The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1872-02-27
PENNSYLVANIA.
The Political Feuds OF the
Political Factions.
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CAMERON AND MCCLURE.
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How United States Senators and State
Senators Are Sometimes Elected.
THE WONDERS OF. QUINCY.
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Little Contest in Philadelphia Jeopadizing
The Presidential Election.
GRANT AND FORNEY.
Review Of the Political Situations
Pennsylvania Apathetic.
PHILADELPHIA, Feb. "a, 1872.

hacks Of every degree are ''rings' and REFORM
1t Is impossible to stand still or 10 move on, and
thus escape the eternal din OF party chatter. ar
rived here last night just In for dlnner-I mean
supper, Tor Philadelphia dimes early-and after a
meal which cannot call square" tried to walk in
Chestnut street. Going out from my holel had not
proceeded half q block before heard fellow who
looked like Seventh ward rounder eXclaim in fear
fully sarcastic tones, "The Senator from Twenty.
sixth-a reform Senator'S and this sarcasm con-
ceived TO be aimed at Harry White who was gen.
eral, is State Senator, and would like to be Go v.
ern0r after Geary. White leads the republicans IN
the Senate who oppose Mcclure In his contest
with Gray, for which offence Mcclure assures
me he has not the slightest chance for any further
preferment Gong few steps / overheard police
man az the corner or Ninth and Chestnut declare,
'They were sworn to make square, honest count.v
The application OF this was easily made. but not so
the remark of another chap who passed about the
same time-"He always was a political beat" The
latter sentence might apply to Mcclure but unfor-
tunatey every other Philadelphia politician of whom
nation and where every man is ''Deatn it is In
vtdi0us TO make distinctions. 1t is because there
no political honesty here except among the people,
who are stupid politicians that ''ring' OF low
fellows gradually obtained possession OF the CITY,
and that a man whose skirts are stained with o
thousand 'Jobs" is able to come out III the charac-
ter OF q great reformer. But even Mcclure, able as
he Is in natural and acquired gifts and sKIlful as
he is noted for being III the arts OF political manipu
laton could not have lifted little election contest in
Philadelphia INTO national importance If the admin
istratlon or the friends of the administration had
kept or their hands, No administrator and no
one, except very shrewd observer OF political
events could have anticipated the present comb.
ton OF AFFAIRS. and yet the corruption Win which
the city is cursed is only the natural outerowth Of
causes which have been operating Ior years, and
which are due IN great measure to the very man
who Is now loudest IN the cry for reform"
THE ORIGIN OF PENNSYLVANIA ELECTION FRAUDS.
There can be no question that the impurity OF
elections IN Pennsylvania Is owing great degree
to the system which Colonel Mcclure himself called
into existence fifteen years ago. Mcclure Is man
OF versatile talents and OF undoubted ability. He
is still comparatively young man; but when he
was boy he edited the best country newspaper In
the Stale, and he was not only mar OF mark In
his own county, but received the wing nomination
for Auditor General OF PENNSYLVANIA when scarcely
past MS majority Confident In MS own powers
and reckless In facing opposition lie was q man to
stand up against all odds and ready to cope with
the strongest. When Cameron sought to enter the
republican party Mcclure met him at the threshold
and endeavored by every means at his command
gain footing IN the new party 1t Will be remem-
bered that Cameron left the democracy In 1853, as
the result OF the Know Nothing triumph. The ven-
cradle Senator is all that Know Nothinglsm gave to
the State, but even that party made as II was OF
the odds and ends VI every political faction, did not
take Camerons night conversion kindly. The
hostility which Mcclure klndled and to which the
Curtin faction owes birth prevented the election
OF United States Senator In 1854, and thus gave
the place TO Blgler and the democracy the next
year. At that time Buchanan was Minister to Eng
land ''the favorlte SOM oil Pennsylvania. Thad
Stevens had not yet begun MS great career IN Con-
gress, though he had twice been member OF the
House OF Representatives. F0rney was democrat,
and Buchanan's chief lugleman. but during the next
TWO or three years parties crystaltZcd mo new
shapes and men as well as issues changed.
