The evening telegraph. [volume] (Philadelphia [Pa.]) 1864-1918, 1870-03-02
BERGNER.

Senator Lowry Talks to the "Deacon'' In
Plain Terms-He Pictures His "Horrid De-
formity'' In RdifyinR Way, and Accuses
Him of Desecrnting the Temple of Liberty.
This morning we received from the Hon.
Morrow B. Lowry, State Senator from Erie
county, communication addressed to "Deacon"
George Bergner of Harrisburg, to which we
give place below. In this letter the Unsuitable
Bergner is handled without gloves, and in a
fashion which will be great deal more edifying
to the public at large than to the individual to
whom it is addressed. Mr.. Lowry, it will be
seen, promises to let the deacon" hear from him
again, and the next instalment will be awaited
by the public with considerable interest. Mr..
Lowry's letter reads as follows-
HARRISBURG, March l, 1870
DEACON GEORGE BERGNER:-
As you are the editor of the only Republican
paper at the capital of Pennsylvania as you are
the late publisher of the Legislative Record, as
you are the contractor for the stationery and do
the advertising of the State, as you are a banker
on the funds of the Commonwealth as you are
a law-seller and the king of the 'ring," as you
are a distinguished ex-mule and horse con-
tractor, as you are former agent for
eSpnty,JqmperS, as t you you 1ns;., are vote
you are the agent for ali Legislative
Jobs, as you are the Mackey elector, as you now
are and long have been Postmaster at Harris
burg, / know you will pardon me If I have
"
and have so well earned. Ever since the COM
mencement of the present session of the Legis-
lature you have advertised me faithfully and
gratuitously in your own pure and incorrupti-
Bile paper, the whole aim and purpose of
which has been to read me out of the Republi-
can party, and to render me odious to the
people of this State, and especially to those of
| my own constituents whom you have kindly
| furnished with large editions of your paper
| without charge. As there is no other Republi-
can paper at the seat of government but your
| own, / most respectfully ask The EVENING
TELEGRAPH of Philadelphia to enable me to
be faithful to you and just to myself, by publish
| ing these tokens of my affection for you.
| As have but little time to spare from nv off,
| cial duties, shall proSeed to answer the
| accusations of the "Heathen Hessian" in series
of letters as brief as possible, and before get
| through with you will show up and expose to
| the people of this Commonwealth your recorded
peculations from the books of the Auditor
| Generals of1ice-peculations which are but
trifing in comparison with those which are un-
| recorded.
| My first offense against the peace and dignity
of the Republican party is that last year, as
well as this year, l refused to abide by the de-
| cision of q caucus TO pass the Metropolitan
| Police bill, and also that last year, and this
year, refused to vote for Mr.. Mackey for State
Treasurer. In this letter L shall only briefly
refer to the Metropolitan Police bill, that hideous
legislative monstrosity, and the reasons which
actuated me as true and faithful Republican
| In opposing IL. In the nrst place. as
true and honest Republican, no consi-
deration that could be presented would ever
induce nae to aid in the passage of any bill that
would not only bankrupt the city of Philadel-
phia, but that would destroy the very foundation
upon which our republican institutions rest.
This bill struck fatal blow at the republican
constitution of our State; was in direct opposi-
ton to the letter and spirit of the Federal Con-
stitution; it invaded the sacred rights of the
people to manage their domestic affairs in their
own way, and 1t deprived the people of their in.
herent sovereignty, the right to govern them
selves, and all this l was required TO do for the
benefit of ring of bad men, of which you were
the ring-master. Admit for one moment the
doctrines contained In that bill, and you may
say long farewell to civil and religious
liberty; you establish an empire upon the
ruins of this glorious Republic, you desecrate The
Temple of Liberty, and convert 1t into the palac,
of despot. Out of your own mouth you ART
condemned. Look at the brutal attacks you
have made upon me for that vote, and then lool
at your paper of the 11th ultimo, containing tn,
immortal message of Governor Geary yetoinl
the bill, and read your short but pointed edito
rial. The irresistible reasoning, the unanswer
able arguments, were too much for you, and yol
were compelled TO justify my course by approx