New-York tribune., 1872-07-17
FOx-HUNTzNG IN PHILADELPHIA.


Our Quaker neighbors treated themselves
last week, despite the hot weather, to a
chase of the most exciting description. Penn
sylvania, as all the world knows, has had
REWARD the Fox himself officiating as Gov
ernor for years. The whisk Of his escaping
brush has been seen just going out of every pub
lie movement; yet no man has been able yet to
fairly catch him. SO nimble has he become
in dodging, in fact that the whole State has
been kept alive to make sure of his where
abouts, from every Tray, Blanche, and Sweet
heart Of a ward politician up to the gray old
wlipper-in Cameron. Half year or so ago,
as our readers well recollect, it was supposed
that he was at last caught in certain trap
along with some of his blood relations
younger and not so willy foxes.
A certain broker named Yerkes assisted the
Philadelphia City Treasurer, Marcer, to pocket
the private fortune which has from time
immemorial been held as legitimate pickings
from the public fund. Laborers, mechanics,
poor school-teachers, were kept starved and
unpaid while these gentlemen followed out
their wholesale thefts to agreeable cOnclu-
sons. The old Quaker corporation grew
heavily indignant at last, like farmer
whose hen-roost is plundered once too
often, and pouncing in the dead of
night on these petty chicken thieves, in
sisted on making an example of them, and
clapped them into the Eastern Pententiary.
Gov. Geary would fan have released his
friends, but the hue and cry was too strong
for him; he was forced to leave them to the
repentance induced by solitude and reflection.
Meanwhile, finding the gubernatorial poultry
yard was soon to be closed to him, he betOOk
himself to a general securing of the State in
behalf of his great colleague gift-taker
Last week, it appears, certain humane indi-
viduals. feeling that the punishment of the
two offenders had now been sufficient, and
that more would be cruelty, set forth their
miserable condition of estate and body to the
Governor, asking for release. The leading
old Quakers of Philadelphia, in the true spirit
of charity, came up manfully to back the
appeal The Governor listened-the Governor
always listens; the Governor promised-he is
the best promiser in the country. They
thought justice and charity were the right
trap to set. He was caught by the brush at
last. But he suggested that as the
motives for pardon were so high and
pure, it was expedienu that they should
be fairly set forth to the public, and pro-
posed that he should come up to Philadelphia
on Monday of last week, when formal demand,
with reasons, should be openly made that he
could gracefully and publicly grant. The pc
titioners were delighted; the Quaker City pre-
pared with alacrity to play her generous role of
suppliant in this midsummer masque. 1t may
have occurred to one or two astute observers
that Reynard had never heretofore been
brought down except by silver bullet, and
had not changed his nature now; that his de-
sign might only be to place himself in posi-
ton to receive such fire with eclat. But
unfortunately they kept their suspicious to
themselves.
Behold the result The city reused itself
that Monday morning from its dog-day torpor
and paused, attentive and pleased the two
wretched prisoners, shaved and dressed,
waited to depart, with their feet on the
threshold of their cells the Warden stood
without, the key in the locks ready to turn
their wives and children waited in breathless
hope and terror, after this long trial of their
love and patience the Mayor, with depu-
tatou of citizens of credit and re-
nown, paced solemnly and slow to the
hotel where the annointment had been