The Bedford gazette. [volume] (Bedford, Pa.) 1805-current, 1869-10-28
DEATH OF EX-GOVERNOR RIrNrR

IL. III Hd5lty dS ever,
Oct. 10Th 1869. LINDEN.
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DEATH OF EX-GOVERNOR RITNER.
The official returns of the election of
a Governor Of Pennsylvania have not
been completed until the death of
former chief magistrate of the Com
monwealth is announced. Joseph Rit-
uer died on Saturday afternoon last at
the residence Of a son-in-law, in the
borough of Carlisle,at the extreme age
of ninety. He was born in the town
ship Of AIease, in the county of Berks,
of German parentage-of that sturdy,
frugal, honest and industrious stock
which contributed so largely to the
prosperity of this great State. His
early opportunities for education were
few, being confined to the winter
schools of his neighborhood. Early
in life he removed to the county of
Washington, and engaged in farming,
the occupation in which he had been
reared. Soon after his removal to
Washington county he began to take
an active part in politics, and was e.
lected by his Democratic neighbors TO
the State Legislature. He served in
the legislature for a number of years,
and was chosen Speaker of the House
| in the sessions Of 1926 and 1897. AS a
| Speaker he maintained reputation
for promptness and fairness in his de-
cisions, and impartiaIity in the organ
ization of the committees of the body
over which he presided.
In 1927 he was appointed by Presi-
/ dent Adams one of the Visitors to
West Point. A failure to obtain new
nomination for the legislature at the
hands of the Democrats, compelled
him to retire for few years from
public life.
In 1929 Joseph Ritner was nominat-
/ ed for Governor by the rising faction
| of anti -Masons, at the head of whom
was Thaddeus Stevens. In this con-
/ test, his vote was small. He was a.
gain nominated against George Wolf
/ by the anti-Masous in 1882, and al
/ though defeated, the heavy vote which
he received gave evidence of populari-
/ ty and strength among the people be-
! yond that Of the faction to which he
belonged. Divisions among the DEM
ocrats in 1885, enabled Ritner to graft
/ fy his long cherished ambition of be-
! coming Governor. There were two
/ democratic candidates in the field,
George Wolf and Henry A. Mullen
berg, and between them Ritner slipped
in. During his administration the
great system Of Public Works inaug-
urated by Gov. Wolf was continued.
| Some extravagant railroad schemes
were started, among them the notori-
Gus Tape worm road in Adams county,
the ruined culverts Of which are still
to be seen. Thos. II. BurroWes, now
| President of the State Agricultural
College, was Ritner's Secretary oi
State; James Todd, of Fayette county,
was the Attorney General, and Thad-
deus Stevens, a member of the Canal
Board, was the leader of the admins
tratiOn. The large appropriation OF
the public money, and what was deem
ed its reckless and Wasteful eXpendi'
ture In enterprises of no benefit % the
people, made the administration OF
Ritner extremely unpopular. When
presented for reelection, he was de-
leted by David r. Porter by an i'm
mense majority. At this election, for
the first time in the political history
! Of the Commonwealth, the most cor
rupt practices were re5Orted to to en-
sure success. The Canal Board raised
from contractors and others employed
on the Public Works what Thaddeus
Stevens irreverently called a HisSjoR0-
~ Fund to be employed in elections,
and the returns of the vote at Millers-
town in Adams county, and other
places showed capacity for fraud in
that early day which might well ex-
cite envy in the breast of a CovOde.
In the midst of the storm raised by
the attempt to defeat the will of the
people in the elections in 1888, the adj
ministratiOn of Ritner closed. The
lawfully chosen representatives were
admitted to their seats and the Buck
/ shot War ended without the shedding
of blood,
On retiring from Office Governor Rit-
ner purchased a farm in Cumberland
| county, on which he continued to re-
side almost to the day Of his death,
He never again emerged from private
life, though he made one or two unsuc-
cessful attempts to obtain office. He
was an applicant for the Treasurership
of the Mint, under President Taylor,
but, being disappointed, he was never
again heard Of in politics.
Though he was the object of much
denunciation and ridicule while Coy
ernor, yet he was a man of considera-
| BILE intellect and force of character. AL
| though violent partisan, some oil
the worst acts of his administration
must be attributed to the recklessness
of his official advisers and the party
spirit which prevailed at the time
Without possessing much education. he
had no little knowledge and expert
ence in publicafiairs. He was one of the
Governors of the Farmer Common.
wealth, aud since he owed his ele-
walton to the tillers of the soil, he was
devoted to what he considered their
true interests. Since his day the Far