Butler citizen. [volume] (Butler, Pa.) 1877-1922, 1890-10-17

written:
1--WE endorse this agreement,
M. 8. QUAY,
8. Fl. MILLER,
THos. PERRY,
B. j. HAYWOOD"
It was not very nice or very honorable
for the men of Beaver county to enter into
such an agreement with the men of Mer-
Ger county when Butler county had favor
ed her at the convention of 1888, with the
understanding that Mr.. Townsend wished
for but one term in Congress and that Bea-
yer county was to be friendly to Butler
county in 1890.
Indeed it was not the intention or idea
Of the men who originated this method Of
nominating congressman Tor this DIS
trict, that any two counties or two candi-
dates should werk together-the idea was
that fifteen independent Republicans
should be elected in each Of the four coun-
ties of the district and that these sixty
Republicans should meet confer and make
I. choice, independent Of county lines, but
the county line idea came in and spoiled
the whole arrangement, and bribery, add
ed to this has put the party in the district in
distress.
Mr.. Mcdowell, under oath. at New
Brighton, acknowledged to the Investiga-
ting or conference committee, the making
and existence of this written contract with
Beaver county, which is now made public
by his political enemies, they, Of course,
having kept copy Of it.
Whether or no he acted honorably with
the people of his own county of Mercer in
entering into such an agreement with Bea-
yer county is for them to judge, but at all
events he agreed to do..more than he found
himself able to perform, for he had oppo-
sition in Mercer county next spring, and
his opponent, Mr.. Brown of Greenville,
secured four Of the county delegates, and
whether OF no he would have carried out
his agreement with Beaver had he had en-
tire control of the Mercer county delega-
ton is not known.
lies were held, Messrs. Townsend of Bea-
yer, Black Of Butler, and Jackson of Law
renee, receiving the practically unani-
nous endorsement Of their respective
counties, and Mr.. Mcdowell securing eleven
and Mr.. Brown four, OF the delegates of
Mercer county.
Some days previous to the meeting of
the convention at New Castle, Mr.. Black,
of this county, went to Sharon. He had
notified Mr.. Mcdowell of his intended visit
and was met at the depot by him and taken
to his house. During the evening, Mr..
Samuel Miller, of Mercer, and two other
Mercer county politicians came in, and for
three solid hours the Mercer county men
tried to induce Mr.. Black to enter into a
written agreement with them to throw the
Butler county delegation to Mr.. Mcdowell
at the approaching convention and nomin-
ate him, and they in turn would nominate
Black at the convention Of 1892.
Mr.. Black refused to enter into such an
agreement, and it is creditable to him that
be did not. He does not own the people
of Butler county and does not pretend to.
His account of this meeting is as follows:
BLACKS EVIDENCE.
"Some week or ten days before the con-
vention in New Castle l took trip
through Mercer county. | went to the
house of Major Mcdowell. Sometime af-
forwards Hon. S. II. Miller and b. J. Hay
wood came in. We passed the time there
pleasantly for a while, and the coming
convention was brought up and the matter
discussed pro and con. The Mercer county
people urged the propriety of nominating
Mcdowell for Congress this year, and the
proposition was made that Mr.. Mcdowell
only wanted one term in Congress, and if
1 would turn the delegation from Butler
county over to Mercer county's candidate
and be was nominated, that two years
hence the delegation from Mercer county
would be thrown to Butler county, and
whatever they could do would be done to
get mo the nomination for Congress at that
time, two years hence. 1t was proposed
that an agreement or arrangement beput in
prisia1 to be signed by Major Mcdowell,
Hon. s. III. Miller, b. J. Haywood, the
Chairman of the County Committee, and
any other influential Republican in the
county that I would suggest, and to be
signed by myself on the other part. told
them that the people of Butler county had
voted for me as their choice for the nOmin-
alton for Congress; that at the same time
they had elected fifteen delegates to repre-
sent tho people in the convention. / also
stated that l did not own or control nor
pretend TO own or control the delegates;
that they were elected by the people to
represent them, and I did not have the
power, even if were go disposed, to throw
the delegation wherever / pleased, and
would make no pretentions to do such
thing. The matter was discussed back
and forward for considerable length OF
time, they urging that such course as
that would be proper and would make Il
domination easy and would bring harmony
in the district.
II Is my impression that Mr.. Miller first
made tho proposition; but after it was
made, it was assented to by oil the Mercer
county men present. The matter was dis
cussed by all of them for some time, but
was nv own private information until |
saw the statement in the newspapers, that
some time early in the spring an agree
ment of q similar kind had been entered
INTO between Mr. Mcdowell Mr.. Miller
and Mr. Haywood with Mr.. Townsend, by
which it was agreed to deliver the Mercer
delegation to Mr.. Townsend. When j
read that, thought it little peculiar that
4 there was an agreement of that kind in
sxistence, that there should be such II de-
sire to get an agreement with me so soon
before the convention, and then spoke OF
I to friend o: two in our county, and /
presume that ID how the matter got out,
md that IS why, l suppose, am sub
prnaed to give this testimony"
Whether or no Mr.. Mcdowell entered
nto any agreement with Col. Jackson is
lot known, but it is reasonable to suppose
rom Col. Jackson's course that there was
N understanding between the candidates
4 Mercer and Lawrence counties.
The convention followed; Mr.. Mcdowell
lid not throw his delegates to Mr.. Town
end and, on account Of some opposition
o Mr.. Townsend in Mercer county by rea-
on Of unpopular post Office appointments,
!simed be could not unless he had some
'xcuse, and in this way induced Mr. Town
end to throw him some delegates; Col.
Jackson, who also had q grudge against
Townsend for appointing q personal enc
ny postmaster a. New Castle, watched his
and when the Beaver county
uen Voted for Mcdowell he threw enough
VI bis men in the same direction TO nomin-
'te Mcdowell on the 10Th ballot; then