USA > Pennsylvania > Cambria County > History of Cambria County, Pennsylvania, Volume I > Part 11
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112
HISTORY OF CAMBRIA COUNTY.
sembly. But it was not done without a bolt by the Breckinridge adherents. The Donglas men controlled the convention.
On July 23, the Republicans nominated a complete ticket with Alexander C. Mullin, of Ebensburg, for the Assembly.
On August 28 the Breckinridge Democrats met at Ebens- burg; and also nominated a complete ticket, with Michael Dan Magehan for the General Assembly. All the parties held meet- ings throughout the county. Howard Roberts, then of Ebens- burg, was the chairman of the Republican county committee. Among his leading workers were Colonel J. M. Campbell, James M. Swank, D. J. Morrell, A. A. Barker, William M. Jones, John M. King, John Roberts, James D. Hamilton, of Wilmore, Hugh Gallagher of Allegheny, Samuel Reed, of Blacklick, David Watt, of Gallitzin, Jason Pringle, of Summerhill, and Edwin A. Vickroy, of Yoder. Samuel Mckeever, of Johnstown, was captain of the "wide awakes."
Augustine Durbin was the chairman of the Breckinridge committee, and his leading assistants were S. B. McCormick, W. Weimer and William P. Patton, of Johnstown; Richard White and James McGough, of Allegheny; James Burk, of Summerhill: Peter McGough and Thomas Short, of Washing- ton; Francis Bearer and Thomas Powers, of Susquehanna ; W. William Hudson and F. K. Herlinger, of Croyle; Simon Dunmyer, of Jackson, and JJacob Dummyer, of Richland. Their headquarters were at Ebensburg, and their adherents, who were plentiful. were: John A. Blair, Charles Murray, Joseph Mc- Donald, John Thomas, Michael Dan Magehan, John Buck, Jere- miah McGonigal, of Hemlock (now Lilly), Isaac B. Wike, James Myers, Angustine McConnell and James Riffie, of the Summit, Jordan Marbourg, A. J. Hite, Lewis Plitt, John Hannan.
The leaders of the Douglas-Democratic party were Philip and Thomas Collins, Robert L. Johnston, Phil S. Moon, John Rhey, Michael Hasson, Jolm Fenlon, R. A. McCoy, Rees and John Lloyd and Chrysostom Noon, of Ebensburg; John P. Lin- ton, W. H. Rose, Harry A. Boggs, who had been a Breckinridge adherent, and succeeded John Buek as postmaster at Johnstown. George Nelson Smith was a delegate to the Charleston conven- tion for Douglas, and subsequently voted for him at Baltimore; and Michael Bracken of Gallitzin.
It was the most bitter political contest ever held in Cam- bria county; it was a trial of strength between factions, with an element of slavery or anti-slavery in each. On one occasion,
113
HISTORY OF CAMBRIA COUNTY.
there was a struggle between the Douglas and the Breckinridge Democrats for the possession of the court house to hold a polit- ical meeting. Judge Taylor was holding court, and as soon as he had directed the court cryer to adjourn, and before he had left the bench, Philip Collins arose and nominated Thomas Collins as president of the meeting. Immediately some one nominated John A. Blair for the Breckinridge partisans. Col- lins was declared president and endeavored to take the seat before Judge Taylor could adjust his papers on the bench. Blair resisted, and his followers sent word to other friends abont the hotels to come to their assistance, and they obeyed the summons. It was in the old court room, with the wooden rail around the bench. Discussion gave way to physical strength ; the rail was torn down, the stove upset, and chairs and seats generally broken. It is said that Tom Collins presided at that meeting such as it was.
The Douglas-Breckinridge advocates in the state had made a fusion on the electoral vote, each to have a certain propor- tion of the vote in case of success; this arrangement was known as the "Reading ticket." In accordance therewith, a fine pole was raised at Gideon Martz's, at Pensacola, on the Wilmore plankroad, with a Douglas-Breckinridge flag floating from the tiptop. It was a great success for a short time. That night two men, said to be Captain Thomas Davis and Milton Jones, cut it down by boring it with an anger, inasmuch as quietness was necessary. The pole falling on a pig pen, started the ani- mals to squeal, which noise brought out the residents. The flag was procured and torn lengthwise. The portion with the name of Douglas was stretched to the breeze and the Breckin- ridge portion was fouled in the mud at the foot of the tree.
