VOL. 42.
The Huntingdon Journal.
---
Office in new JuuRNAL Building, Fifth Street.
THE HUNTINGDON JOURNAL is published every
Friday by J. A. NASH, at 82,00 per 911111IM IN ADVANCE,
or $2.50 if rot paid for in six months from date of sub
scription, and 83 if not paid within the year.
No paper discontinued, unless at the option of the pub
lisher, until all arrearages are paid.
No paper, however, will be sent out of the State unless
absolutely paid for in advance.
Transient advertisements will be inserted at TWELVE
AND A-HALF CENTS per line for the first insertion, SEVEN
AND A-HALF CENTS for the second and FIVE CENTS per line
for all subsequent insertions.
Regular quarterly and yearly business advertisements
will be inserted at the following rates i
13m 16m 1 9m I l Yr I 13m 1 6 m 1 9m 1 1
I Yr
lin 1,3 50 4 501 5 501 800 1 4col 900 18 00 $27 $36
2`• I 5 o'l 8 o.illo 00112 00 lAwl 18 00 36 00 50 65
3"I700 10 00114 00118 00 yeol 34 00 50 00 65 80
4 " 8 001 14 00120 00118 00 1 col 36 00 60 00 80 100
All Resolutions of Associations, Communications: of
limited or individual interest, all party announcements,
and notices of Marriages and Deaths, exceeding five lines,
will be charged TEN CENTS per line.
Legal and other notices will be charged to the party
Laving them inserted.
Advertising Agents must find their commission outside
of these figures.
An advertising account: are due and collectable
when the advertisement is once inserted.
JOB PRINTING of every kind, Plain and Fancy Colors,
done with neatness and dispatch. Hand-bills, Blanks ,
Cards, Pamphlets, &c., of every variety and style, printed
at the shortest notice, and everything in the Printing
line will be executed in the most artistic manner and at
the lowest rates.
Election Proclamation
[GOD SAVE THE COMMONWEALTH."'
ELECTION PROCLAMATION.
Whereas, by an act of the General Assem
bly of the commonwealth of Pennsylvania, entitled "An
Act to regulate the General Elections within said Com
monwealth," it is made the duty of the Sheriff of each
county to give public notice of the officers to be elected,
and the time and place of holding said elections in the
election districts, and the laws governing the holding
thereof:
Now therefore, I, BAWL. H. IRVIN, High Sher
iff of Huntingdon county, do hereby made known that
the General Election will be held in and for said county
On Tuesday, November sth, 1878.
it being the Tuesday following the first Monday of No
vember,(the polls to be opened at seven o'clock a. m., vnd
closed a t seven o'clock p. m.) at which time the Freemen
of Iluntindon county will vote by ballot for the following
officers, namely:
One person for the office of Governor of the Common
wealth of Pennsylvania.
One person for the office of Supreme Judge of the Com
monwealth of Pennsylvania.
One person for the office of Lieutenant Governor of the
Commonwealth of Pennsylvania.
One person for the office of Secretary of Internal Af
fairs of the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania.
One person for member of Congress of the Eighteenth
Congressional District, composed of the counties of Hunt
ingdon, Franklin, Fulton, Perry, Juniata and Snycer.
Two persons to represent Huntingdon county in the
General Assembly of Pennsylvania.
One person for the office of Prothonotary of Hunting
don county.
One person for the office of Register and Recorder of
Huntingdon county.
One person for the office of District Attorney of Hunt
ingdon county.
One person for the office of Treasurer of Huntingdon
county.
Three persons for the office of Commissioner of Hunting
don county.
Oue persons for Director of the Poor of Huntingdon
county.
Two persons for the office of Auditor of Huntingdon
county.
The Election Polls in all the wards, townships, boroughs,
and districts of the county shall be opened at 7 o'clock
a. x. and closed at 7 o'clock v. m.
Is pursuance of said act, I also hereby make known and
give notice, that the places of holding the aforesaid general
election in the several election districts within the
county of Huntingdon, are as iollows, to wit :
let district, composed of the township of Henderson, at
the Union School House.
2d district, composed of Dublin township, at Pleasant
Hill School House, near Joseph Nelson's in said township.
3d district, composed of so much of Warriorsmark town
ship, as is not included in the 19th district, at the new
school house in the town of Warriorsmark.
4th district composed of the township of Hopewell, at
the house of Levi Houpt.
sth district, composed of the township of Barree, at the
house of James Livingston, in the town of Saulsburg, in
said township.
6th district composed of the borough of Shirleysbnrg,
and all that part of the township of Shirley not included
within the limits of District No. 24, as hereinafter men
tioned and described, at the house of David Fmker, dec'd,
in Shirleysburg.
7th district, composed of Porter and part of Walker
township, and so much of West township as is Included in
the followlisgboandaries, to wit : Beginning at the south
westcorner of Tobias Caufnum's Farm on the bank of the
Little Juniata river, to the lower end of Jackson's nar
rows, thence in a northwesterly direction to the most
southernly part of the farm owned by Michael Maguire,
thence north 411 degrees west to the top of Tussey's moun
tain to Intersect the line of Franklin township, thence
along the said line to the Little Juniata river, thence
down the same to place of beginning, at the public school
house opposite the German Reformed Church, in the bor
ough of Alexandria.
Bth district, composed of the township of Franklin, at
the public School House, iu the village of Frankluiville,
in said township.
9th district, composed of Tell township, at the Union
shoot house, near the Union meeting house in said twp.
).Jth district, composed of Springfield township, at the
school house, near Hugh Madden's, in said township.
11th district, composed of Union township, at the
Railroad school house, in said township.
12th district, composed of Brady township, at the Centre
school house, in said township.
13th district, composed of Morris township, at public
school house No. 2, in said township.
14th district composed of the township of West, at the
public school house, on the farm now owned by Miles
Lewis, (formerly owned by James Ennis) in said town
ship.
15th district, composed of Walker township, at the
house of Benjamin Magahy, in McConnelstown.
16th district, composed of the township of Tod, at the
Green school house, in said township.
17th district, composed of Oneida township, at Centre
Union School Clouse.
18th district, composed of Cromwell township, at the
Rock Hill School House.
19th district, composed of the borough of Birmingham
with the several tracts of land near to and attached to the
tonne, now owned and occupied by Thomas M. Owens,
John K. McCahan, Andrew Robeson, John Gensimer and
Wm. Gensimer, and the tract of land now owned by
George and John Shoenberger, known an the Porter tract,
situate in the township of Warriorsmark, at the public
school house in said borough.
20th district, composed of the township of Case, at the
public school house in Cass - -ille, in said township.
21st district, composed of the township of Jackson at the
public house of Edward Littles, at McAleavy's Fort, in
said township.
22d dis.rict, composed of the township of Clay, at the
public school house in Scottsville.
23d district, composed of the township of Penn, at the
public school house in Grafton, in said township.
2lth district, composed and created as follows, to wit :
That all that part of Shirley township, Huntingdon coun
ty, lying and being within the following described boun
daries, (except the borough of Mount Union,) uamely :
Beginning at the intersection of Union and Shirley town
ship lines with the Juniata river, on the south side there
of; thence along said Union township line for thedistance
of three mile, from said river; thence eastwardly, by a
straight line, to the point where the main road from
Eby a mill to Germany valley, crosses the summit of
Sandy ridge; thence nurthwardly along the summit of
Sandy ridge to the river Juniata, and thence up said river
to the place of beginning, shall hereafter form a separate
election district ; that the qualified voters of said election
district shall hereafter bold their general and township
elections in the public school house in Mount Union, in
said district.
25th district, composed of all that territory lying north
eastward of a line beginning at the Juniata riverand run
ning thence in a direct line along the centre of 4th Street
in the borough of Huntingdon, to the line ofOneida town
ship, constituting the First Ward of said borough, at the
south east window of the Court House.
26th district, composed of all that territory lying west
of the First Ward and east of the centre of ith street
composing the second Ward at the Engine House in the
borough aforesaid.
27th district, composed of all that territory lying north
and west of the Second Ward and south of a line begin
ning at the Juniata river, and running thence eastward
an a direct line along the centre of 11th street to the line
of Oneida township constituting the Third Ward, and also
those portions of Walker and Porter townships formerly
attached to the east ward, at the office of James Simpson,
No. 831 Washington street, in said borough.
28th district, composed of all that territory north of the
third want of said borough, constituti ug the Fourth Ward,
at the public School House near Cherry Alley, in said
borough.
29th district composed of the township of Logan and
the borough of Petersburg, at the school house, in the
borough of Petersburg.
311th district, composed of Juniata township at Hawn's
school house, in said township.
31st district, composed of Carbon township, recently
erected out ofa part of the territory of Tod township to wit:
commencing at a chestunt oak, on the summit of Terrace
mountain, at the Hopewell township line opposite the
dividing ridge, in the Little Valley ; thence south fitty
two degrees, east three hundred and sixty perches to a
stone heap on the Western Summit of Broad Top moun
tain; thence north sixty seven degrees, east three hun
dred and twelve perches, to a yellow pine ' • thence south
fifty-two degrees, east seven hundred and seventy-two
perches to a Chestnut Oak; thence south fourteen degrees,
east three hundred sail Ilty one perches, to a Chestnut at
the east end of Hear/ $ Given's hind; thence south thirty
one and a half *stet two hundred and ninety-four
perches to a tee Wia the summit- of a spur of
Broad Top, on the western side of John Terrel's farm :
south, sixty-five degrees, east nine hundred and thirty
four perches, to &stone heap on the Clay township line,
at the Public School House, in the village of Dudley.
32d district, composed of the borough of Coalmont, at
the public school house in said borough.
33d district, composed of Lincoln township, beginning
at a pine on the summit of Tussey mountain on the line
between Blair and Huntingdon counties, thence by tile
division line south, fifty-eight degrees east seven hund
red and ninety-eight perches to a black oak in middle of
township; thence forty-two sad one half degrees east
eight hundred and two perches to a pine on summit of
Terrace ; thence by line of Tod township to corner of
Penn township ; thence by the lines of the township of
Penn to the summit of Tussey mountain ; thence along
said summit with line of Blair county to place of begin
ning at Coffee Run School House.
