The Potter journal and news item. [volume] (Coudersport, Pa.) 1872-1874, 1873-03-14
Sixty-seven Years Ago.

Sixty-seven Years Ago.
The LYco>uNG MEMBER OF THE
LEGISLATURE At THAT TnIE.-Mr-
Samuel Dale, of Trout Run, has hand.
ed US a copy OF the Journal of the
House of Representatives, Harris
burg, for the session which commcD-
Ced on December 2, 1906. The vol
ume shows the ravages Of time in its
faded pages, but the letter press is
clear and distinct. and it is interest
ing to look over the proceedings of
the House at that early day.
On an examination of the mustv
volume we find that Isaac Smith was
the member from Lycoming county
at that time. 1t appears that his seat
was contested. for on the 18th Of De
cember, 1866, Mr.. Ingham presented
petition from a number of qualified
electors Of Lycoming and the pIovi-
sional county Of Tioga, stating that
they were fully persuaded that frauds
were perpetrated at the last general
election in Tioga which deprived
Hugh White of seat in the House,
and praying for trial. 4 committee
was appointed. of which Joseph iIus-
ton was chairman. to investigate the
matter. After a careful examination,
the committee reported that although
said election may not in all respects
have been conducted agreeable to the
letter of the different laws on the sub
ject, yet they cannot discover that
any fraud or frauds were committed.
or that u Gilitl ent result would have
been the consequence from the more
strict adherence to the letter of the
law. and Tie committee are of 'opin-
ion that Isaac Smith had the greatest
number Of legal votes, and declare
him duly elected
1t appears that thirteen witnesses
were subpUnael, for which the ser
geant-at-arms presented bill for
s 66.25. The fees of the witnesses
amounted to S464.Gl. the highest
sum to any single one being $32.36.
After hearing the report The House
approved Of the same and orders were
accordingly drawn by the Speaker on
the treasurer of Lycoming county for
the sums specified. SO ended the
contest for the seat of the member
from this county siXty-2cycn years
ago.
On the 4th Of February, 1907, Mr.
Smith presented petition from the
inhabitants Of the third election dis
trict in Lycoming county. praying
that the place for holding the cleo
tions in said district may be removed
from the house Of JOAN pfouts to tie
house of James Shearcr. innkeeper.
in a village called Jersey Shore"
1t is curious TO look over the pro-
ccedings Of our lawmakers two gen
erations ago and contrast them with
those Of to-day. And although great
deal Of corruption at tie polls is
charged in these latter days. il would
seem that our ancestors were not en-
tirely free from the charge in 1906,
when it was alleged that Mr. Smith
obtained his seat through illegal
votes. BE that as it may. however,
we do not believe the people of those
early days were any purer, politically,
than they are now.
When the Legislature of which we
are speaking was in session, Thomas
Mexican was Governor and Hon. ST.
mon Snyder was Speaker of the House
of Representatives
Mex can was one Of the most dis
tinguished of Pennsylvania longlin
of Governors. He was elected under
the Constitution Of 1890, December
Il, 1893, and served three terms, re-
firing December 20, 1908. During
his lifetime he was President Of
Delaware, Governor Of Pennsylvania,
member Of Congress from Delaware
a period Of over eight years, and
Chief Justice Of Pennsylvania for
twenty-five years.
Simon Snyder, who was born at
Lancaster on the 5th of November,
1859, removed to Selinsgrove in
1884. In 1889 he was elected
member Of the convention which
framed the constitution Of 1890. In
1871 he was elected member Of the
House of Representatives,and chosen
Speaker in 1902, which position
he successfully held until 1908. In
1905 he was beaten for Governor br
Mexican. He ran again in 1908 amt
was elected. He was reelected in
1911, and again in 1914 by over
whelming majorites, serving the full
constitutional period Of nine Tears,--
Gazette and Bulletin