Rothrock.l OO^: [Nov. 19, 



founder, had gradually brought in its train a host of evils, 

 which in 1853 were felt by good citizens to be no longer endur- 

 able. The growth, prosperitj", and even the safety of the city, 

 to say nothing of its good name, appeared to be hopelessly com- 

 promised by its faulty organization. Without regard to politi- 

 cal party, the friends of municipal reform, on the 30th day of 

 July, nominated Mr. Price for the State Senate. He promptly 

 replied, directing his letter to Stephen Col well, chairman, and 

 other conferees. It was a thoroughly characteristic letter, and 

 contains much that is even more applicable to the present than to 

 the past state of ou r political affairs. For example : "The exercise 

 of the elective franchise has become almost valueless, since the 

 citizens are under a compulsion to vote for those whom they do 

 not approve, or not to vote at all." It was evident he had recog- 

 nized that the machinery of our elections had practically placed 

 the citizen voter where the constitution never contemplated that 

 he should be placed, subservient to a party, or to parties, either or 

 both of which might be good or bad, according to circumstances. 

 It has become even plainer now than then, that the tendency of 

 political organization is to bury the conscience of the individual 

 beneath the crushing weight of what influential leaders consider 

 expediency. There is no lesson so hard for a demagogue to 

 learn as that what is morally reprehensible can never be politi- 

 cally justifiable or even safe for the party that advocates 

 it. Such a truth is utterly beyond the comprehension, or 

 acceptance, of one who, seeking only present good, can never 

 take the view of a statesman anticipating the forces and 

 results which may follow in the remoter future. 



In a letter to his friend, the late Judge Haines, Mr. Price ex- 

 presses his opinion very freely concerning methods used in 

 pursuit of office. It bears the date of March 17th, 1854 (he was 

 then a Senator), It deserves reproduction here: 



"My Dear Sir: — Your letter of 16th Jan'y not being a busi- 

 ness one, I laid it by for a leisure moment, and that moment I 



