The Seattle post-intelligencer. [volume] (Seattle, Wash. Terr. [Wash.]) 1888-1914, 1891-09-26
BURCHARD is DEAD.
The Alliterative Clergyman
Who Defeated Blaine.
"RUM, ROMANiSM, REBELLION -
After the Election He Imagined Himself
an Unconscious instrument In the
Hands of the Lord.

SARATOGA, Sept 2.-Rev. DR.. Burchard died
| at p. today.
Burchard was taken Ill Saturday evening, and
| died this afternoon. Tuesdays Illness devel-
! oped into peritonitis.
samuel Dickinson Burchard was born in
steuoen, \. \, on September s, 1872. He re-
ceived an academic education. In 1880 he re-
moved TO Kentucky. attended Centre College in
Danyille and graduated in lSS6 Following
close upon graduation began his career as a lee
turer on slavery, temperance aud religion, and
soon became wei known throughout the state
During the cholera epidemic OF 1857 he rendered
good service as a volunteer nurse, and won for
himself many friends by his heroic efforts. In
lSSs he was licensed TO preach, and was installed
as pastor OF a Presbyterian church in New York
city on May l, 1852 As a lecturer and pastor he
MT with great success aud at different times
was chancellor of lngham University ana
president OF Rutgers Female College. he had
been possessed OF faculty to make peculiarly
happy remarks when it was desirable to enter
tain miscellaneous audience, though that gilt
deserted him on momentous occasion. HAY
ing nearly finished an exceptionally honoraoie,
useful and unubtrusive career IS clergyman,
IL was Ills late near the close Of the exceedingly
bitter presidential canvass OF ISL 10 raise him.
self by the utteiancc Of brief alliteratiye SEN
tence into the most unprecedented ana unex-
pected political notoriety. A few days before the
election the Republican managers caIie e min
listers meeting in New York About 600 clergy
men, nominally representing all denominations,
assembled. and DIR. Burchard addressed them in
dignifed and in the main temperate speech.
In concluding, however, he st1gmatlzed the
Democrats the party Of "Rum. Romanism
and Rebellion" Mr.. Blaine, the Republican
candidate for the presidency, was present but
failed to repudiate the sentiment on the spot.
Extraordinary efforts had been made TO secure
the Roman Catholic vote, and it was thought
these efforts would prove successful. The fatal
words undid ali this work. The Democratic
managers their opportunity 10 make capital
out OF the incident, and by their instructions
the country in the vicinity OF centers OF Roman
Catholic population was placarded with
bills bearing i'll faring letters at their
tops the cabalistic sign, ar r. R."
matter before the Roman Catholics, and thus
arouse new passions whenever they threatened
to become dormant, and TO propagate the false
impression that the sentiment met with the APP
proyai of the Republican party. When the cleo
lion occurred and it was found that the vote OF
New York state by the slight plurality of lo47,
Or. Burcharh experienced in all its force the
wrath of the Republicans of the country, for
to the expression OF his radical sentiments may
reasonably be ascribed detection in
the ranks OF the voters mucn greater
than represented by the plurality for the
Cleveland electors III New York state.
The Rochester Democrat, referring to the fact
that Burchard occupied seat on the stage at
the recent Democratic convention in Saratoga.
said: This is the same DIR. Burchard, it may
be remembered. to whom Mr.. Cleveland was in
debted FOR his success the first time he ran for
the presidency. AS subsequent events proved,
that famous phrase. Rum, Romanism and Re
beliion, uttered at critical moment in the cam
paign, was sufficient to defeat Mr.. Blaine, but
whether or not Il was intended for that pur-
pose has never been conclusively determined
AT first II was supposed that Burchard's excess
sive facility of speech had simply led him into
bad biunder, but since then the belief has
steadily grown, justified by circumstantial evil
uence, that the fatal phrase was premeditatad
and that Burchard took advantage of his oppor-
tunity ut a Republican meeting TO sreacherously
stab the candidate whom he was protesting to
support. Additional color is given
20 the truth OF this assumption by
the interchange o. words quoted
above, and the public Will be quick to appreci
kota Pnro borAsl
motives may have been eight years ago, it is ey
ident that he is on exceedingly friendly terms
with the Democrats today, and that they appre-
ciate the services he rendered the Democratic
! party. His enjoyment OF the notorety which he
gained has never been concealed, and the COM
placent smirk with which he receives all aIlu-
sion to the part ne played III electing Grover
Cleveland, hardly suggests the idea that he is
consumed with either shame or regret. 1t was
the one thing which BurchaTd ever did to at
tract public attention, and it Is quite propabie
that the pleasure he has derived from the prom
lnence has outweiehted all other considerations
N ms mind. The Rochester Post Express said
"Dr. Burchard in 1854 prominent New
York clergyman, OF fair reputation MS teacher,
preacher and lecturer He was gifted with 4
fatal facility in the entertainment OF miscella-
neous audiences, and nc doubt ii for that
reason that he was put forward at the ministers
/ meeting held toward the close OF the Cleveland
Blaine canvass AT that time he was probably
/ good republican, with an ardent desire to say
| something smart-and so he got off his
famous ALTERATION. 1t is fair TO assume
/ that he meant TO help Mr.. Blaine and no. To hurt
! him. But he has neither shame nor regret for
! me incident which had such q curious political
effect; Tor we presume il changed as many as
/ 54 votes, and that changed the result in the
state anu III the nation His attitude in the
! matter, as we understand it, is this: lie thinks
tnat, against his will, he was made the ipstru-
| inent OF Providence in e!ecting MI Cleveland
/ ANA, oil course, man who believes that Proyi-
dence chose him for a particular purpose is apt
! IN be complacent over the matter Holding that
/ view. moreover, il would be natural for Dr.
! hurchart To admire Mr.. Cievelaud-and even
! turn pemocrat-especialv as Republican criti.
/ clsm and abuse have made II very unpleasant
! ior him III the grant old party. This notion If
/ the speclat cooperation az Providence in the
/ KUN, Romanism and Rebellion phrase is
! gwen IN the sketch OF DR.. Burchard in apple
TONS tycopcGia OF American Biography ana
! l. gwen no doubt, on the authority of Dr. Bur-
Chard himSeit"1