34th district, oomposed of the borough of Maid eton,at the
public school house in said borough.
35th district, composed of the borough of Mount Union,
at the public school house in said borough.
36th district, composed of the borough of Broad Top
City, at the public school house in said borough
37th district, composed of the borough of Three Springs
at the public school house in said borough.
38th district, composed of the borough of Shade Gap,
at the public school house in said borough.
39th district, the borough of Orbisunia, at the public
school house.
40th district, composed- of the borough of Sfarklesburg,
at the main puilic schoolhouse in said borough.
41st district, composed of the borough of saltillo, at the
public rchool house in said borough.
42d district, composed of the borough of Dudley, incor
porated on the 13th November, 1876, at the public school
house, in said borough.
The 15th Section of Art. 8, of the Constitution, provides:
Szeram 15. No person shall he qualified to serve BR an
election officer who shall hold or shall within two months
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Election Proclamation
have held an office, appointment or employment is or
under the government of the United States or of this
State, or of any city, or county, or of any municipal
board; commission or trust in any city, save only
justices of the peace, and alderman, notaries public and
persons in military services of the State ; nor shall any
election officer be eligible to any civil office to be filled
at an election at which he shall serve, save only to such
subordinate municipal or local officers, below the grade
of city or county officers as shall be designated by general
law.
An act of Assembly entitled "an act relating to
the elections of this Commonwealth," passed July 2, 1819,
provides as follows, viz
"That the Inspectors and Judges shall meet at the res
pective places appointed fur holding the election in the
district at which they respectively belong; before 7 o'clock
in the morning of the let Tuesday of November, and each
said inspector shall appoint one clerk, wno shall be qual
ified voter of such district.
In case the person who shall have received the second
highest number of votes for inspector shall not attend on
the day of the election, then the person who shall have
received the second highest number of votes for Judge at
the next preceding election shall act as inspector in his
place. And in case the person who shall have received
the highest number of votee for inepector shall not attend,
the person elected Judge shall appoint an inspector in
his place, and in case the person elected Judge shall not
attend, then the inspector who received the highest num
ber of votes shall appoint a Judge in his place; and if any
vacancy shall continue in the board for the space of one
hour after the time fixed by law for the epening of the
election, the qualified voters of the township, ward or dis
trict for which such officer shall have teen elected, present
at such election shall elect one of their number to
fill the vacancy.
It shall be the duty of the several assessors of each dis
trict to attend at the place of holding every general,
special or township election, during the whole time aid
election is kept open, for the purpose of giving information
to the inspectors and judges, when called on, in relation
to the right of any person assessed by them to vote at such
election, or such other matters in relation to the asesss
ment of voters as the said inspectors or either of them
shall from time to time require.
SPECIAL ATTENTION is hereby directed to the Bth
Article of the New Constitution.
Searfore 1. Every male citizen twenty-one years of age,
possessing the following qualifications, shall be entitled
to vote at all elections.
First—He shall have been a citizen of the United States
at least one month.
Seeoud.—He shall have resided in the State one year,
(or if having previously been a qualified elector or native
born citizen of the State, he shall have removed from and
returned, then six months,) immediately preceding the
election.
Third.—He shall have resided in the election district
where he shall offer to vote at least two months immedi
ately preceding the election.
Fourth. -1 f twenty-two years of age and upwards, he shall
have paid within two years a State or county tax, which
shall have been assessed at least two months ant paid at
least one month before the election.
By Section 1 of act of 30th of March, 1866, it is provided
as follows:
That the qualified voters of the several counties of this
Commonwealth, at all general, township, borough and
special elections, are hereby hereafter authorized and re
quired to vote, by tickets, printed or written, or partly
printed or partly written, severally classified as follows :
One ticket shall embrace the names of all judges of courts
voted for, and to be labeled outside "judiciary ;" one tick
et shall embrace the names of all county officers voted for
including office of Senator and members of Assembly, if
voted for, and members of Congress, if voted for, and be
labeled, "county ;" one ticket shall embrace the name of
all township officers voted for, and be labeled, "township;"
one ticket shall embrace the names of all borough officers
voted for, and shall be labeled "borough;" and each class
shall be deposited in separate ballot boxes.
SEcTios 13. For the purpose of voting no person shall
be deemed to have gained a residence by reason of his
presence or lost it by reason of his absence, while em
ployed in the service, either civil or military, of this
State or of the United States, nor while engaged in
the navigation of the waters of this State or of the
United States, or on the high seas, nor while a stu
dent of any institution of learning, nor while kept in any
poor house or other asylum at public expense, nor while
confined in public prison.
Szeriort 4. All elections by the citizens shall be by bal
lot. Every ballot shall be numbered in the order in
which it shall be received, and numoer recorded by the
election officers on the list of voters, opposite the name of
the elector who presents the ballot. Any elector may
write his same upon his ticket or cause the same to bo
written thereon and attested by a citizen of the district.
The election officers shall be sworn or affirmed not to dis
close how any elector shall have voted unless required to
do so as witnesses in a judicial proceeding.
SECTION 6. Whenever any of the qualified electors of
this Commonwealth shall be in actual military service,
under a requisition from the President of the United
States or by the authority of this Commonwealth, such
electors may exercise the right of suffrage in all elections
by citizens, under such regulations as are or shall be pre
scribed by law, as fully as if they were present at their
usual place of election,
Semen 7. All laws regulating the holding of elections
by the citizens or for the registration of electors shall be
uniform throughout the State but no elector shall be de
prived of the privilege of voting by reason of his name
not being registered.
SECTION 9. Any person who shall, while a candidate for
office, be guilty of bribery, fraud, or willful violation of
any election law, shall be forever disqualified from hold
ing an office of trust or profit in this Commonwealth, and
any person convicted of willful violation of the election
laws shall, in addition to any penalties provided by law,
be deprived of the right of suffrage absolutely for a term
of four years.
And also to the following Acts of Assembly now in
force in this State, viz :
Section S. At the opening of the polls at all elections
it shall Le the duty of the judges of election for
their respective districts to designate one of the inspectors,
whose duty it shall be to have in custody the registery of
voters, and to make the entries therein required by law;
and it shall be the duty of the other said inspectors to re
ceive and number the ballots presented at said election.
Section 9. All elections by the citizens shall be by bal
lot ; every ballot voted shall be numbered in the order in
which it shall be received, and the number recorded by
the clerks on the list of voters opposite the name of the
elector from whom received. And any voter voting two or
more tickets, the several tickets so voted shall each be
numbered with the number corresponding with the num
ber to the name of the voter. Any elector may write his
name upon the ticket, or cause the same to be written
thereon, and attested by a citizen of the district. In ad
dition to the oath now prescribed by law to be taken and
subscribed by election officers, they shall severally be
morn or affirmed not to disclose how say elector shall
have voted, unless required to do so as witnesses in a ju
dicial proceeding. All judges, inspectors, clerks, and over
seers of any election held under this act, shall, before en
tering upon their duties, be duly sworn or affirmed in the
presence of each other. The judge shall be sworn by the
minority inspector, if there shall be such minority inspec
tor, and in case there be no minority inspector,
then by a justice of the peace or alderman, and
the inspectors, overseers, and clerks shall be sworn
by the judge. Certificates of such swearing or af
firming shall be duly made out and signed by the officers
so sworn, and attested by the officer who administered the
oath. If any judge or minority inspector refuses or tails
to swear the officers of election in the manner required
by this act, or if any officer of election shall act without
being first duly sworn, or if any officer of election shall
sign the form of oath without being duly sworn, or if any
judge or minority inspector shall certify that any officer
was sworn when ho was not, it shall be deemed a misde
meanor, and upon conviction, the o ffi cer or o ffi cers so of
fending shall be fined not exceeding one thousand dollars,
or imprisoned not to exceed one year, or both, in the dis
cretion of the court.
I also give official notice to the electors orHuntingdon
County, that by an act entitled "An Act further suppli
menial to the act relative to the election of this Common
wealth, approved Jan. 80, A. D. 1874.
That it is provided in Section 10, that on theday of elec
tion any person whose name is not on the said list, and
claiming the right to vote at the said election, shall pro
duceat least one qualified voter of the district as a wit
ness to the residence of the claimant in the district in
which he claims to be a voter,for a period of at least two
months next preceding said election, which witness shall
be sworn or affired and subscribe a written or partly writ
ten and partly printed affidavit to the facts stated by him,
which affidavits shall define clearly where the residence is,
of the person so claiming to be a voter; and the person so
claiming the right to vote shall also take and subscribe
a written or partly written and partly printed affidavit,
stating to the beat of his knowledge and belief, where and
when he was born ; that he has been a citizen of the Uni
ted States for one month, and of the Commonwealth of
Pennsylvania- that he has resided in the Commonwealth
one year, or of formerly a qualified elector or a native born
citizen thereof, and has removed therefrom and returned
that he has resided therein six months next preceeding said
election ; that he has resided in the district in which he
claims to be a voter for the period of at least two months
immediately preceeding said election; that he has not
moved into the district for the purpose of voting therein ;
that he has if 22 years of age and upwards, paid a State
or County tax within two years, which was assessed at
least two mouths and paid at least one month, before se id
election ; and if a naturalized citizen shall also state
when, where and by what 'court he was naturalized, and
shall also produce his certificate of naturalization for ex
amination ; that said affidavit shall also state when and
where the tax claimed to be paid by the affiant was as
seised, and when, where and to whom paid ; and the tax
receipt therefor shall be produced for examination, un
less the affiant shall state in his affidavit that it has been
lost or destroyed, or that he never received any but if
the person so claiming the right to vote shall take mud
subscribe an affidavit, that he it a native-born citizen of
the United States, (or if born elsewhere, shall state the fact
in his affidavit, and shall produce evidence that he has
been naturalized, or that he is entitled to citizenship by
reason of his father's naturalization;) and shall further
state in his affidavit that he is, at the time of melting the
affidavit, between the ages of twenty-one and twenty-two
years ; that he has been a citizen of the United States one
month, and has resided in the state one year, or, if a na
tive-born citizen of the State and removed therefrom and
returned, that he has resided therein six months next
preceding said election, and in the election district imme
mediately two months preceding such election, he shall
be entitled to vote. although he shall not have paid taxes ;
the said affidavits of all persons making such claims, and
the affidavit of the witnesses to their residence shall be
preserved by the election board, and at the close of the
election they shall be enclosed with the list of voters,
tally list and other papers required by law to be filed by
the Return Judges with the Prothonotary and shall remain
on file within the Prothonotary's office, subject to exami
nation, as other election impale are ; if the election officers
shall find that the applicant possesses all the legal
qualifications of a voter be shall be permitted to rote, and
his name shall be added to the list of taxables by the
election officers, the word "tax" being added where the
claimant claims to vote on tax, and the word "age" where
he claims to vote on age; the same words being added
by the clerk in each case respectfully on the lists of persons
voting at such election.
