The Jeffersonian. [volume] (Stroudsburg, Pa.) 1853-1911, 1866-10-04
A BIOGRAPHY OF
HESTER CLYMER.

Hester Clymer was born in Borks
county, Pennsylvania, in the year 1927,
of respectable parentage. He had the
benefit of a liberal education, studied law,
and was admitted to practice at the Read
ing bar.
Nothing was heard of him in public
life until the year 1850, when he COM
menced his political career by running
for the Legislature on the Wing ticket
in Berks county. Of course he was not
elected. He, however, ran behind Gen.
VIM H. Keim, the Whig candidate for
Congress, 1909 votes.
He remained Whig until 1856, when
he Joined the Democratic ranks.
In 1860 he ran for the State SEN
ate, on the Democratic ticket, to fill va
cancy and he has represented his coun-
ty in that position for the last six years.
The Legislative Record, Of this period,
will be searched in vain FOR any evidence
that Mr.. Clymer was identified with any
measures of great or public Importance.
1t shows him as only taking part in or
dinary or local legislation, except when it
became necessary to speak or vote on the
great questions inloved in the mainten-
ance of the national authority against the
revolutionary attempts of the seeding
States. On all uch questions he was
invariably in sympathy with the rebel
lion. But let the Record speak for him.
On the 18th day of April, 1861, the
day of the rebel assault upon Fort Sumter
he opposed and voted against the bill fer
armiug the State-See LegiSldtiUe Re
cord for 1861, pages 843 3, &c.
On the 18th of April, after the news
Of the fall of Sumter had been received,
and the Northern heart had been fired by
this insult to the national flag, Mr.. ely
mer, with his five disloyal colleagues en-
tered on the Journal of the Senate their
solemn protest against the passage of the
bill for arming the State. Legislative
Record for 1861, pages 1923.
In the session of 1862, during the dark
days of the Republic, and when reverse
had overtaken her armies, Mr.. Clymer
voted against sustaining them in the field,
by voting against the joint resolutions of
the Legislature to provide for the collec-
tion Of the direct tax levied by the Uni
ted States.-.See LegislatiUe Record for
1862, pages 1915.
On the 9Th and 10th of April, 1868,
on the consideration and final passage of
the bill to authorize those in the military
and naval service Of the United States to
vote, he voted with his Democratic col
leagues against every section.-Sanle,
pages sos.
In the session of 1864. on the 9th Of
March, upon the joint resolutions propos-
ing an amendment to the Constitution
authorizing the soldiers to vote, Mr.. ely
mer being present lodged; and in the af-
ternoon of the same day, having asked
leave to record his vote, the Senate re-
fuscd.-See Legislative Record, 1861,
qages 335, 81.
And later in the session, when a bill
was introduced to carry this amendment
into effect, Mr.. Clymer not molly spoke a
gainst it, but with his twelve Democratic
colleagues voted against it.-See LegiS-
Iatige Record, 1864, pages 800.
During the session of 1868, Mr.. ely
mey voted against joint resolutions In fa-
vor of a law to define and punish treason
able olTenses. LegtsIatioe Record,
1868, pages 204.8.
During the same session he voted D.
gainst the bill to legalize the payment of
bounties to volunteers. This was on the
eve of the invasion OF the State, and but
three months before the battle of Gettys-
burg.-See Legislature Record, 1868, pa
ges 809-ll.
On the 9th of March 1868, Mr.. ely
mer opposed giving Andrew johnson,
then Governor of Tennessee, the privilege
of speaking at the Capitol of Pcnnsylva-
MIA on behalf Of the loyal men of the
South. He denounced him as usurper,
charged him with "upturning every prin-
ciple on which this government is found
ed" with having ''bent the suppliant
knee before the throne of power;" and
that, ''for pelf orsomc other consideration, "
he had Welded to the measures of the
government. lie further spoke of him
''as a mere hireling of Federal patronage
and power" See Legislature Record,
1868, pages 1867.
On the 21st of April 1863, he address
ed public meeting called under his aus
pices, and held at the Court House in
Reading, Berks county. Among other
violent and infammatory language against
the General Government he advanced
the resolutions that "resistance by force
to an inavsion of our personal freedom is
a virtue" and "we do not approve of this
war as at present conducted. We never
did approve of it in itself"
On the 24th August, 1868, in his Som
erset speech, Mr. CIymer declared that il
Woodward and Yallandigham were elect
ed Governors of Pennsylvania and Ohio
they, with Seymour, of New York, and
Parker, of New Jersey, would unit in re
calling from the army the troops of then
respective States, and thus compel th(
Administration to call a convention o.
1. f....f fora