Franklin County: [Anonymous] to Edward McPherson,
October 16, 1860
Summary:
An anonymous writer warns Edward McPherson of A. N. Rankin's underhanded
political influence in Franklin County citing various examples from recent
years.
Mr. McPherson:
I have never had the pleasure of your acquaintance. But I am an "American
Republican" and you are my Candidate, therefore I want to see you elected. There
is I am afraid, one obsticle in the way of your
carrying this county. I am afraid you cannot get the influence of the leaders of
a political band numbering between three and four hundred in this County. I mean
A. N. Rankin, although he might not be able to elect you, he can defeat you or
any other man on our ticket and you cannot catch him in the act. He will himself
vote an open ticket as he always does; but beware of him he is a dangerous man.
I will give you a page of his political history. He first became actively
engaged in politics in 1852 as a Locofoco. He elected John Rowe. In 53 through
his unscrupulus pipe laying and bribering, he elected the whole Locofoco tickett, I mean 2 members of the Legislature County
Treasuer and Commissioner. In 1854 he had
joined the Know Nothings and saved Dave Robinson's bacon by a free use of money.
In 1855 in concequence of his dislike for Capt. F. S. Stumbaugh, and Alison Eyster, he would
not exert himself to save the ticket. The Whigs under McClure, had a ticket in
the field, but that was not of much account, the Locofoco ticket was elected
from top to bottom,
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by less than 100 majority. This he could have
overcome but would not. In the spring of 1856 he effected a union between the
Americans and old line whigs in Antrim Township, which has held together pretty
well ever since. He was instrumental in calling together the Union meeting which
prepared the way for Union throughout the County this was also in the spring of
56. At that meeting he was appointed Chairman of the County Central Committee
for the ensuing year. In the fall the nominating Convention which assembled and
formed the ticket upon his call, met and were so well pleased with him for
Chairman that they adjourned without making any change, but the wise pullers
about Chambersburg wrote to James O. Carson who had been President of the
Committee some days after the convention and got him to form a committee with
Bill McClellan as Chairman. Wash Crooks thaught that
he was shure of Rankin's influence under all the
circumstances, and that the change would secure him McClellan's influence, he
consequently favored the change, from the day the change was made the ticket, in
its more important features, was doomed. He is a vain little fool, but none the
less dangerous, and if you can assign him some important position or get him to
feel that your election depends upon him he can carry this county for you by
some
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five or six hundred. Send him several hundred dollars and get
him to use it as he did Locofoco funds in 52 & 53 and Whig funds in
1854. If he takes it you are safe, if he refuses you may calculate upon some
heavy opposition when you least expect it. I do not know a man who can use money
for political purposes as he has done, and with the kind of people I do not know
a man living who possesses impudence enough, but him, to approach a rich farmer
and pay his taxes for bringing out a large vote of a certain kind. I have known
him to buy shoes, clothing, groceries, flour, meat and even pay rent for poor
Locofocoes, or Whigs, with families, as the
case might be, where he can with twenty dollars gain 15 or 20 votes. His motto
is, that all men can be bought, but that some are cheaper than others. To show
you what a desperate character he is and how far he will go to accomplish his
end I will mention an incident of the fall of 55. He opposed Robinson and
McClure speaking in Greencastle (You remember they ran around the County like
two fools discussing the principles, policy and candidates of the American
party) but they would speak; and when McClure was in the midts of his speach he went and set on fire a
chimney in his own house to draw away the crowd and break up the meeting, and
that too at the risk of destroying the house and contents as the chimney
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was quite dirty and the roof dry. Put him to work in his peculiar way
if you can. if you cannot get him to work, your own labor will be greater than
you can imagine, if you succede at all. Loose no time for he intends making a tour of the County,
in a few days, which tour bodes no good to our cause, I am affraid.
I would give you my name but it would do you no good and might ruin me, if it was discovered that I had written this letter his desperate band would take any vengence upon me which he might dictate. I am a firm friend to the cause, however, and one who wishes you entire success.