The election was then held on the second Tuesday of Oeto- ber, and resulted in the election of the entire Republican county ticket. The vote is a study to the student of history, disclosing the fact that about one-third of the Democratie voters were fol- lowers of Breckinridge. Comparing the vote with that of 1856, it will be observed that many anti-slavery Democrats voted the Republican ticket.
The vote in the county was :
Assembly : Mullin, Rep., 1,542; Smith, Douglas Dem., 1,172; Magehan, Breckinridge Dem., 900; Potts, New County, 1,107.
Vol. 1-8
114
HISTORY OF CAMBRIA COUNTY.
Register and Recorder: Lytle, Rep .. 1,459; Griffin, Doug- las Dem., 1,429; Gregg, B. Dem., 1,117; Canan, Ind., 692.
Commissioner: Cooper, Rep., 2,302; Ferguson, Douglas Dem., 1.479; Gill, B. Dem., 831.
Anditor: Nelson, Rep., 2,181; Christy, Douglas Dem., 1.527; Stalb, B. Dem., 832.
Poor House Director: Douglas, Rep., 2,361; Hopple, Dem., 2,151.
By referring to the table of the presidential vote it will. be observed that there were four candidates in 1860, and that Cambria for the second time had cast a majority vote against the combined opposition, excepting that Foster for governor had 406 votes over Curtin.
Michael Dan Magehan left the Whig party with John Fen- lon, R. L. Johnston and others shortly after the Know-Nothing issue raised in 1854. Judge Johnston has stated that he was undecided to which party he would become attached until 1856, when he joined the Democratic ranks.
Abraham Lincoln had a majority of 89,159 in the state over the fusion, or what was termed the "Reading ticket." The Reading ticket was a fusion of the Douglas-Breckinridge electors. Each party had a certain number of followers on the electoral ticket, with the understanding if Pennsylvania should decide the issue that its entire vote should be cast for the candi- date who could win. Mr. Lincoln had a plurality over Douglas of 251,265; over John Bell, 255,254, and a majority of 61,618 over all. In the electoral college Lincoln received 180 votes; John C. Breckinridge, 72; John Bell, 39, and Stephen A. Doug- las. 12, making 303 electoral votes in the country.
During the interregnum between the election and the in- anguration of Mr. Lincoln, several of the southern states, led by South Carolina, seceded and formed the Confederacy. On April 12, 1861, about 4 o'clock in the morning, the Confederates fired the first shot upon the little garrison in Fort Sumter.
President Lincoln was re-elected in 1864, over Major-Gen- eral George B. MeClellan on the Democratic ticket. The plat- form of the latter contained a plank that decreed the war a fail- ure, and advocated a compromise. Mr. Lincoln received 212 elec- toral votes to 21 for General Mcclellan. There were 81 electoral votes missing because the southern states were for the time being out of the Union.
The vote cast by the troops in the field is only important to
115
HISTORY OF CAMBRIA COUNTY.
establish the fact of the politics of each soldier who was then defending the Union. It shows conclusively that party politics were ignored. The soldiers voted in 1861, but there was much opposition to it by the Democratic party, on the ground that it was unconstitutional. Therefore, it appears that the vote for 1862 and 1863 was not counted. But in the meanwhile the vexed question of constitutionality had been determined by the court, and in 1864 the soldiers voted and their votes were re- turned and counted with the county and state vote.
The Fifty-fourth Pennsylvania Infantry Regiment was in Camp Curtin at Harrisburg, on the day of the election, Octo- ber 8, 1861, and voted thus:
Captain, Regiment and Company.
Judge-Geo. Taylor, Rep.
Assembly-C. L. Pershing, Dem.
Abraham Kopelin, Rep ..
Sheriff-John Buck, Dem.
James D. Hamilton, Rep.
Treasurer-Thomas Callan, Dem.
Charles B. Ellis, Rep.
Robert II. Canan, Ind ...
Commissioner- P. J. Little,
James
Associate Judge-Geo. W. Easly, Dem.
Henry C. Devine, Dem.
Isaac Evans,
James Purse, Rep.
John Suter, 54th, A.
12
7
9
2
11
1
6
1
10
1
1
10
10
T. H. Lapsley, 54th, E.
7
9
1
8
1
S
1
8
1
1
8
8
P. Graham, 54th, E ..
15
9
13
4
8
3
10
7
4
17
9
3
3
W. B. Bonacker, 54th, I.
22
13
15
10
17
12
15
17
14
14
14
14
James Carroll, 55th, A.
