The Elk advocate. [volume] (Ridgway, Elk Co., Pa.) 186?-1868, 1866-09-20
Geary and His Biogra-
pliers.

Hi'bSS Ai"'S bhONohO iOl III u ldUOICu Gl-
fort on the civil and military history of
heir candidate John w. Geary. They
Ire freely circulating pamphlet among
The people, as gull trap to catch votes,
hoping to take advantage of these times
when military excitement runs high.
They would force upon the people of
Pennsylvania, man who is not fit for
the position of Governor, and who if
elected, would only be mere machine
in the hands Of designing Abolitionists
whose only motto is to "rule or ruin"
But unfortunately for the credit Of
Geary, there are too many living wit
nesses on the stage of action. His Biog-
raphers are true to their natural propen-
sity to deceive, and have published un-
scrupulously whole tissue of absurdity
and falschood in the hope of retaining
power.
a short review OF the two pamphlets
IN circulation, will be all that is neces-
sary to refute the whole-and show that
he is man of straw, unworthy of our
confidence or support In the would-be
Governor Geary, there is neither merit
nor capacity AS to his ancestry moth
ing need be said. All men are born
somewhere, and if that place should
happen to be a pig stye, it does not fol.
low as consequence that all men are
hogs. True merit alone is essential to
true greatness. 1t matters but little
whether he was born in Westmoreland
county, or elsewhere, there is no dis
guising that he is like the potato, the
best parts under the ground.
His capacity for Governor has been
decided on several occasions. AS Ter.
ritorial Governor Of Kansas, his gov
erning powers were of the limited Or
der, incapable to govern over ten thou.
sand frontier settlers. What then must
be his qualifications, for discharging the
weighty responsibilities of the great
Keystone State of this Federal Union.
His own historian tells us thut his ad.
ministration terminated in "siz months -
Brief as it was, there was ample time tc
bring out the man. In that brief pc.
riod, his weak Yacilating character could
no longer be tolerated. Murder, arson
rapine,-in short the very demon o.
strife, ruin, riot between the contendine
parties, and yet he was "all things to al
men," He left the Territorial Govern
ment in chaos,-life and property with
out the protection of civil law.
The fact that he was sent to the Pa
cifc coast, as post master with plenar,
powers, is scarcely worthy OF notice, al
though il is heralded aloud as though
were an important qualification for tn
Gubernational chair Of Pennsylvania
Almost every cross-road in the State q
that time, could have furnished au a;
sistant Post Master with mental calibr
sufficient to have performed this duty
it is claimed for him as an expert, ths
he discharged the duties of distributin
the mail, and hired men and mules t
pack the matter into the mining di
tricts. Certainly this important servic
to the Government should not be owe,
looked.
But he was elected first Alcade {
the city of San Francisco, a judge {
first instance. If this can be torture
into making great man of him, then
Mexican greaser who had filled the 0
flee before him with as much honest
and ability, should have been entitle
to as much respect. In that position b
certainly gave greater satisfaction, VIII
should not our Abolition friends sen
for him? His complexion might pos8
bly, give truer representative of the
principles They would only have
draw little upon the imagination f
wool, and Pennsylvania would have qui
as good Governor as by electing job
w. Geary But the tenure of his ofi(
there, as well as in Kansas was shor
His great talents were not recognize
by the inhabitants of the Pacific coas
Three years were the full measure of h
, exploits in that quarter of the glob
during which time it is claimed for hi
that his services secured the adoption
free State Constitution for Caiiforni
t But the most important services tn
distinguished his public career on Il
coast remains to be studied. Here it
| ranoria1 bv h;o c.;onJe.