The evening telegraph. [volume] (Philadelphia [Pa.]) 1864-1918, 1866-03-30
FRIDAY, MARCH 80. 1866.
The United States SenatOrship aud the
Course of j. M. ScOVeI,

The United states S2natOrshtp ano lhe
Course of J. NJ. ScOVeI
UP to yesterday Mr.. JAMES M. SCovEL, of
Camden, occupied an enviable position in the
eyes of the citizens of both New Jersey and
our own State. When people spoke of him
they talked Of him as rising mana man OF
ability, honesty, and one whose doctrines
were consistent with the views OF the popular
mind. They thought him man of principle,
and there was no position in his native State
to which he might not have hopefully aspired.
But, truly, no one knows what day may
bring forth. The man VINO yesterday
was universally honored for his pro-
bity, his fidelity, his principles, to-day
wish his bitterest enemy to be seen. His
ofIense may be summed up in the simple
assertion that he boIted. To man not verSed
in politics, and one who is not a strict par
Sisan, there may appear no crime so very
heinous in such behavior; but if the matter
is examined in the proper light, no one can
fail to feel contempt for the man who for ex-
traneous reasons will adopt such a course as
that selected by Mr.. SCovEL. He was
chosen by the people of Camden because Of
bis avowed adherence to the doctrines of
the Republican party. He was elected by
them as their standard-bearer, and when he
succeeded in defeating his opponent the decla-
ration went forth that Camden had lent her
power to strengthen the Union party. Had
be limited that when he visited the capital he
would vote with the Democrats in opposition
to his brother Republicans, there can be no
question but that he would never have been
sent to represent our neighbors over the
river.
When he accepted Of their nomination he
pledged himself by his action to act, on all
purely political questions, on purely party
grounds. Yet how has he fulfilled that pledge
When the fate Of the most important bill ever
introduced into the United States Senate
depends upon the arrival OF a Senator from
New Jersey, and when the Union men desired
to reap the advantage they had gained in
carrying the State, and throw the fruits OF
the victory in the party scale, JAMES M.
ScovEL voted with the Copperhead men,
bers, and by his vote indefinitely postponed
the choice of gentleman to the vacant posi-
tion, which, but for his detection, woald have
been filed Immediately, and the Senator have
been already on his way to the capital.
What reason does he assign for thus violat-
ing all the agreements of the past, thus for
feiting his word, and losing all that the hard
fought battle in Camden had gained the party
He says he is opposed to certain man who
may get the nomination. That has nothing
whatever to do with the case. 1t was his
duty to support whoever received the caucus
nomination. Had he entered that body and
striven to secure the success o. his candidate,
he would have done his whole duty. Surely
the party was not bound to defer to him as to
who should be their choice. Again, he says
that he believes Mr.. J. P. STOCKTON was
entitled to his seat. The United States SEN
ate has decided otherwise, and it was Mr.
SCovEL's business to fill the vacancy so far
as in his power lay. But why dwell on these
petty excuses? They are merely the alleged
causes. They are merely pretenses.
So far as we can see, his conduct can only
be imputed to desire to secure the position
for himself. We have had similar instance
when a gentleman would vote only for hi;
brother-in-law for clerk, and the similarity o
the cases suggests the probability OF there
being personal ambition in Mr.. SCovEL's
action. II he hopes to bring the party tc
terms by such course, he will be dlsap
pointed. We beg the members rather to lei
the vacancy remain untitled than choose {
man who would take such an unfair advan
tage of the difficulties of the party. Although
it may delay the election of Republican, i
cannot secure the choice of a Democrat; anC
the conduct of Mr.. SCovEL will only resul
to his own disgrace, without succeeding il
any OF his ambitious aims, or carrying out an.
OF his dishonorable schemes.
We publish on our first page to-day an edito
rial from the Daily Gazette of Trenton, tn
State organ of the parry, which gives goo
idea OF the sentiments OF the Unionists of Ney
jersey.