Allen County, Ohio - Chapter 7: Political History, 1885

Chapter 7: Political History

SINGE the organization of Allen County, in 1881, the politics of Whig or Democrat were followed by the people. In 1832 the venture of the South Carolinians to annul the laws of the Union, and the fate of this venture, cemented, as it were, for a time the two political parties tmder one leader. That sentence in Jackson's proclamation of 1882. ^ The power to annul a law of the United States is incompatible with the existence of the Union, contradicted expressly by the letter of the Constitution, unauthorized by its spirit, inconsistent with every principle on which it is founded, and destructive to the great object for which it was formed,** found an echo even along the Western frontier, and won for its writer the admiration of every friend of the Union.

In 1838 the Abolition question, though faintly discussed, caused a ripple of disunion to make itself apparent. In 1840 the cry of Aholition and Liberty was raised by zealous friends of human freedom; but the echo died away.

M. de Babcourt landed in this country in the midst of the most exciting Presidential contest ever known, in 1840, and served as Minister of France at Washington until 1842. He was, in the space of ten months, presented to three successive Presidents of the United Statea He watched with a lively interest the making of the tariff in 1842, in which, despite his best efforts, French silks and wines were for the iirst time taken from the free list He witnessed the tempest which arose on John Quincy Adams presenting a Northern disunion petition in the House (February 2, 1842). He went to meet the Prince de Joinviile on his second visit to this country. He greeted as an old friend Lord Ashburton, come to settle the northeastern boundary dispute, and outstayed the conclusion of the treaty, with the Creole C4ise looming up as a fresh cause of difficulty with England. He saw civil war break out in Bhode island, the Seminole war dragging its slow length along in Florida, hos-

James G. Bimej was called from his home in the Saginaw country in 1844 to carry the banner of the Liberty Party against the contending forces of Clay and Polk. He fell in this contest; but the same principle for which he fought was sought to be engrafted on the platform of the Republican party ten years later, and may be said to have conquered twenty years after that party was organized.

For a number of years the quadrennial battle was fought between Democrat and Whig. The Mexican war gave a new impetus to political life, which tended to make the Presidential contests more animated, and to draw the ties of party closer.

Li 1854 the Whigs, as a party, passed out of existence, and in their place came the Bepublicans. The Republican party met its reverses of 1856 with renewed vigor and more earnest effort.

At this time Buchanan was elected. About him gathered the Deioooratio leaders both of the North and South. In the North the breach between the Republicans and the Administration was widening, and the cloud of war appeared in the distanca

In 1860 the field of politics was full. Abraham Lincoln, Stephen A. Douglas, John Bell, John C. Breckenridge and Gerritt Smith were placed at the heads of so many tickets, and in November of that year the struggle, which was in fact to decide the destiny of the country, was fought Lincoln was elected President. The result decided the fate of the slaveholders, and gave to the seventh decade of the Nineteenth Century a nation of free men - such an one as some of th^ Fathers of the Republic dreamed of.

Lincoln was renominated in 1864, and elected over George B. McClel- Ian, the nominee of the Democratic party. Shortly after, the assassin, Booth, snatched from the country a great man. The successor of Lincoln was Vice-President Johnson.

In 1870 the Democrats nominated Samuel J. Tilden, and the Republicans, R B. Hayes. Mr. Hayes reached the White House through what is known as the Electoral Oommission.

In 1880 James A. Garfield, on the Republican ticket, opposed Gen. Hancock on the Democratic ticket The Republican majority was slight. The assassin, Guiteau, robbed the country of one who gaye promise of an able administration. Yice*President Arthur assumed the office of Presideni

In June, 1884, the Republicans nominated James G. Blaine at Chieago. In July the Democrats nominated Grover Oleyeland. In November Mr. Cleyeland was elected, his majority being in New York State (the piyotal State) under 1,200.

Oountt Elbotions

As early as 1823 the few white settlers then residing in what is now known as Allen County, were called upon for the first time to record a Tote. To accomplish this duty of citizenship those men were compelled to make a long and tedious journey, submit to much yezatious questioning, and having polled their Totes, returned to their homes in the wilderness. Capi James Riley, the first white settler in Van Wert County, was elected in 1823 to the State Legislature as Representative from the territory now comprised in Allen, Preble, ]\/(iami, Shelby, Darke, Mercer, Van Wert, Putnam, Paulding, Defiance, Williams, Henry, Lake, Wood, Lucas and Auglaize.

In the following record of elections, the candidates who were sucoeesf al only are named, up to 1843. In 1844 regular returns were filed, and thus, with few exceptions, this political history is carried down to our own times:

Auditor, William G. Woods; Treasurer, Adam White; Sheriflf, Henry Lippincott; Clerk of Court, John Ward; Associate Judges of Common Pleas, Christopher Wood, James Crozier and William Watt; County Commissioners, James Daniels, John G. Wood and Samuel Stewart; Recorder, Nathan Daniels; Surveyor, John Jackson. Prosecuting Attorney appointed, Aaron M. Miller, August term of Court. Mordecai Hartley represented the district in Congress.

