White County, Illinois - Chapter 6: Political, 1883

Chapter 6: Political

During the first few years of the history of this county, party lines in politics were not strictly drawn. No conventions were held, and there was no organized mode of placing candidates in the field. Tariff, slavery, State banks, canals and improvement of navigable streams were the principal public measures discussed. For nearly four years after the organization of the Territorial Gov¬ ernment no Legislature existed in Illinois. The Governor was both executive and in great part the law-making power. This arrange¬ ment, as un republican as it seems to be, was consistent with and even authorized by the ordinance of 1787.

Feb. 14, 1812, the Governor issued a proclamation for a threeday election, commencing on the second Monday of April follow¬ ing, whether the Territory should enter upon the second grade of government. The people chose the affirmative by a large majority.

Sept. 16, 1812, the new counties of Madison, Gallatin and John¬ son were formed; and Oct. 8, 9 and 10 there was an election of five members of the Legislative Council, seven representatives, and a delegate to Congress; Shadrach Bond was elected to Congress, and Philip Trammel and Alexander Wilson were elected Repre¬ sentatives of Gallatin County. Trammel was a man of discrimi¬ nating mind, inclined to the profession of arms, and was the lessee of the United States Saline in Gallatin County; and Wilson was a popular tavern-keeper at Shawneetown, and a man of fair abilities.

The next principal event, especially that which had a local bear¬ ing in this part of Illinois, was the establishment of the " Bank of Illinois " at Shawneetown, in 1816, of which Leonard White was made one of the agents for opening subscription books. This act, with a few others of like nature, made "money" so abundant and times so flush that the work of bank-making was continued, and jobbery for internal improvements was authorized.

administration, lottery schemes were authorized to raise fnnds for internal improvements, among them the navigation of the Big Wabash. The Constitution of Illinois, on which the Territory was admitted into the Union as a State, was signed by the members of the convention on the 26th of August, 1818, and did not require a popular vote. The delegates to that convention from White County were Willis Hargrave and Wm. McHenry. The Constitu¬ tion provided for the election, by the people, of Governor, mem¬ bers of the Legislature, sheriffs and coroners, but of no other officers. The legislative and executive departments of the State Government appointed all the other officers not named above.

By 1820 the banks of neighboring States were broken, and those of Illinois suspended; and this year a new Legislature was elected, with instructions to relieve the embarrassed people. To do this the Legislature evolved the "Illinois State Bank," with a capital of half a million dollars, based entirely upon the credit of the State, with branches at various points. These various banking schemes, being first efforts in modern finance, were crude and easily engineered for the private interests of unprincipled men.

The year 1820 was characterized by the adoption in Congress of the celebrated " Missouri Compromise," which was an agreement that slavery should never extend north of 36 deg. 30 min. The people at this time were approaching a crisis in the slavery ques¬ tion, which produced great excitement in this State. Run-away slaves were encouraged by one extreme party and " black laws " by the other.

The general election of August, 1822, resulted in the choice of Edward Coles, anti-slavery, as Governor by a plurality of votes over his principal opponent, Joseph Phillips, then Chief Justice of the State.

The year 1824 was characterized by the great and decisive, but abortive, effort to make Illinois a slave State. In this, as in pre¬ vious contests, the people of White County and of all Southern Illinois were pro-slavery. It was only by a trick at the State capi¬ tal that the pro-slavery movement was defeated. Out of the presi¬ dential contest of 1824 grew the parties afterward known as the Whig and the Democratic, headed respectively by Henry Clay and Andrew Jackson. Personal bitterness between these men became the occasion of a difference of public policy in order that each might have some dignity of standing in his claims before the peo¬ ple. In the issue of this campaign we know not the vote of

White County; but the State gave 1,641 for Adams, 1,273 for Jackson, 1,046 for Olay, 218 for Crawford and 629 for Turney, 1 -lector for Clay and Jackson, jointly. Daniel P. Cook was elected to Congress in opposition to Governor Bond.

At the general election of August, 1826, there were three candi. dates in the field for Governor: Ninian Edwards, Thomas 0. Sloe and Adolphus F. Hubbard. Sloe was a Jackson man, while Ed¬ wards, instead of announcing himself as committed either for or against any National candidate, dwelt upon the corruptions of State Government in Illinois. The latter was elected by the people, apparently against the influence of all the public men of the State. The Legislature itself was largely against him.

