The evening telegraph. [volume] (Philadelphia [Pa.]) 1864-1918, 1869-07-15
THE DEMOCRATIC GUBERNATO-
RIAL CANDIDATE.

letter from General Hancock declining the
Gubernatorial nomination was produced. The
Cass men made a strong effort in behalf OF
their favorite candidate but, after a few pre-
liminary demonstrations of the overpowering
strength of Asa Packer, he was nominated by
n large majority. Some months ago, whom he
first consented to become a candidate, the
belief prevailed that he would encounter no
serious opposition, and his friends were con-
derably surprised at the active resistance to
his pretensons which was subsequently de-
yoloued. They have mastered it by aresolute
erfo,t however and he will no doubt receive
T. cordial support of his party. The bio
q ,hical sketch we published on Monday
81, a GOOD outline sketch Of his career and
a. - unnecessary to recapitulate the facts
W. which our readers are already
f,u =. There is much to commend
il hi. .haracter. His industry, integrity, en-
tarpI.se. and liberality are unquestionable.
IA has amassedth the largest private fortune IN
-, State, mainly by his connection with en-
ises which have facilitated the develop
sn>, of its resources, and the labors of his
life have been of an unusually practical and
u 'ul nature. He is a great railway king,
and aomething of politician, but his chief
t g TO Democratic favor is to be found In his
business success. Some years ago, when the
Few York Herald elaborately advocated the
Il mination of 'Live-oak' George Law for
the Presidency, the proposition was ridiculed
throughout the country. And when General
Grant offered to A. T. Stewart, the famous
importer, the position of Secretary
of the Treasury, the Democratic press
considered this selection singularly unfortu-
nate. Yet Asa Packer has now been made
the Democratic nominee for Governor of
Pennsylvania for reasons substantially
similar to those on which Laws Pre-
sidential aspirations and Stewards ap-
pointment as member of the Cabi-
net were based. There is nothing in Judge
Packers barren political record which would
have won the favor of his party. He was a
silent member of the Legislature, and when
in Congress he did not merely refrain from
speech-making, but during large portion of
his term he was not even present to attend
the sessions of that body. His large business
interests absorbed so much of his time and
attention, that he frequently failed to respond
to the call for yeas and nays. With fortune
trembling in the balance of financial revul-
sions and industrial revolutions, he had little
disposition to listen attentively to dry Debates
Or to study closely the thousand and one de-
tails which make up the sum and substance of
legislation. If he should be elected Cover
nor, it will not be at all astonishing if he will
be at Harrisburg, as he vas at Washington,
much more deeply interested in the null
tiform affairs of the Lehigh Valley Railroad
Company than in the batch of laws
spawned by the Legislature, or the
general welfare of the Commonwealth. Aside
from partisan considerations, one of the
strongest objections to his election is to be
found in the magnitude of his personal in
terests, and the watchful care which he will
naturally be disposed to bestow upon them.
While his enormous wealth places him hey snd
the reach of the ordinary pecuniary tempta-
tions, the public can scarcely expect that his
heart will not be with his treasures, or that
he could bring to the duties of the executive
chamber the singleness of devotion to the
Commonwealth which would characterize the
administration of model Governor
MPolitically, Judge Packer has been faith
A"A ANAN"Oi VI ohO DOlhOCldCJ through all lJS
devious windings. Living in one of the
strongest Democratic districts of the Union.
his political action has always been in strict
consonance with the majority of those by
whom he has been surrounded, and he has
clung to his party right or wrong When the
troubles of Kansas originally commenced, no
man had better opportunity than himself to
comprehend the iniquity of the Border-R Ruff
tian movements, for the first Governor of
that Territory, A. H. Reeder, was his especial
friend; but though he endeavored to shield
Reeder from some of the prosecutions to
which he was subjected, Judge Packer soon
learned to yield unquestioning obedience to
the unjust dictates of Southern arrogance.
after the infamous crusade against freedom
In Kansas was made test of partisan fidelity.
He will doubtless prove blind follower of
his party leaders in the future as he has in
the past, and it is as a representative of the
Democracy that he must be judged by the
people of Pennsylvania in the coming elec
ton. The platform on which he was nomi
mated reafirms some of the old heresies O
the organization, and forces into the canvas
The main issues which now divide the peopl
of the nation and in triumph or defeat b
viii be a devoted adherent of the false guide
who have inflicted so many miseries upon tn
Tat;On