Butler citizen. [volume] (Butler, Pa.) 1877-1922, 1882-10-04

ed by the appointment of Don Cameron
by General Grant as Secretary of War
Did any body ever doubt that his nomi
nation was made for any other reason
than to placate the Camerons If they
do, there stand the three facts which
present a very strong case. First, tn,
resolution of the State Convention
passed at the instance of the Cameron!
in opposition to third term; second
the appointment of Don Cameron tt
the War portfolio, which was sur
prise to the whole country, because nc
one had ever heard of his name in con
nection with the Office third, the sub
sequent advocacy of third term by the
Camerons, to the extent of sitting the
public sentiment of the State, and
twice betraying the Republicans of the
State.
If an election to third term was
wrong in 1875, why not in 1876 and
1880? Could there be any more con-
vincing proof that it was not principle
that actuated the Camerons, but only
a desire to advance their own selfish
interests J.?
In 1871, after President Hayes had
refused to recognize the Cameron party
by appointing j. ID. Cameron to place
in his Cabinet, Simon Cameron resign
ed his seat in the Senate, but it was
not made public, so that there might
be a free, full and fair discussion as to
the merits of any candidates who might
present themselves, or be presented by
their friends, bat on the contrary, be
held the resignation until the clans
could be gathered from all parts of the
State, and the Legislature of Pennsyl-
vania then committed that cunning act
of base servility, by the election, at his
dictation, of hisson j. Donald Cameron
to the Senate.
If any evidence were wanting to
show Cameron's complete dominion
over the party and its utter subserviency
to his behests, this fact alone would
furnish it. 1t stands to-day as one of
the black deeds in Pennsylvania
history, and nothing short of the entire,
complete and everlasting overthrow of
that dynasty will help eradicate the
STAIN
Is there further evidence wanted of
their complete mastery in Pennsylvania
politics ? / point to the fact that for
the last fifteen or twenty years they
have manipulated the minority Repub-
lican counties and in various ways
managed others, until it was question
at every State Convention, not who
was the most available and suitable
candidate for any State office, but who
was the man named by the Camerons,
and then the convention proceeded to
do his bidding and nominate his candi-
dates. Is this denied? Then call any
nan to the stand who has ever attend
ed convention Ask Matthew s.
Quay if it is not true that Don Cameron
and he have at every Republican State
Convention for years dictated the NOM
nations for the party.
But this is not all. They have at
the last two National Conventions
willfully betrayed the Republicans of
this State The sentiment of the Re-
publicans of Pennsylvania at the last
two Presidential nominations was be-
yond all question favorable to James
G. Blaine. Yet, in defiance of that
well pronounced sentiment, on both -oc-
casions delegation was packed, and
by means of the Infamous, anti-Repub-
lican, anti-Democratic unit rule, the
voice of Pennsylvania was stihed.
THE SENATORIAL ELECTION.
If any further evidence IS needed of
gross unsurpation of the rights of the
people, | point to the conduct of Sena-
tor Cameron in the late election of
Senator in this State. The election
under the Constitution of the United
States had to be made by the Legisla-
ture of Pennsylvania, and Senator
Cameron had no right whatever to in
terfere in the slightest manner in the
election of another person, who was to
have an equal voice with himself in the
Senate of the United States, in repre-
senting the great State of PeDnsylva-
MIA. The Constitution Of the United
States provided that each Senator
shall have one vote, and it is violation
of the spirit of the constitution for
Senator to attempt to evade this plain
provision of the organic law of the
land, by endeavoring to secure the
election of another Senator who will
echo his sentiments and virtually give
him two votes in the Senate. 1t is an
invasion by an officer of one branch of
the Government upon the rights and
powers of another branch of the Gov
ernment, and is clear violation of
law and ought to be an impeachable
offense. When our governments, State
and National, were divided into their
distinct branches it was intended that
each should act independently of the
other, and any attempted usurpation
by one of the rights, duties and privi-
leges of the other is high crime
against free government and merits
condign punishment.
| have thus presented what to my
mind is most conclusive evidence of the
outrageous usurpation by the Camerons
of all the functions of government
which of right belong to the people.
But the wrong consists not only in
thus sweeping away from the people
their most precious rights, but it strikes
down the rights of others In this
mad crusade against popular govern
ment, every man who would not bow
the knee to Baal was remorselessly
stricken down, and the result has been
that it has deprived the State of the
services of some of its best men. In
1861 it thrust aside Thaddeus Stevens,
the great Commoner, who will rank in
history with Clay, Calhoun and Web
ster, with Pitt and Fox and Burke, to
make place for Simon Cameron. Think
of that, Pennsylvanians, and hide your
heads in shame. Thaddeus Stevens,