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Franklin Repository: December 05, 1866 Go To Page : 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 |

Corrupt Appointments
(Column 1)

Summary: "One of the most important duties of the present Congress," assert the editors, will be to keep the President in check, particularly his abuse of the power to appoint officials. Congress must scrutinize Johnson's nominees to ensure that only truly deserving candidates are confirmed. To do otherwise, they assert, would give "sanction to the perfidy and shameless debauchery of the President."

Full Text of Article:

One of the most important duties of the present Congress, will be the solution of the power of the Executive to prostitute his patronage to debauch the people and control popular elections. It involves a great principle, and must be treated as such. It it now presented to the Senate in the consideration of Executive nominations, and to both branches as a question directly effecting the dignity and purity of the government, and it must be met as an issue that is to fix the policy of future administrations. Had Johnson's perfidy and corrupt abuse of power been practiced in any other nation by the chief ruler, it would have cost such ruler his throne; and the great Republic of the world, whose safety and glory depend upon the uncorrupted power of the people, cannot permit this occasion to pass without making it impossible for future Executives to attempt his own and his country's humiliation and disgrace.

Andrew Johnson has ostracized nearly every faithful man since the adjournment of the last session. He not only kicked out--to use his own vulgar parlance--the men who were true to the principles which triumphed by his election; but he exhausted his official power to debauch and subsidize loyal men to share his treachery. Thus while the honest and patriotic spurned his policy and his bribes, only the weak and venal could accept his favors. The result is that the most important offices are now filled by miserable camp followers, often without capacity, most of them without either personal or political integrity, all of them so many monuments of shame in the estimation of the loyal people, and despised even by those who used them in vain to give fresh hopes to treason.

The appointment of such men to office has naturally resulted in a system of wholesale political profligacy and debauchery, going down to the meanest creatures who have purchased the crumbs of the high contracting parties. In this district, with two characterless chief revenue officers, the little streams are of course as corrupt as the fountains. The chiefs being the offspring of purchase, the subordinates could not be other than the spawns of corruption. Their places were hawked about from door to door before the election to purchase votes, and since the election, regardless of promises made by the leaders, the same places have been auctioned to the highest bidders. While perhaps few districts have sounded the same depths of political debauchery attained by our new officials and those who created them, we doubt not that in every district of the State, and generally throughout the Union, the same policy has prevailed and the same venality, in a greater or lesser degree, has humiliated the people.

For this fearful condition of things there must be a thorough remedy. It must be not merely a temporary expedient, but it must surely guard against the repetition of this disgraceful exercise of power. It will not do merely to reject the unworthy incumbents, and have the President at liberty to re-appoint them after the 4th of March. Nor will it do to attempt a discrimination by the Senate, as to worthy and unworthy appointments, among those who were appointed to supplant incumbents who surrendered their positions rather than betray their principles. Among such men, while there may be different degrees of prostitution, there can be none worthy of the confirmation of the Senate. Where appointments were made to fill vacancies occasioned by death or resignation, they should be confirmed without regard to their political views if they are honest and competent; but no man should be confirmed who bartered his convictions for place, or who supplanted a faithful incumbent under the usual conditions imposed by Andrew Johnson. To confirm any such men would be to make the Senate, and through it the Republican party, give its highest sanction to the perfidy and shameless debauchery of the President.

We regard it as the first duty of the Senate to reject all nominations made in obedience to the treacherous and proscriptive policy adopted by the Executive, and when that is once done, the President should be restrained by a law limiting his arrogant exercise of the patronage. No man once rejected by the Senate should be permitted to discharge the duties of any office, or to receive any compensation, after the date of rejection; and on this point Congress cannot be too imperative to insure the safety of the government or meet the demands of the People. This once effected, the policy of Congress relating to future appointments is a grave question, and one that will, we doubt not, be well considered and solved as wise and enlightened statesmanship may dictate. Whatever may be done, no man who came to a faithless President with his price upon his head, should ever be confirmed for any place. If Andrew Johnson will have men who vote the Democratic ticket to fill his offices, let him take men who vote it with some consistency, and let them have his spoils, if true men are to be ostracized. While the appointment of Democrats to office would be a humiliation to the loyal people, and unmixed treachery on the part of the President, yet they will not bear upon their faces the public confession that they have sold their manhood for plunder. Whatever policy may be adopted, let no open corruptionist have place or power in the future of the government.

The Truth of History
(Column 2)

Summary: In contrast to the Telegraph's favorable portrait of Simon Cameron as an unyielding and uncompromising Radical Republican, the Repository editors contend that he is, in fact, undeserving of the accolades bestowed upon him by the Harrisburg journal. To substantiate their assertion, they point to his efforts to woo Democratic support for his Senate bid.

Origin of Article: Harrisburg Telegraph

Political Juries
(Column 2)

Summary: Responding to allegations that juries "are packed by Democratic Commissioners and Sheriffs" in certain counties of the state, the editors sympathize with the plight of their fellow Republicans, but they urge them to proceed with caution when seeking redress. Rather than "demanding special legislation," which could possibly have adverse consequences in Republican-controlled districts, they should propose an alternate, and more effective method, of dealing with their circumstances.

