The Columbian. [volume] (Bloomsburg, Pa.) 1866-1910, 1882-09-01
identified with the reorganization of the
State Fencibles.


identified with the reorganization of tn,
State Fencbles.
LAWYER, ORATOR AND MILrrlAMAN.
There he formed the friendship o
that good old Democrat, "a man with
out fear and without reproach," Col
James Page, whom Pattison succee leo
rs president Of the organization. Ht
won his first laurels as lawyer in al
able argument in defense of some thirty
nilitiamon of the 4th Regiment Penn
sylvania Volunteers, before court AS
sembled by General Provost, and ac-
! quilted them on plea as to jurisdiction
After this he was ever the chosen ora
tor of the command, and never without
clients. Among the cases which after
wards came to him and were prepared
with the thoroughness which dstin-
giished all of his professional and
political work, were those of Orr VS..
Hydraulic Works and Kehoe VS.. same,
leading cases in determining the law
of negligence and the duties of proper
ty owners to the public.
Thus far The father lived to see the
success of his son, who, with strong
tilial devotion, refusing to bask in other
peoples sunshine by acceptance of in
vitations to membership in the richer
churches, has of preference rigidly ad-
hered to a kind Of "lit,le church around
the corner wherein was his fathers
last ministry.
RECOLLECTloNS OF DICKINSON.
Previous mention of DR.. Pattison's
early education IN Dickinson College
recalls fact or two that may as well
he put down right here in refutation of
the assertion made here and there in
certain stalwart organs, that "hiLherto
Pennsylvania has invariably elected
governors born in the State" Now, to
begin with, without hunting up the
baptismal record of them all, John
Dickinson, whose name that college
bears, according to Jefferson zone of
the most accomplished scholars the
country ever produced" was himself n
native Of Maryland, lived for long
time in Delaware, and was in 1882
elected executive of Pennsylvania. And
he was succeeded in the office of govern
or Of Pennsylvania by Benjamin
Franklin, who, until now when objec-
ton is made to the Providence that
gave Paltison his birth in Maryland,
was always supposed to have been born
in Massachusetts, and to have walked
from Boston to Philadelphia, Wherein.
to Pattison was brought when barely
old enough to walk TO school, and
where, ever since he was six years old
he has been alike by his education,
profession and public service Penn
sylvanian.
Surely the men who worked ''like
Beavers to put Grant in nomination
for Mird tern, at a time when he had
been altogether out of the country for
four years, and who app,auded to the
echo Conklings exclamation ''if it be
asked whence comes our candidate, he
halls from AppomatoN' should not now
make serious objection to the like In
dian but less savage sounding Quanlico,
which Pattison bade ''hail and farewell
by proxy, it at all, since he was remov
ed from there before he could cleverly
articulate Nor is the Cameroniau cry
of ''foreigner," against the city Goa
trollcr OF Philadelphia, altogether con-
sistent with even the old straight out
and out Know Nothingism, which is
sought to be rehashed, it seems, in the
coming campaign, and to be served up
with IN new altogether infusion of a
peculiar kind of state rights. And,
what is more remarkable this, the
whole and sole objection that has been
raised against Controller Pattison rs a
man, originates at and is sent ont from
the head quarters of the Cameron State
Central Committee, the chairman of
which, aud would like to-have been
candidate for governor, was himself
born tout west in Ohio.
\ BROAD VIEW OF HIS DUTIES.
Had he done no more than guard the
treasury as controller, had he been
simply the passive obstruction to greed
and corruption, he would yet have been
entitled u the regard of all honest
men. But he was much more than this.
His conduct disclose' a broad and com
prehensivc view of his duties, He did
not content himself with keeping vigil,
ant watch over the money, He strov,
to lower the high salaries of the city,
employees, lie was full of intelligent
and economical suggestions upon the
infringement of the municipal finances
He suggested to the board of revision
Of taxes the wisdom of more correc
assessment of the real estate. BY ;
letter dated October 2, 1878, he adyo
Gated the payment of per cent inter
est on the city warrants after Januar.
|, 1879, seeing that upwards of $4,000,
year would be saved, 81 cannot Sc
any good reason he wrote, "why tn
city of Philadelphia, with its warrant
4 per cent. above par, should continu
to pay greater interest than the ger
eral government" Many of the nun
cipal reforms from which Philadelphi
now reaps advantage were the result
of his suggestions,
His first balance sheet was the frs
clear statement that Philadelphia ha
had for many years of its financial al
fairs. He awoke the citizens to
knowledge of the actual condition c
their municipality He exhibited tn
frightlul tendency toward blnkruptc
aud disclosed to them that false an
misleading exhibit lhad been annual
placed before them by carrying alou