Year: 1879

The Carney Senatorial Election.


Ward Burlingame, in his article in the anni-
versary issue of the Atchison Champion, speak
ing of the Carney Senatorial election of 1864,
stated that Secretary Chase was at the bottom
of il, ns a means of revenge upon Jim Lane, who
had betrayed his Presidential aspirations. We
thought this conid not he, the Chase move
ment had not yet come 10 a foeus and besides,
Gov. Carney was strongly in favor of Lincoln
As Lane was which wouid not have helped Chase
in the contest. But knowing that Mr.. Burlin
game was Gov. Carnry's private Secretary at the
time supposed hr mnst have known some
thing of the secrets Of the movement In a re-
cent conversation with Gov. Carney, we learned
some facts connected with the election that We
never knew brfore


At that time, there no law of Congress
fixing ih- time for holding Senatorial al elections,
but u all d-pended upon custom and CONVEX
ience. The general usage was to elect by the
Legislature held just previous to the expiration
of Senatorial term. Lanes term wonld not
expire until March 4tb, 1865, but he determined
to precipitate an election by the Legislature
held at the beginning Of 1864, and had taken
particular pains to canvass the question, and as
certain his standing with the State Senate elec-
ted in 1862, and holding over. II that was right,
he would manage to carry the House, at the
elections in 1858. His excuse was, that he wonld
then be safe himself, and be free to devote all
his time to National politics and the Pre,iden
tial election. Not until after the elections in
the Fall of 1868, when he discov cred that both
branches of the Legislature were unfriendly to
him, did he abandon the scheme, and denounce
it as fraud.


Sometime in the Fall of 1863 Governor Car
ney, at the solicitation of Secretary Chase, wis.,
tied Washington. He was invited to dinner at
the Secretary's house, and during his VISIT Chase
and other prominent men pleaded earnestly with
him to accept an election by the Legislature to
convene the following Winter. Carney argued
that was not the proper time; but the others
devoted all their powers of persuasion and argu-
ment to convince him that, in the absence of
any positive law, it was as proper as any other
time, and that if he would accept an election, he
would undoubtedly be given the seat, as there
was much dislike of Lane on the part of lead
ing Senators. The Governor left Washington
without having given a decisive answer, but
with his inclination strongly against the move
ment.


But the Senatorial movement had got started,
by the time the Legislature met, and there were
partisans on both sides of the question. Cau-
cuses were held, and the matter discussed, without
any definite result Finally, about the begin
ming of February, Judge Horton appeared in To-
peka, with letter from Senator Pomeroy.
caucus was called at which the letter was read.
Pomeroy wrote that caucus of the leading
Republican Senators ha d been held in Washing
ton, at which such men as Wade, Chandler,
Sherman, and others, expressed desire that
Carney should accept an election at that session,
pledging the mselves to sustain him in holding
the seat against any other man who might be
elected by the succeeding Legislature. This let
ter decided the business. An election was re-
solved upon, which was held February 11th,
and Carney elected Senator.


News of this election, of course, was tele-
graphed to Washington. The first response the
Governor received, was letter from Pomeroy,
congratulating him upon his success, and add
ing: "The merit Legislature WiH doubt ratify the
action Of the present one thus giring yoH the seat be
yond question % This was a sumner, after his
former letter. As soon possible, after the al
10 urnment of the Legislature, Carney went to
Washington, to see what the prospect really
was. He called upon the Senators named by
Pomeroy, every one of whom was surprised at
what the Governor told them No such caucus
had ever been held, and they had expressed no
such desire or opinion as had been represented.
On the contrary, every man said that such
course would be setting precedent under which
their own seats might be taken from them, with
ont notice warning. 1t was lie manufactur
ed by Pomeroy out of the whole cloth. He de
sired the election, in order to get rid of Lane,
who had more influence with the Administra-
than he had; and after it was accomplished, he
began to fear that u Senator from Leavenworth
might defeat his own re election, and therefore
backed squarely out of his position. Carney was
never able to secure the letter that Pomeroy sent
to Topeka by Horton. These facts explain why
the Governor did not attempt to hold the seat
under that election, but resigned all claim to it,
and ran his chances for al election by the next
Legislature.


N r.