The Somerset herald. [volume] (Somerset, Pa.) 1870-1936, 1882-10-04

lCstH OOuNtIIlUl Oh 1OCV. NtDbEdl
Beaver was by common consent fix
ed upon by the Republicans of his
county for that position. This was
true because they were not only
proud of him as a man and citizen,
but because they We're desirous of
keeping him prominently before the
public, with the view of his nomi-
nation for Governor in 1882. He,
however, expressed to no one a de
sire TO be delegate to the national
convention, and asked no one for
their influence or friendship in send
ing him there.
When the county convention met,
General Beaver was its unanimous
choice for the position. The nomi-
mating power in the convention was
as five to one for Blaine for the
Presidency, and Mr.. VIM. Short
lidge, a member of the committee,
prominent citizen of Belleionte, and
a Blaine mar, was sent to ascertain
who General Beavers choice for the
Presidency was. His reply to Mr..
Shortlidge was characteristic and to
the point;
Il am for General Grant. If am
chosen will not go back on my old
commander, as long as he Is can
didate before the Convention"
/ Mr.. Shortlidge carried General
Beavers reply to his associates, but
notwithstanding this clear and def
mite statement by General Beaver,
the delegates from Centre county
were sent to the State Convention at
Harrisburg instructed to make
James A. Beaver the delegate to Chi
cago from the Twentieth Congress
sional district. At Harrisburg those
authorized to speak for General
Beaver gave notice to the other con-
ferees, that if General Beaver went
to Chicago his first choice would be
General Grant; but Notwithstanding
this fact his county wanted him TO
90, and their wishes were bound un-
der the rules to be respected. Gen.
Beaver was, with this full under
standing, chosen to represent the
district at Chicago At Chicago he
was unanimously chosen chairman
Of the Pennsylvania delegation. He
filled the position with such fairness
and impartialitv between the con-
tending factions of Grant and Blaine
as to win the favor of all his col
leagues. He took an active part in
the proceedings of the convention,
and after the whirl wind that made
General Garfield the nominee for
President. he was made the unani-
nous choice of his delegation for the
Vice Presidency. Ohio. Tennessee
and eight other delegations took up
the suggestion with enthusiasm, and
cordially rendered him their votes.
General Beaver peremptOrily de-
clined to be candidate, saying that
he had no wish for public pavor, ex-
cept such as would come to him
from his own State That his party
friends at home desired him to be a
candidate for Governor, and he
should respect their wishes. His
neat speech in secOnding the nomi
nation of Garfield perhaps had much
to do with the favorable temper of
the Convention toward him, but his
service upon the stump in many of
the States had made him many ar
dent friends Upon his return home
the Republicans of Centre county
gave positive evidence of their entire
approval of General Beavers acts at
the Chicago Convention. He was
met at the depot by the Republicans
of Bellefonte, and escorted through
the streets of that place to an impro-
vised platform, where he made a
short speech giving an account of
his stewardship, which was received
with enthusiastic applause by all the
Republicans present. Mr.. Wm.
Shortlidge, the enthusiastic Blaine
man who waited upon General Bea-
yer the day the Centre county con-
vention acted, furnishes the follow
ing complete refutation of the SLAM
der that General Beaver misrepre-
sented his constituents at Chicago
"BELLEFoNTE, Pa.
"SIR-When the Republican COM
mittee of Centre county met to elect
delegates to the Harrisburg Conven-
ton which was to select delegates to
the National Convention at Chicago
in 1880, there was no possible mis-
understanding as to General Beavers
position. In the first place, Centre |
county, by rotation, was entitled to
a delegate to the National Conven- /
ton. This being u 1erstood, it was
generally conceded by all Republi- /
cans that General Beaver was our /
representative man, and would best /
serve the interests of the party. | |
was a member of the committee, and /
a Blaine man. Prior TO the meeting
of the committee | called on Gener-
al Beaver, and stated to him that |
believed it was the desire of the Re-
publicans of our county that he
should represent US at Chicago, and
asked him for whom be would vote
in the event of his appointment as a
delegate to Chicago. He replied i
will vote for General Grant, | will
not go back on my old commander.
In the event that General Grant
shall be Withdrawn or cease to be a
before nomination shall
have been made, / will vote for
James 6. Blaine Before the dele
gates were elected to the Harrisburg
Convention | stated to a caucus of
the Blaine members of the County
Committee the above conversation