Also, that in Section 11th of said Act, it is provided that
it shall be lawful for any qualified citizen of the district,
notwithstanding the name of the proposed voter is con
tained ou the list of the resident taxables, to challenge the
vote of such person whereupon the same proof of the
right of suffrage as is now required by law shall be pub
licly made and acted on by the election board, and the
vote admitted or rejected, according to the evidence; ev
ery person claiming to be a naturalized citizen shall be
required to produce his naturalization certificate at the
election before voting, except where he has been for five
year., consecutively, a voter in the district in which he
offers his vote ; and on the vote of such person being re
ceived, it shall be the duty of the election officers to write
or stamp on such certificate the word "voted," with the
day, month and year ; and if any election officer:or officers
shall receive a second vote on the same day, by virtue of
the same certificate, excepting where sons are eutited
vote by virtue of the naturalization of their fathom they
and the person who shall offer such second vote, upon so
offending shall be guilty of high misdemeanor and
on conviction thereof, be fined or imprisoned, or both,
at the discretion of the Court; but the fine shall not ex
ceed five hundrecki dollars in each case, nor the imprison
ment more than one year ; the like punishment shall he
inflicted on conviction on the officers of election who
shall neglect or refuse to make ' or cause to be made, the
endorsement required as aforesaid on said naturalization
certificate. . . .
VV
Also that in Section 12 of said Act, it is provided that if
any election officer shall refuse or neglect to require such
proof of the right of suffrage as is prescribed by this law
or the laws to which this ie a supplement, from any person
Election Proclamation
offering to vote whose name is not on the list of assessed
voters, or whose right to vote is challenged by any qual
ified voter present, and shall admit such person to vote
without requiring such proof, every person so offending
shall, upon conviction, be guilty of a misdemeanor,
and shall be sentenced for every such offense, to pay a
fine not exceeding five hundred dollars, or to undergo an
imprisonment not more than one year, or either or both,
at the discretion of the Court.
SECTION 13. As soon HA the polls shall close, the officers
of election shall proceed to count all the votes cast for
each candidate voted for, and make a full return of the
same in triplicate, with a return sheet in addition, in all
of which the votes received by each candidate shall be
given after his or her name, first in words and again in
figures, and shall be signed by all of said officers and cer
tified by overseers, if any, or if n ft so certified, theover
seers and any officer refusing to sign or certify, or either
of them, shall write upon each of the returns his or their
reasons for not signing or certifying them. The vote, as
soon as counted, shall also be publicly and fully declared
from the window to the citizens present, and a brief state
ment showing the votes received by each candidate shall
be made and signed by the election officers as soon as the
vote is counted, and the eame shall be immediately posted
up on the door of the election house for information of the
public. The triplicate returns shall be enclosed in envel
opes and be sealed in presence of the officers, and one en
vet pe, with the unsealed return sheet, given to the judge,
which shall contain one list of voters, tally-paper, and oaths
of officers, and another of said envelopes shall be given to
the minority inspector. All judges living within twelve
miles of the prothonotary's office, or within twenty-four
miles, if their residence be in a town, village or city upon
the line of railroad leading to the county seat, shall, be
fore two o'clock post meridan of the day after the election,
and all other judges shall, before twelve o'clock metidan
of the second day after the election, deliver said return,
together with return sheet, to the prothonotary of the
court of common pleas of the county, which said return
sheet shall be filed, and the day and hour of filing mark
ed thereon, and shall be preserved by the prothonotary for
public inspection. At twelve o'clock on the said second
day following any election, the prothonotary of the court
of common pleas *hall present the said returns to the said
court. In counties where there is no resident president
Presidentjudge, the associate judges shall perform the
duties imposed upon the court of common pleas, which
shall convene for said purpose; the returns presented by
the prothonotary shall be opened by said court and com
puted by such of its officers and such sworn assistants as
the court shall appoint, in the presence of the judge or
judges of said court, and the returns certified and certifi
cates of election issued under the seal of the court as is
now required to be dune by return judges ; and the vote as
so computed and certified, shall be made a matter of record
in said court. The sessions of the said court shall be open
tc the public. And in case the return of any election dis
trict shall be missing when the returns are presented, or
in case of complaint of a qualified elector under oath,
charging palpable fraud or mistake, and particularly spec
ifying the alleged fraud or mistake, of where fraud or
mistake is apparent on the return, the court shall examine
the return, and if in the judgment of the court it shall
be necessary to ajust return, said court shall issue sum
mary process against the election officers and overseers,
if any, of the election district complained of, to bring
. them forthwith into court, with all election papers in their
Possession ; and if palpable mistake or fraud shall be dis
covered, it shall, upon such hearing as may be deemed ne
cessary to enlighten the court, be corrected by the court
and so certified; but all allegations of palpable fraud or
mistake shall be decided by the said court within three
days alter the day the returns are brought into court for
computation ; and the said inquiry shall be directed oaly
to palpable fraud or mistake, and shall not be deemed a
judicial adjudication to conclude any contest now or here
after to be provided by law ; and the other of the of said
triplicate returns shall be placed in the box and sealed up
with the ballots. . _
Also in Section 17 of said Act, it is provided that the re
spective assessors, inspectors and judges of the election
shall each have the power to administer oaths to any
person claiming the right to be assessed or the right cf
suffrage, or in regard to any other matter or thing requi
red to be done or inquired into by any one of said officers
under this act ; and any wilful false swearing by any per
son in relation to any matter and thing concerning
which they shall be lawfully interrogated by any of said
officers or overseers shall be punished as perjury.
SECTION 8. Electors shall in all cases except treason,
felony and breach or surety of the peace, be privilleged
from arrest during their attendance on elections and in
going to and returning therefrom.
Sitcrunt 8. Any person who shall give, or promise or
offer to give, to an elector, any money, reward, or other
valuable consideration for hie vote at an election, or for
withholding the same, or who shall give or promise to
give such consideration to any other person or party for
such elector's vote or for the withholding thereof, and any
elector who shall receive or agree to receive, for himself or
for another, any money, reward or other valuable con
sideration or his vote at an election, or for withholding
the same shall thereby forfeit the right to vote at such
election, and any elector whose right to vote shall be ilial
longed for such cause before the election officers, shall be
required to swear or affirm that the matter of the chal
lenge is untrue before his vote shall he received.
SECTION 19. Any assessor, election officer or person ap
pointed as an overseer, who shall neglect or refuse to per
form any duty enjoined by this act, without reasonable or
legal cause, shall be subject to a penalty of one hundred
dollars; and if any assessor shall knowingly assess any
person as a voter who is not qualified, or shall wilfully
refuse to assess any one who is qualified, he shall be guil
ty of a misdemeanor in office and on conviction be punish
ed by a fine not exceeding one thousand dollars, or im
prisonment not exceeding two years, or both, at the dis
cretion of the court, and also be subject to an action for
damages by theparty aggrieved '• and if any person shall
fraudulently alter, add to, deface or destroy any list of
voters made out as directed by this act, or tear down or
remove the same from the place where it has been fixed,
with fraudulent or mischievous intent, or for any improp
er purpose, the person so offending shall be guilty of a
misdemeanor, and on conviction shall be punished by a
fine not exceeding five hundred dollars, or imprisonment
not exceeding two years, or both, at the discretion of the
court; and if any person shall, by violence and intimida
tion, drive, or attempt to drive from the polls, any person
or persons appointed by the court to act as overseers of an
election, in any way wilfully prevent said overseers
from performing the duties enjoined upon them by this
act, such persons shall be guilty of a misdemeanor, and
upon conviction thereof shall be punished by a fine not
exceeding one thousand dollars, or by imprisonment
not exceeding two years, or both at the discretion of the
court. Any person who shall on the day of any election,
visit a polling place in any election district at which he is
not entitled to vote, and shall use intimidation or violence
for the purpose of preventing any officer of election from
performing the duties required of him by law, or for
the purpose of preventing any qualified voter of the dis
trict exercising his right to vote, or from exercising his
right to challenge any person offering to vete, such per
son shall be deemed guilty of a misdemeanor, and upon
conviction thereof, shall be punished by a tine not ex,
seeding one thousand dollars, or by imprisonment not
exceeding two years, or both, at the discretion of the
court. Any clerk, overseer or election officer, who shall
disclose how any elector shall have voted, unless required
to doso in a judicial proceeding, shall be guilty of a mis
demeanor, and upon conviction thereof shall be punished
by a fine not exceeding one thousand dollars, or by im
prisonment not exceeding two years, or both, in the
discretion of the court. .
SEC. 4. On the petition of Ere or more citizens of any
election district, setting forth that the appointment of
overseers is a reasonable precaution to secure the purity
and fairness of the election in said district; it shall be the
duty of the court of common pleas of the proper county,
ail the law judges of the said court able to act at the time
concurring, to appoint two judicious, soberand intelligent
citizens of the said district belonging to different political
parties, overseers of election to supervise the proceedings
of the election officers thereof, and to make report of the
same as they may be required by such court. Said over
seers shall be persons qualified to serve upon election
boards and shall have the right to be present with the of
ficers of such election during the whole time the sapie is
held, the votes counted, and the returns made out and
signed by the election officers; to keeps list of the voters,
if they see proper; to challenge any person offering to
vote, and interrogate him and-his witnesses under oath,
in regard to his right of suffrage at said election, and to
examine his papers produced ; and the officers of said
election are required to afford tosaid overseers, so selected
and appointed every convenience and facility for the dis
charge of their duties; and if said election officers shall
refuse to permit said overseers to be present, and perform
their duties as aforesaid, such officer or officers shall be
guilty of a misdemeanor, and on conviction thereof shall
be fined not exceeeing one thousand dollars, or imprison
ment not exceeding one year, or both, at the discretion of
the court: or if the overseers shall be driven away from
the polls by violence or intimidation, all the votes polled
in such election district may be rejected by the proper
tribunal trying a contest under said election, or a part or
portion of such votes aforesaid may be counted, as such
tribunal may deem necessary to a just and proper dispo
sition of the case. . . .
