Butler citizen. [volume] (Butler, Pa.) 1877-1922, 1904-06-02

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Prothonotary of Beaver county. to fill
vacancy, and in 1856 was elected to
succeed himself.
When the Civil War broke out he
joined the 39th p. v. as lieutenant
and with it went to Harrisburg. but
Gov. Curtin appointed him Assistant
Commissary, and afterwards made him
his private secretary. After the second
Bull Run battle, he took an active part
in recruiting the 134th, and was made
its Colonel by Gov. Curtin. The regi
ment wss hurried forward to Antietam
where it lay for some months, during
which time Col Quay went down with
typhoid fever, which left him SO weak
that he resigned his commission; but the
battle of Fredericksburg coming on, he
went into it az an aid Of Gen. Tyler,
and did good work during the day.
Then Gov. Curtin appointed him
military state agent at Washington, and
in 1853 appointed him his military
secretary.
In 1854 he was elected to the Legisla-
ture from Beaver county and was
member when the last great fight be-
tween Curtin and Cameron took place
In 1861
In this fight he deserted his old friend
Curtin and went into the Cameron
camp, and was accused at the time Of
receiving twenty thousand dollars for
his treachery.
Even Quay's friends never attempt
ed to explain the sudden change in
Quay's material affairs which took place
at about this time. When he went to the
Legislature he was a poor man. Soon
after the opening Of the session he be-
gan the erection of what was then the
most pretentious business building in
Beaver He himself testified later that
il cost him 81, 900, but he did not TT
where he got the money.
Whatever may have been the com
pelling cause there can be no question
that Quay's treatment of Curtin was
treacherous. He had the war Governor
to thank for, almost without exception,
every public honor that had been his up
until that time. He had an acknowl-
edged place among the leaders OF the
State, and even his enemies had to con-
cede that his star was rising swiftly and
steadily. For all this he was indebted
TO Curtin, but from the election Of
Speaker Glass he was with Cameron.
-Pittsburg Times.
The defeat of Curtin made Simon
Cameron the master of the Republican
party of the state. and Quay stuck close
to him and to his lieutenant Robert
Mackey in Pittsburg.
From this time on Quay was almost
continually In Office, he was Secretary
Of the Commonwealth under both Hart
ranft and Hoyt, and the fat Office of
Recorder Of Philadelphia county, the
fees Of which amounted to about S5O,-
900 year was created for him, but
soon discontinued.
His name was connected with several
scandals, the worst Of which was the
shortage in the State Treasury under
Noyes, with J. Blake Walters, crony
Of Quay's, as cashier. The shortage
amounted to $3.50, 900, and was made
good by Don. Cameron and other friends
OF Quay, and in 1886 he was ''vindicated'
by being elected State Treasurer him
self.
In the National Convention OF 1888
he opposed Harrison's nomination, but
was made Chairman Of the National
Committee, and by his remarkable
work IN New York city, gave that state
to the Republicans and secured Harri-
sons election. Aided by contributions
from all over the country he had com
plete poll of the city made. by blocks
or election precincts, and on election
day had detectives at every polling
place.
president Harrison himself was
perhaps the only man who failed TO
give Quay credit for the work he done
during the campaign. Harrison was
like Quay In this-he was cold, and nm
less IL happened to suit his mood he
was not always inclined to give credit
where credit was due.
The first hitch came " hen Quay asked
the appointment Of John Wanarnaker
to the cabinet. Wanamaker was then
AZ warm and faithful friend and gup-
borter AZ Quay had. He had been
member Of the "fatfrying" committee.
and he finally appointed him Postmaster
General. but under protest
The second hitch between the two men
came when Quay went TO the President
In behalf Of his son. Andrew q. Curtin
QUAY, then IN officer 10 the United
States army. The young man was
graduate OF West Point, but his father
asked that he be advanced consider
able number Of points in the list. Har-
rison refused In the manner that only
he could assume.
why Genera" said Quay. Il made
you President"
lkHarrison locked ut him coldly and:
Mr.. quay, God made me President 2
E-Quay left the room I'm n daze. He.
for once, had lost his wits and in the
hallway he literally bumped into Rob.
ert q. IngersoL Ingersol saw some
thug was wrong and he asked what Il
was.
Why" said Quay, Harrison has
been telling me that God made him
President
well" replied Ingersoll. with dry
smile, We heard the Almighty ac.
cused OF some mean things, but that's
the worst.
Not long after this incident Quay had
occasion to go to the White House again.
In the ante room to the Presidents of.
fee he was told that Gen. Harrison
couldn't be seen"
Heavens" said Quay, in mock sur.
prise, has he got that smallr7
In 1890 came the Delarnater cam
paign, and Quay did not "own a Gov
ernor'
In 1893 his first term as Senator end.
ed and he was reelected without oppo-
sition.
In 1895 he made or rather read his IA
nous speech In the Senate, keeping at 1t
day after day, until the Wilson tariff
bill was amended to suit him: and this
was followed by the Hog Combine
fight against him for the State Chair