The Jeffersonian. [volume] (Stroudsburg, Pa.) 1853-1911, 1872-07-25
Buckalew and the M'cfure Contest


The Pittsburg Dispatch gives us tbo
following historical resume cf facts CON
nected with the disgraceful maans resort
ed to by Senator Buckalew to secure tbo
renegade Mcclure a sent in the Sta,o
Senate
While the Democrats, aided by Co,
ouel Forney, are Systematically denonnc
ing General Hartranft and praisiar NJ
Buckalew as an honest man, it is Srona.
to notice one part of his record duriao ~.
past session OF the Legislature. Pbo
Pottsville Miners Journal, one of fbo
best Republican journals in the Sfar.
calls especial attention to the action e
Mr.. Buckalew in the Mcclure GRAY CON.
test. which is deserving the serious con,
sideration of every voter in the Common
wealth, who thinks of supporting tba
Democratic candidate.
The committee appointed to invest.
gate APClure's claims to a seat in tho
Legislature, from the Fourth Sepator;.I
district, was composed of three RapnbE
cans and four Democrats, Buckalew ho
ing the chairman To save expensa 70
the State, the committee was instructo5
TO sit in Philadelphia and take tcstimonv
This they did, having secured Room At
the Washington house. The report ppb,
lishedJ shows that they editi not SIT ,ineludy
ing all the sessions, more than five CON
tiuuous days" The Journal saws that
the members chad free tickets by rail To-
travel backwards and forwards" !" so that
there was no expense attending their
journeyings to Philadelphia and back to
Harrisburg. Their board and liquor bill,
were paid by the State, George j. Bolton
the proprietor of the Washington house,
presenting bill for S2,304 30, which
was ordered paid, being at the rate of
s342 for each member during the FIVE
days, which is better than being mem.
Der of Congress. sse s.-r.
As Senators they receive S 600 salary
One would naturally suppose that as they
were acting in their Senatorial canaci =
as members Of this committee, that thew
considered themselves. amply remuner~
ated for their services 1t was otherwise
and "tbey voted themselves FIVE HUN
DRED DOLLARS each cut of the State
Treasury They were to decide on 4.
question of reform, and this was Que of
the ways they took to show their ideas of
what reform is. Now. as tbe journal
justly remarks, ''the taking of this $500
additional from the treasury was absolute
stealing" nothing more, and nothing
lers. Mr. Buckalew was party to. and
gave his sanction to this robbery Of the
treasury without demurring
If his friends can make any honesty
out of this neiarious transaction then may
any public thief be called an honest man
who takes money because he has the op-
although it belongs to another.
The committee took advantage Of their
power to help all their friends to plum
were prodigal of the State money. TIE
investigation, payment of Witnesses. board
and whisky bills, carriage hire and all the
minor etceteraS should not have exceeded
at the furthest $4,000 or $4,000, but the
committee footed up the cost TO the enor.
nous sup of TWENTY SIX THOUSAND and
SIXTY SIX DOLLARS aud ELEVEN CENTS
and this was paid by the State on the
recommendation of G. Il. BUCkALEW,
chairman of that committee. 81
Now, to most people this has the ap-
pearance or dishonesty, downright ras-
cality. The facts Of the case have never
been properly set befores the public, and
but few persons have really understood
the plundering process by which the
NJ Clure Gray committee swindlej the
State out nearly $4,000 over and above
the sum actually needed to carry out the
investigation. We have no defence to
make Of the Republican members they
were equally guilty with the Democrats
let them answer TO their constituents
1t is Mr. Buckalew with whom we have
to do In this matter He is the candidate
of the Democratic party for the highest
office in the gilt OF the people Of Peur-
sylvania, and his admirers are continuity
prating about his wonderful honesty, his
uuimpeachsble integrity, his adherence
OF political corruption, aud his desire 10
''iuaugurate an economical administration
in political affairs" in the Commonwealth.
As chairman Of the Mcclure committee,
II was in MS power, and it was bis
bounden duty TO check extravaganza, and
pursue the investigation with tile smallest
possible expense TO the State, This he
did not do, bat conniysd at it and was
pdrticeps crininis Issuch a man pro-
per person to elevate to the Governors
chair of Pennsylvania And after under-
standing his action in this comsiltee
BUSINESS, will honest people consider him
fit to be entrusted with the Interests OF
the State