Clearfield Republican. [volume] (Clearfield, Pa.) 1851-1937, 1875-08-25


that he is unknown to the mass o
voters in this Commonwealth and b,
lays n modest claim TO "biue blood" ,
lacotious phrase which, of late, has be
come xuite popular among the Repub
lican snobs who now rule the destinici
of their party, and who sadly pine fol
the advent ofhigh sounding titles Of no
bility to hide the ever-rccurring shame
of very doubtful and obscure origin
But whatever may be the persona
qualifications of the candidates of the
Republican ring, they have, by the &C
ceptance of their nomination, fully
identified themselves with the sins o
omission aud commission which hav,
long since blasted the fame of that or.
ganization and brought down distres.
and disgrace upon the people of thii
commonwealth.
The defeat of such candidates is as
sured if the Democratic State Conven
ton oueroiso prudence, Judgment anc
patriotism in the selection of the mer
they choose as their standard bearers
With view to this, they should avoit
the choice of obscure men of men OF
merely ordinary capacity or of doubt
ful reputation. They should choose
from among the most widely known
the most talented and the most popu-
lar men of their party.
From among such, | beg leave To
call the attention of the people to Viii.
liam Bigler, of Clearfeld county. Six
years State Senator, three years a
Governor and six years Senator rep
resenting in part the State OF Pennsyl
vania in the Senate OF the United
States, that staunch and pure Demo.
crat never failed to fulfill conscien.
tiously and effectively his various of
fetal obligations. Always true to the
constitution of his State and of the
Federal Union, he grasped with calm
courage and rare Judgment the many
contingencies of legislation and of ex-
ecutiye duty which encountered him
at every step in his long and arduous
political career.
| will venture TO assert, without the fear
of contradiction, that there is not now
living in Pennsylvania single promi
nent Democrat who passed trium.
phantly aud unscathed through the
many trying ordeals that tested the
talents, the political faith, the honesty
the courage and the patriotism of Will
liam Bigler While yet but a young
man, he commenced his political ca
reer in the Senate of his State, (Which
then had suspended the payment OF
interest ON its debt in consequence Of
the great panic of 1888 as the ardent
defender OF the public faith, in oppo-
sition to the demagogues who then ad-
voeated the horrid doctrine of repudi-
alton.
In accordance zee " With teahbobf%ate lSd ad.
vocated in the Senate the bill which
compelled the banks to resume specie
payments, and the ever memorable
bill which abolished forever in the
State of Pennsylvania that last vestige
of barbarism, the law of Imprisonment
for debt. | may here remark that
this was essentially Democratic
measure, every Wing in each branch
of the legislature voting against it.
pasTih ihss pane roag 81 ss %aeH swep s
ovor Tho country with blasting dovas
tution and brought even the great
State of Pennsylvania to the very
verge of bankruptcy, and the panic Of
'73, inaugurated by the failure of Jay
Cooke 4 Co, the United States gov
ernment bankers. In each case the
trouble came from enormous specula.
tions and the worthlcssness OF an un,
redcemable paper currency. Would il
not then be wise and polite to place
the helm of State in the hands of him
who, in his youth, contributed so much
to rescue his State from the conse.
quences of the same calamities which
now oppress us?
William Bigler was not born with q
silver spoon in his month on the con
trary, he passed his youth through
the severe ordeal of poverty and toll.
His parents, most respectable persons,
removed shortly after his birth from
Cumberland county into the wilds OF
Mercer sounty, where he spent the
first seventeen years of his life man
fully battling with the tolls and pri.
yations OF q baclkwoodsman. He then
moved to Bellefontc where, in the
printing office Of his brother, John
Bigler, he received his education in
this college whore so many eminent,
seli-made men of Pennsylvania gradu-
ated and took their degrees. There
he learned to think and express his
thoughts. AT the age OF twenty he
removed to Clearfield, Clearfeld coun-
ty, where, with an old press and half.
worn types, he commenced the publ
cation of Democratic paper. Here
the energy and self.reliance he had ac.
quirod in the forests OF Mercer did
not desert him through many diff.
culties he succeeded in establishing
his paper on firm basis and in win
ming the respect and good will of all
who knew him. Some three years af.
ter his arrival in Clearfeld he married
Miss Maria |. Reed, the daughter OF q
thriving merchant of that place, and
shortly after his marriage, going into
business with his fathcr-in-law, VIM.
Bigler showed himself in every respect
a.naI a., al. ..oc,....... - II. -.