7
17
13
15
10
21
9
11 20
8
23
22 12
8
8
M. O'Connell, 55th, E. . At Point of Rocks, Md .-
12
12
12
12
12
12
20
20
1
At Camp Tennally, D. C .-
Co. A, 11th Pa. Reserves.
41
20
19
18
25
20
16
3 22
18
23
22
21
19
Co. H, 12th Pa. Reserves
3
3
. .
. .
3
At Camp Harlan, D. C .-
Co. G, 4th Pa. Reserves.
17
3
28
9
24
8
6
15
7
9
26
24
6
4
Totals
136
99 115
89 113 102
67
34
99
84 137 125 74
69
18
20
18
7
3
3
3
It will be observed that there was not a Republican vote in Captain O'Connell's company, and not a Democratic vote in Company H, Twelfth Reserves, while the others were about the same as if each soldier had voted at home.
The Pennsylvania soldier vote in field and camp, October 11, 1864, was as follows:
Rep.
Dem.
Conrad, Rep ..
Co. F., 28th Penn. Vols.
18
6
3
116
HISTORY OF CAMBRIA COUNTY.
LOCATION AND COMPANY.
Congress- - R. L .. Johnston, Dom ..
1. A. Barker. Rep. .
Assembly- C. L. Pershing, Dem ..
Evan Roberts, Rep.
Yellow House, Va., Weldon Railroad.
3
3
Clarysville Hospital, Maryland.
3
3
Camp Carroll, Md., Co. F., 194th Pa. Infantry .
7
7
Camp near Nashville, Tenn
1
1
Camp Parole, Annapolis, Md.
1
2
Douglass Hospital, D. C. .
1
1
Navy Yard Hospital. Annapolis, Md.
1 2
1
Camp Fry, Washington City, D. C.
14
14
Camp on the field. Army of James River, Co. K, 106th Pa. Vols.
2
2
Camp near Petersburg, Va., Co. F, 198th Pa. Infantry.
51
51
Cuyler Hospital, Philadelphia.
3
3
Mower Hospital, Philadelphia
1
7
1
7
Old Court House, Va.
1
2
1 2
Camp near Petersburg, Va. .
1
2
Camp near Point of Rocks, Md., Co. B, 211th Pa. Infantry
1
1
Sickel's Barracks Hospital, Alexandria, Va.
1
1
Fort Delaware, Del.
1
1
Baptist Church Hospital, Alexandria, Va.
1
1
Camp Cadwallader, Philadelphia, 187th Pa. Infantry .
3
7
2
7
United States Steamer "Express".
2
4
2
4
Near Winchester, Va., Co. F, 49th Pa. Infantry
1
General Hospital, York, Pa ..
1
1
Bermuda Hundreds, Va., 206th Pa. Infantry.
5
10
5
9
Bolivar Heights, W. Va.
10
3
9
3
Rectortown, Va., Co. D. 5th Pa. Heavy Artillery.
22
22
21 28
Huddington Hospital, Philadelphia.
1
1
Thoroughfare Gap, Va., 202d Pa. Infantry
1
City Point, Va., Co. G, 21st Pa. Infantry.
2
18 2
18
Cedar Creek, near Strasburg, Va., Co. A, 54th Pa. Infantry
1
14 1
14
Camp near Hatcher's Run, Va., Co. C, 209th Pa. Infantry.
49
49
Chattanooga, Tenn ..
1
1
Cedar Creek, Va., 54th Pa. Infantry
9
10
Cedar Creek, Va., Co. D, 54th Pa. Infantry
8
8
Fort Blois, Va.
1
1
Fort Duchesne. Va., Co. E, 11th Pa. Infantry.
1
1
Camp near Winchester, Va., Co. E, 49th Pa. Infantry.
1
1
Cedar Creek, Va., 54th Pa. Infantry
9
9
Totals
53 281
52 276
.
.
5
5
Bolivar Heights, W. Va., Co. M, 12th Pa. Cavalry
. .
8
. .
8
Camp Biddle, Pa ..
1
1
Judiciary Hospital, Washington City, D. C.
Lieut. Snodgrass' Headquarters, Co. D, 149th Pa. Infantry
1
2
Fortress Monroe, Va., Co. F, 3d Pa. Artillery, 152d Pa. Vols
2
It will be noted that in the last year of the war the propor- tion of votes cast was more than five to one in favor of the Republican candidates.
