Butler citizen. [volume] (Butler, Pa.) 1877-1922, 1888-01-13
The BuckShOt War.

A few days ago, New York pa.
per announced the death in Ohio of
ex- Representative Hamlin, who was
believed to have been the last surviv-
ing member of the Pennsylvania Leg.
islature of the exciting session of
1839-4O, when the efforts of the Anti
Masons and Wings, under the lead Of
Thaddeus Stevens, to secure control
of the Legislature and the State Ad-
ministration led to what became
known as the Buckshot War. Fol.
lowing close on the death of this long
forgotten legislator Gomez the an
nouncement of the death in Indiana
of "Balty" Sewers, once a Philadel-
phia terror and rowdy, whose repu.
tation 40 years ago was national.
Sewers left his haunts in Philadel.
phia about the time the war broke
out, and until his death his wherea.
bouts were not known. He was the
last survivor of the once notorious
Spring Garden Butcher Boy" gang,
and his demise, almost Simultaneous
ly with that of the last member of
the Buckshot War Legislature, recalls
the fact that he was prominent fig
ure in that disturbance, and that, but
for fortunate chance, the career OF
Thaddeus Stevens, then just begun,
would have beyond doubt been
brought to tragic close at bis hands,
as one result of that political crisis
The history of Pennsylvania has
been written several times since the
Buckshot War, but although that of
fair was one of the most important
and critical occurrences in the States
record, the historian has not deemed it's
story worth the telling. Two bodies
of men in session, each claiming to
he the legal House Representatives;
a Governor, the heads of every State
department, the Speaker of the Sen
ate, and other prominent men, all vir-
tually in hiding for week; the State
Arsenal in the hands of an nnauthor.
lied force; Harrisburg in charge of
self-appointed Committee OF Safety;
the State department building closed
and, together with the Capitol
grounds, guard by militia. and admis
sion denied to all not having O mill.
tary pass-these, certainly, were suf-
fcient to have furnished material for q
stirring chapter in any history, but
the story of it all is only to be found
between the musty covers of official
documents, where it is told in the dry,
unsatisfactory, undramatic verbiage
of the State paper so years ago.
In 1885 Joseph Ritner had been
elected Governor of Pennsylvania as
the Whig and Anti Masonic candi-
date -Thaddeus Stevens, then q
Gettysburg lawyer, was elected to
the Legislature the same year. He
had more than any other man, built
up the Anti.Masonic strength in the
State, and he became Gov. Ritner's
chief unofficial adviser. The first an
ti-slavery message ever promulgated
by q Northern Governor was signed
by Gov. Ritner, and the author of it
was then, and is today, believed by
many to have been Thaddeus Stevens.
1t was referred to by Whittier in q
poem written by him soon afterward q,
and created great sensation all over
the country. Thomas HI. Burrows OF
Lancaster was made the chief of Gov.
Ritner's Cabinet, as Secretary of the
Commonwealth. The political tri-
umvirate of Stevens RitAer and Bur-
rows soon became as famous
in Pennsylvania as was that of
Seward, Weed and Greely in New
York State in later years Gov Rit-
ner' Administration was aggressive,
bitterly partisan, and aroused the vic.
lent hatred of the opposition, The
great political engine of Pennsylvania
then was the Public Works. The
State owned all the internal improve
ments canals. railroads and every
thing These were being increased in
extent and enlarged in capacity.
Thousands of men were employed on
them, innumerable and remunerative
contracts were at the disposal of those
in authority, and the patronage was
unlimited. By the end of Ritner's
administration the political machin-
cry of the Public Works was all in
the hands of Stevens, Ritner and Bur.
rows, and there was no opposition to
Gov. Ritner's nomination for a sec
ond term by the Wings and Anti.
Masons in 1888 The last-mention.
ed allies of the Wings had decreased
largely in numbers since 1885 Rit.
ner's former antagonist, David Ritten.
house Porter, was nominated by the
Democrats. The adoption of a Consti.
tuition was to be voted for at the same
election. The campaign was tie
ierccest and bitterest, politically aud
personally. In the history of parties
in the State. Thomas II. Burrows was
Chairman OF the Wing State Commit.
tee. The result of the campaign was
the election of Porter by about 5, 900
majority. The new Constitution was
also adopted by small majority.
The new Constitution gave the
Governor all the power of the