ASSEMBLYMAN PECK'S CANADIAN RECORD

The Cortland Democrat, Friday, October 24, 1890.

Peck's Canadian Record.

   In last week's Standard Peck republishes an interview that appeared in the Standard in 1888, in which he endeavors to exculpate himself for remaining abroad during the late civil war. Unfortunately for Mr. Peck, he confesses more than he avoids in the alleged interview. The gravamen of the charge against Mr. Peck is that he remained in Canada during the entire period of the war. This charge he is compelled to confess, but seeks to avoid this humiliating confession by claiming that he still remained an American citizen. He says he went to Canada in 1855, and engaged in teaching.

   No one has questioned his right to go to Canada before the war, either for business or pleasure.

   To remain absent from his own country during the entire period of a long, bloody and desolating war, is abhorrent to every man imbued with patriotic instincts or who cherishes love of country. In time of peace American citizens are supposed to enjoy the blessings of good government. In time of war they are expected to share the danger and bear some portion of the burden and responsibility. What share of the burden of American citizenship did Mr. Peck bear in the hour of his country's danger? Not the slightest share. Not a citizen in her majesty's dominion did less than Mr. Peck, to put down the rebellion. He tells us he returned in January 1867, (about a year and a half after the war closed).

   If he had returned about the time the "boys in blue were returning from the battle field and prison pen" his reception would have been made far from a pleasant one. Mr. Peck denies that he became a naturalized citizen of the dominion, and says "nor did I take any oath or obligation to prevent my return to the full rights of American citizenship on my return to the United States."

   If Mr. Peck would furnish the "oath or obligation" he did take, instead of giving his conclusion as to what it didn't "prevent," it would be much more satisfactory. This Mr. Peck dare not do. In the interview had in 1888, he claims he has "taken an interest in political matters here (meaning in the United States) for the past twenty-one years." That, as will be seen, was from January 1867 to November 1888.

   Here we have to all intents and purposes, an admission that he had no interest in political matters "here" during the war, or before. He admits he had a "little" interest in Dominion politics, but says "I was not particularly interested in their politics during my earlier years and stay there."

   Voters of Cortland county what do you think of a man who, from 1855 to 1867, took no interest in American politics? Those were years fraught with questions of great moment. Problems were then being solved that interested the whole civilized world. It was during that period of time that the shackles were loosened from 4,000,000 slaves, and billions of money and hundreds of thousands of lives were sacrificed to save the Union and preserve the constitution. During that time occurred two presidential elections and several important and exciting gubernatorial elections. Going away to teach does not lose a residence or the right to vote. If Mr. Peck tells the truth in his interview he was all the time a voter in the town of Solon. Many a man has crossed the ocean rather than lose his vote. Mr. Peck could have left his perch in Canada and been at his polling place in Solon, in fifteen hours. But he did not vote in Solon in 1861, 1862, 1863 and 1864. He would have you believe he did not take any interest in American affairs at that time. His reason if true, shows him to be unpatriotic and unamerican, and that we grant, but he does not give the true reason for not voting and taking an interest in American politics.

   The reason was and is apparent, if he had voted and exercised the rights of citizenship here, he would have shown himself liable to be drafted, and that was just what he wanted to avoid, and, voters, it was just what he did avoid, and now the shameless demagogue is trying in vain to conceal his own tracks.

   In his speech to the veterans at Wells' Hall, Peck said "the one great regret of his life was that he was not one of them, but that he would have been, had he been old enough." The statement made to the veterans was in direct contradiction of his statement made in the interview, so in one instance at least he falsely stated his reason for not taking a hand in the war. The fact is, neither statement was true.

   If Mr. Peck had told the veterans he was twenty-five years old, and in Canada during the war, it might not have aided his political aspirations, but it would have been the truth.

   He might have added as a further reason for not enlisting, that a man with Canadian tastes and instincts, had to be pretty old before he would take a hand in putting down an American rebellion.

   TAXPAYER.

PAGE FOUR/EDITORIALS.

   Last winter Mr. Peck furnished railroad passes to Albany and return for from one to a half dozen republicans in every town in the county. Only those who were supposed to have influence enough to furnish delegates from their towns to renominate Peck were favored with passes. Those republicans who did not receive passes to Albany and return last winter, can attribute the omission to the fact that Peck thought they were of no account any way. The no account republicans in these towns may, and probably will show Peck that they have some influence at the polls on election day.

