RECORD OF HIESTER CLYMER; AND f HISTORICAL PAEALLEL BETWEEN HIM AND MAJOR-GENERAL JOHN W. GEARY. 0- /' - II ALSO, OFFICIAL RETURNS OF ELECTION CONSTITUTIONAL AMENDMENTS ALLOWING SOLDIERS THE RIGHT TO VOTE, 1866. b \ $5**? Ubnury RECORD OP HIESTER CLYMER; AND HISTORICAL PARALLEL BETWEEN HIM AND MAJOR-GENERAL JOHN W. GEARY. OFFICIAL RETURNS OF ELECTION ON CONSTITUTIONAL AMENDMENTS ALLOWING SOLDIERS THE RIGHT TO VOTE. THE people of Pennsylvania will soon be called upon to select the Chief Magistrate of the State for the next three years. Their choice is confined to two names, by the action of the several Conventions. The National Union party represented at Harrisburg, and the soldiers and sailors in con- vention at Pittsbnrg, have placed in nomination Major-Genl. John W. Geary. He is a Pennsylvanian by birth, and as a soldier has followed the flag of the State and the Nation in two wars, has risen with distinction through every grade of the army, has participated in sixty battles, and been wounded four times in the field. As a civilian he has filled, with the greatest success and distinction, important public positions requiring courage and discretion, administrative ability, and the highest order of integrity. The Democratic Convention has presented the name of the Hon. Hiester Clymer, of Berks Co. likewise a Pennsylvanian by birth. It is proposed briefly to examine his claims to so honorable and responsible a post as Governor of the Commonwealth. As Mr. Clymer has never served in a military capacity, not even when the soil of his native State was invaded, and her towns devastated by hostile armies ; and, as he has held but a single office, that of State Senator for a few years, the record of his public services is necessarily a short one. Indeed, it consists entirely of his speeches and votes, during his senatorial career of six years. But, as that career covers a period when the country was torn by a distracting and bloody civil war, and when the State of Q. 7 ~ r Pennsylvania was contributing her blood and treasure without stint, in sup- port of the National cause, and for her own defence, it becomes a pertinent inquiry on which side Mr. Clymer was to be found ; and whether he cast his talents, his influence, and his means on the side of the Government or of its enemies. Fortunately this record is before us in an authentic and un- questionable shape; and it shows that he is now the fit representative of his party, as he was its leader in the Senate during the rebellion, being foremost in denunciation of the Government, and strenuous in his opposition to every measure calculated to suppress rebellion. In 1861 he opposed and voted against arming the State after Sumter had been attacked. No one was more bitter in denunciation of, and refusal to hear loyal democrats at the Capitol in defence of the Union. He voted against an increase of pay to the soldiers who were perilling their lives on the battle-field ; he refused to give them the right of voting while in the service of their country ; he re- fused to support the bill disfranchising deserters ; and was loud and unblush- ing in expressions of admiration and sympathy for Yallandigham and other traitors. In nominating him his party has been eminently consistent with its whole course during the rebellion ; no member of it was more steadily and per- sistently antagonistic to the great Union party, and the cause of the country during the whole of that period. We now furnish the proof of these assertions. Against Arming the State in 1861. On the 12th day of April, A. D. 1861, the Senate proceeded to the con- sideration of a bill for the arming of the State. This was the same day in which the rebel batteries opened their fire on Fort Sumter. On agreeing to the first section of the bill the yeas were 36 ; and the nays as follows, viz : Messrs. Blood, Clymer, Crawford, Mott, Schindel, and Welsh, 6. And upon every section the vote stood the same ; and upon the final passage, Mr. Clymer continued, with the small minority of 6, to vote against it. See Legislative Record for 1861 pages 843-4-5 and 6. And on the 16th day of April, 1861, after the news of the attack upon Sumter had fired the Northern heart, and hundreds of thousands were rally- ing to the defence of our insulted flag, Mr. Clymer united with his five disloyal colleagues in entering upon the journal of the Senate a solemn protest against the bill for arming the State. See Legislative Record 1861, pages 902 and 3. It is true these disloyal Senators veiled their opposition to this measure under a pretended regard for constitutional forms; but so they did subse- quently in all the efforts of the Government to uphold its authority against the rebellion, and to guard the national flag from insult and dishonor. Against Collection of Direct Tax in 1862. In the session of 1862, during the dark days of the Republic, when reverses had overtaken her armies, and her credit was strained to the utmost to sup- ply the means of sustaining them in the field, Mr. Clymer voted against the joint-resolutions of the Legislature to provide for the collection of the direct tax levied by the United States. See Legislative Record, 1862, pages 154-5. This was the only opportunity Mr. Clymer and his Democratic colleagues had, during that session, to manifest their hostility to the government and their sympathy with treason. True to their instincts, they tried to withhold the supplies, as before they had attempted to withhold the men. *;, Against Law Authorizing Soldiers to Vote. On the 9th of April, 1863, the Senate proceeded to the consideration of a bill " to enable citizens of this commonwealth engaged in the military and naval service of the United States, or the military service of Pennsylvania, to vote." Mr. Clymer voted against the section ; and subsequently on the 10th of April, 1863, on the final passage of the bill, the Nays were Messrs. Bircher, Clymer, Donovan, Glatz, Kincey, Lamberton, McSherry, Mott, Reilly, Smith, Stark, Stein, and Wallace. 