If any person shall prevent or attempt to prevent any
officer of an election under this act from holding such
election, or use or threaten any violence to any such offi
cer, and shall interrupt or improperly interfere with him
in the execution of his duty, shall block up or attempt to
block up the window or avenue to any window where the
same may be holden, or shall riotously disturb the peace
of such election, or shall use or practice intimidation,
threats, force or violence, with the design to influence un
duly or overawe any elector, or prevent him from voting,
or to restrain the freedom of choice, such persons on con
viction shill be fined in any sum not exceeding five hun
dred dollars, to be imprisoned for any time not less than
one nor more than twelve months, and if it shall be shown
to the court where the trial of such offense shall be had,
that the person so offending was not a resident of the
city, ward or district where the said offense was committed,
and not entitled to vote therein, on conviction, he shall
be sentenced to pay a fine not less than one hundred net
more then one thousand dollars, and be imprisoned not
less than six months nor more than two years,
-
"If any person or persons shall make any bet or wager
upon the result of an election within the Commonwealth,
or shall offer to make any such bet or wager, either by
verbal proclamation thereof or by any written or printed
advertisement, or invite any person or persons to make
such bet or wager, upon conviction thereof hc or they shall
forfeit and pay three times the amount so bet or offered to
be bet. - _ - -
Election officers will take notice that the act entitled
"A Further Supplement to the Election Laws of this Com
monwealth," disqualifying deserters from the army of the
United States from voting, has recently been declared un
constitutional by the Supreme Court of Pennsylvania, is now
null and void, and that all persons formerly disqualified
thereunder are now lawful voters, if otherwise qualified.
Sec. 111. It shall be the duty of every mayor, sheriff,
deputy sheriff, alderman, justice of the peace, and constable
or deputy constable of every city, county and township or
district within this Commonwealth, whenever called upon
by any officer of an election, or by any three qualified
electors thereof, to clear any window, or avenue to any
window, at the place of the general election, which shall
be obstructed in such a way as to prevent voters from
approaching the sane, and on neglect or refusal to do on
such requisition, said officer shell be deemed guilty of a
misdemeanor in office, and on conviction, shall be fined
in any sum not less than one hundred nor more than one
thousand dollars; and it shall be the duty of the respect
ive constables of each ward, district or township within
this Commonwealth, to be present in person or by deputy,
at the place of holding such elections in said ward, district
or township, fur the purpose of preserving the peace, as
aforesaid.
SEC. 112. It shall be the duty of every peace officer, as
aforesaid, who shall be present at any such disturbance at
an election as is described in this act, to report the same to
the next court of quarter sessions, and aiso the namesof the
witnesses ho can prove the same; and 1161101 be the duty
of said eourt to cause indictments to be preferred before the
grant jury against the persons so offending.
SEC. 113. If it shall be made to appear to any court of
quarter sessions of this Commonwealth that any riot or dis
turbance occurred at the time and place of holding any elec
tion under this act, and the constables who are enjoined by
law to attend at such elections have not given information
thereof,Secording to the provisions of this act, it shall he
the duty of said court to eauselhe officer or officers, so ne
glecting the duty aforesaid, to be proceeded against by in
dictment for a misdemeanor in office, and on con Fiction
thereof, the said officer shall be fined iu any sum not ex
ceeding one hundred dollars.
Sue. 114. It shall be the duty of the several courts of
quarter sessions of this Commonwealth, at the next term of
said court after any election shall have been held underthe
act, to cause the respective constables in said county to be
examined on oath, as to whether any breaches of the peace
took place at the election within their respective town
ships, wards or districts, and it shall be the duty of said
constables respectively to make return thereof as part of
their official return at said court.
HUNTINGDON, PA,, FRIDAY OCTOBER 11, 1878.
Election Proclamation
Pursuant to the provisions of the 76th section of the
Act first aforesaid, the Judges of the aforesaid districts
shall respectively take charge of the certificates of returns
of the election in their respective districts, and produce
them at a meeting of one Judge from each district, at the
Court House, in the Borough of Huntingdon, on the third
day after the election, being on FRIDAY, the Bth day of
November, 1878, then and there to do and perform the
duties required by law of the said Judges.
Where a Judge by sickness or unavoidable accident is
unable to attend such meeting of Judges, the certificate
or return of aforesaid Judge shall be taken charge of by
one of the inspectors or clerks of the election of said
district, who shall do and perform the duties required of
such Judge unable to attend.
By virtue of an Act of Assembly, approved the 12th day
of June, A. D., 1878, I also make further proclamation of
"Au Act for the taxation of dogs and the protection of
sheep."
AN ACT for the taxation of dogs and the protection of
sheep.
&Moe 1. Be it Eneteted, (Fe., That from and after the
passage of this act, there shall be assessed, levied and col
lected annually, with other county taxes, in each of the
townships and boroughs of this commonwealth, from the
owners and keepers of dogs, the following named taxes,
namely For each male dog, the sum of fifty cents, and
for every female dog the sum of one dollar, to be paid to
the treasurer of the county where collected, to be kept by
him separate and in such manner that he can know how
much has been collected from each township and borough,
and how much paid out for losses or damages, in each, at
any time, to be a fund from which persons sustaining lose
or damage to sheep by a dog or dogs, and the necessary
costs in establishing their claim therefor, and herein pro
vided, may be paid.
Ssc. 2. For the purpose of levying and collecting such
taxes, the assessors in each township and borough shall,
annually, at the time of assessing other taxable property,
ascertain and return to the county commissioners of their
county a true statement of all the dogs in their townships
and boroughs, respectively, and the names of the persons
owning or keeping such dogs, and how many of each sex
is kept or owned by each person ; and such commissioners
in each county shall, annually, levy and cause to be col
lected the taxes herein before named, with, and in the
same manner, and for the same compensation, that other
comity taxes are collected.
Sac. 3. That whenever any person shall sustain any
lose or damage to sheep by a dog or dogs, in any township
or borough, such person, or his or her agent or attorney,
may complain to any justice of the peace of such township
or borough, in writing, to be signed by the person making
complaint, stating therein when, where and how such
damage was done, and by whose dog or dogs, if known ;
whereupon the justice of the peace to whom such som
plaint shall be made, shall cause a notice to be served on
the owner or keeper of the dog or dogs caueing the damage,
if known, that a complaint has been made to him of such
loss or damage ; and if the owner or keeper of such dog or
dogs does not appear, as soon as practicable, and settle and
pay for such loss or damage, then such justice shall ap
point three competent disinterested persons, not related
to the claimant or other persons interested therein, to
appraise the loss or damage sustained by the claimant
and such appraisers, after being sworn or affirmed by such
justice of the peace, or some other competent person, to
perform the duties of their appointment without partially
and according to the best of their judgment and ability,
shall, as soon as practicable, examine the place where
'the damage is claimed to have been done, and the sheep
injured or killed, if practicable, and they are requested to
do so, and shall be examined, on oath or affirmation to be
administered by one of them, any witness called before
them by a subpoena from such justice or otherwise, and
after making diligent inquiry in relation to such claim,
shall determine and report to such justice, in writing,
whether any such damage has been sustained, and the
amount thereof, and who was the owner or keeper of the
dog or dogs, if known, by which such damage has been
done, and whether or not any part thereof was ceased by
a dog owned or kept by the claimant, which report. so
made, shall be signed by a majority of such appraisers,
and delivered to the justice by whom they were appointed.
Sic. 4. That upon receiving such report, the said justice
shall immediately make a certificate thereon or thereto,
signed and sealed by him, that such appraisers were duly
appointed and sworn by him, and that they made such
report ; and if by such report it appears that any damages
have been sustained by the complainant, the said justice
shall deliver such report and all papers relating to the
case, to such claimant or his or her agent or attorney,
upon payment of the costa up to that time, hereinafter
provided, (or having secured the same to be paid,) to be
delivered to the commissioners of the county where such
damages have been sustained to be filed in their office.
Sao. 5. That upon the commissioners of the county re
ceiving such report, it shall appear hereby that a cer
tain amount of damage or loss has been sustained by the
claimant to sheep, by a dog or dogs not owned or kept by
him or her, they shall immediately draw their order on
the treasurer of such county in favor of the claimant for
the amount of lees or damage such claimant has sustained
according to such report, with necessary and proper costs
incurred as aforesaid, to be paid out of the fund raised or
to be raised by taxes on dogs as hereinbefore provided;
and if it shall appear by such report or otherwise, that a
responsible person was the owner or keeper of the dog or
dogs by which the damage complained of was done, and
there is a reasonable probability such damages and costs
can be collected from such owner or keeper, then such
commissioners shall immediately proceed, in the manner
provided by law for the collection of debts and costs of
like amount, to collect such damages and costs by a suit
or snits from the owner or owners, or keeper or keepers
of such dog or dogs, and place the proceeds thereof, less
costs, in the proper sheep fund of the county : Provided,
At any and all times, it shall be the duty of the owner of
any sheep-killing dog or dogs, or any person owning
sheep, to kill any and all dogs guilty of killing sheep
within this common wealth.