   If a farmer or laboring man should ask any one of the railroad companies in this state for a free pass to Albany and return, would he get it? Certainly not. Why? Because the farmer or laboring man is in no position to help the railroads and they are not doing business for fun. Whenever they give away passes they expect something of value in return. Now, Mr. Peck will not pretend to say that he paid the railway companies the cash for the two or three hundred passes he distributed to his heelers in this county last winter. Mr. Peck does not distribute his wealth in that way. But he was in a position to do the railroad companies much good. A Member of Assembly can render the railroad companies great service in the legislature by voting as they wish him to vote on all bills concerning railroads. For this reason they grant any number of passes to Members of Assembly and they do it cheerfully. It is a sort of gentlemanly way of purchasing the votes of members. To be sure they do not pay cash for the votes but they furnish him with passes which amounts to the same thing. Peck in turn sent the passes to the parties that he thought could do him the most good, and thus purchased their votes and influence. Those who failed to receive passes virtually had to pay for those that were used by their specially favored neighbors. It is an exceedingly frigid day when the farmer and the laborer don't "pay the freight." Can any one wonder at Mr. Peck's anxiety to have the Erie canal abandoned or sold to the United States? What a good thing it would be for the railroads? With the canals abandoned or managed by the U. S. Government, the railroads would at once raise the tariff on freight and the farmer and laborer would have to pay the difference. Peck wouldn't do it.

   Last fall 600 Democrats in Cortland county remained away from the polls.

One hundred of these would have been sufficient to elect Mr. Knox to the office of County Judge. Let every Democrat in the county cast his vote for Judge Knox [for Assembly] on next election day. If every Democrat in the county casts his vote for him his election is assured.

   A report comes to us from some of the out towns that Mr. Peck is engaged in trying to hire Democrats to stay away from the polls on election day. If this is true, it looks very bad for the Republican candidate, and it is a crime against the law of the state. A man who helped to make the laws of a state ought not to be the first to break them. We sincerely hope that the report is not true.

   One of the burning questions of the hour is the following: Why did R. T. Peck resign the nomination for School Commissioner in 1875, just before election, after making an expensive canvass to secure the same? We don't much expect the question will ever be answered but the people would like to know why. Perhaps the Cortland Standard can fish up an old interview that will serve in the place of something better. Give us something on the subject please, even if it contains no more truth than the interview published last week.

   The Cortland Standard denies that Peck said in his speech before the Veterans Association at Floral Trout Park in this place, that "the one great regret of his life was that he was not one of them, but that he would have been had he been old enough." We didn't suppose when we made the charge, that the exact locality where he made the speech was especially material although we intended to be correct even upon this unimportant point. We find however, upon investigation, that the words were used in a speech delivered at a camp fire held in Wells' Hall in this place a few months since. We can, if necessary, prove the fact by affidavits from any number of highly respectable residents of this place who were present. The where is not of very much consequence but the fact that he did say it, is important because it proves him to be a demagogue of the first water.

   The only excuse thus far offered for Mr. Peck's remaining in Canada during the late unpleasantness, was that he went there to educate himself and to teach. That, while there, he got married and built him a house. Mr. Peck will need, and we cheerfully accord to him, any explanation tending to relieve him from the charge of being unpatriotic and unamerican in the hour of his country's peril. It must be confessed, that the discordant notes of the fife and drum, would be calculated to distract the attention of a mind deeply absorbed in philosophic research. The steady tramping of the "boys in blue" might have interfered with the hope of scholastic renown with which his young and ardent heart was then imbued. So firm was his purpose, so indomitable his will, that he was willing to brave the rigors of a Canadian winter to secure the accomplishment of the ends he had in view.

   At the Republican County Convention held in this place, the Republicans of Cortland under the leadership of Hon. R. T. Peck took all the offices and magnanimously gave Homer the resolutions. One of the Homer delegates claims that C. O. Newton, Esq., was selected to present the resolutions, but that gentleman denies the impeachment and we believe the question of veracity thus raised has not yet been satisfactorily disposed of. It is quite certain that the resolutions were not presented and Homer lost the only sop that Peck was willing she should have. Homer had the honors of the convention, and failed to take advantage of her opportunity. Meanwhile Cortland ran off with the offices and the salaries thereto attached. Homer Republicans asked for bread and Cortland Republicans gave them a stone, as usual. They are bound to follow scriptural precepts, and Homer Republicans must be satisfied. The generosity of Cortland Republicans, in dealing with the faithful of other towns, is proverbial.

The Duty on Frogs.

   An omission has been discovered in the McKinley bill. It made no provision for the duty on dead frogs. The collector at Detroit has a good many of these to deal with. They come down the lakes from Canada, to feed the epicures of Detroit. When the first load came the collector sent to Washington for instructions and was informed that dead frogs would be dutiable at 35 per cent, under the head of "prepared meats." But there was an objection. The frogs were not "prepared." Finally, after looking all through the new tariff bill, the collector put the frogs in under section 2513 at 10 per cent, ad valorem, under the heading "unmanufactured raw material." What must the live frogs think when they hear that?