13 nays, all Democrats. See Legislative Record, 1863, page 808. In the session of 1864, on the 9th of March, the joint-resolutions pro- posing an amendment to the Constitution, authorizing the soldiers to vote when absent in the field, being before the Senate, on their final passage Mr. Clymer, although present, dodged ; and in the afternoon of the same day, having asked leave to record his vote, the Senate refused. See Legislative Record, 1864, pages 335-41. And when, later in the session, a bill was introduced to carry into effect a Constitutional amendment to that effect, upon its final passage Mr. Clymer not only spoke against it, but with his 12 Democratic colleagues voted against it. See Legislative Record, 1864, page 509. Mr. Clymer votes against the Bill to Define and Punish Offences of a Treasonable Character. The then existing legislation of Congress in regard to the definition and punishment of treasonable offences having been found entirely deficient in the crisis of the rebellion, in order to encourage prompt and vigorous action by Congress the following joint-resolution was introduced into the Legisla- ture of Pennsylvania : "Be it Resolved, &c., That the Senators from this State be instructed and " the members of Congress requested to procure the immediate passage of "laws defining and punishing offences of a treasonable character, not amount- " ing to high treason, and providing for the fair and speedy trial, by an im- " partial jury, of persons charged with such offences in the loyal and uii- " disturbed States, so that the guilty may justly suffer, and the innocent be "relieved." During the debate Mr. Clymer made various captious objections to the resolution ; and on its final passage voted No. See Legislative Record, 1863, pages 204-8. He Opposes Bounties to Volunteers. So upon the question of bounties to soldiers, Mr. Clymer manifested his opposition to it as a measure intended to strengthen the government in its struggle with the rebellion. Doubts having arisen as to the extent of the authority of the county com- missioners to contract debts for this purpose, legislation was imperatively called for to secure prompt and uniform action throughout the State. This was on the eve of the great invasion of the State, and but three months before the battle of Gettysburg. A bill to legalize the payment of these bounties having been introduced, and perfected by a conference of the committees of the two houses, upon its final passage Mr. Clymer voted against it. See Legislative Record, 1863, pages 809-11. Refuses to allow Andrew Johnson, and other loyal Demo- crats, to be heard in the Capitol in defence of the General Government. On the 6th of March, 1863, the following resolution was submitted in the Senate of Pennsylvania : " Whereas, Governor Andrew Johnson, of Tennessee, a brave and loyal " man, whose devotion to the Union is fully attested by his sacrifices and " efforts in the cause of his country, and Ex-Governor Joseph A. Wright, a " distinguished and patriotic citizen of the State of Indiana, are about to "visit Harrisburg, and propose to address the people on the great question "now agitating the public mind, and which are of so much moment to the "stability of the general government; therefore, " Resolved, That Governor Andrew Johnson, of Tennessee, and Ex-Gover- " nor Joseph A. Wright, of Indiana, be and they are hereby tendered the " use of the hall of the Senate this afternoon, for the purpose of addressing "their fellow-citizens of Pennsylvania." Mr. Clymer, in the discussion which followed, said, among other things, " In this particular case, I have my distinct personal and general reasons for " voting against having Andrew Johnson in these halls. They may not be "satisfactory to others; they are, sir, to myself, and they will be to those " whom I represent. Sir, I do not recognize Andrew Johnson as the gover- " nor of Tennessee. I say that he assumes the title without warrant of the " Constitution, or warrant under the laws of the United States. I say that "his appointment to conduct the affairs of the State of Tennessee was but a " portion of that general system by which it is attempted to consolidate this " Government, and make it one great machine to be wielded by the power "of one man. For that reason, I am against receiving Andrew Johnson "as the Governor of the State of Tennessee." Later in the debate Mr. Clymer said ^ " Mr. Speaker, on this day, at this hour, and in this place, a great issue is " on trial, fraught with the interests not only of the present, but of the future; " and if I, in the decision of this issue, have acted a part, however unimport- "ant, I shall hereof ter look back to this day, to this hour, and this place, with " feelings of no little gratification. "What is the question presented? It is a proposition to invite Andrew " Johnson, the so-called Governor of Tennessee, to address the people of " Pennsylvania from the Senate chamber of this State. I have various rea- " sons for opposing this proposition. In the first place, I here boldly proclaim " that he is not at this hour, and never has been by the Constitution, or " under the laws, the Governor of the State of Tennessee, except when years " ago he was elected to that office by the people. I say, sir, that his ap- " poiutment by the President of the United States to that position was a " usurpation