1
Fort Steadman, near Petersburg, Va.
Capt. Wishart's Headquarters, Army of James River, Co. H, 208th.
Camp near Petersburg, Va., Co. D, 53d Pa. Infantry
Fort Brady, Va., Co. A, 206th Pa. Infantry.
117
HISTORY OF CAMBRIA COUNTY.
The leading question to be determined in the Grant and Seymour campaign of 1868 was the reconstruction of the south- ern states. The Republican party insisted that they should not be elothed with their former rights until they would recognize the thirteenth, fourteenth, and fifteenth amendments to the Constitution. The plank in the Democratic platform was am- biguous on this question. It declared "amnesty for all past political offenses, and the regulation of the elective franchise in the states by their citizens." Ulysses S. Grant and Schuyler Colfax were elected by 214 to 80 electoral votes, 23 votes not participating, their constituents being still disfranchised. Pennsylvania gave 26 votes.
The general issues in the Grant-Greeley campaign of 1872 were the same as in 1868; however, discontented Republicans and a portion of the Democratic party nominated Horace Greeley. U. S. Grant and Henry Wilson received 286 electoral votes out of 352, of which Pennsylvania gave 29, and a plurality of 137,728.
In 1873 a severe financial panic came upon the country. The following year the Democratic party carried the XLIVth Congress for the first time since 1856, and Pennsylvania politics went the same way.
In 1876 the country was in distress, principally on account of the financial conditions. The Republicans had declared that specie payments should be resumed on January 1, 1879, and the Democrats were opposed, with a battle cry of reform in the tariff and civic affairs. The campaign closed with 185 electoral votes for Rutherford B. Hayes and 184 for Samuel J. Tilden. The Republicans contested the vote of Florida, Louisiana, and South Carolina and one vote of Oregon, but the electoral com- mission by a vote of eight to seven sustained the Hayes vote. Pennsylvania gave Hayes 29 votes.
Samuel J. Tilden declined a renomination in 1880. The Democratic party began its campaign on the alleged "great fraud" of 1876, which became futile on the exposure of the cipher telegrams between the Democratic managers. Near the close of the campaign the tariff became the live question, and General Hancock declined to consider it and averred that it was a "local issue."
James A. Garfield and Chester A. Arthur received 214 electoral votes out of 369, 29 of which were from Pennsylvania. General Garfield was assassinated July 2, 1881, and died at
118
HISTORY OF CAMBRIA COUNTY.
Elberon, New Jersey, September 19, when Chester A. Arthur succeeded.
In 1882 the Democrats carried congress, and Grover Cleveland had over 192,000 majority in New York for governor. It was attempted to make the contest in 1884 on the tariff ques- tion, but it failed, and to the shame of the country the campaign became personal to the candidates. Grover Cleveland is claimed to have carried New York by 1,149 out of a total vote of over 1,200,000, which gave him 219 electoral votes out of 401. During Cleveland's administration the senate was controlled by the Republicans, and the house by the Democrats.
The issue in 1888 was solely on the tariff question, and . Benjamin Harrison was elected by 233 electoral votes out of 401. Pennsylvania gave 30 votes in '84 and '88.
Senator M. S. Quay was the chairman of the Republican national committee in 1888. The Republicans controlled both houses of congress, and admitted four new states-Idaho, with three electoral votes; North Dakota, three; South Dakota, four, and Wyoming, three, making a total of 444, thus weakening the vote of the solid sonth.
In 1892 the same presidential candidates led their re- spective parties as in the last campaign. The country was generally very prosperous, but discontent prevailed in some of the western states, where General James B. Weaver was nom- inated by the People's party, and received over 1,000,000 votes, thus giving Mr. Cleveland 277 electoral votes out of 444. The Democrats also succeeded in carrying both the senate and the honse, for the first time in thirty-five years. Pennsylvania gave 32 electoral votes in 1892, 1896 and 1900 to the Republican can- didates for president and vice-president. Grover Cleveland car- ried Cambria county by 239 phirality in 1892. Since that elec- tion the county has been substantially and strongly Republican, excepting for factional differences in electing county officers on the Democratic ticket. The Democrats passed the Wilson tariff bill.