Six. 6. That all dogs in this commonwealth shall here
after be personal property and subjects of larceny, and
the owner or keeper of any dogs shall be liable to the
county commissioners for all loss or damage to sheep by
such dog, with the necessary costs incurred in recovering
and collecting such damages, including an attorney fee of
five dollars if finally determiued before a justice of the
peace, and of ten dollars if tried in a court of common
plass ; but at any time after notice of a claim for dama
ges under the provisions of this act, the owner or keeper
of any dog may tender to the claimant or hie agent or
attorney making such claim a sum of money equal to the
loss or damage sustained, or may offer before a justice of
the peace, with notice to the claimant, his agent or at
torney, as aforesaid, a judgment in an action of trespass,
for the amount of such lose or damage, and all costs up to
the time of such offer, which offer, for a he of twenty cents
shall be entered on the docket of such justice ; and in case
the claimant in such case. or commissioners, as the case
may be. shall not accept of such tender or offer ofjudgment
and afterwards on the final determination of such case
shall not recover a greater amount than the sum so
tendered or for which a judgment has been offered, as
aforesaid, besides the interest and cost since such tender
or offer, as the case may be, such claimant or commission
ers shall not recover any costs accruing after such tender
or offer, but shall pay to the defendant or defendants the
cost such defendant or defendants have incurred since
such offer or tender, including an attorney fee as herein
before provided in case of a recovery by claimants, which
costs may be deducted from the amount of any judgment
recovered in such case by the claimants or commissioners,
and if such judgment is not sufficient such costa may be
collected by an action of debt in any court having juris
diction of such amount as in other cases of debt,
Sec. 7. That justices of the peace for the special services
under the provisions of this act, shall be entitled to one
dollar for each case, and the appraisers each one dollar
per day for the time necessarily spent by them in investi
gating each claim, to be paid by the claimant in such case.
Sac. 8. That at the end of each year the commissioners
of each county shalt certify to the treasurer of the county
the several claim, and amounts thereof, filed in their
office under the provisions of the act, remaining unpaid;
and if any such treasurer shall have in his hands, of
moneys collected for the payment thereof, more than two
hundred dollars above the amount of such claims, he
obeli immediately apportion and distribute the excess to the
several school districts in such county, in proportion to the
amount of such balance or OKObßil raised by said taxes. on
dogs in each or in the several townships or boroughs
forming such districts, respectively, and shall notify the
school treasurer of such districts how much it is entitled
to of such moneys and shall pay the same to such school
treasurers, on their receipts and orders for the same, for
the support of the common schools of such district.
Sec. 9. That this act shall not repeal or affect the
provisions of any special law in relation to the same
subject in any county of this commonwealth.
Sae. 10. That the Sheriff of each county, on the request
of the county commissioners, shall cause this act to be
published therein, with and in the same manner as
notices of the next general election shall be published ;
and for the purpose of deciding whether or not the pro
visions of this act are desired in the several counties, the
qualified electors therein may vote at such election, by
ballots written or printed on the outside "Sheep Law,"
and on the inside "For the Sheep Law.% or "Against the
Sheep Law;" and in each county wherein it shall appear
by a proper count ef such ballots that a majority are "For
the Sheep Law," thie act shall immediately take effect, but
iu no other county until a majority of the qualified
electors thereof, after like advertisement in like manner,
have determined that they desire this act to take effect
therein : Provided, That there shall be no advertisement
or election for such purpose iu any county oftener than
once in two years.
APettovzo'—The 12th day of June, A. D. 1878.
J. N. IiARTRANFT.
MODE OF VOTING.
Particular attenilon is directed to the first section of
the act of assembly, passed the 30th day of March, A. D
1860, entitled " An act regulating the manner of voting at
all elections, in the several counties of this Common
wealth." _ _ _
11 the qualified voters of the several counties of this
commonwealth, at all general, township or borough and
special elections, are hereby hereafter authorised and re
quired to vote, by tickets printed or written, or partly
printed and partly written, severally classified as follows;
One ticket shall embrace the names of all judges of courts
voted for, and be labeled outside "judiciary ;" one ticket
shall embrace the names of state officers voted for, and be
labeled "state;" one ticket shall embrace the names of all
county officers voted for, including office of senator, mem
ber and members of assembly, if voted for, and members
of congress, if voted for, and labeled "county ;" one ticket
shall embrace the names of all township officers voted for,
and be labeled "township;' one ticket shall embrace the
names of all borough officers voted for, and be labeled
"borough;" one ticket shall embrace the words "For the
Sheep Law ;" or "Against the Sheep Law ;" labeled on the
outside "Sheep Law ;" and each class shall be deposited
in separate ballot boxes.
Given under my hand at Huntingdon, the 27th day et
September, Anno Domini one thousand eight hundred
and seventy-eight and ofthe4ndependence of the United
States the one hundred and third.
SHERIFF'S OFFIOB,
Sept. 27, 1878. j
Patents
obtained for Inventors, in the United States, Cana
da, and Europe at rednced rates. With our prin
cipal office located in Washington, directly opposite
the United States Patent Office, we are able to at
tend to all Patent Business with greater promptness
and despatch and less cost, than other patent attor
neys, who are at a distance from Washington, and
who huve, therefore, to employ"associate attorneys?,
We make preliminary examinations and furnish
opinions as to patentability, free of charge, and all
who are interested in new inventions and Patentsare
invited to send for a copy of our "Guide for obtain
ing Patents," which is sent free to any address, and
contains complete instructions how to obtain Pat
ents, and other valuable matter. We refer to the
German-American National Bank, Washington, D.
C. ; the Royal Swedish, Norwegian, and Danish
Legations, at Washington; Hon. Joseph Casey,
late Chief Justice U. S. Court of Claims; to the
Officials of the U. S. Patent Office, and to Senators
and Members of Congress front every State.
Address: LOUIS BAGGER it CO., Solicitors
of Patents and Attorneys at Law,4eDroil
Washington, P. C, tapr26 578-tf
The Huntingdon Journal
J. A. NASH, - -
FRIDAY, - - - OCTOBER 11, 1878
Circulation LARGER than any other
Paper in the Juniata Valley.
SPEECH OF
EON. FRANCIS JORDAN,
At McConnellsburg, Sept. 28th.
THE CHAIRMAN OF THE DEMOCRATIC
COMMITTEE ANSWERED-SHAM DE
MOCRACY EXPOSED AND THE REPUB
LICAN PARTY VINDICATED. •
The Republicans of Fulton and adjoining coun
ties had a rousing campaign meeting on the 28th
ult., at M 'Connellsburg. The principal address wa s
delivered by Col. Francis Jordan,of Harrisburg. We
publish the full text of Col. Jordan's admirable
address, and it will repay perusal. He speaks
principally of State affairs, replying convincingly
to Chairman Speer's speech, delivered a few weeks
since, and shows where the latter perverted and
falsified figures and facts. Following is the ad
dress :
MR. PRESIDENT AND FELLOW CITIZENS :—I am
informed that at a recent political meeting here,
you were honored and enlightened with the pres
ence and speeches of Mr. Dill, the Democratic can
didate for Governor, Mr. Speer, Chairman of the
Democratic State Committee, and Mr. Stenger,
member of and candidate for Congress. So far as
I have seen, or am aware, only the speech of Mr.
Speer has been published. This looks unkind to
the aspirant for Governor ; and leaves room for the
inference that his speeches are not considered, by
hie friends, worth publication. lam not here to
call in question the soundness of their judgment.
Nat having heard the speeches, we are confined to
an examination of the printed speech of Mr.
Speer; but, as the State Democratic Organ, at
Harrisburg, has published it as by authority, we
are justified in looking upon it as an official expo •
Bitten, and vindication, of Democratic principles
and candidates. I have the speech before me;
and some of you have requested that I should give
it some attention. This I propose to do, in con
nection with some kindred subjects. You all
know how true it is that "a lie can travel a league
while truth is putting on his boots;" and any man
may, in a single line, make an assertion or ask a
question, which will require a page to properly
answer or refute. Mr. Speer is a fluent speaker,
a respectable lawyer, and an ambitious and ultra
partisan. His speech clearly demonstrates these
traits of character ; and it has evidently been
written out with great care for publication. It has
some truth in it; but so suppressed, distorted, per
verted, partial and misapplied ; as to convey false
impressions, and lead to erroneous conclusions.—
The performance, as a whole, is calculated to de
stoy all faith in the adage that "figures cannot
lio." The speech seems to have been constructed
throughout on the principle that some truth is
required to make a plausible and credible false
hood; and that it was more desirable to attain
this end than to vindicate the truth of history by
a frank, manly, and full statement of the whole
truth on the several subjects discussed.
The orator commences with a highly colored
picture of existing evils, and a railing accusation
against the Republican party, charging it, through
bad legislation, as the sole cause of the debt, fi
naneial embarrassments, labor-troubles, bankrupt
cies, and all the other evils which afflict our com
mon country. Are these accusations true? As an
humble member of the Republican party, I stand
here to deny them ; and I challenge the proofs.—
Reckless assertion is neither evidence nor argu
metz,t; and slander is not proof. Let us reason
together, as old neighbors, and as fair men, de
sirous to know and understand the true situation,
how it came to pass, and what is new the best
thing to be done. The evils that are upon us,
such as they are, did not come by chance, nor
suddenly, nor without warning; but they are the
plain results of a long chain of causes, known to
the worlu, and clearly read of all men not wilfully
blind. Let me briefly remind you of some of
them: In 1559 we had no National debt of any
consequence. In 18110 we had a Presidential elec
tion, and Abraham Lincoln was lawfully chosen
President of the United States. The Democratic
party refused to acquiesce in, or submit to, that
election ; and inaugurated the war of the rebellion,
claiming the right of the States to secede from the
National UniOn, for any cause they chose to as
sign. The Democratic States, and no others, en
listed under the flag of disunion. The Democratic
party, and it alone, fought against the national
supremacy. The Republican party, being in law
ful possession of the government, was bound by
every consideration of patriotism and, national
honor, to preserve the Union at all hazards, and
to band it down unimpaired to posterity. This
dreadful and unnatural conflict raged with un
abated fury for four long, weary years. The whale
power and resources of the nation were thrown in
to the bloody strife. The end was the overthrow
of the rebellion, and the salvation of the Union,
in spite of all the combined and diabolical efforts
of the Democratic party, the world, the flesh and
the devil. The victory of the right was complete ;
but the aggregate cost far exceeded all powers of
reckoning or computation. Hundreds of thousands
of our gallant dead filled untimely and bloody
graves, or were starved in loathsome prisons; our
commerce was swept from the seas ; every branch
of labor and industry not connected with the war
was paralyzed or destroyed; the land was filled
with diseased and orippled soldiers, their widows
and orphans, the nation was impoverished to the
verge of bankruptcy; and our national debt, funded
and unfunded, amounted to the enormous aggre
gate of about three thousand millions of dollars
(3,000,000,000). Such is a hasty outline of this
recent and sad history, written in ruin, devasta
tion, fire and blood; and, my hearers, you all
know and have felt how awfully real and true it
is. It is as clear as the noonday sun in the
heavens, that this mountain of debt is the cause
of all our manifold financial evils. The war of
the rebellion caused the debt, and the Democratic
party (mused the rebellion; and on this awful
record I hurl back the base and calumnious charges
against the Republican party, made by the chair
man of the Democratic State Committee; and I
arraign him and his followers before the bar of
history and of public opinion as the guilty authors
of all our financial evils and the reckless libellers
of the Republican party.
