The Columbian. [volume] (Bloomsburg, Pa.) 1866-1910, 1905-01-12
CHARLES r. BUCKALEW.


Sundays Philadelphia Press Col. A.
X. Mcclure describes the scenes
and incidents of the the contest be-
tween Simon Cameron and Charles
r. Buckalew for election to the
United States Senate in 1868. Mr..
Buckalew was elected, the Demo-
cratic majority on joint ballot being
only one, aud though that one had
been offered SIoo, 900 to vote for
Cameron he did not do it because
he knew that any man that thus
betrayed his party would not leave
the House alive, as there were Sc
veral hundred men there from
Philadelphia whose business was TO
kill such a traitor Whether it was
only a scheme to scare any member
from accepting a bribe, or whether
it was as Col. Mcclure says, the
Democrat who voted for Cameron
would have been killed on the spot,
we cannot say. 1t worked effectu-
ally and it was not necessary to
kill anybody.
In closing his article Col. Nc
Ciure gives the following very ac.
curate description of Mr.. Buckalew:
Charles r Buckalew was one of
the ablest men Of the Democratic
leaders of h S time. He was not an
organizer, he had little or no knowl-
edge of political strategy, and was
entirely untitled for the lower strata
methods of modern politics. He
came to the Senate in 1852 hardly
known outside Of his own district;
he was singularly quiet and unob-
trusive in manner, and never i'll any
way sought to exploit himself. He
won his position in the party solely
by the great ability he possessed,
his practical efficiency in legislation,
and the absolute purity of his char
acter. He was ordinarily a cold,
unimpassioned speaker, but emin-
emily logical and forceful.
only on very few occasions
did ever see him aroused to the
exhibition of emotion in public de-
bate. He took the floor only when
there seemed to be necessity for it,
and always brief and incisive in the
expression of his views while pre-
senting his arguments. Had he
entered the national Senate under
different conditions he would have
made more creditable record in
that body, but during his entire six
years of service his party was in a
pitiable minority, and with his old
school Democratic ideas he could
not advance with the new revolu.
tionary conditions which surround
ed and overwhelmed him."
| "Buckalew was an old time
Democratic strict constructionist
and he had no sympathy with the
violent advances precipitated by
war or the overthrow of slavery b,
methods as violent in politics a!
were the deadly struggles in the
field to sustain it. He com
manded the universal respect of hi.
Republican associates in the Senate
and the answering confidence o
his own party in state and county
In 1872 when the Democrats hat
every prospect of electing Cover
nor because of the Liberal Republi
can movement, they nominated
Buckalew without serious contest
and that meant that the party want
ed Buckalew rather than tha
Buckalew wanted the office. H,
was not capable of manipulating tn,
nomination for himself, and he wa
made candidate solely because th'
party preferred him and presented
him as the strongest ani cleanes
candidate that could be offered t,
the people. He accepted the nom
ination aud spoke in a number o
: the leading centers of the state, bu
did not attempt systematic can
vass. The collapse of the Liberia
, Republican and Democratic coali
ton at the October elections is wei
remembered and Buckalew fell il
the lace. Later he was elected t
Congress, where he served tw'
terms, and that ended his publ
J career. In both the national Sen
} ate and House he seldom participat
, ed in debate, but he was a mos
faithful and efficient practical work
, er in all matters relating to legisla
ton. Soon after his retirement tn
work of highly honorable and use
, full life was ended and he crosse,
, the dark river to the echoless shor