of power on the part of the President, and that there is no war- "rant under the Constitution, no authority in the laws, for his appointment; " and that every act which he has assumed to perform, by virtue of his "unconstitutional and illegal appointment, has been in derogation of the " rights of a sovereign State, and in flat violation of the Constitution of the " United States. I say, sir, furthermore, that no such position as Military " Governor of a State is known to the Constitution of the United States ; " that there is nothing in that instrument which authorizes the President of " the United States to appoint a Military Governor of any State; and that "to make such an appointment was to create the State of Tennessee a "military province; and thai, his appointment was made to carry out and " subserve the purposes of the present Administration, which is to reduce "all the States of this Union to the condition of mere dependencies of a " consolidated oligarchy or despotism. That is my position so far as con- " cerns this pretended Governor of Tennessee. Andrew Johnson has not " been for years, and is not now the Governor of that State, and I will never " recognize him as such by voting for this resolution. But, sir, without re- " gard to any question of his official position, take Andrew Johnson as an " individual, assuming that he is rightfully clothed with the robes of office, " and may constitutionally exercise the duties of that high position, even " then, I say to you, Mr. Speaker, that I never by my vote will allow a man 6 " to come into these halls, and from this place speak to the people of this " great State in support of what I know to be illegal, unconstitutional, and " tyrannical acts of the Federal Government. / know, sir, that Andrew 11 Johnson has gone as far as the farthest, and is ready to go still farther, to " destroy, to uproot, to upturn every principle upon which this great and "good Government of ours was founded. I know that he has bent with syp- " pliant knee before the throne of power. I know that for pelf, or some other " consideration, he has succumbed to every measure presented to him for ap- 11 pr oval or disapproval; and I know that in speeches delivered in the capitals " of other States he has enunciated doctrines which, if adopted by the people of " the great North, would be subversive of individual freedom and personal " right. " Sir, by no vote of mine can any person holding such views address the u people of Pennsylvania in this chamber. Never, sir, never, so long as I have " a right to forbid him /" And afterwards, ill disguising his bitterness and his contempt for the loyal Governor of Tennessee, he described him " as a mere hireling of federal 11 patronage and power," and voted against v giving him a hearing. See Legislative Record of 1863, pages 316-7. A Friend of Vallandigham. Mr. Clymer declared that " if Woodward and Vallandigham were elected " Governors of Pennsylvania and Ohio, they, with Seymour of New York, " and Parker of New Jersey, would unite in calling from the army the troops " from their respective States, for the purpose of compelling the Administration "to invite a convention of the States to adjust our difficulties." This startling declaration was made on the 24th of August, 1863, in a public speech delivered before the people of Somerset, in this State, and is authenticated not only by unimpeachable witnesses, but afterwards, by a feeble attempt at explanation or extenuation, by Mr. Clymer himself. The atrocity of such a sentiment from a Senator of the State will be best understood when it is recollected that this treasonable declaration was made by him only a few weeks after the soil of the State had been overrun and devastated by the rebel hordes under Lee ; and while the field of Gettysburg was still red with the blood of that terrible battle, the victorious result of which alone saved the State and its Capital, and prevented the terms of an inglorious peace from being dictated to the North, by a southern army, in the City of Philadelphia. General Geary, although wounded at Chancellorsville, marched to the rescue with his division ; and with Crawford and Hancock, Reynolds and Meade those gallant Pennsylvanians took a conspicuous part in the splendid achievements of the three eventful days of that great battle. Hiester Clymer, the State Senator, with no sympathy for his Government, and no word of encouragement for the soldiers who were fighting its battles, openly proclaimed a purpose which, if it had been carried out, would have been a virtual surrender to the defeated, but still arrogant South. We proceed to give the authority for this statement : On the 3d of February, 1864, Mr. Clymer was charged on the floor of the Senate with having made such a speech at Somerset. After a weak attempt -at evading the charge, he proceeded to state what he did say on that occasion. And let every candid reader say whether Mr. Clymer's own version, consider- ing the time and circumstances under which it was given, was not worse in spirit and utterance than the original treasonable declaration at Somerset. But to the record. Mr. Clymer, in reply to the charge referred to, made the following remarks, viz. : "Now, sir, for the benefit of those who desire to hear it, I will state what " I did say on the occasion referred to. It is alleged that I made use of the "language in a speech delivered at Somerset, in the County of Somerset, in " this State. The only remark I made then which could be tortured into " such a malicious misstatement as appeared in the newspapers was this, that " if Judge Woodward was elected Governor of Pennsylvania, and Yallandig- " ham Governor of