gratification of financial greed。 In 1857 he was elected to the
United States Senate as a Republican by a legislature in which
the Democrats had a majority。 Three Democrats voted for him； and
so bitter was the feeling against the renegade trio that no hotel
in Harrisburg would shelter them。
In 1860 he was a candidate for the Republican presidential
nomination。 President Lincoln made him Secretary of War。 But his
management was so ill…savored that a committee of leading
business men from the largest cities of the country told the
President that it was impossible to transact business with such a
man。 These complaints coupled with other considerations moved
Lincoln to dismiss Cameron。 He did so in characteristic fashion。
On January 11； 1862； he sent Cameron a curt note saying that he
proposed to appoint him minister to Russia。 And thither into
exile Cameron went。 A few months later； the House of
Representatives passed a resolution of censure； citing Cameron's
employment of irresponsible persons and his purchase of supplies
by private contract instead of competitive bidding。 The
resolution； however； was later expunged from the records； and
Cameron； on his return from Russia； again entered the Senate
under circumstances so suspicious that only the political
influence of the boss thwarted an action for bribery。 In 1877 he
resigned； naming as his successor his son 〃Don；〃 who was promptly
elected。
In the meantime another personage had appeared on the scene。
〃Cameron made the use of money an essential to success in
politics； but Quay made politics expensive beyond the most
extravagant dreams。〃 From the time he arrived of age until his
death； with the exception of three or four years； Matthew S。 Quay
held public office。 When the Civil War broke out； he had been for
some time prothonotary of Beaver County； and during the war he
served as Governor Curtin's private secretary。 In 1865 he was
elected to the legislature。 In 1877 he induced the legislature to
resurrect the discarded office of Recorder of Philadelphia； and
for two years he collected the annual fees of 40；000。 In 1887 he
was elected to the United States Senate； in which he remained
except for a brief interval until his death。
In 1899 came revelations of Quay's substantial interests in state
moneys。 The suicide of the cashier of the People's Bank of
Philadelphia； which was largely owned by politicians and was a
favorite depository of state funds； led to an investigation of
the bank's affairs； and disclosed the fact that Quay and some of
his associates had used state funds for speculation。 Quay's
famous telegram to the cashier was found among the dead
official's papers； 〃If you can buy and carry a thousand Met。 for
me I will shake the plum tree。〃
Quay was indicted； but escaped trial by pleading the statute of
limitations as preventing the introduction of necessary evidence
against him。 A great crowd of shouting henchmen accosted him as a
hero when he left the courtroom； and escorted him to his hotel。
And the legislature soon thereafter elected him to his third term
in the Senate。
Pittsburgh； as well as Philadelphia； had its machine which was
carefully geared to Quay's state machine。 The connection was made
clear by the testimony of William Flinn； a contractor boss；
before a committee of the United States Senate。 Flinn explained
the reason for a written agreement between Quay on the one hand
and Flinn and one Brown in behalf of Chris Magee； the Big Boss；
on the other； for the division of the sovereignty of western
Pennsylvania。 〃Senator Quay told me；〃 said Flinn； 〃that he would
not permit us to elect the Republican candidate for mayor in
Pittsburghh unless we adjust the politics to suit him。〃 The
people evidently had nothing to say about it。
The experiences of New York and Pennsylvania are by no means
isolated； they are illustrative。 Very few States have escaped a
legislative scandal。 In particular； Rhode Island； Delaware；
Illinois； Colorado； Montana； California； Ohio； Mississippi； Texas
can give pertinent testimony to the willingness of legislatures
to prostitute their great powers to the will of the boss or the
machine。
CHAPTER VIII。 THE NATIONAL HIERARCHY
American political maneuver culminates at Washington。 The
Presidency and membership in the Senate and the House of
Representatives are the great stakes。 By a venerable tradition；
scrupulously followed； the judicial department is kept beyond the
reach of party greed。
The framers of the Constitution believed that they had contrived
a method of electing the President and Vice…President which would
preserve the choice from partizan taint。 Each State should choose
a number of electors 〃equal to the whole number of Senators and
Representatives to which the State maybe entitled in the
Congress。〃 These electors were to form an independent body； to
meet in their respective States and 〃ballot for two persons；〃 and
send the result of their balloting to the Capitol； where the
President of the Senate； in the presence of the Senate and the
House of Representatives； opened the certificates and counted the