A severe financial panic came in May, 1893, as a result of the election of 1892, and caused much distress. The depression continued until 1897. The paramount issue was placing the country on a gold basis; and secondarily, the tariff question. William McKinley and Garrett A. Hobart received 271 electoral votes out of 447 in the nation. The Republican party repealed
119
HISTORY OF CAMBRIA COUNTY.
the Wilson tariff act and adopted the Dingley protective bill, July 24, 1897.
The Spanish-American war began April 21, 1898, and prac- tically closed July 3, 1898, when Admiral Sampson destroyed Cervera's fleet at Santiago.
William McKinley and William J. Bryan again led their parties in 1900. The issues were empirism and the tariff. The Democratic party endeavored to condemn the Republicans for taking the Philippine Islands as a result of the war with Spain. Little stress was laid on the tariff question, inasmuch as the country was exceedingly prosperous. William McKinley and Theodore Roosevelt received 292 electoral votes out of 447. Mr. Mckinley was shot at Buffalo, September 6, 1901, and died there on the 14th, when Mr. Roosevelt succeeded him.
The general prosperity continued, and the opposition to the policies of the Republican party was feeble. At no time in the campaign of 1904 was it substantial. Theodore Roosevelt and Charles W. Fairbanks received 336 out of 476 electoral votes, and a popular plurality of 2,547,656, which was the largest ever cast. Pennsylvania, having 34 electoral votes, gave Roosevelt a plurality of 505,519. The entire vote was 1,236,738, as follows: Theodore Roosevelt, 840,949; Alton B. Parker, 335,430; Silas C. Swallow, Prohibitionist, 33,717; Eu- gene V. Debs, Socialist, 21,863; Charles E. Corregan, Socialist Labor, 2,211; and Parker, Independent, 2,568.
OUR GOVERNORS.
The first constitution of Pennsylvania was that of Septem- ber 28, 1776, under which Benjamin Franklin was the chairman of the committee of safety. The next one was that of 1790. The president of the latter convention was General Thomas Mifflin, of Philadelphia, a Revolutionary soldier of great courage and distinction, who was that year elected the first governor over General Arthur St. Clair, of Westmoreland county. Gov- ernor Mifflin was re-elected in 1793 and 1796.
Judge Thomas MeKean, who had been chief justice of the supreme court, was elected in 1799 over James Ross, the Fed- eralist. Governor Mckean was re-elected in 1802 and 1805. He was the nominee of the Jefferson Democracy, then known as the Republican-Democratic party. It was under Judge Me- Kean's administration that the policy of "to the victors belong the spoils" was inaugurated in the state. In a letter to Jeffer-
120
HISTORY OF CAMBRIA COUNTY.
son in 1801 he said: "I am sorry that I did not displace ten or eleven more, for it is not right to put a dagger in the hands of an assassin."
The first vote in Cambria county for governor was taken in 1808. Simon Snyder was a Jefferson Democrat. The candidate of the Federal party was Senator James Ross. Governor Snyder received 67.975 votes to 39,575 for Ross. The Federal party was declining in the state, and Ross only carried the counties of Delaware, Chester, Bucks, Lancaster, Luzerne and Adams. The vote in Cambria was as follows:
Snyder.
Ross.
'Allegheny township
47
51
Cambria township
96
31
Conemaugh township
37
37
180
119
It will be observed that Ross carried Allegheny township through the vigorous efforts of Father Gallitzin, who was an . an ardent Federalist and a pastor who believed in maintaining his political views at the polls.
Governor Snyder was renominated in 1811. The Federal vote was divided between Judge William Tilghman, Richard Fol- well and others. In Cambria county Snyder had 220 and Tilgh- man 34.
The war with England was nearing the end, Snyder had conducted a patriotic and satisfactory administration, and was therefore nominated for a third term in 1814. The first nom- ination made by a political convention in the state was for Snyder, and took place at Lancaster, March 7, 1808. The oppo- sition was divided between George Latimore and Isaac Wayne. In Cambria county Snyder had 145 votes; Latimore, 29, and Wayne, 22.
Governor Findlay, elected in 1817, was a Jefferson Demo- crat. The old Federalists supported Joseph Heister. Findlay only had a majority of 7.059. The election was contested, but Findlay was sustained. Cambria gave Findlay 205 and Heister 150.
Findlay and Heister were renominated in 1820 to lead their respective parties, the former at Lewistown and the latter at Carlisle. The indiscriminate chartering of banks with the flood of paper currency caused financial difficulties, and Heister was elected by a majority of 1.605. This was the first time the Fed-
121
HISTORY OF CAMBRIA COUNTY.
eralists succeeded in carrying Cambria county-Heister 207; Findlay, 191.