Ohio, they, in conjunction with those two great patriots, " Seymour of New York, and Parker of New Jersey, would compel this " Government to come back to the resolution of July, 1861, and prosecute " this war for the purposes set forth in that resolution. I say now, and " believe that it was the greatest calamity that has yet befallen this country that " those two men were not elected; for I believe now, and ever shall believe, "that the departure from the purposes and objects of that resolution has " deluged this land in blood, wasted our substance, and made us a mournful "spectacle amongst the nations of the earth." See Legislative Record, 1864, page 149. We are permitted to give the authority of the editor of the " Somerset Herald and Whig," and of the Hon. Wm. H. Koontz, the member of Con- gress elect from that district, and of other gentlemen who were present, for the strict accuracy of the language attributed to Mr. Clymer, in his Somerset speech. His own version is even worse ; for, not content with saying that Vallandigham and his colleagues would, if successful, have compelled the Government to pursue their policy, Mr. Clymer, in the face of the legisla- ture, proclaimed our country, then victorious at every point, " a mournful spectacle amongst the nations of the earth." What Yallandigham and Wood- ward would have done, if successful, they did not hesitate to avow. Every one, familiar with the history of 1862-3, knows if the four great central States had passed under the control of such disloyal governors, it was the intention of northern sympathizers to compel the General Government into submission to their plans by a recall of the State troops from our armies in the field. The same party whose leaders, only a short time before, had waited on Lord Lyons, the British minister, and besought foreign interven- tion against their own government, and whose presses, and orators, and 8 political conventions did not hesitate to recommend the recall of the State troops, would undoubtedly have carried their purpose into effect if they had had the power ; and Mr. Clymer not only truly represented his own party in his Somerset speech, but then uttered sentiments in which he gloried a year later, when he contemplated such aid and comfort to the rebellion. Properly and justly has he been called " The Vallandigham of Pennsyl- vania." True, his notorious model was tried, and convicted, and sent "beyond the Union lines," and Mr. Clymer was not. But, the latter is now on trial before the insulted citizens and soldiers of Pennsylvania, and as the former, for kindred offences, was recently submerged under a hundred thou- sand majority, by the gallant patriots of Ohio, so will the loyal voters of the old Keystone make haste to follow so illustrious an example. Mr. Clymer "opposed to the War as at present conducted, and never did approve of it in itself." In order to place the sentiments of Mr. Clymer on record, beyond denial, it is only necessary to quote the resolutions adopted at a meeting in Berks County, which he united in calling, and which he addressed. This meeting was held at the Court House in Reading, on the 21st of April, 1863. It was intended to sustain the Democracy of that county in their disloyal attitude to the Government, and in their forcible resistance to the draft, by means of secret organizations. Among the resolutions adopted were the following, viz: " Resolved, That secret societies, political or otherwise, are not in them- " selves in violation of the Constitution and the laws; and that whenever a "free people see proper to organize themselves in secret or in public, they " have a right to protection, and if the Government, for political purposes, ft fails to render that protection, we pledge ourselves to furnish it to the extent " of our power." After resolving that "resistance by force to an invasion of our personal "freedom is a virtue," this virtuous party further "Resolved, That we do not tl approve of this war as at present conducted; WE NEVER DID APPROVE OF IT "IN ITSELF, but accepted it in preference to disunion, anarchy, and despo- tism, under pledges that it should be conducted solely with a view to the "restoration of the Union. These pledges have been broken; the war is "converted into an abolition crusade, and we are free from any obligations, "except those of obedience to law." The all-pervading spirit of these resolutions was a bitter hostility to the " present authorities of the United States ;" but they contained not a word against' the government of Jefferson Davis. They proclaimed a purpose "to assert the sovereign right of the State of Pennsylvania," which meant, if they should succeed at the approaching elections for Governor and Members of the Legislature, to secede from the National Union, and unite with the fortunes of the Confederacy. After the reading of these resolutions, Hiester Clymer, then a prominent candidate for nomination as Governor, addressed the meeting. His speech was especially violent and inflammatory, surpassing even the resolutions in the boldness of its opposition to and contempt for the Government. This closes the brief and inglorious record of Mr. Clymer. He never held but the one public office ; and that was during the period of the despe- rate struggle of the Government with the Slaveholders' Rebellion. He might have upheld the Government and have created a powerful influence in his District on the side of loyalty and the Union. But the whole record may be searched in vain for a syllable or vote of his that would not have been applauded at Charleston or Richmond. This man is now the candidate of the Democracy for the highest office in the gift of the people of