Lancaster daily intelligencer. [volume] (Lancaster, Pa.) 1864-1928, 1884-09-25
Thss Bribery Charge.

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THURSDAY nvsNINo. SEPT. as. 1884.
That bribery Charge.
The Harrisburg f'dirios some time ago
published q statement whicb 1t declared
hsd publicly been made by Mr.. Bergner,
former editor Of the Telegraph, to the
ollsct that VIM. II. Kemble at the Gin
olnnati Republican convention, had re-
vesled to the Pennsylvania delegates
~ fact that he had bribed Blaine when
npeaker. and that he produced the checks
hohad paid him, which Bergner then saw
ard handled.
Bergner subsequently, addressed the
Patriot denying that he had said any
thing Of the kind. His denial has been
gratefully received ana fully credited by
the Republican newspapers, attended by
Buffers organ, the New York Sun,
which is dreadfully shocked that the
Democratic journals seem to, think that
Bergner had not been altogether frank
aud truthful 10 his statement, which
Is said to have been hoard by a number
Of reputable witnesses. 1t is not stated
that Bergner was not IN Q responsible
state Of mind when he made the declara
tion; and the facts, as he gave them,
came sufficiently close to the known
circumstances attending the refusal OF
the Pennsylvania delegation to support
Blaine to give them pfausibility. 1t was
Bob Mackey who managed Blaine's
massacre. 1t was Mackey who declared
"by the eternal, ,"--or by an equivalent
oath Of that significance-that Blaine
should not be nominated. 1t was
Mackey's direction to Don Cameron,
chairman Of the delegation, to propose
to Blaine's friends that the delegation
should continue to cast its vote rs a unit
for Hartranit so long as his vote in the
convention was growing. And it was
Mackey who secured in divers ways
enough outside votes to drop in to Hart.
ranft as the ballot progressed to keep
him steadily growing with slow growth
until the grand climax came when the
Hayes flood could be turned on. 1t was
Mackey's firm and stubborn resolve tC
beat Blaine that did the work.
And it is quite probable that Kemblt
sought to help along the Cameron
Mackey effort to beat him, with the
checks Bergner talks of. 1t is certain
enough that if he had them he woult
show them. Nothing would have beer
left untried to chill the Blaine current
Possibly checks may have been shown
which were forgeries. Possibly Kembl'
may have lied about the bribery, and
possibly Bergner lied when he
told the story lately in Harrisburg
The Patriot, as the publisher Of th'
story, is only interested in showing tha
it had the authority for its Statement
which it declared. AS the accuse,
Bergner showed no anxiety to prosecut'
IL for libel, its city editor has been com
planned against by an outside citizen
doubtless at its desire. A Democrati,
attorney represented the prosecution
when the case was called for hearin.
before the alderman. The Republican
district attorney, however, appeared ant
claimed the right to take charge Of i
and to refuse topermit any testimony t
be taken, save as to the fact Of the publ
cation The design, of course, is TO sup
press the testimony until after the cleo
tion which does not indicate any pro
found conviction on the part of tn
Harrisburg Republicans that the facts t.
besworn to would be beneficial to Mr.
Blaine.