Butler citizen. [volume] (Butler, Pa.) 1877-1922, 1894-10-11
ANDREW G. CURTIN.

Andrew g. Curtin, the famous war-Gov
| ernor of this State, died at his home in
Bellefonte, early last Sunday morning, in
his S0th year.
He passed away peacefully, surrounded
| BY his family and friends, and was buried
| Wednesday afternoon.
| Coy. Curtin was among the most distin-
| guished of the State Executives who ser
| yed during the trying times of the Civil
| War, and who rose to eminence for their
| aggressive devotion to the Union.
| lie was selfr reliant, resourceiul and pos
| sessed of all the energy of a stardy young
| manhood. With a rugged character a
| brilliant intellect and a sincere patriot
| ism, he met the great emergency IN a
| way to reflect the utmost glory upon the
State in which he was born, ana To COM
mand the applause of the country. He
was ceaseless in his patriotic energy, for
patriotism with him was inherent and de-
veloped to vigorous proportions in the
wholesome mountains in the midst of
which he had his home.
He was the first Republican Governor
of the State, being chosen for the first
time IN the memorable campaign of 1860
which resulted in the election of Lincoln
| TO the Presidency. 1t was the success of
Curtin in the October election that foretOld
the triumph of Lincoln and the Republican
party iu the succeeding November. Penn
svlvania then, as for some years later,
with her early State elections was an un-
erring indicator of the drift of popular
sentiment; and it was known to all that if
Curtin had been defeated in October the
election of Lincoln would have been i'm
probable. Lincoln himself never failed to
recognize the service which Pennsylvania
then rendered him and the country by the
- II, h -f..TN Nsl.a4N h. AfNNa
Administrations confidence that Curtin
justified in every particular.
Throughout all this period Governor
Curtin was an uncompromising Republi-
can, and was justly recognized as one Of
the foremost meu OF the party in the cOun-
try. Not so many years later, however,
in the Presidential campaign of 1872, he
resigned the Russian mission which he
held by appointment of a Republican Pres
ident aud came home 10 espOuse the cause
of the Democratic party. This action was
largely due to disappointment in State
conflicts, ahd can be IN some degree. ut
least traced to his defeat by Simon Cam
eron for United States Senator several
wears before. Cameron and Curtin were
never in harmony.
Governor Curtin continued thereafter 10
act with the Democratic party, receiving
tue petty consideration Of an election TO
Congress for or 3 terms from his district.
and falling at last victim to Democratic
jealousy and resentment. lie was no les Is
badlv treated by the Democratic author-
ties in the House itself, where he was mex
cusably supplanted on an important COM
mittee by young member who had moth
ing but his wealth to distinguish him.
From that time Governor Curtin had no
inclination to return to Congress. What
eyer may have been his real feeling for the
Democratic party it is certain that party
never gave him its entire confidence and
he was strangly out of place in acting with
it.
All Pennsylvania will mourn the death
of one of the States most eminent sons;
he was brave, patriotic and earnest III
ali his undertakings; true and devoted
Pennsylvania.