Mr. Stumbaugh's Pledge
(Column 3)

Summary: Armed with testimonials from Franklin Republicans that directly contravene statements made by Col. Stumbaugh, the editors castigate the legislator for denying that, in return for the nomination, he pledged to support his constituents' choice for the U. S. Senate seat.

Origin of Article: Philadelphia Press

Editorial Comment: "Mr. Stumbaugh recently published in the Philadelphia Press the following card:"

Full Text of Article:

Mr. Stumbaugh recently published in the Philadelphia Press the following card:

To the Editor of the Press:

SIR: On reading the card of A. K. McClure, Esq., in the Press of the 20th inst., I find the following paragraph:

The assumption that the people did not participate in the movement, and that it was the result of my individual effort, is entirely without foundation in fact. It was made in pursuance of a positive pledge from the Republican candidate for Assembly to abide by such instructions, asking only that the question should not be raised in our close district before the election.

Now, while I feel satisfied that the communication which you copy from the Harrisburg Telegraph fully answers Mr. McClure's position on the fairness of the Senatorial instructions, the parties participating, and at whose instance the convention was called and the instructions given, I cannot permit Mr. McClure to publish to the world that the movement was made in pursuance of a "positive pledge" from me to abide by such instructions, without replying, emphatically, that there is not one word of truth in the averment.

The convention that nominated me asked and received no pledge of any kind from me, although Mr. McClure had put into the hands of one of the delegates certain resolutions, among which was one instructing for Curtin. This delegate found they would have been voted down five to one, and therefore did not offer McClure's resolutions.

I was nominated and elected without any pledge, and then Mr. McClure got up his call for a convention, waited upon him and solicited the Republicans to sign his call, and induced very many of them to sign it by his representing to them that I desired to be instructed or to know the sentiment of my Republican constituents on the Senatorial question, when, in fact, neither he nor any other person had ever spoken to me on the subject.

I feel assured that Mr. McClure cannot successfully refute the foregoing statement.
F. S. Stumbaugh.

In order that the public can judge how Mr. Stumbaugh alike regards the truth and his positive pledges, we give place to the following card from three Antrim Republicans, whose truthfulness no one will question who knows them. There are others to whom the same pledges were made, but it is needless to multiply testimony on a subject on which there can be no issue where the public are familiar with the parties.

To the Editors of the Franklin Repository:

Regarding the "card" of Col. F. S. Stumbaugh, published in the Philadelphia Press of the 23d inst., as impugning the veracity of myself and several of my neighbors, (who had represented the Colonel as having committed himself to obey any proper instructions that might be given by his party after his election, in regard to its choice for U. S. Senator,) I therefore beg leave, in our vindication, to make public through the columns of your paper the following statements:

Some time after Col. F. S. Stumbaugh's nomination for the Legislature by the County Convention, and several weeks previous to his election, in a conversation I had with him, (at one of the public meetings held in our Borough,) in regard to the election of U. S. Senator, I understood him substantially to say, that as the candidate of the Union Republican party, he should consider himself in honor bound, (if elected to a seat in the Legislature,) properly and fairly to represent the party, and that he would obey any proper and authoritative expression of its preference in regard to its choice of U. S. Senator, to be chose during the coming session.

And in this connection, John Ruthrauff, of our township, who was a member of the Convention that placed Col. F. S. Stumbaugh in nomination as a candidate for the Legislature, states that the Colonel told him, on the morning of the Convention, that he was only opposed to any action of the Convention, in regard to an expression for U. S. Senator, simply on the ground that such action would be prejudicial to his election and would in all probability defeat him; but that after the election, in case he was chosen, he would be perfectly satisfied that the party should instruct him in any way it might deem proper in reference to its choice for U. S. Senator, and that HE WOULD YIELD A CHEERFUL OBEDIENCE TO ITS INSTRUCTIONS.

Benjamin Snively, also of Antrim, says that he met Col. F. S. Stumbaugh in Chambersburg, on the day of his nomination for the Legislature by the County Convention, and that Col. Stumbaugh voluntarily entered into a conversation with him, on the subject of instructions and an expression of preference, on the part of the Convention, in regard to U. S. Senator, in which he said that he was opposed to any action then on that subject by the Convention, but only for the reason that it would have a bad effect in his election and would probably cause his defeat; but that should he be nominated and elected, without instructions, he would then be willing that the party should in some proper manner give him instructions as to its choice of U. S. Senator, AND THAT HE WOULD CHEERFULLY OBEY THEM.

The position thus assumed by Col. Stumbaugh was eminently just and proper in itself, for who in this enlightened age is bold enough to deny the inherent and sacred right of the People, in all that relates to their interest, their welfare and honor, to instruct their public servants? Nor is it, I think, too much to declare that it was through the faith--I should perhaps rather say hope--thereby inspired, that his election was secured. And why, I ask, should Col. Stumbaugh now not stand by and maintain it? No one, I am sure, deplores more than I do, the unfortunate cause that made the recent Senatorial County Convention, in my judgement, a necessity, or more deeply regrets the unkind card above referred to, which has reluctantly forced his intrusion upon the public notice.
GEORGE W. ZIEGLER.
GREENCASTLE, Nov. 30, 1866.

