The Scranton tribune. [volume] (Scranton, Pa.) 1891-1910, 1896-08-05
QUAY AND CAMERON
One Story About Each Of Pennsylvania
Two Picturesque and Interesting
Seuators...Cameron's Nerve.
From the washington Post.

Politics make strange bedfellowa,
says the old political saw. An instance
Of this is seen in the fact that Pitts
burg Democratic newspaper, which,
until since the Chicago convention. was
a strong gold standard advocate, IL now
supporting Bryan and the Chicago plat
form and quoting from Senator Don
Cameron's rare speeches in favor Of free
silver to make good its new position.
don Cameron" said Pennsylvania
admirer. has more nerve than his IA
ther, Simon Cameron, ever had. though
he was by no means deficient in that
necessary political article. For in
stance. in the campaign Of 1879 Penn
sylvania voted for governor In october.
General John F. Hartranft was the Re-
publican nominee. A hight was made
against him by the self-styled better
class Republicans" the kind since de-
nominated as Mugwumps. Old Simon
Cameron and some Of his advisers be-
came frightened. A meeting to consid-
er the advisability Of substituting some
other person for Hartranft was called
to meet at the Continental hotel. in
Philadelphia. In the midst OF II. when
old Simon and the rest had about come
to the conclusion to retire Hertranft
and put up somebody else, Don. who
was not in the confidence Of the meeting
and had not been invited to attend 1t.
but who had learned what was going
on, strobe into the room. With scant
ceremony he addressed the meeting In
this fashion:
"'You are talking about taking Hart
ranft of the ticket. II you do will
beat whoever you put UP. You can put
up him (pointing to Wayne MacVeagh,
his brother-in-l and will beat him.
Or you can pu up him, even (pointng to
his father, Simon), and I will beat him.
Good-day.'
with that he turned on his heel ana
left the room, without waiting to hear
the reply of the meeting. Hartranft re-
manned on the ticket, and was elected,
and four years later at Cincinnati was
Pennsylvania's candidate for the Pres
idency. 1t was a great exhibition OF
nerve by Don."
Matthew Stanley Quay. Pennsylva.
MAS other senator. is on the executive
committee of the Republican national
committee. 1t is said that he could
have been chairman Of the executive
committee had he so desired. As 1t IL.
he will undoubtedly have the conhden-
tial ear Of both Major Mckinley and
Mr.. Hanna, at least till November 3,
no matter how 1t may be after that.
Senator Quay began his career as q
legislator as a representative In the
Pennsylvania Legislature for the term
of 1s65-'67. At that time and until the
adoption Of the new constitution in 1874
the legislature had the sole power OF
granting divorces. Quays first aot
as a legislator was the introduction ct
a resolution to divorce Henry Lord Nc
Connell and Mary Wilson Mcconnell.
This resolution passed both houses un-
der suspension OF the rules with In two
hours after 1t had been introduced by
Mr.. Quay, and became q. law by ths
immediate signature of Governor Cur
tin. or course, there is a story.
Henry Lord Mcconnell was a captain
i'm the Union army stationed at Harris
burg, in 1865, about the close OF the
war. He was u handsome. snowy fell
low, but as nothing was known Of his
antecedents he gained no particular So
cial position at the Keystone capital.
Mary Wilson Mcconnell was the daugh-
ter of Andrew q. Curtin, governor OF
the commonwealth. She was In 1856
but q school girl of seventeen. She was
attracted by Captain Mcconnell, and
one afternoon yielded to his pleadlngs
and went with him to the Office Of O.
justice of the peace and was married
to him. Then she returned to the gov
ernor's mansion to tell what she had
done, and try to reconcile her father.
He, however. took another view Of the
matter and his daughter never saw
Captain Mcconnell again. Governor
Curtin was not only a power In his
own,state, but he possessed great in
fiuence at Washington. Captain Nc
Connell was speedily ordered away from
Harrisburg, and dropped out Of sight
and this story.
The marriage was kept as secret as
possible, and never in fact became gen.
orally known in the social circles Of the
state cpaital. So when Mr.. Quay Of
fered his resolution there was not half
a dozen members of either house who
had the remotest idea who the parties
were. Quay had been military secre-
tary to Governor Curtin during the
four years Of the war, and knew how to
deal with the Legislature. Mrs. McCon-
nell had repented of her hasty and ILL
advised act; Mcconnell had gone no one
knew whittier and none cared, so he
never returned, so that there was none
to oppose the divorce. Miss Curtin, al
ways a social favorite, subsequently
married into wealthy family in an ad.
joining state.