The Cambria freeman. [volume] (Ebensburg, Pa.) 1867-1938, 1881-01-21
FB. Coke ard The Iron-CIsa Oath.


khnlng 10 take the cath Of Office and refps-
10 occupy the position to which he bad
len elected The document is well worthy
% Perus1l and IS an honor to the head and
heart of one OF The Isblest works of Go,5l
al honest man
10 ny CoEsfffueEfs- 6ssn 81 ny duty to sssts
80 5oe slmpi- and clearly fse reasons which force
o nc tc refuse 70 take the oath prescribed bv tss
Constitution a. necessary prerequisite to ente-S
ing upon my duties as Senator knowing as 10
cath Is. 4-i'eo
y Do so3srna.y rv~ear (or airz that ,l,I srr,
pert obey and dofend the ConstIsusioa Of the I'M
ted Statea- ard the Consultation Of tss Common
veaii H. ard thst y u discharge tie duties or ny
oMee with tdsiity; that / have nos paid OF con-
tributed or prom sed 20 pay o. con.-tbsts either
apuofntunsatl eTeet-t i,r y S'ecsion lor
Peuses rgprsssly 9t1fhegIzsd bU lal-: that 80 ot
1nonyveslta OF f.roure !. ~ ~ g. :, a. ~ - ooie-
F my nehaIt; that VIII not Knowingly recsiFe d.
thing for The pert5rIaNnce or Ols
any act OF duty pestsiuiEg Tny offoe ether han
the compensation aiiovec by Law.
q me words 70 which l object srs 'szprs:sly -u-
A law entitled An Act 10 define IN, nc,.,.--,.
and election OF Senaters R~prss,nttt s, oa
Jadiciai. Municipal, and County Unneers. and /,
authorize The payment thereof was passed -
ls11 nd II u the only sscessary expenses ars de
FIRST. For printing and traveiip,, e1pcB-.s
sseohd- For elAselai NATION Of Information 10 the
Third For political meetings, demonstration,
p in rf~H
"a on OF tIfeoSh othe7 n -lTidusls commit
tees u organ zttions duly constituted for lie mn
construed az 70 authorize the T,eyruert ~ t,gv1
or oteT valuable thing for the vote or Influence f
F did not lay out enc dollar 20 Procure nv nom
. ihaton on the contrary, was arzfoI4 not 10 be
spent money willingly and literally. not only for
M, n o"n elscIlon but Slso for that Of the whole
. uchet In isct telt much more interested in tks
sacecfs oi other Democrats cani dstes than in NV
The expenditures may be clssssd under the fol-
+ lowing heads:
A. FOitIcsl assessments snd con.ribrtfe1s. THE
included my --Hsssments BY tins Coaptv Commit
tees ofLuzeTno nd Lack wan na and cortrbpiion.
70 several Leglszt tive District Committee faT,-o
portion u thIe money know vas expended fo- -
" payment Ot taxes aud clerk hire Pre:Eo.sotaryrs
4 lee. and other expenses necessary procure The
. naturalization ci large number " persons as n
consequence ot the existence Of the tffsenhack
l4er IsleIn lSrty no LeiaocTa-ie ratu iizatious
+ are s1ps1ses eIyrss.is 118hori=ed Lv let-.
-. ITiLLHE- adFeriistAS, newspaper aTticles
KetunE up -Dd distributing tie latter. Including
G. Political meetings and characterization in
Guiding The travelling expenses o. larse number
/ to meetings il ali parts Of Luzcrus COUNTY FoT
- 2ad 81 spent q very large amount ct money
/ shan refer 20 them no farther.
J d. \ large number Of men. most Of whom we're
eiEployvs 81 Coke Bros. & Co. we're sent TO noarY
every part Of ny district for the purpose Of present
ing my claims to the y7UrkiuEn ana ireetiDa
coal orsrefor, and that consequently DO -ro-Ii41
B man should vote for me These men were an xioUs
49, ~ W -i-S Nfsi tlL oI
+ work. aud for their expenses, Ihis cost a Isrge
amount OF money, but is erUrcyrIg af,E9~f-.d e.
iair under the head OF ton y ia
r. usid personally = small afpo47t f.- - -
/ ceiIts tii> Is not expressly GufH0ri-cz Jg Iqic
= As election day approached. became salts
which considered rulis Die that il was ffltUrt.rt
that ali tho polls should be carefully lookct All er
both before and duriug the efe-ti-p 49,. - e. 81,
about one hundred and tweEty-ci.,ht election dis
triets ia my territory. some % which required very
fe- = rrr.f..