In the fall of 1828 the hero of New Orleans was elected Presi¬ dent of the United States, and " Jacksonian Democracy'9 began definitely to assert itself, the citizens of White County inclining rather to support it. From 1826 onward the Jackson party had control of both branches of the General Assembly of Illinois, and in 1830 the anti-Jackson party felt so weak that they brought for¬ ward no candidate for Governor. The contest for this office was entered into by Win. Kinney, then Lieutenant-Governor, and John Reynolds, formerly a member of the Supreme Court. Both these men belonged to the Jackson party, the former being, according to the slang phrase of that day, a u whole-hog 99 man; that is, a man who servilely followed Jackson in all his peculiarities. After a wearisome campaign of nearly eighteen months, Reynolds was elected. This Governor favored an advance in the cause of educa¬ tion, internal improvement, the Illinois and Michigan Canal, im¬ provement of Chicago harbor, three public highways, commencing respectively at Cairo, Shawneetown and the lower Wabash, all to terminate at the head mines, the completion of the penitentiary, the wiuding up of the old State Bank, and the doctrine that this State was the u rightful owner of the soil within its limits.99

In 1832Jack8on was re-elected President, and Lieutenant-Gover¬ nor Zadok Casey was elected to Congress. In 1834 Joseph Dun¬ can was elected Governor, and under his administration State banks and internal-improvement schemes revived and culminated in 1836-98, as elsewhere delineated in this volume. Also, in 1837, the slavery question was considerably agitated, especially by Elijah P. Lovejoy, in his paper at Alton, who was killed by a mob.

New York, and for Vice-President, Colonel Richard M. Johnson, of Kentucky. The Whig party in a disorganized condition en¬ tered four Richmonds in the held for the Presidency, viz.: General Win. Henry Harrison, of Ohio; Senator Daniel Webster, of Massachusetts; Senator Hugh L. White, of Tennessee, and Senator Willis P. Magnum, of North Carolina. The result was a vic¬ tory for Martin Van Buren. He received 170 electoral votes, Gen¬ eral Harrison seventy- three, Hugh L. White twenty-six, Daniel Webster fourteen, and Willis P. Magnum eleven. Van Buren had a majority of forty-six over all, and was inaugurated President March 4, 1837, and R. M. Johnson, Vice-President. The Democ¬ racy met at Waterloo, in White County, that year. The Whigs made a clean sweep, electiug for State Senator, Colonel W. H. Davidson; for member of the House of Representatives, E. B. Webb, and for Sheriff, John Phipps. They already had the Clerk) James Ratcliff, who was also Probate Judge.

At tha t time the Whig party had in Carini Precinct about three votes to the Democrats one; in Prairie, about two to one; in Grayville, about four to one; in Fox River, a small Whig majority. The Democracy had Indian Creek solid, less from two to four votes; Herald's Prairie, three to one. In Seven-Mile Prairie, under the influence of that good man, John C. Gowdy, the Democracy got away with the Whigs by a large majority; but the Whig party could count on from 250 to 350 majority. They had a strong, well- disciplined court-house ring, well organized by shrewd manipulators that well understood how to run the political ma¬ chine in the interest of the faithful, while the Democracy were without skillful leaders and unorganized. When they met the enemy's well-disciplined forces they were dispersed like a disor¬ ganized mob.

At the election in 1838, the Whig party again completely van¬ quished the Democracy of White County, under the well-directed canvass conducted by the Carmi ring. E. B. Webb and Alexander Phillips were elected over Major Nathaniel Blackford and Major Daniel Powell, Representatives to the Lower House of the Legislat¬ ure, Wm. H. Davidson, Whig, holding over Senator from White County. John Phipps was re-elected Sheriff over Harry McHenry by a large majority. Harry made a gallant fight. He had the prestige of a noble ancestry, with a large majority of Democrats in the county, but it was of no use. A well-organized court-house ring could put to flight the unorganized Democrats, and the gal- lant Harry was made to bite tlie dust, never again to appear as the standard beam of the Democracy ot White County, for he died in the prime of his manhood in 1840, admired by every true Demo¬ crat, and respected by the entire Whig party in the county.

