San Antonio daily light. [volume] (San Antonio, Tex.) 1886-1907, 1888-07-17
CHAIRMAN OF THE REPUBLICAN
NATIONAL COMMITTEE.


Senator Quay, of Pennsylvania, has
been elected chairman of the republic
can national committee, and of the
executive committee. He is an ar
dent protectionist, and an experienced
statesman.
Senator Quay was born in Dills-
burg, York county, Penn, Septem Der
80, 1888. He was named after Cen
eral Matthew Stanley, of Brandywine
Manor, Chester county. The senator
is descended on both sides from one of
the oldest Scotch-Irish families in the
state, his ancestors having settle d in
Chester county in Ills. In 1910 his
father, who was distinguished
Presbyterian clergyman, removed to
Beaver, and the son, after several
years preliminary study, was sent to
jefferson college, Canonsburg, where
he graduated with distinction at the
age of seventeen years. Proceeding
at once to Pittsburg, he COM
menced the study of law. Be-
fore he completed his stud
les he travelled in Mississippi,
Louisiana and Texas, where he taught
school and lectured, afterward COM
pleting his legal studies at Beaver. In
1854 he was admitted to the bar, and
in 1855 appointed parliamentary of the
county. He was reelected in 1856 and
in 1859. This position he resigned to
accept Heutenancy in the Pennsyl-
vania Reserves, then organizing for
service.
While his regiment was awaiting
at Camp Wright the call to the front
he was summoned to Harrisburg and
made assistant cOmmissary general OF
the state, with the rank of lieutenant
colonel. In this position his great ca
pacity for organization and his quick
mastery of details attracted the favor
able notice of the authorities, and up
on the transfer of this department to
Washington Governor Curtin invited
him to serve as his private secretary.
He accepted. and himself carried on
| the extensive correspondence incident
| to the early preparations for war. In
August, 1862, Mr.. Quay was selected
| to command the One Hundred and
| Thirty-fourth Pennsylvania VOlun-
teefs, nine months service, and con-
| tinued in command until asked to
|
| His resignation had been accepted
prior to the battle of Fredericksburg,
| yet he went with his regiment into
the battle, and by distinguished brav'
cry there won complimentary men
ton in general orders. He filled the
place of state agent with satisfaction,
| and in 1868 was made military secre-
| tary by Governor Curtin. In 1865 he
! resigned to take a seat in the legisla-
! ture, to which he had been elected by
Beaver and Washington counties. He
served in the house with distinction
was chairman of the ways and means
committee, and as such devised the
bill, afterward passed, relieving real
estate from state taxation. In 1869 Mr.
| Quay was secretary of the republican
| state committee, of which he was sub
| sequently made chairman. For long
! time he was editor of the Beaver Rad
| ical. In 1873 he was secretary of the
state under Governor Hartranft, and
he advertised the constitution in every
newspaper of note in Pennsylvania
| This cost the state a large sum OF
money, but it made Mr.. Quay many
staunch friends. The office he last
held was that of state treasurer, to
which he was elected in 1885. His
term as a United States senator be.
gan March 4, 1887.
A eulogist speaks of Senator Quay
as "conciliating in council, and easy
of approach to the humblest citizen
Oratory is not one of his strong points,
but he is man of culture and his
public address is good.