Pennsylvania. The organ of that party says of him that "he now stands as the representative man in this commonwealth of the principles which he has always advocated." "His opinions are before the people, and he is willing to stand or fall by them." This record of him is drawn from authentic materials that cannot be questioned. And in order to enable the people of Pennsylvania to decide between Hiester Clymer and General John W. Geary we have prepared the following historical parallel. HISTORICAL PARALLEL. JOHN W. GEARY, candidate of the HIESTER CLYMER was born in Berks National "Union party for the Gov- County, Pennsylvania, in the year ernorship of Pennsylvania, was born 182T , of respectable parentage. His December 20, 1819, in Westmoreland grandfather, George Clymer, was one County, Pennsylvania. of the signers of the Declaration of He entered Jefferson College, at Independence. He had the benefit Canonsburg, Pa. ; but before gradii- of a liberal education, studied law, ating, his father died, leaving his and was admitted to practice at the widow and her young family entirely Reading bar. dependent. Young .Geary immedi- Nothing was heard of him in pub- ately left college, opened a school, lie life until the year 1850, when he assumed the support of his mother, commenced his political career by and, by his industry, self-denial, and running for the Legislature on the economy, not only was enabled to Whig ticket in Berks County. Of provide for. her and her family, but course he was not elected. He, how- finally discharged the debts which his ever, ran behind Gen. Wm. H. Keim, father, who failed in business, had the Whig candidate for Congress, unavoidably left unsatisfied. 1509 votes. 1* 10 GEARY. Geary, not finding the profession of teaching to furnish sufficient scope For his tastes .and aspirations, after a brief clerkship in a wholesale store at Pittsburg, commenced the study of civil engineering. He subsequently studied law, and was admitted to practice. He was employed as civil engineer and superintendent of the Alleghany Portage Railroad in 1846, when the war with Mexico occurred. Quickly responding to the call for volunteers, he recruited a company in a few days, and organized it under the name of the "American High- landers." This company was attached to the Second Regiment Pennsylvania Volunteers, and Captain Geary was at once elected Lieutenant-Colonel. He joined the army of General Scott at Yera Cruz, and was attached to General Quitman's command. He distinguished himself in the Mexican campaign for personal gal- lantry and military skill, particularly in the bloody battles of La Hoy a, Cerro Gordo, Chapultepec, and Garita-de-Belen. Colonel Roberts having died, Geary was elected Colonel of the regiment. In consideration of his valuable ser- vices, he was assigned to the com- mand of the great Citadel of the Capi- tal, and his commission as colonel was dated on that memorable spot. The treaty of Guadalupe Hidalgo having established peace with Mex- ico, and secured California to the United States, in January, 1849, Preident Polk, in grateful recogni- CLYMER. He remained a Whig until 1856, when he joined the Democratic ranks. In 1860 he ran for the State Sen- ate, on the Democratic ticket, to fill a vacancy; and he has represented his county in that position for the last six years. 11 GEARY. CLYMER. tioa of his gallant services, appointed Col. Geary postmaster of San Fran- / cisco, with full power to create post- / offices, appoint postmasters, establish mail routes, and make contracts for carrying the mails throughout Cali- fornia. Having held this office until Gen. Taylor's accession to the Presidency, he was unanimously elected by the people of San Francisco to the office of first Alcalde. r In addition to this, Brig.-Gen. Ki- / ley, then Governor of California, in August, 1849, appointed him Judge of First Instance for the district of San Francisco. These were Mexican offices. As Alcalde he was Sheriff, Probate Judge, and Recorder, and daily held a mayor's and alcalde's court for minor cases, as well as general execu- tive matters of the city. As Judge of First Instance he held a court having both civil and criminal juris- diction throughout ttte city; and a court of admiralty, exercising au- thority in all maritime cases. Judge Geary performed all these varied du- ties so much to the satisfaction of the people, that at the close of the year, when a new election took place, he received all but four out of the twelve thousand votes that were polled. Under the first city charter, in May, / 1850, Geary was elected first Mayor j of San Francisco by a large majority. A year later, although urged to be a candidate for re-election, he declined. He consented, however, to serve as president of the commissioners to manage the funded debt of the city, and rendered important service. When the convention of delegates 12 GEARY. CLYMER. assembled at Monterey, in 1849, to form a State Constitution, Geary was chairman of the Democratic Terri- torial Committee, and it was mainly through his influence that the Free State clause was inserted in the newly- framed Constitution. John W. Geary landed at San Fran- cisco on the 1st of April, 1849, and left California on the 1st of February, 1852. In less than three years he had achieved more than most men achieve in a lifetime of threescore and ten. In tne mean time the Kansas- Ne- braska agitation had disturbed the peace of the country, and actual hos- tilities had occurred in the Territory of Kansas. Governors Reeder and Shannon had failed to settle the diffi- culties. In July, 1856, Col. Geary was appointed, by President Pierce, Governor of that Territory, and the appointment was