The campaign disclosed the fact that there were too many members of the Republican Party dissatisfied with the conditions in their organization. The disaffected united in an independent movement and nominated John Stewart, of Chambersburg, afterward a Justice of the Supreme Court, as their candidate for Governor.
The Greenback-Labor Party also placed a candidate in the field in the person of Thomas A. Armstrong. The Prohibition candidate was Alfred C. Petit. Mr. Pattison easily overcame the normal Republican majority on account of the divided vote and was elected by more than 40,000 plurality.
Governor Pattison was inaugurated January 16, 1883, at the age of thirty-two years. He was of the opinion that the State should be redistricted in congressional, senatorial and representative districts, as required by the Constitution, and when the Legislature adjourned without passing the necessary legislation, the Governor issued a proclamation on the day fixed for final adjournment, June 6, 1883, and called an extra session to convene the following day.
The Legislature continued in session until December 6, and reapportioned the State into judicial districts, but the efforts in behalf of new districts for Congress and the Legislature proved unavailing.
The act creating the annual observance of Arbor Day was enacted on March 17, 1885, and Governor Pattison appointed April 16 of that year as the first Arbor Day in Pennsylvania, a custom which has been followed to the present time.
In 1886 four candidates were placed in the field for the office of Governor. The Republicans again nominated General James A. Beaver and the Democrats named Chauncey F. Black, of York. The Prohibitionists selected Charles S. Wolf, of Lewisburg, and the Greenback Party named Robert J. Houston.
The Republicans presented a solid front this time and easily elected General Beaver, who was inaugurated January 18, 1887.
In the first session of the General Assembly the State was divided into twenty-eight congressional districts and 204 legislative districts.
An amendment to the Constitution, proposing to “prohibit the manufacture, sale or keeping for sale of any intoxicating liquor to be used as a beverage” was defeated by the vote of the people almost two to one. This amendment was strongly urged by Governor Beaver.
An important movement was put into action by the Governor, himself a gallant veteran of the Civil War, when by the act of the Legislature memorial tablets were erected on the battlefield of Gettysburg. These tablets were dedicated on Pennsylvania Day, September 11–12, 1889.