votes。 The one receiving the greatest number of votes was to be
declared elected President； the one receiving the next highest
number of votes； Vice…President。 George Washington was the only
President elected by such an autonomous group。 The election of
John Adams was bitterly contested； and the voters knew； when they
were casting their ballots in 1796； whether they were voting for
a Federalist or a Jeffersonian。 From that day forward this
greatest of political prizes has been awarded through partizan
competition。 In 1804 the method of selecting the Vice…President
was changed by the twelfth constitutional amendment。 The electors
since that time ballot for President and Vice…President。 Whatever
may be the legal privileges of the members of the Electoral
College； they are considered； by the voters； as agents of the
party upon whose tickets their names appear； and to abuse this
relationship would universally be deemed an act of perfidy。
The Constitution permits the legislatures of the States to
determine how the electors shall be chosen。 In the earlier
period； the legislatures elected them； later they were elected by
the people； sometimes they were elected at large； but usually
they were chosen by districts。 And this is now the general
custom。 Since the development of direct nominations； there has
been a strong movement towards the abolition of the Electoral
College and the election of the President by direct vote。
The President is the most powerful official in our government and
in many respects he is the most powerful ruler in the world。 He
is Commander…in…Chief of the Army and Navy。 His is virtually the
sole responsibility in conducting international relations。 He is
at the head of the civil administration and all the important
administrative departments are answerable to him。 He possesses a
vast power of appointment through which he dispenses political
favors。 His wish is potent in shaping legislation and his veto is
rarely overridden。 With Congress he must be in daily contact； for
the Senate has the power of ratifying or discarding his
appointments and of sanctioning or rejecting his treaties with
foreign countries； and the House of Representatives originates
all money bills and thus possesses a formidable check upon
executive usurpation。
The Constitution originally reposed the choice of United States
Senators with the state legislatures。 A great deal of virtue was
to flow from such an indirect election。 The members of the
legislature were presumed to act with calm judgment and to choose
only the wise and experienced for the dignity of the toga。 And
until the period following the Civil War the great majority of
the States delighted to send their ablest statesmen to the
Senate。 Upon its roll we find the names of many of our
illustrious orators and jurists。 After the Civil War； when the
spirit of commercialism invaded every activity； men who were
merely rich began to aspire to senatorial honors。 The debauch of
the state legislatures which was revealed in the closing year of
the nineteenth century and the opening days of the twentieth so
revolted the people that the seventeenth constitutional amendment
was adopted （1913） providing for the election of senators by
direct vote。
The House of Representatives was designed to be the〃 popular
house。〃 Its election from small districts； by direct vote； every
two years is a guarantee of its popular character。 From this
characteristic it has never departed。 It is the People's House。
It originates all revenue measures。 On its floor； in the rough
and tumble of debate； partizan motives are rarely absent。
Upon this national tripod； the Presidency； the Senate； and the
House； is builded the vast national party machine。 Every citizen
is familiar with the outer aspect of these great national parties
as they strive in placid times to create a real issue of the
tariff； or imperialism； or what not； so as to establish at least
an ostensible difference between them； or as they； in critical
times； make the party name synonymous with national security。 The
high…sounding platforms； the frenzied orators； the parades； mass
meetings； special trains； pamphlets； books； editorials；
lithographs； posterall these paraphernalia are conjured up in
the voter's mind when he reads the words Democratic and
Republican。
But； from the standpoint of the professional politician； all this
that the voter sees is a mask； the patriotic veneer to hide the
machine； that complex hierarchy of committees ranging from
Washington to every cross…roads in the Republic。 The committee
system； described in a former chapter； was perfected by the
Republican party during the days of the Civil War； under the
stress of national necessity。 The great party leaders were then
in Congress。 When the assassination of Lincoln placed Andrew
Johnson in power； the bitter quarrel between Congress and the
President firmly united the Republicans； and in order to carry
the mid…election in 1866； they organized a Congressional Campaign
Committee to conduct the canvass。 This practice has been