The new North-west. [volume] (Deer Lodge, Mont.) 1869-1897, 1881-12-02
pENNsYLvANlNs WAR GOVERNOR.
curtin's Campaign of 1860-His Fulfilled
Pledge to the Soldiers.
r.. A. Barr, in the Philadelphia Press.

F.A. Barr, an the Philadelphia Press.
That campaign, from Mr.. Curtin's nomI-
nation down to the day of the election, was
political romance the like of which has never
been knownin this country. The Presidential
nominating convention over, Mr.. Curtin
Characteristic energy, and the history Of the
first contest of the Republican party in Penn
sylvania would make an interesting volume.
The details of the work were in Che hands of
Col. A. K. Mcclure, as chairman Of the state
committee, and the management of the cam
paign was simply matchless. 1t was carried
on with aspirit and energy hitherto unknown
In the political history Of the State. Mr..
Curtin made personal canvass, which. was
then, as it is now, regarded as the most brill
iant ever conducted in Pennsylvania. He
was elected in October, by large majority,
as was Henry s. Lane in Indiana, and the
Presidential election Of 1860 was thus yirtu-
ally decided in favorof the Republican party.
The wisdom of the selection of Governor
Curtin by the Republicans was justified from
the day he assumed the position to which he
had been elected, in the intelligence with
which he dealt with the grave questions fore
ing themselves upon the Executive Of great
State, with the nation upon the Threshold of
sectional war. He was wise, discreet, con-
servative, and able in the discharge of his
important and delicate duties during the try
ing days when all were endeavoringto peace
ably prevent rebellion. He was patriotic,
firm, aggressive, and even stubbornly coura-
geous when all efforts failed and the war
came. 1t followed close upon his Inaugural
ton as the Chef Executive of the State and
when the first gun was fred he sprang to the
duty of raising troops for the General Gov
ernment with an energy and spirit unequaled
by any other State Executive. He enccur-
aged enlistments in every possible way, and
In an eloquent speech just after the fall Of
Sumter he kindled camp-fires upon almost
every hearth in Pennsylvania and called more
into service than was asked for by the Gen
ised that Pennsylvania should permit none Of
Its soldiers to be buried in other soil; that
wives and children should be the wards Of
the State that widows of soldiers should be
protected and their orphans cared for and ed
ucated at the expense Of the Commonwealth.
"How has this promise Of yours been
kept ?" said to him more than twenty years
after it was made and seventeen years after
the war was ended.
Rellgiously." he answered. "Commis-
sioners were placed in every corps of the ar
my, and every Pennsylvania soldier found,
wherever he went, the representative Of his
State, specially charged with the task of
looking after his necessities. If he was sick
In the hospital, II he was wounded in battle,
if he was on the march or in camp, he found
that his State had . wstchful eye over his
comfort. Pennsylvania was the first State
to do this, and 10 Pennsylvania soldier ever
fell in battle whose body was not sent home
for burial IL his body had been identified and
anni .--.:--- ..,adA tharsfnr L4 8 ST..
"The State did care fer the wives and chill
dren, has protected the widows and educated
the orphans. Sixteen thousand soldiers or
phans have been educated in the different
soldiers orphan asylums throughout the
State, provided by the gratitude of Pennsyl-
vania for the valor and patriotism of her SOL
diers. A marvellous fact is that out of the
nearly sixteen thousand who have been edu-
Gated in these schools, only two have ever
been accused of crime. In the history Of the
| world there has never been nation that has
provided for its soldiery with anything like the
watchful generosity with which Pennsylvania
has kept the promise made as its Executive
at the beginning of the war;"