But, say the Democrats and Greenbackers, the
Republican party has contracted the currency;
and in the unwise effort to thus bring about re
sumption, have brought distress and bankruptcy
upon the country. This charge is so often and
persistently made that, no doubt, many ignorant
persons, and perhaps others, are thereby deceived.
The fact is, the volume of currency has never been
materially reduced or contracted; and this the
records of the United States Treasury Department
clearly show. I examined the whole matter care
fully in 1875, and then made out the follqwing
table, showing the annual aggregate of outstand
ing paper money, including greenbacks, National
bank notes, and postal currency, at the clove of
eeoh &all year;
Aggregate
Dote, of Paper Currency.
1865
1866
1867
1865
1869
1870
1871
1872
1873
1874
1875
Only a few weeks ago the Register of the Treas
ury, on request, sent me a similar statement for
the three succeeding years, as follow 8;
SAM'L. 11. IRVIN,
iiHERIFf.
Date.
1876..
1878
An examination of these tables discloses the
important fact that at the time of the panic in
1573, there were over one hundred millions of dol
lars in circulation more than at the end of the
war in 1865, and the further fact that in 1878 we
have nearly sixty millions of dollars more paper
money in circulation than we had in 1865.
Such are the records of the Treasury Depart
ment; and they cannot be questioned ; and they
demonstrate the utter mendacity or ignorance of
those who assert that the Republican party has
paralyzed business, and driven the country into
bankruptcy, by a contraction of the currency. If
our enemies had any true charges of wrong to
make against us, they would hardly find it ne
cessary to make and report so many false ones.
Here again we are met, in Mr. Speer's speech,
with another tissue of fabrications, unreasonable
complaints, perverted arithmetic, and cunningly
devised sophistries. Staggering under this tre
mendous debt, the practical question was, and yet
is, how ought it to be managed 1 The Republican
party has no apologies to make for its conduct of
the war. During its progress the expenditures
often exceeded a million of dollars per day; and
to provide all this, severely taxed both the wisdom
and patriotism of the people.
- Editor,
HUNTINGDON, PENN'A
DEBT AND BANKRUPTCY,
9ONTRACTION.
Aggregate
o/ Paper Currency.
$737,717,597
BANKS AND PAPER MONEY,
To accomplish the desired ends different varie
ties of notes and bonds were authorized and issued,
payable at different times and at different rates of
interest ; and the State banks were all superseded
and national banks authorized to take their places.
Prominent among these obligations were what are
now called national greenbacks and national bank
notes. Our Democratic friends denounced the
greenbacks from the start, and during the whole
war, and until recently. Now they have changed
their tune, and claim to be the special friends of
the greenback, and demand the destruction of the
national banks. The greenbacks have answered
their purpose, and answered it well, because they
were made a legal-tender; were limited in amount
under the laws of their creation so as never to ex
ceed $400,000,000, and the faith of the nation was
solemnly pledged again and again for their re
demption.. Peace having been established, and
about a thousand millions, or one-third of the
national debt, having since been paid off, the
assurances of payment of the greenbacks in gold
are about to be made good. The premium on gold
is only one-fourth of one percent., so that $lOO 25
of greenbacks will buy $lOO of gold; and the notes
of the national banks are practically of the same
value as the greenback, and are all convertible the
one into the other at par, at the option of the
holder. What more can any reasonable man ask?
There is no better, and can be no better currency
in the world. Every holder of the Government
money can have, at pleasure, gold, silver, or paper,
and any one variety convertible into the other
whenever he pleases. There is wisdom in the old
adage, "Let well enough alone ;" and we demand,
and have a right to demand, that Mr. Speer, and
all such chronic grumblers hold their pease, and
cease their petty railings and save their wind for
F ome more honest and profitable purpose. But,
say they, "if greenbacks are now so good, why not
issue more of them, and snake money plenty ?"
The answers to this questions are plain. In the
first place these were issued on a great emergency
to save the life of the nation when threatened by
war ; and the Supreme Court of the United States
sanctioned this money as constitutional because
its issue was the exercise of a war power by Con
gress. There being no longer any war in exist
ence, it would be unconstitutional to issue any
more legal-tender greenbacks. This ought to be
reason enough to any man s or any party, who has
any respect for the Constitution under which we
live. In the next place, we do not need any more
paper money. The Hon. James A Bayard, Demo
cratic United State Senator, of Delaware,in a
speech made at Wilmington, on the 29th ugust
last, declared that, "In this country, at present,
there is really no scarcity of paper money, nor
is there any actual need for more money." The
banks of the great money centres are full of it,
and it can be had in abundance and at moderate
rates ; and if more should at any time be wanted,
the National Banks are authorized to issue to any
amount required by the business wants of the
country.
Moreover, another issue could not possibly be
as good as the old. This, because capital and
capitalists are timid; and the doubt on the con
stitutionality of any new issue would be a flagrant
violation of the oft repeated and solemn pledge of
the Government to the holders, that the total
amount should never exceed $400,000,000. That
pledge was and is as follows :
Be it enacted, &c. That the faith of the United States
is solemnly pledged to the payment of coin or its equiva
lent, all of the obligations of the United States, not bear
ing interest,known as United States Notes. And the Uni
ted States also solemnly pledges its faith to make provi
sion at the earliest practicable period for the redemption
of the United States notes in coin,"
Surely any Government which would voluntary
break so solemn a pledge as this, could not have,
and would not deserve to have the confidence of its
own citizens, or of anybody else. How can an hon
est man ask his Government to stultify itself by a
repudiation of the solemn pledges on which the
notes were issued and paid out? Where is the
Democrat, Greenbacker, or anybody else, shame
less enough to seriously advocate so dishonorable
a course as this? Any greenbacks issued hereafter,
therefore, would be a bastard issue, unconstitution
al, dishonest and bogus ; and never could take rank
or value with those heretofore constitutionally is
sued.
But, says some Greenbacker or Democrat, why
not issue "absolute" or "fiat money," without, any
promise ever to redeem, and make currency on the
mere Sat of Congress. Why, my good friend, al
low me to say that this would be no money at all;
and would have none of the esset,tial elements of
money. There are some things that Congress can
not do.. It reminds the of a resolution recently
passed at a county convention of Greenbaokers or
Nationals in Dauphin county, declaring in favor
of more shad in the Susquehanna river. Let us
take one absurdity to illustrate another. Theques
tion is, can shad be made by sot of Congress, or by
act of the Legislature?
Suppose Congress should pass an act declaring
shad to be in the river. Would that put them there ?
Suppose it passes an act declaring that certain
slips of paper shall be cut in the shape of shad,
with the name shad printed upon each. Does that
make the piece of paper a shad, or give it any of
the valuable properties of a shad? Why, mani
festly, such shad would not do to roast, to fry, or
to broil, and much less would they be good to eat.
Just so with any "fiat money" which Congress
could create. They might provide the requisite
slips of paper and print upon them all the numer
als in the alphabet, and eke them out with the
prettiests busts of women and grandest spread ea
gles the skill of the artist could devise. After all
it would not be money, any more than the paper
shad would be a shad. Such bastard greenback
and National Democratic shad and money would
be the laughingstock of the world. Why ? because
real shad must hive edible flesh, and real money
must have intrinsic value. A promise to pay is
one thing, and actual money is another. This
greenback I hold in my hand is a mere promise to
pay, and it does not purport to be anything else.
This coin is money, and has no promise to pay on
it. The former is only as good as the latter be
cause lawfully issued in limited quantities, and
under such conditions and pledges as ultimately
to make the promise good and the one convertible
into the other at the pleasure of the holder. Take
away the conditions and limitations, and the
promise is good, for nothing, while the coin is
good at all times because of its intrinsic value,
and irrespective of conditions. Suppose the late
Democratic Southern confederacy, instead of those
paper promises ta pay, after their independence
should be secured, bad issued gold and silver coins,
of the same weight and fineness of the lawful coins
of the United States. Then such coins would have
been just as good and current after the Confederacy
had gone to pieces as before; whilst the paper
promises they issued, being only "fiat money," is
of no value, and has all "gone where the woodbine
twineth."
But the Democratic party, through the fault
finding chief of its State . Committee, complains of
the grinding monopolies of national banks, pro
claims them an 'mitigated evil, and demands that
they be abolished by law, without benefit of clergy.
Let ns briefly inquire into the wisdom of this pro
position. In the first place, are these banks
monopolies? I deny that they are, in any proper
sense of that term. The laws of their creation are
uniform all over the United States; and they pro
vide that any five or more persons may organise
under them, and start a national bank, on the
terms the laws prescribe alike for all. If this be
monopoly, I confess I don't know the meaning of
the word.
But in this age of the world, no civilized or com
mercial nation can get along without banks of
some kind. Hence the pertinent inquiry, when
the national banks are destroyed what shall take
their place? The Democratic State conventions
of Louisiana and Tennessee are more outspoken
on this subject than their Pennsylvania brethren.
