Daily stories of Pennsylvania

by Frederic Antes Godcharles

The campaign was one of vituperation and personal abuse of the candidates unparalleled in the history of politics.

When the news of the election became known it showed that Porter had been elected by a majority of 5540 votes.

Immediately thereafter Secretary of the Commonwealth Thomas H. Burrowes, who was also chairman of the Anti-Masonic State Committee, issued a circular to the “Friends of Governor Ritner,” calling upon them to “treat the election held on October 9 as if it had never taken place.” This circular had the desired effect and the defeated Anti-Masonic and weak candidates for the Legislature contested the seats of their successful Democratic competitors on the slightest pretext.

Thaddeus Stevens said at a public meeting in the Courthouse at Gettysburg that “the Anti-Masons would organize the House, and if Governor Porter were declared elected the Legislature would elect Canal Commissioners for three years and then adjourn before date fixed by the new Constitution for the inauguration, and that Porter would never be Governor.”

As the time approached for the meeting of the Legislature on December 4, trouble was anticipated and “Committees on Safety” were appointed in nearly all of the counties, while many persons, especially from the districts in which contests were expected, flocked to Harrisburg to witness the result of the struggle.

It may not be generally known, but there had been a secret meeting composed of Burrowes, Stevens and Fenn, none of whom was born in Pennsylvania, at which were suggested some strong revolutionary measures.

After the excitement was over the Legislature settled down to business, and Governor Porter having been inaugurated, it was seriously considered whether these men should not be tried for treason.

The House then consisted of 100 members, eight of whom were from Philadelphia, whose seats were contested, and of the remaining number forty-eight were Democrats and forty-four anti-Masonic Whigs. The majority of the Senate belonged to the latter party, and consequently promptly organized by the election of Charles B. Penrose as Speaker.

In the House the clerk read the names of the members as given him by the Secretary of the Commonwealth.

Upon reading the returns from Philadelphia County it was discovered that the legal returns had been withheld and fraudulent ones substituted. This had been anticipated, as the Secretary of the Commonwealth had determined to seat the minority members, thus compelling the majority to be contestants and to witness the organization of the House. The Democrats produced and read the true returns, as duly certified by the Prothonotary of Philadelphia. This seated both sets of contesting delegates and caused the wildest excitement.