Commissioner, Morgan Lippincott. In t888 Samuel Black was elected Auditor; Dr. William Cunninghan, Treasurer, and Patrick G. Goode was appointed Prosecuting Attorney.

Commissioner, John Brand; Congressman, Patrick G. Goode. In this year (1886) Joseph Vance, a* Whig, opposed Eli Baldwin, a Democrat, for the Governorship of Ohio. The Presidential contest of that year increased the interest taken in local politics, so that it became necessary to resort to a wholesale ** stumping ** of the entire country. In July of that year the delegates to Uie Democratic Congressional Convention assembled at Lima under the presidency of John Bigler, and here nominated the blacksmith of Montgomery County, Ohio, to oppose the nominee of the Whig convention, Patrick G. Goode. William Sawyer was defeated in the election which followed, but succeeded in the election for Congressman in 1842.

Clerk of Common Pleas, John Alexander, Jr.; Commissioners, Shadrach Montgomery, Chas. H. Williams, and John Brand; Congressman, Emery D. Potter.

Sheriff, John Keller; Commissionert. Charles C. Marshall, Matthew Dobbins, and Nicholas Zanglein : Recorder, John M Anderson served until John B. Wamsley took charge of the office.

County Commissioneb

The John East, named as the opponent of Mr. Haller, was brought to this country by the British to slay the savage colonists. When he learned of their civilization he deserted and joined the American Army.

Coroner

1851. The vote for license was 1,061, against license, 418; Probate Judge, W. 8. Rose; Prosecuting Attorney, Matthias H. Nich-, ols, resigned in 1852 to enter Congress; Clerk of Conmion Pleas, Joseph H. Richardson; Recorder, Hugh Dobbins, vice John W. Thomas, who was elected in October, 1850; Surveyor, John P. Haller; Representative, Lester Bliss; State Senator, John Taylor.

Court Officers

Charles N. Lamison was elected in 1852 as Prosecuting Attorney, vice Nichols, resigned; Michael Leatherman was appointed Probate Judge, vice W. S. Rose, resigned.

The elections of 1858 resulted in the choice of Matthias Ridenour for Sheriff. Wm. Armstrong for Treasurer. Wm. Dowling for Auditor. Wm. Akerman for Commissioner, and Charles Crites for Representative. The vote for Governor was as foUows: Medill. 1460; Bairere. 688. and Lewis 110.

Meetings of citizens opposed to the extension of slavery, and particularly to the Congressional act repealing the Missouri Compromise, known as the Nebraska Bill, were held throughout the county during the summer and fall of 1854. Among the speakers at these meetings were James and Theodore Cunningham. A. B. Waldorf, Michael Ridenour. M. Leatherman. J. N. Gutridge and M. H. Nichols. The Wettem GoEette (now the Lima Ga9ette), was the local organ.

In April, 1855, the village and township elections throughout the county were carried out between the Old-Line Democracy and the Elnow-Nothing or American party. In April, 1866, the same political lines were observed.

Oountt Commissioner

On the State ticket the contest was carried on between the Republicans, Democrats and American parties. The local contest rested between the Anti-Slavery, Democratic and Republican parties.

In February, 1856, a Kansas meeting was held at Lima, when Delzell, Hurd, Eincaid, Binkley, Baxter, Edson, Cunningham and others were appointed to raise funds for settlors in Kansas who were opposing the Missourians.

Under a call issued by R. Metheany, Theo. E. and James Cunningham, C. Parmenter, Charles Post, Thomas Delzell, W. H. Harper and other Republicans of AUen County, a convention of Republicans and all opposed to the administration assembled at Lima on May 17, 1866. W. H. C. Mitchell was elected delegate to the National Convention.

County Surveyor

C. Parmenter claimed in the OatetU October 22, 1862, that Judge Metcalf and Mr. Lamison first brought mulattoes to vote in Ottawa Township in 1856. The contest was carried out on strictly party lines, and proved one of the closest ever waged in the county between the two great parties.

Infirmary Director

Daring the first years of the county's political history, party bigotry was not acknowledged; bat convention and caacos were held, the same as at present, to select an official, not to serve his own or his party's interest alone, bat to labor for the whole peopla The majority of the first settlers were members of the Jacksonian school of politics. When, in 1832, South Carolina assumed the right to ignore the laws of the General Government by opposing the collection of revenue, President Jackson acted with his usual decision, and told the South Carolinians that the Union must be preserved. This action, together with the tone of his proclamation, cemented, as it were, ail political parties under one leader, and so far as Allen County is concerned, was the beginning of its strong Democracy.