The Elk County advocate. [volume] (Ridgway, Pa.) 1868-1883, 1871-08-24
REPUBLICAN STATE TICKET.
Affairs Of the County.

characteristic modesty says in substance
that the "Radical organ''-which means
this pape,-having few if any brains,
had better mind its own business, and
not presume to talk about the affairs of
the county. If the Democrat writer
really owns the county and all the in
habitants thereof, we perhaps are, as he
says, "not only officious, but presumptu-
uus." We are willing to admit that he
controls the Ring, but upon an exami-
nation OF the records of the county,
we can find 10 title there recorded CIV
ing "fee-simple" of the county to any
particular Ring or to any particular in
,lividual. 1t may be, however, that the
purchase is of so recent date that the
party of the second part, has not yet re-
corded his papers. IF he is a lawyer,
he knows he must get his deed record
ed within six months from the date of
purchase, or subsequent purchaser
who complies with the law may hold,
and he may lose his property. We
throw out these hints that he may take
s,ll the means within his reach to secure
himself upon his throne, lest the Octo-
Der election may show him that his title
was a myth, and demonstrate to the
people that he himself was only fool-
ish pretender. At all events we shall
presume to keep talking about the
affairs of the county, until the deed
shall become matter of record.
The writer, then, after choking off
all discussion from this quarter, as he
supposes, the same as he is in the habit
of doing in his own party, by telling
them that they are all fools outside the
Ring, and must keep still, proposes to
refresh the people of the county with
portion of her history. In this he
shows, too, that "little brief authority"
through the operations of the Ring
has made him reckless of assertion. He
tries to convey the idea that
because the Democrats defeated their
nominee for Treasurer in 1866 81, g.
Chaplin, an honest man." the Republl-
cans had control of the county. This
idea is fallacious. 1t is true. Mr.. Cha
pin was the Democratic nominee, was an
honest man, and was defeated. How
did this give the Rebublicans control Of
the county? Mr.. COyne was also a
Democrat. Leading Democrats induced
him to run for the sake OF defeating
Mr.. Chaplin. We do not think all the
leading Democrats opposed Mr.. Chaplin,
simply because he was an honest man,
and they knew they could not use him
or the Office to their personal advantage.
Many of them opposed him from these
selfish reasons. Others opposed him
because he was not a resident of St
Mary's. Others, perhaps, because he
was not Roman Catholic. He did
not get the cordial support of his party
nor of single leading Democrat, al
though he was, as every body knew,
man Of strict integrity, regularly nomi
mated, and fully competent for the du
ties of the office. The result was tina
Mr.. Coyne, his Democratic opponent
was elected. The Republican part.
was then even smaller than it is now
lad never made nominations for count
offices. Some of them probably vote'
for Mr.. Coyne. Many Of them, W
know did not. AS all Treasurers dc
Mr.. Coyne had to give bonds for faith
full performance of his duties. On hi
county bond, was one "leading' Demo
,crat and one "leading" Republican. Th
commercial disasters Of 1867, or some
thing else, made MIR. Coyne bankrup
He got the public funds mixed with hi
own-and the treasury was short. Fl
was a defaulter for q considerabl
amount. His deputy, a Republican
could not help it. He paid out, o
county orders, all the funds Mr.. Coyn
placed in his hands, and advanced largC
ly from his own private means for Il
same purpose. This was surely all th'
could be asked from o deputy.
course of time the bond was sued, an
Judgment obtained against the bal
The records show that the Republics
ibondsman paid the judgment. s
much for the history of the CoyI
transaction. We thank the Democr
for bringing the matter before the pu
lie. The reputation of the Republics
party, nor of a single Republican CT
suffer by laying bare all the facts in th
history.
Now, what the people ask for and e