The Sunday herald and weekly national intelligencer., 1890-11-02
TALK OF THE WEEK.

lhlClIdl AtlNlTS VI IeUuSylNanla, MI. barclay,
is in rather peculiar position just now. He
holds the Office Of United States pension agent
at Pittsburg, to which he was appointed by
President Cleveland, and, curously enough al
though Democrat he is practically under no
legal bond for the proper discharge of his
duties. This comes about in the following
way: Along last summer Congress passed law
authorizing pension agents to delegate the
power of signing checks to a clerk. The De-
partment of Justice decided that under this law
the old bonds of the pension agents no longer
held good and they would have to give new
ones. All the other pension agents in the
country at once complied with this new ruling
But Mr.. Barclay, knowing he could not expect
to hold on to his Office under the Harrison ad-
ministration much longer, decided he wouldn't
go to the trouble of filing a new bond and made
out his resignation. In some way this resigna-
tion got in the possession of Senator Quay, who
calmly put it in his pocket and kept it there
for use at such time as would be most effective
in the game of politics in Pennsylvania. Mean
while Secretary Noble kept insisting that Mr..
Barclay should file new bond, as all the other
pension agents had done. but Mr.. Barclay de-
clined to do so, as he had resigned and was only
awaiting the appointment of his successor to
get out of office. No doubt some sort of an un-
derstanding was reached in the case between
Senator Quay and the Interior Department, for
Mr.. Barclays successor was not named as the
weeks and months went by, and Mr. Barclay
continued to discharge the duties of his office
without being under legal bond.
X 4
When the Pennsylvania State campaign opened
Mr.. Barclay, who had been nominated for Sec
retary of Internal Affairs on the ticket with Pat
tison, went on the stump. He made red-hot
speeches against Deamater and Quay, and did
not spare the National Administration, under
which he held Office He was out in the State
good deal of the time, and left the Office in Pitts
burg in charge of his clerks. At last the Ad-
ministratiou grew impatient with Mr. Barclay,
and Commissioner Raum wrote to him ordering
him peremptorily back to his office at Pittsburg
To this Mr. Barclay sent very tart reply, de-
clining to obey and pointing out that such an
order came with bad grace from Mr.. Raum who
had himself gone West to take part in the cam
paign in Illinois and Indiana. Then Secretary
Noble renewed the pressure on Mr.. Barclay for
new bond, but the latter persisted in refusing
to give 1t, and again drew attention to the fact
that his resignation had been handed in. But
the resignation, it seems, still reposed in the
pocket of Senator Quay. Matters had come to
such crisis however, that the President
and Secretary Noble decided thew wouldn't
put up with Mr.. Quays queer proceedings any
longer, and it is supposed some sharp CORE
spondence passed between them. The result of
it was that about ten days ago Senator Quay
was forced to forward the resignation to Wash
ington, although it is understood his desire was
to withhold it until after the election. But
although the resignation has been received and
accepted Mr. Barclays successor has not vet
been named, and he continues to hold Office as
United States pension agent at Pittsburg with
out being under a proper bond. When his
resignation was accepted four candidates were
put forward for the place. One was backed by
Representative Dalzell, another by Representa-
tive Bayne. and third had Senator Quays
support. The fight between them grew very
warm, and Secretary Noble saw if the appoint
ment were made before the election another
element of discord would be injected into the
already badly mixed situation in Pennsylvania
SO the Administration decided that il was the
best plan to let Mr.. Barclay stay in bond or no
bond, until after election. This places Mr.
Barclay in very good light, for it shows his
official superiors have great confidence in his
honesty and integrity, Democrat and offensive
partisan though he be-
Pennsylvania Democrats seem to have good
grounds for the confidence they express in the
election of Pattison on Tuesday next The re-
volt against Quay and Delamater among Re-
publicans is of immense proportions, and If
Quay succeeds in pulling his man through it
will be the greatest exploit of his career The
fight against him in his own party is not confined
to the amateurS and the Mugwumps, but it is
being made by such shrewG and able politicians
as Congressman Dalzel and Chris Magee of
Pittsburg, not to mention host of others who
are well known in State politics. Mr.. Dalzell
is not taking an active part in the campaign
against Delamater, but he has refused to make
any speeches for the Republican ticket, and it is
well known that he is entirely reconciled to the
prospect of its defeat. Pittsburg is one Of the
two great centres of the anti Quay sentiment,
and Pattison is certain of carrying it by a good
majority If Delamater is defeated it will be
crushing blow to Quay's prestige in national
politics, and there can be little doubt that he
will be constrained to give up his place at the
head OF the Republican National COMMITTEES
Pattlsons election would at once make him a
figure of importance in Democratic national
politics, and no doubt a Presidential boom
would crystaiZe about him that would compare
taVorably in substance and size with those of
GoYernor Hill and Governor Campbell If
Pattison is successful his success will be largely
due to the skill, bOldness, and unremitting hard
work OF Mr.. Kerr, chairman of the Democratic
state Committee and Representative in Congress
from the Clearfield District Mr.. Kerr has de-
voted all his time, night and day, to the con-
uucJ OF the Pattison campaign since ii opened,
allowing his private business to take care of
ltselt. There's nothing in the gift of The Penn
sylyania Democracy that will be too good for
Mr.. Kerr If he carries his party to success in the
pending tight. If the Legislature should happen
TO be Democratic Mr.. Kerr would make strong
candidate for Senator to succeed Cameron,
although ex-senator Wallace is understood to
nave his eyes on the place. If Wallace was a
candidate II is not believed Mr.. Kerr would op-
pose him. as they are close friends, and Mr..
Kerr was originally for Wallace for the guber-
material nomination.
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