Centre Democrat. [volume] (Bellefonte, Pa.) 1848-1989, 1880-05-20
The Curtin-Yocum Contest.

ton to bring to the surface the causes
which produced the unfortunate result
in Gov. Curtin's contest for seat in
Congress, announced to the readers of
the DEMOCRAT last week. Before
proceeding to consideration of these
causes, it may be proper to state in
this place that while the result may
be regarded as an astonishing and dis
graceful commentary upon the action
of a body presumed to be Democratic,
there is at least one feature of the
case to which the friends of Gov. Cur
tin can refer with unbounded pleasure.
The record of the vote shows conclu-
sively that on athe side of Curtin were
ranked the ablest, purest and most
reputable of the Democratic represen-
tatives from all sections of the country.
This especially applies to the South.
From that section such representative
men as Gen. Joe. Johnston, Gen.
Randall Gibson, Gen. Armfeld, with
a host of other Southern Brigadicrs,"
gave tke great War Governor their
most hearty and cordial support.
Against him, on the Democratic side,
with the single exception of Stephens,
/ Of Georgia, was arrayed a small squad
of exceedingly small men, with little
character for ability or party fidelity
some of them mere jobbers in pol
itics, and actuated in all things by sell
Ash and mcrcenary motives-whose
opinions have slight weight in the deter
mination of any question Of right or
wrong. The supporters of Curtin can
well afford to let the names of Aiken,
Richardson and Tillman, of South
Carolina, Bouck and Deuster, of Wis.
consin, Bright, of Tennessee, Caldwell,
of Kentucky, Chalmers and Singleton,
of Mississippi, Stephens and FELTON,,
of Georgia, Harris and Richnond. of
Virginia, Hostetler and New, of In
diana, and Mills, Of Texas, 90 before
the public as the men responsible for
his overthrow through the meanest of
motives, and offset them by the names
of the reputable and eminent gentle
men who stood manfully by the right
regardless of personal considerations.
Among these gentleman may be named
number of distinguished jurists, such
as Judge Phelps, of Connecticut, who
was elected to the Superior Court OF
his State in 1868, for a term of eight
years. AT the expiration of this term
he was reelected in 1871. In 1873 he
was taken from the bench of the Su.
perior Court and elected to the Su.
preme Court, the highest judicial tri
bunal in the State. Judge Bicknell
of Indiana, was elected judge of the
ID Judicial Circuit in 1852, and held
that position during twenty-four years
having been elected four times consec
utively. He was also a professor o.
Law in the University of Indiana fol
eleven years. Judge Geddes, of Ohio
was elected Judge of the 9th distric
Court of Common Pleas and served il
that capacity for fifteen years. Ii
1871 he was the Democratic eandidat,
for judge ofthe Supreme Court Of Ohio
Judge Phister of Kentucky, was Cir
cult Judge of the 10th Judicial Dis
trict of Kentucky, for six years, anc
was also appointed by Gov. Leslie a
one of the Commissioners to revise tn
statute laws Of ms state. Judge saw
yer of Missouri, served for sever
years as Circuit Judge of the 24tl
Judicial District of his State and wa
taken from the bench and sent to Con
gress. We give the record and ca
reer of these gentlemen in order tina
the contrast between the pigmies VIII
claim to have voted against Go,
Curtin on legal grounds and the cmi
nent lawyers, whose services in thei
respective States as able and irrt
proachable judges are a part of tn
history of the great Commonwealth
they represent in the Congress of th
. limited States. NAV be more strikins