The Columbian. [volume] (Bloomsburg, Pa.) 1866-1910, 1872-11-29
THE COLUMBIAN AND DEMOCRAT, BLOoMsBURG COLUMBIA

sary however, that he should be made
our standard.be in the gubernator.
ial contest, and, like good Democrat,
he gave up his preferences and submit.
ted gracefully to what must have been,
to a man with his tastes and aspirations,
almost cruciflXion.
When the campaign ended and the
result showed that fraud and corrup.
tion had triumphed and that the great
and pure statesman had been defeated,
the minds of the Democracy naturally
bethought themselves of the first pref
erence of their candidate, and they at
once began to ask, Why cannot Mr..
Buckalew take a seat in the Constitu-
tional Convention, where the State may
have the benefit OF his great ability and
wisdom? The question was no sooner
asked than answered, for many dele
gates at once expressed their entire
willingness to vacate their seats in his
favor. 1t Yves more proper however,
that the vacancy should occur in his
own district, so that the right of local
representation should not be disturbed,
and Col. Freeze at once came to the
rescue. He cordially rendered his seat
to the distinguished gentleman whom
the people wanted so badly in the Con-
vention, and the noble sacrifice was ac.
cepted in the same spirit in which it
was made. Col. Freeze therefore re.
tired, and Mr.. Buckalew succeeded to
his place.
We say the act is one to be praised.
1t was a noble instance Of unselilsh de.
votion to principle, and will, we trust,
bear the Colonel fruit of thousand
fold. Himself an able man, his own
absence from the Convention is a loss
to the State, and Democrats can only
reconcile themselves TO it by the reflec.
ton that it was the only seemingly
proper way in which the eminent abil-
tiles of Mr. Buckaicw could be secured
in this great work. The Colonel'5 pat.
riotic aud unselfsh act will be remem-
| bered.
On the subject of Mr. BuckaleW's
connection with the Convention, the
Chicago Times thus adimadverts:
hon. Charles II. Buckalew has taken
q seat in the constitutional convention
of Pennsylvania, member having re.
signed for the purpose of securing his
presence in that body. This is very
desirable cOnsu mmation. Mr. Bucka
lew framed the bill under which the
convention was chosen. The members
we're elected on the cumulative princi'
pie, except the members at large, who
are equally divided between the two
parties. The result is that while the
legislature, which was chosen at the
same election, has large radical ma
iOrity in both branches, the convention
represents the exact strength OF eact
party; that is, the republicans have {
majority, bat only in proportion to thell
majority Of voters in the state. y fur
ther result is that some of the very
best men in the state are members, ,anC
it will doubtless take rank as one of the
able5t bodies ever assembled in the
United States. AS the convention wa:
constituted by the free vote, it may bt
expected that it will make this princi
pie the basis of the future electoral sys
tenn of the Keystone state. The free
vote is reform that never goes back
ward; its uniform history is, that where
it is once introduced, there is no etfor
or desire to supplant it. Then Mr.
Buckalew, who may be expected to eX
ercise controlling influence in the de
liberatiOns of the convention, is zeal
Gus advocate of the system, and recon-
mended it,during his termin the Unitet
States senate, in a very able and ex
| hauStiye rppOrt that has epiOyed q wild
circulation on both continents. Their
is good reason for the hope that tn
reign of Simon Cameron school of poll
ticians in Pennsylvania is nearly over
God speed the day. If the efforts
such men as Black, Woodward, Curtin
Buckalew, Meredith, M'Alister, an'
other good men are to be Of no avail
then the future of our country is in
deed des rerate BeH0onte W0tchm0l