We, the undersigned, indorse the correctness of the above statements as far as they relate to us, and authorize their publication.
JNO. RUTHRAUFF.
BENJAMIN SNIVELY.
November 30, 1866.

Comment is unnecessary, and the subject is dismissed.

Trailer: Jno. Ruthrauff; Benjamin Snively

[No Title]
(Column 4)

Summary: It is reported that John H. Surratt has been caught in Egypt, a development of "the greatest importance to the country, for from him can doubtless be obtained facts concerning the murder of our beloved President, Abraham Lincoln."

Losses By State Troops
(Column 5)

Summary: The letter calls for a convention to be scheduled to discuss the state government's failure to reimburse residents of Franklin and Cumberland counties for forage they furnished troops and for "damages sustained in various ways by them in passing to and fro from the seat of war."

Full Text of Article:

To the Editors of the Franklin Repository:

Permit us to call the attention of the citizens of Cumberland and Franklin counties to the propriety of calling a general convention, at such places as may be deemed most convenient, with the view of adopting measures to petition the Legislature of the State, which will convene shortly, to make some provision for the payment of claims that many of our citizens hold for forage furnished our troops, and damages sustained in various ways by them in passing to and fro from the seat of war. There are claims held by many of our citizens who aided our troops by furnishing them with forage, &c., that are kept out of their just dues, for some reason or other, and unless some action is taken by the people, it cannot be expected that these claims will ever receive the attention they are justly and equitably entitled to. Let the people speak and they will be heard.
MANY.

Trailer: Many

Local Items--Recovery of a Body
(Column 2)

Summary: Reports that Joseph Frey's trip to Tennessee was a success. The object of Frey's journey was to recover the remains of Capt. Swoyer, who was killed there in a battle four years earlier. After disinterring four bodies, Frey finally located Swoyer's body, which was confirmed upon his return to Chambersburg last Saturday.
(Names in announcement: Joseph Frey, Capt. Swoyer)

Origin of Article: Newville Star

Local Items--Greencastle Items
(Column 2)

Summary: Two crimes of note occurred in Greencastle last week. In the first instance, the store owned by Messrs. J. Yous & Co. was broken into on Monday night; the thieves took a variety of goods, such as silk, thread, and violin strings, after making their entrance by prying open a shutter. In the second instance, a thief stole a horse from Simon P. Shoaff's stable.
(Names in announcement: J. Yous, Simon P. Shoaff)

Origin of Article: Greencastle Pilot

Local Items--Waynesboro Items
(Column 2)

Summary: Relates that the new Presbyterian Church now has a roof; Jacob H. Hoover has been appointed whiskey inspector for Downin's distillery; and the First National Bank of Waynesboro has established a dividend of five percent for the last six months.

Origin of Article: Record

Local Items--Appointments
(Column 2)

Summary: The following men were re-appointed by the County Commissioners for the ensuing year: Clerk, George Foreman; Counsel, John Stewart; Physician to Jail, Dr. J. L. Suesserott; Janitor to Court House, Samuel McGowan.
(Names in announcement: John Stewart, George Foremen, Dr. J. L. Suesserott, Samuel McGowan)

Local Items--The New County Officers
(Column 2)

Summary: The following men assumed their duties as county officers last week: William McDowell, Prothonotary; Henry Strickler, Register and Recorder; and Thaddeus M. Mahon, Clerk of the Courts.
(Names in announcement: William McDowell, Henry Strickler, Thaddeus M. Mahon)

Local Items--Counterfeit Nickels
(Column 3)

Summary: Alerts readers that counterfeit "five-cent pieces" are circulating, and "are reported to be more plentiful than the genuine half dimes." The key difference between the two is that the authentic nickel is heavier and lighter in color than "the bogus coin."

Married
(Column 3)

Summary: On Nov. 22nd, John G. Baker, of Newburg, Pa., and Evie Wolff were married by Rev. William A. West.
(Names in announcement: John G. Baker, Evie Wolff, Rev. William A. West)

Married
(Column 3)

Summary: On Nov. 25th, Samuel E. Stall and Catharine Kadel were married by Rev. J. A. Kunkelman.
(Names in announcement: Samuel E. Stall, Catharine Kadel, Rev. J. A. Kunkleman)

Married
(Column 3)

Summary: On Dec. 2nd, J. R. Snively and Mary J., daughter of William Hade, were married by Rev. S. N. Callender.
(Names in announcement: J. R. Snively, Mary J. Hade, William Hade)

Died
(Column 3)

Summary: On Nov. 27th, William Metcalfe, 72, died near Mercersburg.
(Names in announcement: William Metcalfe)

Died
(Column 3)

Summary: On Nov. 16th, Mary Lesher, 58, died in Waynesboro.
(Names in announcement: Mary Lesher)