In their platforms they boldly demand the substi
tution of State banks for the national banks; and
such, by fair inference, is the demand of the Dem
ocratic party in this campaign, They ran both
the National and State Governments almost un
interruptedly for thirty years prior to 1861, and
what did they do? They voluntarily abdicated
and relinquished all right in the National Govern
ment to furnish the people a paper currency ; and
for money they gave us the issues of State banks,
and occasionally added to these the issue of cities,
boroughs, and even turnpike companies, and other
corporations—a currency commonly known as
"shin-plasters." These were insecure and of un
equal value, even in the States or localities where
issued; and this inequality became greater and
more aggravated the further we got away from
the place of issue. A citisen eitherdoing business
or traveling in remote States bad to submit to fre
quent and heavy discounts, and when the banks
or other corporations which issued this paper
Money failed, as they often did, the holders bad
no security, and often lost the whole amount of
the notes held. In these good old Democratic
days we were often afraid to keep our paper "wild
cat" money over night, for fear it would be good
for nothing in the morning. In aggravation of
all this, it was so poorly engraved, and so ex
tensively counterfeited, that a man in any large
business had to keep a small library of counterfeit
detectors, and even then was far from secure.—
Such was our paper currency in the times of Dem
ocratic ascendancy. I feel very sure no intelligent
man ever wants to see it back again. I appeal to
every man who hears me if our greenback cur
rency—Republican currency, if you please, is not
infinitely better. It is of the same value in all
the States, however remote, and can be exchanged
by the holder at any time or place for gold or
silver without loss. It is so difficult to counterfeit
we hardly ever think it worth while to suspect or
examine it; and better than all, it is so secured
that should any of the banks which issue it break,
the notes are just as good after the break, as be
fore, because secured by a required deposit of
bonds with the Government; so that no man can
ever lose anything by existing paper money,
whether issued by the Government or by the
national banks it has created. When, therefore,
our Democratic friends demand the destruction of
our 4ational banks, and a return to the old worn
out and exploded system of State banks, tinder
693,090,000
678,475,000
676;508,000
683,878,000
711;584000
732,355,000
740,799,000
777,538,000
673,833,000
697,672,628
688;170,771
BLNKS,
which corporations everybody who chose could is
sue paper money, and as much of it as they chose,
and without any adequate security for redemption,
they demand what nobody will give; they propose
ivaat nobody will accept; and it seems to me they
hold themselves up, without any just provocation,
as proper subjects of popular ridicule and con
tempt. It is seriously to be apprehended that
more lunatic . asylums are needed.
CANDIDATES,
Our friend Mr. Speer has a few words to say
about candidates ; and so have I. It has been my
good fortune to have a personal acquaintance, of
some ten years, with the Democratic and Republi
can candidates for Governor. They are known as
good clever fellows, lawyers of good standing in
their respective counties; and may be justly con
sidered as fair Tarty representatives. Hence at
the breaking out of the rebellion, Henry M. Hoyt,
then a private citizen, entered the Union Army as
a Lieutenant Colonel in the 52d regiment of Penn
sylvania volunteers; thus offering his life for his
country, and doing a gallant soldier's part, during
the whole war, from which he was honorably dis
charged a Brevet Brigadier General. Andrew H.
Dill, instead of going to the war, continued his
attendance at Democratic Conventions; and served
his country by drawing up and passing resolutions
denouncing the war, and justifying the rebellion.
That I may do the man no injustice I will read a
few resolutions reported by him in 1861, in the
Democratic Convention of Union county:
"2. That we deprecate civil war, as we believe that the
Union can nerer be maintained by force of arms, and that
as Democrats we are not willing to take up arms to support
a platform which a majority of the people repudiate at the
polls."
"3. That we cordially approve the policy of the Nation
al Administration (Buchanan'e) in its wise and conciliato
ry course in the present perilous condition of the country."
"S. That we will, by all proper and legitimate means,
oppose, discountenance and prevent any attempt, on the part
of the Republicans in power, to make any armed aggres
sions upon the Southern States, especially so long as law.
contravening their rights shall remain unrepealed on the
statue books of the Northern States, and so long as the
just demands of the South shall continue to be unrecog
nized by the Republican majorities in these States, and
unsecured by proper amendatory explanations by the Con
stitution."
This record speaks for itself, and requires no
explan-stions. I submit it, without comment to
the patriotic voters of Fulton county, that they
may pass judgment upon it at the ballot box.
But, we are told that Mr. Dill has sewed in our
State Legislature, House and Senate, for nine or
more yea-s. For this let us give him all proper
credit; but, as he is now an aspirant for higher
honors, it is our right and duty to inquire how the
important duties of legislator have been perform
ed. What did he do for the public good during
all these long nine years? On this tne speech of
Mr. Speer and his other friends and organs, are
ominously silent. He drew his salary all the time
with great punctuality and regularity; he answered
to the call of the roll; and Mr. Speer informs,us in no
very complimentary way, that he drew postage for
2.3 letters per day. The people demand, and have
a right to expect, a better record than this. I had
the honor in 1355-6-7 to serve you, and the good
old counties of Bedford and Somerset, in the State
Senate. Any competent man can render his peo
ple and State much service there if he will. My
term was only three years, and yet I turn back
with pride and pleasure to the record then made.
Our public improvements had become a source of
heavy annual loss to the State Treasury, and scan,
dalous political demoralization. A bill was pre
pared for their sale, and I was selected by common
consent as champion of the bill, and with diligence
and persistency I fought it through, the first ses
sion of my term. It tailed to accomplish its pur
pose, by reason of some impracticable amendments
fastened upon it by its enemies. Not discouraged
I tried it again in 1857, when the bill for the sale
of the Main Line was passed, the public works
sold, and the State relieved from her annual bur
dens to maintain them, and from this source of
political demoralization. When there I found
that the legal department of the Government
needed reorganization. The Attorney General was
more ornamental than useful, and received a salary
of only $3OO per annum. Ile was, of course, not
expected to do much for this; and the legal busi
ness of the several departments was peddled out
tolpolitical favorites all over the State. The result
was the legal interests of the State were badly
attended to; money collected by irresponsible
persons often failed to reach the State Treasury at
all; and thousands of dollars were paid for a very
inadequate performance of the work. To remedy
ail this, I prepared a bill to reorganize the Attorney
General's Department, defining his duties, and
requiring him to keep his office at the seat of
government and attend to them. So important
was this to the public service that, after explana
tion, the bill passed through both branches of the
Legislature unanimously; and it remains the law
of the land to this day. I refer to these things,
not from any egotism, but to show that our State
Senate is a place where a reasonably competent
man can render good service. if so much could
be accomplished in three years, what may wo not
reasonaely expect in nine years ? We listen to
Democratic speeches, and road partisan editorials
in vain for any light on the question. What
important public act did ever Senator Dill pro
pose? or with the advocacy or success of what
public measure does his name stand identified ?
Are our laws so perfect tllat ho has been looking
in vain for nine years for souletiling to supply or
amend? This strikes we as a very high compli
ment to our statute books, or a very lew compli
ment to Mr. Dill, which is it?
His friends assure us, however, that he is an
anti-corporation man ; and he is held forth fur our
suffsages as an anti-corpuration candidate upon an
anti-corporation platform. Where is the evidence
of this? We naturally turn to his long legislative
record, and from that I beg leave to exhibit to you
a few specimen bricks :
In 1870 an act was introduced "To authorize
and direct the Attorney General, upon complaint
made by parties whose interests are thereby affect
ed, to institute proceedings according to law,
against corporations alleged to have violated
duties impos al upon them by law." On this Mr.
Dill voted Nay. (H. J. 1870, page 1042.)
At the same session another act was introduced
entitled "An act to authorize railroad companies
to lease or become lez.sees, apd to wake contracts
with other railroad companies, corporations and
parties," Ay the provisions of this bill, giant
monopolies were given lite; and by mergers and
oonsolodati , ma made under it, individual enter
prises were driven to the wall. The bill passed.
Mr. Dill voting iv the affirmative, iH. J. 18711,
page 335 )
In 1870, the following was offered :
"Resolved, That the Committee on Railroads be and are
hereby instructed to report a bill fixing the maximum
rates of freight and fare to be charged by all railroad
companies iu the Commonwealths"
On motion to indefinitely postpone the consider
ation of this resolution, Mr. PO! voted Yea.
(Leg. liec.lB7l, page Sal.)
In 1871, Mr. Dill introduced into the Setrite
bill entitled "Au act to repeal the supplement
approved April 7, 1870, to the act entitled 'An act
relating to executions," approved June 16, 1336,
so far as the same relates to the Muncy Creek rail
way company." (S. J. 1871, p. 279
This bill passed, arid it was one of the most
unreasonable and outrageous bills, ever enacted by
any Legislature. Its practical effect was to close
all the courts of the Commonwealth, as to all
claims and demands against the Muncy Creek
railway company. The creditor or o.aiwaut might
sue for the price of his work, labor or materials,
and obtain a judgment; but this act prohibited
the issue of any execution against the company.
Governor Geary vetoed the bill, as a plain viola
tion of the Constitution, and an outrage against
all the creditors of the corporation thusexempted.
(S. J. p. 615, 618.)
In 1370 (H. J. p. 1119) Mr. Dill voted for an
act entitled "A supplement to the Milfor 1 and
Matamoros railroad company." This is what in
legislative parlance is called a "snake." Many
years ago the New York and Erie railroad com
pany in consideration of sundry privileges obli
gated itself to pay into our State Treasury $lO,OOO
per annum; and this supplement, in artfully
worded and obscure phraseology, appropriated
these annual payments to the owastruotion of the
Milford and Matamoros railroad company—thus
virtually appropriating money out of the State
Treasury to build this railroad. When the fraud
was discovered. the Governor sent a special mes
sage to, the Legislator°, pointing out the wrong
and demanding its repeal. A bill was prepared
fur this purpose, and passed • but Mr. Dill voted
against the repeal. (S. J. 1572, p 795, 796.1
I will only give one more instance frAn this
anti-corporation record, which may serve as a
climax, and demonstration Some twenty years
ago, nine millions of dollars in bonds found their
way into the Sinking Fund of our State Treasury,
being the proceeds of the sales of our rublic works.