books 70 attend TO the distribution or tho tickets
to the chaiiensng to bring out the entire psrno-
more than theirs To look alter the tfreeub.ek vote
10 see that the tickets were sjraigh in the morning
and were kept SO until the polls closed ct. i
, found also that men who understood their bust
up, could.uot depended upon 10 DO x rlt ms
p2trotisni that, The contrary. ID ,y epccteI 10
De lEtG ioT IT, as they Rad a right tc he. Wors not
paid for in politics, AS in business is unreliable
was informed. before election that tickets 7sifh
my name missFeit, omitted altogether OF with
another name substituted were OF would ae in cir
cU1Atton in some places that the regular Demo
cratic tickets would be in the hands of IN.
opposition in other places thus that lin political
pSr9neel Joo5 were being set up on me at certain
+ points &C BeheYinB that where there 50
much smoke. there was probably some fire / r,ro-
Viicd well as 1 could. that every one Who wish
ee 70 vote the straight Deuoerstic ticket or for me,
would have 4 chance 10 do without al ifHcuItv- -
This Involved heavy outlays. many cf which would
come under the head Of dissemination Of nfurma-
fon but some Of which are not eEpsHscs 'szlressy
q. spent certain amount in travelling about
myself t1Htt0ri>ec as trGrslirg erueagfz). ] pur-
etc. for the henent o. widows aud other Uri1rfiI
mates and expended a small amount for balls and
think may neglect them.
H. l spent large amount in printing and dis
wished TO vote it could zet il before November %.
THIS was entirely indeTendeut O. the election day
distribution ana Of the distribution bv the County
( Committees This is authorized As ts5e-.iEafioH
PreS5iy authorized ty lar. YET not ono cent was
spent with my knowledge for any improper or
IFsIHr NrH .H HFHH9
coEhdcd to anyone fer election expenses was given
under solemn engagement that nothing not con-
Sistent with strict honesty should be done with IT,
Oi course do not pretend 10 sey that. when
money passed thro3Zh not dozen but hundreds
Of hands some small part Of it may not have been
diverted 10 improper uses, Sut il % have
er heard OF Il. have done nothing this cam
pai,n that am ashamed or or that was moons St
ent with strict honesty. Although I would have
No s,esttate2 ia taking the oath, were tho words
5ri ts ~, 80, - "a eIp5tted sand also the
Eatv so far az they apply to the act defining neces
sary eXpenseS) yet cannot. after reading The act
nave not PAID or coz % lTons sei % pay OF
contribute either directly OF Indirectly any o1ey
. election Tor appointulrut.) except for necessary
and proper expenses expressly auit5ri-cz D. Iasc.
l may be asked why did / spend this money,
kno7yin:, the couzequences9 Tho answer is: /
did no. understand until was well into the cam
paigu. What would be called upon 10 pay for. and
when I did felt that 80 should retire ] would
only the success OF the county ticket, which ! was
verv anxious TO elected. but also perhaps OF the
+ National ticket: and although i'm the heat and
. ticuiar not to contribute cent for any Improper
purpose 1 was not able in the few weeks IL lasted
! TO consider the whole question ss have since
did. however. determine twice 20 rctire from ths
field, but upon reflection resolved 20 night 70 out
the line Il spending what could honestly for
the success Of the whole ticket so as not 70 endan
ger its defeat by my withdrawal. and q decline TO
take my seat 10 upon careful consideration Cf tho
subject in the nine weeks that would elapse be
I tween election day and the meeting OF the Senate
1 should decide that any part Of the money was
used or expenses not ''eTp~esSy Chori-cd 5y lair-
Having made this fun and frank statement OF tho
facts wish to Esy that II ! had done anything
1 that considered wrong or anything which / would
wish to hide. ] could have resigned before the
meeting of the Senate. giving as a reason my bus
fncss engagements. OF something OF that kind. but
such is not the case; l have nothing 70 conceal,
? nothing 70 be ashamed Of. and am ready, as every
honest man should be. 10 suffer the consequences
OF my actions. ! make no claim 10 having been
deceived or kept in ignorance. What ! did did
with my eyes open.
Regretting that I cannot, As had originally
hoped. lie Of some service, however slight. TO Lu-
. zerne and I3ckswanna counties in the Senate, 1
, am Yours, very respectfully,
ECKLEY B. Co-E,
Late Senator-elect for the Tuenty-first District
MEssRs. Ely Bros, Druggists, OwegO,
= nnNH