The Potter journal. [volume] (Coudersport, Pa.) 1857-1872, 1863-11-11

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Curtin was placed in the land Office and
law school of Judge Reed, of Carlisle
This school was one of the departments
of Dickinson College, and as long as it,
professor lived it fourished and sent forth
some of the best lawyers and public men
of Pennsylvania. Judge Reed was well
known for his ''Pennsylvania Black
stone" one of the frst attempts ever made
to adapt the Immortal ''Commentaries to
our modern law He was first-rate law
yer, and an adept in teaching legal prin-
ciples
Andrew G. Curtin was admitted to the
bar in 1889, and began the practice of the
law in his native town. He Immediately
entered upon large and varied practice
and has ever since been constantly and
actively employed in the courts of the
counties Of Centre, Clearfeld. Mifflin, and
Clinton His great information, his Wig.
orous mind, and his candor recommended
him to the courts; his winning style made
hlm powerful with jurieS. He rapidly
became one of the best and most rising
young men in central Pennsylvania
A man with the gifts and temperament
of Andrew G Curtin could not but be
largely interested and concerned in pub
lie affairs. Strlkingly amiabIe, genial.
and warm -hear'ed, of luminous, quick,
aud extensive intelligence of the most
engaging address,. endowed with fluent,
facetious and captivating eIoquence, and
instinct with old Pennsylvania traditions
Of policy and patriotism, he threw him
self at once into those political cOntrover-
sizes which, as Burke tells US, are the no.
blest employment of the cultivated man
In 1910 he took an active part in the
political campaign in behalf of General
Harrison. In 1911 he was fervid ad-
herent of the illustrious candidate of the
Wings, and he stumped all central Penn,
sylvania for Henry Clay In that strue-
Gle Mr. Curtin first acquired his wide
spread reputation of effective and resist
less popular eloquence. There was not
a county from the Susquehanpa to the
AlleghaDies in which the name Of Andrew
| q Curtin ever failed to attract the very
argest crowds, who eagerly gathered to
ani"v the feasts of wisdom and wit, OF
humor lud pathos, of poetry, statistics,
tvs, argument, and imagery; which he
spread out on his glowing aud mclldIous.
periods.
In 1913 he was placed on the Whie
electoral ticket, and again traversed
,'any sections of the State in behalf Of
General Zachary Taylor He was an orig
inal supporter of the nomination of Gen
eral Winfield Scott, and in 1852 he was
again placed on the ELECTORAL ticket, and
worked with his usual zeal to carry the
State for the hero of the valley OIL Mexico
On the election of Hon. James Pollock
to the Governorship of Pennsylvania, ID
1854, Mr.. Curtin was appointed Secre-
tary Of the Commonwealth. the duties Of
which Office he performed with signal
ability and discretion.
After his retirement from the secreta-
ryship, he again devoted himself to the
practice of the law, in Bollefont, until
1860, when he was nominated as the
reople's candidate for Governor, after an
earnest struggle made by such competit.
ors as Neasrs Covode, Howe, and Tag
CART; and after contest of unezampled |
warmth, he was elected by 81, 600 major
ity, thus securing the State for Lincoln
and virtually determining the great ores-
idential election of that year. To no one
man was the great national triumph of
1860 SO much indebted as to Gov Curtin
He entered the gubernatorlal chair IN
January, 1861, when several Of the cot
ton States had formally withdrawn from
the Union. He had therefore to crap |
pie with the rebellion from the dav he
entered Office until now and how wisely
and well be has discharged the grave re-
sponsibilities imposed upon him, let the
prompt response Of Pennsylvania TO every
call of the Government testify. 1t was
to his prudent foresight and ceaseless eff
forts that the nation is indebted for the
safety of the Capitol after the disaster at
Bull Run, for when the States stood
aghast at the gloomy prospect for the
Union cause, the Pennsylvania Reserve
Corps marched into Washington fifteen
thousand strong, and have displayed a
matchless heroism on every battle field.
Whether in the raising, equlpping, and
organization Of our volunteers, in solacing
aud ninesteriug to the sick and wounded,
or bringing the martyred dead to sleep
with their kindred, Gov Curtin has been
ever faithful to every dictate of patriotism.
of duty, of humanity. Scarcely soldier
but speaks his name with reverence
scarcely a wounded or sick volunteer
whose eye does not quicken with joy
when he speaks of his honored execu-
tive scarcely friend of our heroic dead
but mingles devotion to Gov. Curtin with |
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