 and
40. THEY cannot, h0aCeceJ, carry tie
| .Stlte The Republicans DO u0t expect
to socceed without effort. They fully
appreciate the fact that tley must contest
every inch with desperate aud unscru-
pulous foe, and they are fully prepared
Tor the conflict they will give their no
bic cause their best energies, and they
will carry the State in October aud No
vember next by polling the largest ote
eSer get cast Their efforts will be we'll
directed aud untiripg- their organization
will be thorough, and on the day Of bat
tie their whole vote will be available.
You speak Of Mr. Foster as a stroog
man. In that you err DO not wish to
underrate bis strength; but Do negative
uau, a. he is, can De strong in contest
! .uch "a TIE cue before US. lt is to be
the greatest struggle in the history OF The
Government; vital principles are at issue,
aud the people will be aroused to de-
gree hsrdIg before witnessed in our po-
! litieal contests. Positive meD will be re-
aistng bis election at every step be may
take. and what is now proclaimed as bis
chief strength, will in the eud prove bis
greatest weakness. That he is an able
able man is true; but he has ever been
undecided and inefficient, and hence ba-
worn few OF the laures his party has had
to bestow. Fifteen years ago be was
elected to Congress in the Westmoreland
Indiana, and Gambia District, then good
for $500 Democratic majority, and In
1886 and 81 be serged in the Legisla-
turc. He came to the Legislature to Sc.
cure, If possible, bis election to the Uni
ted Suites Senate, but he never could
command moro than a corporal's guard
of strength. The frat year he was beat
} en- three to one by weak. kneed Bigler
and the second year FornoJ ran off Will
: the nomination. Foster then tried to ge
; up bolt, aud to induce the Republican,
: and Americans to join his litsle squad o
adherents, and elect him. bat they re
spectfully declined While Foster wa
innocenty negotiating with the Know
e Nothings to elect him. Gen. Cameron re
ceiyed the Anti Forncy Democrats, aud
vas elected. When Foster found, to hi
! unutterable surprise, that Cameron was c
; lected, he changed his sote and gave
to Forney In 1853, be vas nominate
i for Congress in the Wostmoreland, lndi
e ana, aud Armstrong District, and it wa
i hoped that his negative quantities woul
= secure him an election; bat John Cosod
beat him over 100, throwing Foster be
hind his party vote. Such is Foster
position and history, and the facts full
warrant the seief that ha possesses n
n