Page:Historical and Biographical Annals of Columbia and Montour Counties, Pennsylvania, Containing a Concise History of the Two Counties and a Genealogical and Biographical Record of Representative Families.pdf/459

 COLUMBIA AXD MONTOUR COUNTIES mission appointed to revise the penal code of the State, to accept, filling his new post for three years, until relieved Ju ly lo, 1861. Dur­ ing that period he resided with his family at Quito. Meantime the political complexion of I'cnnsy)vania had undeigone a change, and the Democrats had a poor show*ing for a white. But as there w as a strong clement among con­ servative Republicans which did not approve of the emancipation proclamation, then loom­ ing on the horizon, the party recruited unex­ pected strength on account of the peculiar situation, and the fall election o f 1 8 ^ gave the Democrats a m ajority o f one in the A s­ sembly. M r. Buckalew w*as candidate for United Stales senator the Ja n u a iy following, and though there were other candidates o f his parly the confidence and respect he enjoyed won him unbroken support, and he w as elected on the J3th by the m ajority o f two (one R e­ publican voting for William D. K e lley), succeedir^ David WTImot, who filled the tast two years of the term for which his former oppo­ nents. Simon Cameron, had been elected in 1857. r e s t i n g to enter Lincoln's c,ibinct. Cameron was again M r. Buckalew's opponent. It was unfortunate that, with all his ability. M r. Buckalew* should have gone to the Senate at that particular period. l i e linished his tent), serving until 1869. hut the brilliant rec­ ord for which his constituents had hoped was not realized, a fact which has alw ays heen attributed to the peculiar ciraim stances pre­ vailing. H e w as a loyal supporter of the Union cause, but he was one o f a handful o f L)en>ocrats when both branches o f Congress w ere controlled by the radical element of the Republican party, and while he did his duty faithfu lly he took little part in the debating and made no attempt to force his ideas upon a liody so obviously out o f sympathy. It is not­ able that in one of the few* addresses he made. Feb. 2 1, 1865. on the “ Basis of Representa­ tion.” he referred to the fact that he had pre­ viously refrained from speech making, sup­ posing that “ while the passions of the country were influenced by the war. reason could not t>e heard,” and expressed regret lhal “ queslions pertaining to the w ar still occupic<l the at(cf)tion of Congress to the exclusion o f those connected with economy, revenue, finance, ordinary legislation and the administration o f justice—<iuestions which require intelligence, investigation, labor and the habits of the student.” That he himself w as o f a studious disposi­ tion was shown in his argument for changing the basts o f representation as it then existed.

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his statistical details showing the ratios of representation in the Senate possessed by the East, West and South being incontrovertible evidence in favor o f his position. In 1872 he published a volume on “ Proixirtional Repre­ sentation.” edited by Col. John G. F reeze; in 1877 concribiited an article on the same sub­ ject to Johnson's Cyclopedia, and in 1883 is­ sued an elaborate work upon the Constitution o f Pennsylvania. H is scr>*icc in the United States Senate over, M r. Buckalew w*a$ returned to the State I ^ .s la t u r c at the next election, Oct. 12. 1869, for a fourth term in the State Senate (rep­ resenting Columbia, Montour. Northumber­ land and Sullivan counties), where he became the recognized leader o f his party. In 1872 he w as the Democratic nominee for governor, and w as defeated by H artranft. T he same year, at the election o f delegates to the Con­ stitutional convention o f 1872-73, he was chosen to represent (.olumbia county and took an active and influential part in the delibera­ tions o f that body, w*hich resulted in the pres­ ent constitution of the Commonwealth. Though his greatest honor w as undoubtedly his election tu the United States Senate, M r. ^Buckalew's greatest service o f permanent value w*as in this connection. In 1876 his name headed the Democratic State electoral ticket. On Nov. 2, 1886, he was elected a representative to the Fiftieth Congress, the district comprising the counties of Columbia, Montour. Carbon. Monroe and Pike, with parts o f I.ackawanna and Luzerne, and re­ elected tw'o years later, his last term expiring March 3, 1891. T his closed his public career. Returning to his home at Bloomsburg. he spent his rcnuining vears in the enjoyments o f home life and the friendships formed during sev­ eral decades of activity, and he died there in his seventy-eighth year. M ay 19. 1899. On M^y 3, 1 ^ 6, he was elected president of the Bloomsburg & SuUi%*an Railroad Company. A par.*)gra]ih written by one o f his intimate friends throws considerable light on Mr. Buckalew’s personality: “ Cliarles R . Buckalew was one of the ablest men of the Democratic leaders o f his time. He was not an organizer, he had little or no knowledge o f m litical strategy*, and was en­ tirely unfitted fo r the lower strata methods o f modern j>olitics. H e came to the (State) Sen­ ate in 1852 hardly known outside o f his own district: he was singularly quiet and unob­ trusive in manner, and never in any way sought to exploit himself. H e won his posi­ tion in the party solely by the great ability he