confirmed by the Senate without the usual reference to a committee. As the Governor ascended the Missouri River, he met ex-Governor Shannon on his way down the river, flying for his life. The town of Leavenworth was in the hands of armed bodies of men, and an army of three thousand men as- sembled to destroy the free State town of Lawrence. Governor Geary rode into their camp unattended, as- sumed command of their forces, and addressing to them some earnest words of patriotic and loyal counsel, he disbanded and sent them to their homes. When he approached their lines, he did not know whether they would shoot him or acknowledge his authority. It was an extremely criti- cal case, and required great nerve 13 GEARY. and presence of mind. But he was eqnal to the situation. In his public address at Lecompton, and in his first Annual Message to the Territorial Assembly, the Governor took his stand: "Equal and exact justice to all men, of whatever political party or religious persuasion." All the elements of violence and disorder combined against him ; and yet, in a short time, owing to his vigorous and skilful measures, he was enabled to make the following announcement : " Peace now reigns in Kansas ; con- fidence is gradually being restored ; settlers are returning to their claims; citizens are resuming their ordinary pursuits, and a general gladness per- vades the community." On the 4th of March, 1857, the day of the inauguration of Mr. Bu- chanan, he forwarded his resignation. But in this short space of time he had withstood border ruffianism, sup- pressed all organized violence, and restored the supremacy of the Federal and Territorial laws. Kansas came out of her baptism of blood and fire a free State; and to no man was this result more due, in her case, as in that of California, than to John W. Geary. Governor Geary was at his rural home in Westmoreland County when the thunders of armed treason first broke upon the ear ^ the nation. In the summer of 186i he proceeded to Philadelphia to raise a regiment; sixty-six companies solicited permis- sion to join his command. He was authorized to raise his regiment to the standard of sixteen companies, with one battery of six guns, known after- wards as " Knapp's Battery." Colonel CLYMER. .. The Legislative Record of this pe- riod will be searched in vain for any evidence that Mr. Clymer was iden- tified with any measures of great or public importance. It shows him only as taking part in ordinary or local legislation, except when it be- came necessary to speak or vote on the great questions involved in the maintenance of the national authority against the revolutionary attempts of the seceding States. On all such u GEARY. Geary at once received orders to pro- ceed to Harper's Ferry, to report to General Banks, then in command. He was assigned to command of Maryland Heights. On the 16th of October, 1861, he fought the Battle of Bolivar, with one thousand men and four guns, against an assailing force of five thousand men and six guns. He severely repulsed the ene- my, after an engagement of eight hours. In this engagement he was wounded in the right knee. In the movement made by General Banks in the spring of 1862 Colonel Geary was assigned to the command of the advance. On the 8th of March he bore a conspicuous part in the battle which resulted in the capture of Leesburg. He led the van of the Union column in the subsequent ope- rations, by which the rebel forces were obliged to evacuate all the towns north of the Rappahannock, and were dislodged from their strongholds at Snicker's, Ashby's, Manassas, and Chester Gaps, in the range of the Blue Mountains. For the services rendered in this campaign he was promoted to the rank of Brigadier- General. On the 9th of August, 1862, in the obstinately fought Battle of Cedar Mountain, between the forces under Banks and Stonewall Jackson, Gene- ral Geary was wounded slightly in the left foot and severely in the right CLYMER. questions he was invariably in sym- pathy with the rebellion. But let the Record speak for him. On the 12th day of April, 1861, the day of the rebel assault upon Fort Sumter, he opposed and voted against the bill for arming the State. See Legislative Record for 1861, pages 843-5, &c. On the 15th of April, 1861, after the news of the fall of Sumter had been received, and the Northern heart had been fired by this insult to the national flag, Mr. Clymer, with his five disloyal colleagues, entered on the Journal of the Senate their sol- emn protest against the passage of the bill for arming the State. See Legislative Record for 1861, pages 902-3. In the session of 1862, during the dark days of the Republic, and when reverses had overtaken her armies, Mr. Clymer voted against sustaining them in the field, by voting against the joint resolutions of the Legisla- ture to provide for the collection of the cfirect tax levied by the United States See Legislative Record for 1862, pages 154-5. 