Matthew Quay

Matthew Stanley Quay
United States Senator from Pennsylvania
In office January 16, 1901 – May 28, 1904
Preceded by	Vacant
Succeeded by	Philander Knox
In office March 4, 1887 – March 3, 1899
Preceded by	John Mitchell
Succeeded by	Vacant
11th Chairman of the Republican National Committee
In office July 12, 1888 – September 8, 1891
Preceded by	Benjamin Jones
Succeeded by	James Clarkson
Personal details
Born	September 30, 1833(1833-09-30) Dillsburg, Pennsylvania, U.S.
Died	May 28, 1904(1904-05-28) (aged 70) Beaver, Pennsylvania, U.S.
Profession	Politician, Lawyer

Matthew Stanley Quay (September 30, 1833 – May 28, 1904) was an immensely powerful Pennsylvania political boss once dubbed a "kingmaker" by President Benjamin Harrison. "Boss" Quay's political principles and actions stood in contrast to an unusually attractive personality. He was a resident of Beaver, northwest of Pittsburgh; today, his house is a National Historic Landmark.

Biography

Early life

Quay was born in Dillsburg, York County, Pennsylvania, the son of a preacher, Anderson Quay. He graduated at Jefferson College (now Washington and Jefferson College) in 1850 and was admitted to the bar in 1854. He served in various capacities in the American Civil War and Congress awarded him the Medal of Honor for gallantry at the battle of Fredericksburg.

Politics

From 1865–1867 he was a member of the Pennsylvania House of Representatives. From 1869, when he had served as secretary of the Republican State Committee, until his death, he was the most influential Republican politician in Pennsylvania. He served as Secretary of the Commonwealth from 1873–1878 and again from 1879–1882. He was the County Recorder of Philadelphia from 1878–1879, and state treasurer from 1886–1887. He became chairman of the Republican National Committee in 1888, and was a member of the United States Senate from March 4, 1887 until March 3, 1899.

Senate seating controversy

He was not re-elected to the Senate by the State Legislature in 1899 (as the seventeenth amendment – which allowed for popular election of senators – was still years away from ratification). Indeed, the legislature was unable to build enough consensus around one candidate for anyone to successfully be elected to the seat. He was thus appointed by Governor William Stone to fill the ensuing vacancy, and presented his credentials to the Senate in December of 1899. The Senate, however, refused to seat him, declaring that he was not entitled to the seat. A special election was held to fill the persistant vacancy, and Quay was ultimately re-elected to the seat.

Scandal

For nearly twenty years he dominated the government of Pennsylvania, and also played a very prominent part in national affairs. In 1898 he was brought to trial on a charge of misappropriating state funds, and, although he was acquitted the following year, the feeling among the reform element in his own party was so bitter against him that the legislature was deadlocked and his re-election was postponed for two years.

Timeline

• 1833: Born Dillsburg, York County, Pennsylvania; educ. Beaver Academy.
• 1850: He graduated at Jefferson College; then studied law under Judge Sterret.
• 1851-53: Mississippi.
• 1854: Admitted to Beaver County bar.
• 1855: Beaver County, prothonotary; marries Agnes Barclay.
• 1856: Beaver County, prothonotary.
• 1859: Beaver County, prothonotary.
• 1861: 10th Pa. Reserves (Lt., Lt.-Col.).
• 1862: Governor Andrew Curtin, private secretary.
• 1862: 134th Pennsylvania Volunteer Infantry, commissioned, Col. (August)
• 1862: Leaves 134th Pennsylvania Regiment Volunteers (health) (7 December)
• 1862: Battle of Marye's Heights (13 December)
• 1864: Elected to Pa. state legislature.
• 1865-1867 : Pa. state legislature.
• 1869: Founds Beaver Radical
• 1873-78: Pa. state secretary.
• 1878-79: City of Philadelphia, Recorder. (resigned)
• 1879-82: Pa. state secretary. (named January; resigned October)
• 1886-87: Pa. state treasurer.
• 1887: Entered United States Senate.
• 1888: Republican National Committee, Chairman.
• 1892: Re-elected, U.S. Senate.
• 1898: Not re-elected; term expires 1899.
• 1901: U.S. Senate
• 1904; Death; buried in Beaver County, Pennsylvania.

Quay County, New Mexico is named in his honor.

Matthew Quay appears on a 45p (£0.45) commemorative stamp from the Isle of Man Post Office, as part of a series honoring Manx-Americans.

Quotes

After his narrow victory over Grover Cleveland in 1888, Benjamin Harrison told Quay that "Providence has given us the victory." "Think of the man!" Quay indignantly told reporters in Philadelphia a few weeks later. "He ought to know that Providence hadn't a damn thing to do with it." Harrison, Quay added, would "never know how close a number of men were compelled to approach the gates of the penitentiary to make him president."

Quay, not surprisingly, wasn't nearly as thrilled to work for Harrison's re-election campaign in 1892, even referring to Harrison as the "White House iceberg" for his cool, unfriendly demeanor. When Harrison told Quay that God had made him president, Quay snapped back, "Then let God re-elect you," and stomped out.

Medal of Honor citation

Rank and Organization:

Colonel, 134th Pennsylvania Infantry. Place and date: At Fredericksburg, Va., December 13, 1862. Entered service at: Beaver County, Pa. Born: September 30, 1833, Dilkburg, Pa. Date of issue: July 9, 1888.

Citation:

Although out of service, he voluntarily resumed duty on the eve of battle and took a conspicuous part in the charge on the heights.

See also

• List of Medal of Honor recipients
• List of American Civil War Medal of Honor recipients: Q–S

References

• Matthew Quay at the Biographical Directory of the United States Congress Retrieved on 2008-07-03
• "Civil War Medal of Honor recipients (M-Z)". Medal of Honor citations. United States Army Center of Military History. August 3, 2009. http://www.history.army.mil/html/moh/civwarmz.html. Retrieved July 1, 2010. 

• "Matthew Quay". Claim to Fame: Medal of Honor recipients. Find a Grave. http://www.findagrave.com/cgi-bin/fg.cgi?page=gr&GRid=7203361. Retrieved 2007-11-08. 

•  This article incorporates text from a publication now in the public domain: Chisholm, Hugh, ed. (1911). Encyclopædia Britannica (11th ed.). Cambridge University Press. 

United States Senate
Preceded by John Mitchell	United States Senator (Class 1) from Pennsylvania 1887–1899 Served alongside: J. Donald Cameron, Boies Penrose	Succeeded by Vacant
Preceded by Vacant	United States Senator (Class 1) from Pennsylvania 1901–1904 Served alongside: Boies Penrose	Succeeded by Philander Knox
Party political offices
Preceded by Benjamin Jones	Chairman of the Republican National Committee 1888–1891	Succeeded by James Clarkson