The greatest interest manifested by the masses of the people in 1840 was in the political contest that took place. The administration of President Van Buren was drawing to a close, and all the unfortunate business men and broken-down speculators laid their downfall to Martin Van Buren. On the 22d of February, the Whig party met in National Convention at Harrisburg, Pa., and nominated the following ticket : For President, William Henry Harrison, of Ohio; Vice-President, John Tyler, of Vir¬ ginia. This ticket was well received by the people, except the dyed-in-the-wool Democrats, and more especially the broken busi¬ ness men, of which there were legions in all parts of the Union from Maine to Georgia. June following the Democratic party met in the city of Baltimore and renominated Van Buren and Johnson. The canvass was opened by the Whigs with much zeal and deter¬ mination. They had an army of broken merchants and specula¬ tors as a nucleus to rally around, and they organized their party throughout the Union upon the basis that everything is fair in poli¬ tics, with well-selected campaign songs sung to the people at all times and places ; an army of stump speakers day and night ha¬ ranguing the people, charging all the hard times to Van Buren, and promising the people that if their candidate should be elected (Old Tippecanoe) good times would once more smile upon a suffering people. They had log cabins erected at the street crossings in the cities and towns, and at the cross-roads in the country, with coon skins nailed on the outside, and a barrel of hard cider within, with gourds to drink the cider and gingerbread to wind up the festivi¬ ties. This was to exemplify the mode and living of General Har¬ rison, the poor man's candidate for President. Then the speaker would review Martin Van Buren's style of living, raise his head and turn up his eyes toward Heaven, and with holy horror say: u My fellow-citizens, to-day Martin Van Buren sits in his cushioned chair, spits in a china spittoon, his room carpeted with Turkey or Brussels, eats his steak from a silver plate, stirs his tea with a silver spoon, and sip3 it from a china cup. My God, can we, the hard-working men, stand this Democratic extravagance longer ? " "No!" would be the response from a hundred throats, "Huzza

The canvass in White County was a one-sided affair. The Whig party had it all their own way. They had the following ticket : For State Senator, William H. Davidson; for Representatives, Hon. E. B. Webb and Alexander Phillips; for Sheriff, John Phipps. The Democracy had for Senator, Major Daniel Powell; for Representatives, Major Nathaniel Blackford, and Colonel John T. Lawler ; for Sheriff, Richard Lankford. All the candidates of both parties made a canvass through the county and had a joint discussion. At their meeting at Phillipstown, while Major Powell was speaking, a very zealous Whig thought he would send a prosser between the Major's eyes. It was this : 44 Well, old Powell, you want to step on another butcher knife and cut your foot, so you can draw a pension. " Powell, as quick as powder, replied : 44 You are a dirty liar, and I can whip you like a dog, " and down he stepped from the stand, and at it they went. Each of the men would weigh over 200 pounds, and both very fleshy. Major Pow¬ ell rode the bald horse in that fight.

The wind up of the ever-memorabie political canvass of 1840 was a total route of the Democracy from Maine to Georgia, as Yan Buren and Johnson received only sixty electoral votes of the entire col¬ lege, while 44 Hard Cider, " 44 Coonskins," 44 Gingerbread," 4k Tippe¬ canoe, and Tyler too" swept the country like a prairie on fire, and the result of this grand national verdict ended in one grand fizzle, for in less than twelve months the great national Whig party was powerless for good or evil.

In 1844 the White County canvass was warm and spirited; smarting under their defeat of 1842, they rallied their forces from Philip drunk to Philip sober; they put in the field for State Sen¬ ator, Hon. E. B. Webb, Reuben Emerson for Representative, and John Phipps for Sheriff. The Democrats nominated the following ticket: For State Senator, John C. Gowdy; for Representative, John T. Lawler; for Sheriff, John B. Blackford. The entire Whig ticket was elected - Emerson by only five majority. Lawler con¬ tested, but by agreement the race was run over at the Presidential election in November, when Emerson was elected by about fifty votes. In October, just before election, a grand mass-meeting was held at Phillipstown, composed of Whigs and Democrats alike, to hear a joint discussion between Hon. Robert Dale Owen and Hon. E. B. Webb. From that meeting the star of the Whig party in

In 1846 the Whigs in White County had possession of every office in White County except clerk (Isaac Mitchell), and felt quite certain of an easy victory. They presented for Representative the Hon. Reuben Emerson for re-election; but Tearby Land shied his beaver into the ring and became an independent candidate. John Pomeroy was the Whig candidate for Sheriff The Democracy presented a9 their standard-bearers, S. Snowden Hayes for Repre¬ sentative, and John B. Blackford for Sheriff. Major Abram 0. Miller, Democrat, ran for Representative as an independent candi¬ date. The result was S. Snowden Hayes was elected by forty-six majority, Blackford by thirty-five majority. Miller made a good race, receiving 252, while Land received forty-two, This was a fair break-down for the Democrats, as the Whigs were routed, horse, foot and dragoons. From this election the Democracy in White County became the dominant party. By the untiring efforts of S. Snowden Hayes, the newly elected member of the Legislature, the Democratic party was kept thoroughly organized. John Phipps, the outgoing Sheriff, was a man of groat resources as a political leader, and one of the best sheriffs White County ever had; but by the too free use of strong drink and neglect of business, went down, and no man in his party had the ability to lead the Whig party so successfully as he had in by-gone days; and this can truly be said, that, with all of his misfortunes, he was as gallant and noblehearted a fellow as ever lived in White County.