Governor Shulze was the candidate of the Democratic party in 1823, and the name has continued till this day. The opposition candidate was Andrew Gregg, but the party had no substantial title, simply an opposition force. Shulze had over 25,000 majority. For the second time, Cambria was against the Democratic candidate; Gregg had 269 and Shulze 252.
Governor Shulze was renominated in 1826, and had no or- ganized opposition in the state, receiving 72,000 votes. He had 392 in Cambria to 38 scattering votes. It was under his admin- istration that the Pennsylvania canal and the old Portage rail- road system was commenced.
George Wolf was nominated by the Jackson Democracy in 1829. The Whigs were then organized, and nominated Joseph Ritner. Cambria for the third time gave its vote against the Democratic party ; thus : Ritner, 434; Wolf, 210; however, Gov- ernor Wolf was re-elected. It was under Governor Wolf's leadership and that of Thaddeus Stevens in the house that the common school system was adopted.
Wolf was an enthusiastic follower of Jackson, and was re- nominated in 1832. The Whigs and the Anti-Masonic parties renominated Ritner. Wolf was elected. The vote in Cambria was: Wolf, 598; Ritner, 340.
Wolf was renominated for a third term March 7, 1835, at Lewistown. The storm arising from the Anti-Masonic senti- ment and the adoption of the common school system caused a . disagreement in the Democratic party, and on the following day the dissenters nominated Henry A. Muhlenberg, and passed a resolution in favor of Martin Van Buren for president. The Whigs and their allies renominated Ritner, who was elected. the vote being Ritner, 94,023; Wolf, 65,801; Muhlenberg, 40,586. Cambria again voted for the Whig candidate, thus: Ritner, 694; Wolf, 610, and Muhlenberg, 38. The Whigs and Anti- Masons elected 71 out of 100 members of the Assembly. The same parties made a combination with the Muhlenberg senators and had 19 out of 33 in the senate. Since 1790 this was the second defeat for the Democracy for governor, and the first time that the opposition had control of both houses and the executive.
In October, 1838, the amendments to the constitution were adopted by a vote of 113,971 to 112.759. Governor Ritner was
122
HISTORY OF CAMBRIA COUNTY.
renominated by the Whigs, and David Rittenhouse Porter, who was nominated by the Democratic party, was elected by a ma- jority of 5,504, the vote being 127,825 to 122,321. In Cambria county Porter had 844 and Ritner 762. The vote was close and was not settled for several weeks. The excitement throughout the state was intense. The Democrats had a small majority in the house, while the Whigs controlled the senate. This situation produced a dual house and the famous "Buckshot war."
Governor Porter was re-elected in 1841 over John Banks, the Whig candidate. His vote in the state was 136,504 to 113,- 473 for Banks. F. J. Lemoyne, the Abolition candidate, re- ceived 763 votes. In Cambria county, Porter received 844 votes and Banks S10.
In 1844 the Democratic party nominated Francis Rawn Shunk, and the Whigs, Joseph Markle, of Westmoreland county. The former received 160,322 votes in the state, and Markle 156,040. In Cambria county the former had 1,129 to 969 for the latter.
On Friday, November 1, 1844, the day of the presidential election, a vote was taken to ascertain whether the state should dispose of its public works, which consisted of the canals and the Allegheny Portage railroad. The proposition was defeated, and the vote in Cambria county was even-955 in favor and the same number against it.
Governor Shunk, the Democratic nominee, was re-elected over James Irvin, the Whig candidate, in 1847, by almost 18,000 plurality. In Cambria county Shunk had 1,139 votes, and Irvin 974.
Governor Shunk resigned on the 9th of July, 1848. There is an interesting story in the political situation of that period. The governor, being very ill with a pulmonary disease, was not expected to live, and died within a few days thereafter. The law was then as it is now-if the vacancy should occur within ninety days of the next election his successor should serve an- other full year. In this case the gubernatorial election would be delayed until October, 1849. If the vacancy occurred prior to the ninety days' limitation, the election would take place in October, 1848. The Democratic managers decided that the election must be held in the presidential year of 1848, believing that Lewis Cass would carry the state, and they would thereby procure another Democratic governor. The Rev. Theodore Witt, of Harrisburg, the governor's pastor, prevailed upon him
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