15 GEARY. arm, and was carried from the field, at the close of the day. Shortly after the Battle of Antietam the Twelfth Corps was assigned to General Slocum, and Geary was pro- moted to the command of its Second Division. On the 1st, 2d, and 3d of May, 1863, General Hooker, having crossed the Rappahannock, gave Lee battle at Chancellorsville. In this bloody and memorable engagement, the 12th Corps maintained a conspicuous part, and General Geary, at the head of the 2d Division, was distinguished for his coolness and courage. In this battle he was seriously wounded in the left breast by the fragment of a shell. It was at Chancellorsville that his command was first designated as the " White Star" Division, by which it was known until its honorable dis- charge at the end of the war. In the next battle, fought on Penn- sylvania soil, at Gettysburg, on the 2d and 3d of July, 1863, Geary bore a conspicuous part. Meade and Reynolds, Hancock, Crawford, and Geary, noble sons of Pennsylvania, divided the responsibilities and shared the dangers and glorious results of that dreadful contest. After Gettysburg came Chicka- mauga. The important results of the latter made it necessary to reinforce the Array of the Cumberland. The Eleventh and Twelfth Corps were ordered to join the Army of the Southwest. Geary followed the for- tunes of the Twelfth Corps, and con- tinued at the head of his old Division. Grant had now assumed chief com- CLYMER. .On the 9th and 10th of April, 1863, on the consideration and final pas- sage of the bill to authorize those in the military and naval service of the United States to vote, he voted with his Democratic colleagues against every section. Same, page 808. In the session of 1864, on the 9th of March, upon the joint-resolutions proposing an amendment to the Con- stitution authorizing the soldiers to vote, Mr. Clymer being present dodged; and in the afternoon of the same day, having asked leave to re- cord his vote, the Senate refused. See Legislative Record, 1864, 335- 341. And later in the session, when a bill was introduced to carry this amendment into effect, Mr. Clymer not only spoke against it, but with his twelve Democratic colleagues voted against it. See Legislative Record, 1864, page 509. During the session of 1863 Mr. Clymer voted against joint-resolu- tions in favor of a law to define and punish treasonable offences. Legis- lative Record, 1863, page 204-8. During same session he voted against the bill to legalize the pay- ment of bounties to Volunteers. This was on the eve of the invasion of the State, and but three months before 16 I GEARY. mand. Tn pursuance of his plan, the battle of Wauhatchie was fought October 28, 1863; of Lookout Moun- tain, November 24 ; of Mission Ridge, November 25; and Ringgold, November 27. Geary's was the only division of his corps that participated in these battles of the " Chattanooga Campaign," and his name will ever be proudly associated with its brilliant victories. His division fought the battle of Wauhatchie alone. Of this battle General Hooker says : " During these, operations a heavy musketry fire, with occasional discharges of artill ery, con- tinued to reach us from Geary. It was evident a formidable adversary had gathered round him, and that he was battering him with all his might. For almost three hours, without as- sistance, he repelled the repeated at- tacks of vastly superior numbers, and in the end drove them ingloriously from the field. At one time they had enveloped him on both sides, under circumstances that would have dis- mayed any officer, except one en- dowed with an iron will and a most exalted courage. Such is the charac- ter of General Geary." General Slocum also awarded him the highest credit. But on this bloody field General Geary lost his eldest son, Capt. Edward R. Geary, who commanded a section of Knapp's celebrated battery. He fell pierced through the forehead, while bravely maintaining his position against su- perior numbers. In the spring of 1864, the Army of the Southwest was reorganized. Grant having been invested with the rank of Lieutenant-General and Com- CLYMER. the battle of Gettysburg. Legisla- tive Record for 1863, pages 809-11. On the 6th of March, 1863, Mr. Clymer opposed giving Andrew John- son, then Governor of Tennessee, the privilege of speaking at the Capitol of Pennsylvania on behalf of the loyal men of the South. He denounced him as a usurper, charged him with " upturning every principle on which this government is founded;" with having " bent the suppliant knee before the throne of power ;" and that, "for pelf or some other consideration," he had yielded to the measures of the government. He further spoke of him " as a mere hireling of Federal patronage and power." Legislative Record of 1863, pages 376-7. On the 21st of April, 1863, he ad- dressed a public meeting called under his auspices, and held at the Court- House in Reading, Berks County.. GEARY. mander-in-chief, Sherman assumed command of all the forces designated to operate in the Southwestern and extreme Southern States. By direc- tion of that great Captain important changes were effected in the organi- zation of this army. The llth and 12th Corps were consolidated into the 20th, under Hooker. Geary contin- ued in command of his old division, with the addition of one brigade from the llth Corps. Sherman's Army, complete in equipment, and about 90,000 strong, commenced its great campaign on the 4th of May, 1864. The events which followed can scarce- ly be named here. Geary was in all of them, at the head of his division, to which he was endeared by long companionship in perils, hardships, and sufferings. He participated in the battles of Mill Creek and Snake Gap, May 8th ; Resaca, May 15th ; New Hope Church, commencing May 26th and continuing eight consecutive days; Pine Hill, June 15th; Muddy Creek, June 17th; Nose's Creek, June 19th ; Kolb's Farm, June 22d ; Kenesaw, June 27th ; Marietta, July 3d; Peach Tree Creek, July 20th; and the siege of Atlanta, lasting twenty-eight days, and ending in the capture of the city on the 2d of Sep- tember. To use his own language : "The campaign, from its opening till "the fall of Atlanta, was really a " one hundred days' fight, and may be " termed a continuous battle, crowned "with constant victory." General Sherman having consigned Hood to the care of Thomas, with one-half of his grand army, on 16th November, 1864, cut loose from his communications at