In 1848 a third party sprang up called the Free-Soil party. It had for its Shibboleth, " No more Slave States." This party pre¬ sented for their standard bearers: For President, Martin VanBuren, of New York; for Vice-President, Charles Francis Adams, of Massachusetts. The fight was a triangular one, and the result was that a great many Democrats that had stood by VanBuren when he carried the Democratic banner, in 1836 and 1840, for the want of good horse sense, cast their votes a third time for Little Van, and thereby assured the election of Taylor and Fillmore by thirtyfour electoral votes. This was a cold scald for the Democracy. In White County the Democracy presented as their candidates S. S. Hayes for re-election as Representative, and Abram 0. Miller for Sheriff. The Whigs nominated Wm. Harlow for Representative, and Felix Willis for Sheriff. The result was a success for the Democracy. Hayes was elected by twelve majority, and Major

1850 was a period that was pregnant with grand results. In White County two political parties presented their standard bear¬ ers as follows: The Whig party nominated for Representative, John E. Whiting; for Sheriff, Daniel G. Hay - both good and true men and strong with the people. The Democrats presented for Representative, Samuel H. Martin, and for Sheriff, Thomas M. Vineyard. The contest was warm and close. Martin was elected over Whiting by fifty majority, while Hay was elected Sheriff by nineteen majority. This was what might be called a dog-fall, neither party coming out with a complete victory. Hay made an excellent Sheriff, one of the best White County ever had. But with all the efficiency he displayed in the discharge of his duty, he was never afterward endorsed by the people of White County in an election to any official position.

Election Notes

In 1851 the question of free banking was submitted to a popu¬ lar vote by the General Assembly of Illinois, for which White County gave 138 votes and against which, 434 votes. The State, although Democratic, adopted the law.

The year 1852 will be remembered as the campaign of Winfield Scott and Franklin Pierce, both officers in the Mexican war, for President. White County helped to elect Pierce, Democrat, by 782, against 749 for Scott, Whig.

The analysis of the vote of 1854 shows a mixed and unsettled state of the public mind. The fact was, new parties were taking the place of the old. The settlement of Kansas and Nebraska, and the attempt to establish practical slavery there despite the Missouri Compromise, constituted the exciting cause of a new deal. Hence, under the leadership of Stephen A. Douglas, that compromise was repealed, and the exciting times in Kansas resulting from the attempt of both the slavery and the anti-slavery parties to take possession of the soil, compelled the people of the nation to speak. The abolition party attained full growth, first as the "Anti-Ne¬ braska " party, that is, anti-Douglas, then was baptized the " Re¬ publican " party. The new party opposed to this assumed the name "Democratic." While this revolution was in progress many of the people did not know which way to turn, and hence the curi¬ ous vote as exhibited in the table a few pages further on.

The "prohibition " voted on in 1855 was the " Maine law," pro¬ hibiting the sale or giving away of intoxicating liquors f >r ordinary beverage. At this same election - a special one - this county gave a small majority against taking stock for the improvement of nav¬ igation of the Little Wabash. The measure was lost altogether.

In 1856 John C. Fremont, the " pathfinder" of the Great West, was the Republican candidate for President of the United States, but was beaten in the race by James Buchanan, the Democratic candidate. Fremont received only twenty-seven votes in White County, to 1,062 for Buchanan and 845 for Fillmore, American or "Know-Nothing" candidate. A State convention, to eliminate from the Constitution the discriminations against negroes, was also voted on at this election, White County giving only 205 for it to 1,347 against it.

The vote on appropriating swamp lands in 1857, was on the question of giving 10,000 acres of swamp land to the Illinois Southern Railroad, since called the Cairo & Vincennes Rail¬ road, etc.

