Columbia democrat and star of the north. [volume] (Bloomsburg, Pa.) 1866-1867, 1866-11-28

LEWIS, North'd Co., Pa, I
Nov. 22d, 1866.


Nov. 22d, 1866.
To tie Editors of the Democrat and Star
/ send you herein a reply TO Mr. Tate's
letter of November 18th, 1866, which please
insert In your next issue. promise it will
be the last, as / consider him unworthy of
further notice. He Inserts in his letter
resolution passed by the Northumberland
County Convention of June 25th, 1866, IN
which he claims that the conferees of said
county were instructed to support him, for
Senator. Any one by reading it will see that
1t contains no such instructions, and conse-
quently he stands condemned by the record
Mr.. Brown, one of the conferees, was the
author of the resolution, and at whose in
stance, 1t was introduced in the Convention.
He is lawyer and should understand it
Yet he voted for Mr.. Dean, and supported
him with his influence, from first to last, with
the exception of a few votes that he gave to
MIR. jackson and to Mr. Tate Did he vio-
late his instructions But, says Mr. Tate,
where did you get authority to vote for Mr.,
jackson. Mr.. Brown and myself both found
authority to do so In the faithful discharge
OF our duty, and we have the satisfaction of
knowing that our course has given satisfac-
ton to the people we represented.
The resolution places Montour County on
an equal footing with Columbia, both as re-
CARDS the claim to the candidate and the
right of the conferees to support her candi-
date if they preferred to do SO. Says Mr.
Tate, voting for me two days as you did is
not sufficient you should have voted for me
an unlimited period of time, at least for one
whole week, for you had no power to vote
for any other person. This | presume would
have suited Mr. Tate exactly. By that time
he would have hoped to see the party so dis
1aA 20
n volunteer candidate for Senator, as he at
tempted to be for the Legislature, and was
choaked off by the Democracy of Columbia
County. But Mr.. Tate, was it not pity
that the conferees saw the welfare of the par
ty in different light from yourself For in
doing SO they forever deprived you of the
realization of all those pleasant dreams, and
happy anticipation of taking seat in one of
those beautiful cushioned chairs, at Harris
burg. Surrounded by those splendid eagles
that are suspended from the walls of the
Senate Chamber, where you could have pro-
ven your devotion to history and the record,
and won for yourself immortal honor. This
indeed is misfortune, and what makes it
more bitter, is the thought that with it, you
have parted with whatever little truth or
honor you may have heretofore possessed
But as | said in my last communication this
1OcOAOblOu hetS VI uO pOElduCS, Us uuQOl
our system of nominating, the Return Judges
have no power to designate any one as their
choice, unless the people themselves refuse
to act Their duty is to declare the candi
date who receives the largest number of votes
the choice of the county. All candidates
are presumed to be candidates, and it is their
or their friends duty to be on hand with
their tickets, or abide by the consequence.
When this was under discussion in our con-
vention it was openly declared by its adyo-
Gates, that it was not in any way to intefere
with the vote of the county, which was Civ
en- to Mr.. Ent But its sole object was, if
possible, to get matters in such shape, that
Mr. Ent' s vote in this county might not in
fluence the votes in Columbia County. This
was all Mr. McNinch's s friends asked or ex-
pected, as they all conceded this county in
favor of Mr. Ent. repeat that l was in
structed by the people of Northumberland
County to vote for Mr.. Ent His name not
being before the convention. l was at liberty
to vote for any candidate preferred. l also
repeat that it would have given me pleasure
to have had an opportunity of voting for
McNinch, or any other person Colum bia
County might have chosen to recommend.
Very respectfully,
DAVID B. MONTGOMERY.