The Columbian. [volume] (Bloomsburg, Pa.) 1866-1910, 1869-08-20

L
US that certain objections and cavils
VIII be made against our candidate for
Governor. i have few of them in
paper lying before me, the Mauch Uank
Gazette. In the following charge it
quotes from the Bearer Radical.
when our armies were defeated, and
our cadnidate was bearing the smarts
of defeat and wounds with soldierly
fortitude, Packer was kcenly Watching
the fluctuations of the stock exchange,
and buying in shares which our defeats
depressed. When victory rested ON our
banners and Gcary was bleeding on the
victorious field over the body of his
dead soldier son, Packer was adding 10
his hoard by sales of stocks which the
wounds OF our heroes had caused to ad-
vance in value. He traded in patriotic
blood, and the patriots in whose blood
he traded will never support his ambi.
tion, nor accept his blood-money."
That is tolerably strong to be quoted
IN paper conducted by religious gen
tlemen, but / have read it to you as u
specimen of the malignity which we
may expect in this canvass against q
most uneXceptionable candidate. In
the first place, the whole charge is un-
true as Il distinct avermcnt of fact.
Judge Packer has never been specula-
tor in Wall street, or in Third street, or
i'll any other street In our own or in any
other country. He did not dabblc in
government stocks in the manner sug-
gested at any time or under any circum-
stances. The charge is as foreign to the
domain of fact as the mind of the writer
is foreign TO the domain of gentlemen or
to the region where truths are told.
About the time of Vicksburg and
Gettysburg he was not watching the
stock market to speculate. | will tell
you one thing in which he was engaged
! about that time, because the record is
undoubted. News came to the region
along the Lehigh river as it came to
other parts of our country that Pensyl-
vania was invaded; first that our bor-
ders were threatened, and afterward
that our territory was actually invaded.
A meeting was called at Mauch Chunk,
in the court house. Sundry gentlemen
made speeches, very eloquent of course,
and eXhorted their neighbors to enlist
and to assist others in doing SO. There
was no want of rhetoric; it flowed in
abundance; the audience was fully sup
piled with it; but unfortunately no
practical effect was produced. Every
body thought IL was AN excellent thing
to repel invasion, to whip the enemy
and protect our own State, and that it
was work of patriotism most laudable
to contribute money or to volunteer;
but nothing was done; the enterprise
with reference 10 which the meeting
had been called languished. Then it
was, gentlemen, that our candidate for
GOverner rose in the crowd and said {:
II hear very much said on this subject
of raising volunteers for the defense of
our State, and various modes of doing
it suggested. NOw,l have one thing to
propose, and it is this: any of the em-
plOyees of the Lehigh Valley road who
will 60 into the public service shall con-
their places shall be kept for them un-
til they return.o Applause. That
started the movement; the fire broke
out; and about one hundred men were
raised in the small town of Maucl
Chunk and its immediate vicinity with.
in twenty-fOur hours, and were speedi
ly on their way to the place of conflict.
Applause. When the news of what
was done at Mauch Chunk went over
the wires to the neighboring towns
above and below, it fired up the whole
valleya and contributed to prompt action
in all its towns. a little vigorous, time
ly action from Il man of action is some
times better than great deal said by 6
man of words.
That was the way in which our candi
date for Governor was employed III
Mauch Chunk about the time of Nicks
burg and Gettysburg. He was not il
Wall street or anywhere else, speculat
ing upon the necessities of impOycrish
ed debters, nor attempting to accumu
late, by illicit or doubtful practices, his
worldly estate. He was performing his
duty at his own home, and with an eff
, feet which no other man in the Lehigf
Valley could have produced.
, In this article which / have read he il
accused of investing money in bonds
, and in public securities, and spcculatin.
upon them. y contradictory assertion
has been made elsewhere, and that is
that he does not hold government bond
at all, and has not held them. Now
gentlemen, will give you a good roa
the failure of other objections, has been
brought forward. Judge Packer ha,
had his means invested in improvement!
carried on and extended by him through
II long series of years, and it was no
convenient, it was not possible for him
without sacrificing great interests (no
/ his own merely but those of others al
sol to Withdraw those investments anC
: put them into the form of publ
, bonds or any other sort of bonds foreigl
/, to his own undertakings. When other
I, were doubtful of the future of the lie
high valley and of the railroad enter
, prise which had been projected there
) he being more hopeful and sagaciou
! than other men, came forward himsel
aud undertook its completion. Througl
years of labor and of effort and of sacri
a flee ho carried forward the work of Tin
y | nf thaf rnaI M
years afterwards, when prosperity cam
: 10 him (and along with it prosperity h
+ the people of that section) and his prop
crty and means were largely increased
f what could any one say but that her
I was II just reward of perseverance an
, fortitude and hOpefulness under all dis
couragements and against all obstacles
that here was just return for publ
; spirited conduct; IA just reward of hig
: ability properly employed for public |
. connection with private interests
u During tho war what was the effect {
!, his success? That road carried cheape
!, y coal to Philadelphia and to New YOr
, to supply the immense demands of til
=, government it carried other articles
- y supply and of necessity to the govern
y ment at those points it transporte
!, volunteers and conscripts on their wa
w bt WI 5piiiHNAi 'tilNl w
>. talions for the purposes of the war; an
4 in many other ways it contributed
tho public cause to IN extent and 10
degree which an Investment of none
y equal to the capital of that road in pul
" lie stocks could not have effected, an
= could hardly have begun tO effect.
II Then, subsequently,, what has bee
10 done? That great improvement was c.
II tended into the Wyoming Valley; ai
le more recently, II still further and an in
d portant extension OF it has been carri,
p ON towards central and western Ne
r York by the valley of tho North Brauc
le and that, | believe, is To be brought i
Di to use within n few weeks Of the pr,
l. ent time. Then again, similar imprOv
~ ments have been extended in II
~ direction, into the upper part OF Schuy
- kill county, into n part of Columli
county, and towards and within yo
n own hnrlprS nj Mnunt (hrmal lnak Il