Atlanta, and start- CLYMER. Among other violent and inflamma- tory language against the General Government, he advocated the reso- lutions that " resistance by force to an invasion of our personal freedom is a virtue," and that "we do not ap- prove of this war as at present con- ducted. WE NEVER DID APPROVE OF IT IN ITSELF." On the 24th of August, 1863, in his Somerset speech, Mr. Clymer de- clared that if Woodward and Val- landigham were elected Governors of Pennsylvania and Ohio, they, with Seymour of New York, and Parker, of New Jersey, would unite in recall- ing from the army the troops of their respective States, and thus compelihQ Administration to call a convention of States to make terms with traitors. On the 3d of Feb'y, 1864, when Mr. Clymer was charged with having uttered such a sentiment, he failed to justify himself, and went so far as to declare that the United States then ^presented a mournful spectacle amongst the nations of the earth." 18 GEARY. ed on liis famous march for the At- lantic coast. He took Geary with him : the latter, at the head of bis old division, took part in all the move- ments, marches, and battles of that campaign ; and finally, having led in the advance upon Savannah, he re- ceived the surrender of that city, and was appointed its Military Governor by General Sherman, in consideration of his services in its siege and cap- tare. While in command of the city as Military Governor, he was, in recog- nition of his services throughout the war, breveted Major-General of Vol- unteers. His commission as Major-General was dated January 12th, 1865, and the reason assigned in it for his pro- motion was "fitness to command, and promptness to execute." During the campaign in the Caro- linas which followed the capture of Savannah, Geary's division fought on the Apalache and Oconee rivers ; at Landsboro 7 and Davisboro'; at Sulka- hatchie, and North and South Edisto; at Red Bank and Congaree; at Black River and Bentonville. In the vicinity of Goldsboro' and Raleigh, the gigantic struggle that saved the republic and gave hope to the world was brought to a close. The " White Star" division with its old commander witnessed the surren- der of Johnson ; and after partici- pating in the grand review at Wash- ington, were disbanded and returned to their homes. This valiant and faithful soldier was present at and participated in sixty battles, and was wounded four times ; he made nearly the entire CLYMER. Mr. Clymer was afterward a sup- porter of the Chicago platform, which declared "that after four years of 11 failure to restore the Union by the 19 GEARY. circuit of the rebel confederacy, and fought its authors and defenders in nearly every State that acknow- ledged their usurped authority. The regiment which he recruited in the beginning-, the 28th Pennsylvania, continued with him to the end of the war. The brigade he commanded was the first in the whole army to re- enlist as veterans. The division he led in so many battles was never, in a single instance, either repulsed or driven by the enemy. Its unyield- ing front on the day of battle will account for its losses. During its campaigns in the South and South- west its casualties were about twenty- nine hundred ; and from the time he assumed command until the close of the war, the casualties were not less than ten thousand. It is noteworthy that no regiment, after being trans- ferred to his brigade or division, ever left his command until it was duly mustered out of service. Tried in almost all departments of the public service, he has proved him- self equal to the exigencies of his position ; and from the most difficult and adverse circumstances, his rare ability, prudence, and firmness have enabled him to achieve success and honorable distinction. CLYMER. "experiment of war," "immediate " efforts should be made for the ces- " sation of hostilities." And his whole public career, and all his official acts and private de- clarations have uniformly been con- sistent with the above record. He might do to rule over South Carolina or Virginia, but never over the loyal men of Pennsylvania. 20 Official Returns of Election on Constitutional Amendment allowing Soldiers the Right to Vote. (Copied from Legislative Documents for 1864, page 1566.) Election held August, 1864. Counties. For Amendment. Against Amendment. Counties. Amendment. Against Amendment. Adams,' 2,080 1,491 Lancaster, 10,537 1,604 Allegheny, 9,863 896 Lawrence, 2,288 146 Armstrong, 2,466 1,676 Lebanon, 2,492 686 Beaver, 2,380 365 Lehigh, 2,614 3,637 Bedford, 1,922 1,696 Luzerne, 4,575 4,024 Berks, 5,016 6,947 Lycoming, 2,714 2,473 Blair, 2,505 223 McKean, 570 183 Bradford, 4,970 229 Mercer, 3,212 2,012 Bucks, 4,897 4,042 Mifflin, 1,304 576 Butler, 2,679 1,237 Momoe, 458 1,644 Cambria, 1,620 2,143 Montgomery, 4,938 4,743 Carbon, 1,097 592 Montour, 865 710 Centre, 2,228 2,319 Northampton, 2,476 3,174 Chester, 6,415 1,483 Northumberland , 2,346 2,177 Clarion, 1,613 734 Perry, 2,046 902 Clearfield, 1,298 2,083 Philadelphia, 27,268 9,905 Clinton, 1,300 1,377 Pike, 167 841 Columbia, 1,533 2,553 Potter, 1,025 87 Crawford, 4,502 932 Schuylkill, 5,923 3,058 Cumberland, 2,927 1,588 Snyder, 1,463 870 Cameron, 225 73 Somerset, 2,390 902 Dauphin, 3,711 1,861 Sullivan, 316 381 Delaware, 2,361 157 Susquehanna, 3,251 422 Elk, 260 382 Tioga, 3,297 170 Erie, 5,029 1,083 Union, 1,524 484 Fayette, 2,603 2,503 Venango, 2,530 821 Forest, 77 16 Warren, 1,851 212 Franklin, 2,513 721 Washington, 4,031 2,238 Fulton, 493 645 Wayne, 1,444 2,221 Greene, 1,862 608 Westmoreland, 3,738 3,383 Huntingdon, 2,505 360 Wyoming, 1,181 710 Indiana, 3,292 689 York, 4,265 3,884 Jefferson, 1,497 1,220 Juniata, 1,008 1,088 199,855 105,352