Los Angeles daily herald., 1888-12-09
SKETCHES FROM REAL LIFE.
The Persistent Resig ming which
Has Enabled Quay TO Constant =
ly Change offices.

The Persistent Resig ming which
Has Enabled Quay TO CONSTANT
ly Change offices.
When QUAY was elected to the United
States Senate, says the Philadelphia
Record, one of his friends rashly pre-
dicted that his record as a'resigner was
ended, as he would never relinquish his
Senatorial seat. In long life of Office
holding the Senator has never filled out
his term in any position except that of
Representative in the Legislature from
Beaver county. The politicians gener-
ally feel confident that he will now have
chance of resigning his seat in the
Senate for place in Harrison's Cabinet,
and there is good deal of speculation
as to whether be will embrace the op-
po-tunity.
Quay's first office was that OF prothon-
otary of Beaver county, which he re-
signed in 1861 to enter the army as a
| lieutenant. Before his regiment was or
dered to the field he resigned his lieu
tenancy to become assistant commissary
general, with the rank of colonel, on
Governor Curtin's staff. This place he
| soon resigned to become Governor Cur
tins private secretary. In this capacity
he served for one year, when he also re-
signed it, and was made colonel of the
One Hundred and Thirty-fourth Penn
sylvania Infantry. At Antietam Colonel
Quay was stricken with typhoid fever,
and, after he had somewhat recovered,
upon the advice OF his physicians he re-
signed from the army. Soon afterward
he was appointed by Governor Curtin
Pennsylvania military agent at Wash
ington. In 1868 the legislature created
the office of military secretary to the
Governor and Colonel Quay resigned his
place at Washington to accept the secre-
taryship which Governor Curtin promptly
offered him. In 1865 he was elected to
the State Legislature as member of the
lower house, and at once presented Gov
ernor Curtin with his resignation of the
secretaryship in order to take his seat in
the House of Representatives. That is
the single occasion in his official life that
Colonel Quay filled out his term without
resigning. Curiously enough, in 1867 he
was Governor Curtin's candidate for
Speaker of the House in the combination
against Simon Cameron in his fight for
the United States Senatorship. Quay
was defeated, and Cameron won the
Senatorship.
The next public Office which Quay
filled after his legislative experience was
that of Secretary of the Commonwealth,
10 which he was appointed by General
Hartranft upon the latter's first election
to the Governship. But it appeared to
be Colonel Quay's fate to keep ON re-
signing, for he left the Secretaryship to
accept the Recordership of Philadel phia,
an office which was suppose to be worth
$l0O, 900 year. While he was Recorder
he was widely spoken of for the United
States Senatorship soon to be filed. but
he at that time declined to enter the con-
test, remarking to friend, 81 can wait"
Even the large emoluments OF the Re-
cordership could not hold the colonel for
a full term, and he resigned this place to
accept the Secretarship of the Com
monwealth under Governor Hoyt. He
held on to that Office until nearly the end
of Governor Hoyt's term, but when the
Governor hurled his famous "Wolsley
letter" into the heated political fight
which resulted in the election of Gov
ernor Pattison, Colonel Quay promptly
wrote Governor Hoyt letter of resigna-
tion and left the office.
Colonel Quay was elected State Treas.
urer IN 1885, and held that Office until the
summer of 1887 when he resigned this
place in view of his election to the United
States Senate. The Senatorship which
Quay now holds is big prize to resign,
but in the present situation of affairs it is
not improbable that he may even drop
this for a cabinet Office.