In 1370, a scheme was concocted by somebody to get
these bonds out of the Treasury and sell them, and
distribute the proceeds among a number of railroad
companies in various parts of the State—the bonds
of the unbuilt roads to be substituted. A bill was
prepared and introduced into the Legislature to
carry Out thisobjeot, entitled, "An act to facilitate
and secure the construction of additional railways
by extending aid to the Jersey Shore, Pine Creek
et Buffalo, and other companies." This bill was
known and denounced at the time, and ever since,
as "The Nine Million Steal." It passed, and Sen
ator Dill voted for it, (11. J. 1 a7O. p 97.), and
nothing but the firmness and courage of Governor
Geary saved these nine millions of dollars to the
State Treasury, and from the grasp of the railroad
companies. This record is unquestioned, and is
presented to you as Senator Dill made it for him
self. 'What think you of it. fellow oitisens, whether
Republicans, Democrats, Greenbacks, or whatnot,
as the record of an anti-corporation candidate ?
It speaks for itself; and no comments of wine
can make it any clearer or any stronger. It itthard
to characterise properly such jugglery as this.
Read the Democratic State platform on this sub
ject of corporations, and then read this record of
their candidate 1 and determine for yourselves
whether those who made them are knaves or fools.
Candid, truthful, intelligent and honest men they
cannot be. In leaving this point a slight modifi-
cation in the name is suggested. Instead of anti
corporation let it be Andy corporation, and all can
then see the fitness of the title.
REBEL WAR CLAINI.
On this subject the chairman of the Democratic
State Committee has surpassed himself in sophis
tries and misrepresentations. Let us consider the
facts. The fourteenth amendment to the Consti
tution of the United States prohibits all payment
for the loss of slaves. This is good enough so far
as it goes; but there are thousands of other claims
for damages and loss of property, ootton, tobacco,
horses, cattle, fences, and other things, not in—
cluded in the constitutional prohibition, and for
which payment is now demanded, "as a matter of
justice and right." That in, except for slaves,
those lately in rebellion must be paid for all the
losses they incurred during the war in their dupe
rate efforts to overthrow and destroy the govern
ment. Recently I had an interview with an old
friend, connected with that branch of the quarter
master's department in which these claims are Sled
for horses, and he assured me that claims were al
ready registered and on file for over ninety thous
and horses alleged to have been lost in the two
States of Kentucky and Tennessee alone. These
demands are growing every year. In the lost
Congress, down to the 12th day of last April, the
immense number of bills introduced was forty-two
hundred and eighty-two, of which twelve hundred
and twenty-five, or more than one-fourth, were re
ferred to the Committee on War Claims, aggre
gating over three hundred millions of dollars
($300,000,000). But few of these were passed, be
cause of an adverse majority in the Senate, which
made it imprudent for their friends to press them.
When the passage of one for $375,000 was being
urged, an examination of what was called the
Rebel Archives disclosed the fact that the claim
was for services rendered the late confederate
postoffice department by mail contractors ; and
that large payments upon it had actually been al
ready made by the Confederate Government ! After
this revelation the Democratic majority was found
to be not quite large enough to compel its passage ;
and its consideration was prudently postponed for
a more convenient season. A e know the Northern
Democrats disclaim the intention to pay these
claims, but the Southern Democrats insist spot:
payment; and we know, from sad experiences,
that the Northern Democracy are owned and driven
by their Southern leaders, and are bound to do
their bidding, whether for the inauguration of a
rebellion, the striking down of a protective tariff,
or the payment of these claims. In the last ses
sion of Congress Mr. Conger, of Michigan, moved
to suspend the rules to enable him to propose an
amendment to the Constitution of the United
States prohibiting the payment-of all such de
mands. On this motion the vote was 145 yeas to
61 nays-84 not voting. But of this 145 only four
were Southern men, and of the 61 votes in the
negative 55 were from the South Such is the
latest record of the yeas and nays. This is the
"Solid South," and it means business. These de
mands on the public Treasury are the moutnental
outrage of the century; and our only salvation
from this threatened bankruptcy and ruin is in
the election of a national House of Representa
tives not subject to Democratic control.
littOßM,
I have thus endeavored to answer the main
points in Mr. Speer's speech; and with what suc
cess judge ye. So much is said, however, about
"economy, retrenchment and reform," that in eon
elusion I will group together sundry matters under
this general head. And here I will notice the
baseless and unjust accusation against the Repub
lican Legislature for neglecting to pass the neces
sary laws under the now Constitution. It went
into effect in January, 1974; and from that year
to the present, inclusive, there have been Hve
annual sessions. The Republicans had the ma
jority in 1874, 1877 and 1878, snd the Democrats
in 1875 and 1876. An examination of the laws
laws passed during these years will show ten passed
under the requirements of the new Constitution
during the three years of Republican rule for every
one passed during the two years of Densoerstie
rule. In fact, I know of but one more law of this
kind needed; and those complaining have failed to
point out any ; but if others are needed, what was
Senator Dill about all these five years, that this
alleged important public matter has been so ne
glected ? Was be too busy looking atter the in
terests of corparations ?
Mr. Speer, in his speech, gravely informs us
that it has been "estimated that one/owed. of the
revenues of the United States are annually lost in
the collection." But why take an outside estimate
on such an important matter, when the official re
ports and carefully prepared tablesofthe Treasury
Department show the exact annual losses on the
revenue for the last forty-eight years? These re
ports and tables demonstrate that the average an
nual loss on each thousand dollars from 1834 to
1861 (the period of Democratic asoendeney), was
two dollars and nine cents $2.09); whilst from
1861 to 1875 (the period of Republican ascendency),
the average annual loss of each thousand dollars
of revenue, was only thirty : four cents! I have
not been able to lay my hands on any official re
port later than 1875; bat we have no fears for tho
present administration. If there ever was an
honest and patriotic man in the Presidential chair,
that man is President Hays. It strikes me this
monstrous discrepanoy between the ofecia,liy re
corded facts and Mr. Speer's estimates evinces not
only a want of candor on his part, bat a willful
purpose to deceive.
Everybody kauws our democratic friends are
great on '‘economy, retrenchment and reform,"
when they are out of power and office; and espe
cially on the eve of elections. Unfortunately, when
they get elected they seem to forget and repudiate
all their fair promises. To say the least, it is un
wise in th an to challenge any investigation or
comparison on this subject.
Take the city of New York for example and il
lustration. The Democratic party has unlimited
control o• the Government in all its branches, and
has bad fit many years. As a result the debt of
that city, by a recent ofa.:ial report, was $159.-
623,391.77, which, after deducting their sinking
fund of $48,509,4: 4 5 03, leaves the actual debt
$131,113,9011.74 ; which approximates one hun
dred and fifty dollars a bead for every man, wo
man and child in the city. For years past, until
very recently, this enormous debt has been increas
ing at the rote tif at•out eleven millions of &Alias
annually. Here is where Tweed and his confed
erates tiourisoed, and stole $30,000,000 Odell/ire ;
and when discovered and exposed, his party ruse
up in his defenoe, and not only nominated, but
actually elected him to the State &eats by twelve
thousaud majority • and not satisfied with this
emphatic endorsement, they actually got up a sub
scription paper to build him a monument. There
was at least some propriety in this last move, for
be was certainly the most monumental thief and
scoundrel this country has ever produced. I ens
not aware that the design or material for this mon
ument were ever determined upon, but ii, is mani
fest that the material should have been brass,
Here is a genuine specimen of unadulterateil
Democratic "economy, retrenchment and reform."
It shows what the party can do when it has a fait
chance.
For another instance, take the State of M issottrf.
There the Republicans were in power several year.
after the war, and had the finances and credit of
the state in goad shape. A few years sines the
Demoarats Ekovired control, and already there is
a defalcation of some $300,000 in the State Treas
ury; and because of it, payment of the State in
terest is suspended, and the good people of
Missouri are realizing the piratical operations of
Democratic "economy, retrenchment and reform."
But we ueed not go to other States for examples.
Pennsylvania has had some sad experiences in
these matters, which she is not likely to forget.
Prior to 1860 the Democratic party wielded almost
uninterrupted power, in both the State and na
tional Governments, for nearly thirty years. As
a result they piled the State debt to over fo r ty
millions of dollars. When the Republican party
came into power over twenty millions of this debt
had matured and been dishonored. We have been
in power nearly ever since, we have made provis •
ion for all overdue bonds, have paid of about
twenty of the debt, have seine twelve
millions more in the Sinking Fund; and for the
residue have caused the interest so be reduced
from six to five percent. ; and IRON than ten year*
ago took off all State taxes front real estate Du
ring all this time these blatsot reformers have
been charging us with embezz einent and dishon
esty in our management of the State Treasury
and threatening Irightful revelations of fraud and
corruption when they got into power.
Last May the Treasury department passed into
their hands; and alter carefully looking into
everything fur several mouths, the Democratic
State Treasurer published a report that he found
everything in good shape, and no embezzlement
or defalcation there. About that time, however,
it came to light that away back under a Demo
cratic administration, there had occurred what
appeared to be an overissue of $lOO,OOO of bonds,
and which were unaccounted for. They seem to
have been deposited Ina bank, not a lawful deposi
tory of State hunts; and it looks very much as if
the State Treasury would suffer by this trauma
don. Time will show; but at present the fraud
awl defalcation boot is on the other leg ; and the
friends of those under whom the mystery warred
are entitled to the floor for explanations.
How the national finances were managed during
this same period is a simple matter of history. At
the close of Buchanan's administration the credit
of the National Government was so low and de
moralised that all the ordinary means and ap
pliances were found inadequate to borrow or pro
cure money on the national credit. Special agents
were appointed and sent abroad to other nations
to beg or borrow money to carry on the Glovers
meat; and so prostrated was the national credit
that it actually was compelled to pay twelve per
cent. for money to meet-ordinary impasses; and
this, too, in the time of pesos. Here was Demo
cratic finauciering practically illustrated, with a
vengeance. The Republican party came into
power in 1861, with the national credit thee rem
down and destroyed ky Democratic incompetency,
and with a number of the Democratic State,
(Concluded on fourth page.),
NO. 40.