Raftsman's journal. [volume] (Clearfield, Pa.) 1854-1948, 1860-05-02
CLEARFIELD, PA, MAY 2, 1860.
FOR PRESIDENT,
GEN. SIMON CAMERON,
Subject to the decision oc the Chicago Convention
FOR GOVERNOR,
HON. ANDREW G. CURTIN.
WHAT THEY THOUGHT OF HIN IN 1855,

WHAT THEY THOUGHT OF HIN IN 1857.
Henry D. Foster is the candidate of the Democ
racy of Pennsylvania for the responsible position
of Governor. He is most extravagantly lauded b,
the press of his party. His nomination, say they
was spontaneous affair. His popularity, the,
contend, is unbounded His political career the,
would have their followers believe has been of tn,
most unexceptionable character. 1t is mere pre-
tenee and CANNON to talk thus of his nomination
and popularity. There were too many office hold
ers and other wire-pulers in and about the Con
yention to prevent any movement that did not ac
cord with the wishes of the National Administra-
ton; and the fact that he was beaten over 900
votes by 'glory -to-God Covode, as some Locofo-
editors call him. at the last Congressional elec-
tion, does not place the popularity of Gen. Fos-
ter in the most favorable light AS to his political
acts, at least regarding one of the most promi-
nent, we have objection to leave some of his
friends speak We allude to the course he mr.
sued in the winter of 1S56-57, when Simon Came
ron was elected L. 5. Senator over John w For
ney Mr.. Foster member of the Legislature
that winter, refused to support the Dem ocratic
caucus nominee, and permitted himself to be vo.
ted for in joint Convention. Our readers doubt
less remember the manner in which the Demo-
cratic papers pitched into the .boitersn The
Clinton Democrat seems to have been particularly
severe in its denunciations, and the Lock Haven
Watchman has resuscitated some of its articles
the first of which is as follows -
HE Foster) is lawyer, has served two or three
terms IN Congress, and is now member of the Le-
gisature. He did not distinguish himself in Ell
ther of these positions and he may not be as able
as his friends represent him to be, for the have
fashion Of making great men of rather scanty ma
teriai In the western part of the State.''
In the Democrat of Jan. 23d. 1857, appeared the
following article relative to the election of Uni
ted States Senator
THE SENATORIAL ELECTION When we spoke of
this shameful event in last issue our informa-
tion was derived from telegraphic dispatches we
have the full history of the occurrence now For
ney, Democrat, had % votes Cameron RepubI;-
can, % Foster, Traitor, Z; and Mr.. Foster him
rascals make for their treachery. or whether any.
we are not informed To style them Judases is TO
siander old Iscariot, for though he betrayed his
Lord he was decent enough to hang himself i'm
mediately afterwards, which these traitors we re-
gret to say, have not as yet done 1t is mockery
OF language to attempt to characterize their con-
duct. There is nothing meaner thar an ngrate-
nothing SO villainous as traitor, and Foster is
guilty OF both The motive of the act is clear-no
other than pecuniary profit"
There are other extracts given, but these will
suffice to show how some of the Democratic edi-
tors talked only three years ago of Gen Foster.
their present spontaneous combustion candidate
the ''scanty material of which they are irving
to manufacture Governor.
1t may not, however, be amiss to add n nara
graph for the purpose of showing how the conduct
of the "bolters" was regarded by the Ckeayfeld
Repubtfcan. In an editorial article in its issue of
the 2ith January, 1857, censurng Seth A. Backus,
Esq, for casting his vote for en- Foster, it saws
''For this conduct Mr.. d has forfeited all claim
to the confidence of his constituents as a politi-
clan. We can draw but slight distinction between
voting for a aisorgan,z zing Democrat az the person
Of Gen. Foster, and an open and avowed enemy in
the person of Gen. Cameron. In either case IL
was fatal stab to the Democracy and at one of
the most critical moments of its existence"
If the Republican in 1857 could see ::but slight
distinction between voting for a disorganizing
Democrat in the person of Gen. Foster, and an o.
pen and ayowed enemy how can it now? The
'disorganizer' is no better now than he was then,
and we are not aware that he ever made atone
ment, or even got down on his marrow bones and
asked forgiveness for the ''fatal stab he gave the
party by assisting to defeat Col. Forney who
from thenceforward was, in the language of the
Republican, to occupy place in the affections of
" the Democracy of Pennsylvania that he lay well
I" be proud of, and to which his enemies will as
Z" pire in vain ~