Press and daily Dakotaian. (Yankton, Dakota Territory [S.D.]) 1880-1889, 1888-07-30

!: W7SyN'
MATTHEW STANLEY QUAY.
tho utmost Importance, and as he will
necessarily be a prominent figure in the
great campaign, our readers will, no
: doubt, be glad to become familiar with
, the personal characteristics of their gen.
eral who is to lead them on TO victory.
Matthew Stanley Quay was born Sept.
30, 1888, at Dillsburg, in York county.
Il This was the same year in which Senator
Don Cameron was born and -four years
after Simon Cameron had entered public
life rs adjutant general of Pennsylvania
That rugged old Democrat, George Wolf
was then governor, and the places in the
United States senate now filed by Quay
and Cameron were then occupied by Will
lam Wilkins and George Mifflin Dallas.
Quay's father, recalling the struggles and
friendships of his early life, named his
Matthew Stanley, OF Brandywine Manor,
In Chester county,
Senator Quay traces his family back to
Scotch-1rish origin, and to the sturdiest
of that sturdy race.
The senator's grandfather, Joseph Quay,
was a farmer and storekeeper in Charles
town township, Chester county, when he
made a runaway marriage with Ascenath
Anderson, a daughter of Patrick Ander-
son, who was q captain in the Revolution
and the first child of European parents
born in Charlestown township. Ascenath
was also a sister of Isaac Anderson, who
was a member of congress for two terms
at the beginning of the present century.
OF this runaway union-which, however,
seems to have turned out very WE'LL
Senator Quay's father was born. He was
given the name of Anderson Beaton
Quay, the first name coming from the
family of his mother and the second from
that OF his mothers mother, who was
Ann Beaton. a sister of Col. John Beaton,
who had charge of military affairs in
Chester county during the Revolution.
Anderson B. Quay early in life slowed a
disposition for the ministry, and, follow
ing the traditional bent of his race, he
became q Presbyterian clergyman. He
made q circuit westward beyond the Sus.
Q%uehanna river.
The stories told of Quay's very early
days make him out just the kind of hu-
man boy that thousands of others have
been. One of his earliest recollections
was that his father one day brought home
to Dillsburg a small Bible and q tin
sword, and gave the boy his choice. 1t is
a favorite way of testing the i~nclinations
Of very young people which parents have
not yet outgrown. The small boy in this
case was but 8 years of age. He had
even then, however, some of the quick
wit which has since been SO useful to him.
He knew very we'll that his father had no
else to give that tim sword to, and be
chose the Bible, greatlyto his fathers de-
light, and the sword was thrown in, as
the boy knew 1t would be. This kind Of
diplomacy he cultivated as the years went
ON. On the first fly leaf Of the book thus
presented the father had written q few
lines Of inscription from Scott. On the
aext leaf the mother had inscribed some
verses. Young Quay carried this book
with him when he went from home; 1t
was with him in all his subsequent
wanderings, and today is a part OF the
library at his Beaver home-a quaint lit
tie book in very fine type and stout
leathess binding.
ut would have been far better for me-"
said Senator Quay recently, elf I had kept
out of politics and settled down, to the
law" This will strike with astonish.
ment those who look upon the political
career of b new senator as one of sue
cess almost from the beginning. Had he
said 1t at any time during the year or two
preceding his election as state treasurerit
would have been understood by all; but 1t
was said after he had been chosen to the
United States senate, and when it was on
all sides recognized that he held q greater
political power than any other man in the
state. What he said, however, was I'M
4~uestionably sincere. In the stormy poll
tics of the state for the last twenty-five
years Col. Quay has taken moro than his
share of responsibility, which has not al
ways been desirable.
Bis sturdy friendships have cost him q
great deal-a great deal more than can
ever be calculated even by himself. His
friendship for Andrew G.. Curtin through
q series Of years made his political path q
rough mi at the time, and he had to fight
almost hand to hand over every inch of
the way. And when he found that politi-
craftsmanship parted and hefcund himself
going over other ground and with those
whom he had previously opposed in the
party management, he was still fighting
bis way, but he was now doing still more
for others, and responsibility for their
methods and blunders was pretty steadily
shared by him, ii not wholly loaded upon
his shoulders. It is littlB wonder that he
should even now feel thatlhe would have
been better off had he settled down to the
practice of law at the outset. 1t would
doubtless have brought him wealth, and
certainly reputation, and political dis
ttnction might then have been had with
no exertion which has NOW come after
years of turmoil and sacrifice which few
can comprehend.
1t wa not alone Quay's ability which
excited the jealousy and opposition Of
some whom he had sought to serve. for
1t is ~undeniable that such feeling regard.
Ing him did exist, although but cautiously
manifested. He was always restless un.
der any purpose to drive the party, and
this feeling has grown upon him. In the
stormy conflicts a few years ago against
bossism he never had but one opinion.
and that was that the party had an In.
disputable right to control itself. His
methods would have saved it from dis.
ruption at that time, and Ii was due to
his exertions In 1888 that there was such
q complete and speedy reunion OF the diff
ferent elements. In 1880, when it was
desired by Cameron that the national dele.
CATION should be instructed for Grant for
president, Quay was opposed to it. He
knew that the popular sentiment Of the
party was against 1t, and while it
might be possible with the marty
machinery TO force the convention.
he indicated in the plainast terms What
the result would be-. Having done NIL
this. he yielded his own opposition In the
: narty connssls. aud the result was wat