The Cambria freeman. [volume] (Ebensburg, Pa.) 1867-1938, 1872-06-08
Brief BtegI aphtcaI Sketches of
our Candidates.
EoN. CHARLES B BUcKAIEw. CANDIDATE FOR
GOVERNOR.

the 26th Of December, 1921 he is there
fore in the fifty second year of his age. He
is Of French descent. his ancestors having
emf grated 10 this country on the occasion
of the revocation Of the Eoict Of Nantes.
His family was not wealthy, and therefore
his boybood was passed in school tie ex-
periences Of which admirably qualified him
for a public career. Having adopted the
profession of the law, be was admitted 10
the bar of Columbia county IN 1843. 10
l845 be was elected Prosecuting Attorney of
bis native county. AID since that date has
occupied some public ot1lce. almost without
iptermission. His term as Prosecuting At
torney expired in l847, but 10 1850 be
entered the State Senate. serving two terms
aDo q portion of third. Meanwhile, be
served also rs a commissioner to exchange
the ratifcatiops Of a treaty between the
Governments of the L United States and Par
sguay, and in 1856 be was elected SeDa~
torial Presidential Elector. In 1857 be was
Chairman Of the State Democratic Commits
tee, and during the same year was reelected
to the State Senate. aud also appointed
Commissioner to revise the penal code Of
Pennsylvania. In 1863 be resigsed the two
latter positions and was appointed by PIssi-
dent Buchanan Resident Minister to Ecuador,
a position which be retained until the out
break OF the h-h4lil5n ln l6b /.
Up TO this date, he had been staunch
DemScrat, and he remained so tbrou ghout
the struggle for the Union. but without any
sympathy with the Rebellion. 10 1868 be
was elected to the Usited States Senate, by
a bare majority of one vote, ss the success
sor TO the Hon. Davis Wilmot, Republican.
His colleague in the Senate during the first
four years Of his term was Hon. Edgar
Cowap, who had been elected as a Repub-
lean. but by this time had gone ever to the
Democracy, thus making the entire repre-
sentalion Of Pennsylvania Democratic. In
/ 1868 Cowsu was succeeded by Simon Cam
sron, and Hon. John Scott became. 10 1869,
the successor Of Mr.. Buekaien. During his
Senatorial term he served on the Committees
on Indian Affairs, Post Offices and Post
Roads, Pensions. Mines and Mining. Foreign
Relations, Contingent Expenses OF the Sen>
ate aud Retrenchment, and also as Chair
man Of the Committee on Ventilation. Mr..
Buckalew was not a frequent speaker 10
the Senate. lie belonged to the minority
and was not disposed to waste time in a
useless wraDgls of words. But be was by
no means silent or inactive member.
His first notable speech was delivered on
February 2l. 1865, on the basis Of repTesen-
t&tiou in Congress. On this occasion he
stated that be had previously refrained from
speech-making. supposiDg that "whils the
passions OF the country we're influenced by
| the war. reason could not be heard" And
be took occasion to express regret that
questions pertaining to The war still oc-
cupIed the attention of Congress TO the ex-
clusIon OF those connected with ecouomy
revenue. finance. ordinary Legislation, and
the administration of justics-questious
which require intelligence, il Vestigation,
labor, and the ha abits Of the student" Mr.
Buckalew's course in the Senate was firmly
Democratic. lie opposed the proposition to
grant negro suff age in the District Of CO.
lunbia. but he based his opposition on the
ground Of the inexpediency of extending
the suffrage, IN argument which will
apply with equal force TO ignorant natives
Of foreign countries. 1.-The objsction,' - he
said, (which have 10 large extension Of
suffrage in this country whether by Federal
or State power, is this That thereby you
will corrupt and degrade elections, and
probably lead to their complete abrogation
hereafter. By pouring into the ballot boxes
OF the country large mass Of ignorant votes,
and votes subjected to pecunary Of social
influences you will corrupt and degrade your
elections, and lay the foundation of their
/ ultimate destruction" Mr.. Buckalew also,
both by speech and vote, opposed the Civil
Rights bill. the Freedmen's Bureau, and also
the Military Reconstruction bill.
AT the expiration of his term in the Ma
tlonal Senate, Ar. Buckale was again
elected member of the State Senate, for
the three years. term expiring with the
present year During the session of 1871,
he was appropriately called to the chair
manship Of the Committee on CoDstitu-
tional Revision and Reform, Of which he
has been strong and consistent advocate.
The Republicans having control Of the or
| ganlZatlon of the Senate during the session
! of 1872. Mr.. Buckalew was not retained as
chairman of this important committee, but
he still served as a member of the commit
tee. and a'so on the COMMITTEES on the Con-
| gressionAl Apportionment, Federal Rea>
tlons. and Education. aad as chairman of
the committee on Public Printing.
While q member of the National Senate,
Mr.. Buckalew advocated the cause of mi
no.Ity representation wherever there was
a shadow OF an excuse for him to do SO /;
but in the whirl of party strife upon the
great question of reconstruction but little
attention was accorded him, save by a few
thinking people here and there in the
country. None of the measures which he
introduced into the Senate, as was to have
been expected, came to anything, and his
OK years term expired without his being
able to secure from the Senate much less from
the country, patient hearing upon his pe-
cullar hobby. But at the expiration of his
national career as legislator. he entered
upon more contracted arena. where he at
once began to devote his time and attention
10 his favorite project. The State Legisla-
ture Of Pennsylvania proved willing to per-
NIT him TO try an experiment, especially as
it was upon small scale aud in no way
interfeIed with the all-engrossipg division of
the spoils Of legislative corruption. Mr..
Buckalew now resides in the town of Blooms
burg, Columbia county and it was this
town. where everybody knew him and by
force of daily contract all were fully con-
victed of his sincerity in the advocacy OF
reform, that was turned over by the Legis-
laturs for the experiment. An act defining
the boundaries and organizing the town of
Bloomsburg was passed. carly in the session
of 1870, in which full scope was given to the
prinCiDIe of tsoumulativs v0fino - opd he