Cameron chung 10 his new love- though the demo-
cracy again gathered strength ana continued to
carry the State Forney everybody said, carried 1t
Tor Buchanan. Looking for MS. reward, Forney
looked TO the United states Senate and IN 1857 the
democrats, who mad the GRITTY In tue Legislature,
recognized his services by making INN the nominee
OF the caucus. Cameron had been IN the Senate
and he liked the place. He mad been beaten iO- the
Senate and he did not like his deieat. he was a
master III the art OF overcoming Obstacles ano the
three votes on joint ballot which constituted
Forney's rightlul majority was just the kind
Of obstacle he best knew how TO overcome.
II they would make him their Candidate
lie would engage to defeat Forney. The
republicans were slow To believe, however. ana a
promise was insufficient, and committee was ap-
pointed, with Charles b. Penrose al It's mead, which
was charged with seeing the three democratic
traitors VINO were willing TO defeat the nominee OF
the Democratic caucus. Cameron produced the
men IN the dead OF night and republican tears were
quoted The next day Forney met his Waterloo,
anu l4eoo Manear and Wagonseller became famous.
These three statesmen afterwards became de-
pendent on Cameron's bounty and mad the Sena-
tors favor, though civil service reform. IL II had
been N vogue IN their day, would scarcely nave
garded them iavorably. They were the real found
ers however, OF the Cameron faction, against wncn
the Curtin faction, with Mcclure as lis directing
mind, has warred ever since. :
.'QUINCY,r
IL was ID this way Camerjh became a fixture in
the united states senate, and by the patronage he
was able 10 dispense he drew about him sucu Iroons
OF rlends that me dictionary OF Congressu saws he
time Mcclure was pursuing his own schemes IN ms
own way and before the outbreak OF the rebellion
he had twice served in the Assembly at Harrisburg
and been elected state senator. HIS district was
generally democratic; but he was not u candidate
TO be easily beaten, and the tactics which Cameron
piled by him VII n great effect on election day Tie
''argumentsr which had convinced Lebo, Manear
az ope eo%ySsas St 5sia s NSS; w
years When Mcclure Was candidate before the
people the mountain township OF Quincy. In Frank
the State IN unblusning corruption and public
odium. Ii includes the rougnest part OF the South
oa psea aPq snor AD snd DPa PSRnn
Young recruited ma paradise With nun
dreds OF exemplary" husbands and wives from
this region, and there are some Mormons living
there even now. These mountaIneers always voted
The democratic ticket, giving rous.ng maJorites for
Inc Candidates OF the party, so THAT Quincy was as
much a terror 10 the county as Is New York city 10
the state or New YORK. Few o. the voters could
read or write, and all or them were needy. A lew
bold, pad men, better educated than the resi-, pro-
vlded them with their ucKets and thelr drinks on
elecgon Gay, and gradually gained compete as
cendahcy over them. The c.iiel OF these was man
caled 'Oobby' smith, who filled the double Office
o. TAILOR and justice OF the peace. As man OF
snc Jaw smith was mighty man IN the mountains,
III 'mo such eminent persons as he and Mcclure
sooi ilauc cacn othef'S acquaintance. But strong
h1 uoupps Was, he was not strong enough, single
r' lof McClure's purposes, and the great re-
.oiii'S'--a 'Ttlornerp then as uOW---apuOinIed
Lsw ~" o,ner friends 10 assist IN caring for
~, n,s oor msslests In Quincy-that IS, TO helm
-, Sot upIius Tue people. yhose were Dan Iogail
ana Gag titGhugb i1s espors "a "a. ySi,ai, e, o. o.
unfortunate MAJ tal aux 70 escape from lar.