The Bedford gazette. [volume] (Bedford, Pa.) 1805-current, 1868-09-11
THE LEGISLATIVE QUESTION.
Fraudulent Nominations.
VIII the People Endorse them:

VIII the People Endorse them:
The Radicals of this Legislative Dis
trict have nominated John Weller
and j. C. Longenecker, ESqs., as their
candidates for Representatives in the
Legislature. We want it understood,
IN Hnaiqe, that we have no objections
to these gentlemen, personally. Mr..
Weller has already served two sessions
and has record upon which the peo-
pie will pass judgment. Mr.. LOngen-
ecker is d young lawyer who has no
record save that of very rabid Radi-
cal stump orator.
Both of these nominations were pro-
cured by fraud and are really not any
more binding upon the Radical party
of the district than the nominations of
Wilson and McGOvern. Weller re-
ceived but minority Of the votes cast
at the Radical primary election in
Somerset, was not the choice Of the ma
jority of his party in that county, and
defeated the will of that majority, only
by getting cut a 'straW" candidate
who drew off enough votes from his
principal opponent, DIR. d. f. Walker,
to leave him (Wellerl a plurality. BY
this trick, the rule of the Radical party
in Somerset, to give a member but
two terms, was overthrown, and Wei
Ter was fraudulently renominated for
third term. AS for Mr.. Longenecker's
nomination, every body in this neigh
borhood knows how that was brought
about Capt. John S. Stuckey, of Ma
pier tp., was a strong candidate for the
nomination, having carried the con-
vention two years ago, but losing the
nomination through the machination
of certain jealous politicians. Unfor-
tunately Tor fortunately, we hardly
know whichl for Capt. Stuckey, John
Cessna appeared upon the scene as a
candidate for the Congressional nOmi-
nation. For while the chances be-
tween Cessna and his competitors
seemed about even, and he found it
necessary to resort to his peculiar tao
ties. He reasoned in this wise: "If |
permit Capt. Stuckey to carry the
convention, the nomination will be
conceded to him, on account of his
having been thrown overheard in 49,
6G; therefore, my plan is to defeat him
with a new man whose claims can be
easily postponed; for, if he succeeds in
carrying the convention my cOmpetI-
tors will argue against me that Bed
ford county has one of the candidates
for the Legislature and ought to yield
the nomination for Congress to some
other county. Accordingly Cessna
went to work to accomplish his pur-
pose. His first card was a trick similar
to that played by Weller in Somerset.
A candidate was brought out in Capt.
Stuckey's own township, for the e.
press purpose of taking the delegates. from
the Captain at hiS OlCn home. This
proved successful. But in spite of all
the appliances that were brought to
bear against him, Captain Stuckey had
a majority of the delegates elected to
the convention, when that body as
sembled. By dint of strong arguments,
however, a conversion was made to
Longenecker, but the latter still did
not have majority of the convention.
A bright idea then struck Cessna and
his co-workers. There was Southamp-
ton tp., unrepresented. Could not a
delegate be manufactured for that
township? Yes, good luck would
have it so; there happened to be in
town, citizen of that township, who
indeed, knew nothing about the con
ventiOn, and who did not come to at
tend it, and who was not elected &
delegate by the Radicals of Southamp
ton or any other township; upon hin
John Cessna and his co-adjutors a
once centred their affections. They