In 1860 was the famous race between Lincoln, Douglas, Bell and Breckinridge for the Presidency, with success to Lincoln and the inauguration of the great war of the Rebellion. The vote this year on a State convention was essentially the same as the preced ing one; namely, Whether the negro should be allowed to testify in courts, etc. The question was carried by the State. The vote on township organization was largely unfavorable, as the proposition was comparatively new and many did not understand it.

The vote in 1867, for taking $100,000 stock in the Cairo & Vin¬ cennes Railroad, was the first decisive step by the people of this county to insure the construction of a railroad.

In 1870 township organization did not carry, because the vote for it, although a majority of all that were cast upon the question, was not a majority of all cast at that general election for officers.

Hi8Tory Of White County Election Returns

The election returns prior to 1848 are not on file; but from old residents and documentary sources we have been enabled to compile a nearly complete list of county and district officers from the or¬ ganization of the county to that date. In the records the county commissioners were also termed judges and justices, one being the chief and the others the associates.

County Officers And Representatives

Following are classified lists of all the county officers and rep¬ resentatives, so far as obtainable, from the organization of the county to date.

Delegates To Constitutional Conventions, Etc

John D. Martin , Circuit Clerk, was born in Grayville, Edwards Co., Ill., Ang. 26, 1832, the son of William and Catharine (Dun¬ lap) Martin. His father was a native of Tennessee, and settled on a farm which is now a part of Grayville, about 1810. John D. was raised on a farm. At the age of ten his mother died, and at four¬ teen his father died, and he lived with an ancle until he was nine¬ teen years of age. As he grew np he gradually adopted various mer can tile callings, until August, 1862, when heenlistod in Company fi, Eighty-seventh Illinois Volunteer Infantry and at the organization of the regiment he was elected Adjutant. An account of the bat¬ tles in which this regiment was engaged is given in the chapter on the war. Mr. Martin was a faithful officer, and was in the field for three long years, except what little time he was at home obtaining recruits. He was mustered out July 1, 1865, when he returned home. In 1866 he was elected Sheriff of White County, and in 1868 Clerk of the Circuit Court, which position he had until 1872; lie then followed farming or book-keeping until 1876, and next was Deputy County Clerk three years; in 1880 he was appointed County Clerk by the Board of Supervisors, and July 23, 1881, he was appointed Circuit Clerk by the Circuit Judges, and at the reg¬ ular election in the fall following he was chosen to the same posi¬ tion, which he now holds. Politically he is a Democrat. Mr. Martin has been School Director at Grayville, and in Carmi he has had this office five years, and been a member of the City Council two years. He is a member of the Masonic fraternity. He has a brother living, George William Martin, a miller and lumberman at Grayville, and ho has two sisters residing at the same place. Fib. 17, 1863, Mr. Martin married Emily D., daughter of Dr. Ar¬ chie Spring, of Albion, and a native of Edwards County. Her parents were natives of England. Mr. and Mrs. Martin's children are Horace W., Emily, Annie J., John D., and Edith, - all at home. The family residence is at the northwest (or west) corner of the Public Square.

Hon . Samvel H. Martin , one of the most eminent men ot White County for his public services and historical knowledge, waa born in Shelby County, Ky., April 18, 1821. At the age of two years he was sen); by his parents to a childless uncle to be reared and educated. In the fall of 1830 he was brought by this uncle to White County, who located where Grayville now stands. He remained with this family until April 18, 1838, when he struck out for himself as a common laborer; was engaged in following the river and other manual labor in and about Grayville until August, 1843, when he was elected Constable for Grayville Pre¬ cinct. Took an active part in the canvass of 1844 as an advocate of Polk and Dallas, and in the summer of 1845 was appointed

Postmaster by Care Johnson, the Postmaster General. At the August election that year he was elected J ustice of the Peace for that precinct.

On the outbreak of the Mexican war in 1846, President Polk assigned hitn a position in the regular army as Second Lieutenant, which he accepted, aud General Scott's army at Vera Cruz; was engaged in the capture of the city of Mexico and other battles, remaining with that division of the army uutil the close of the war. On his return home in August, 1818, he opened a small grocery in Grayville, in which business he was successful.

In 1850 he was elected to the Illinois Legislature from White County, and served in the session of 1851 and the extra session of 1852; was re-elected from Wabash and White counties in No¬ vember, 1854, and in 1856 to the State Senate, in which he served four years. He then retired from politics, as well as from com¬ mercial business, and moved upon a farm in Wood's Prairie, Edwards County, where he remained in agricultural pursuits for four years. While here the civil war drew so hard on the avail¬ able muscle of the country that it became impossible for him to hire sufficient help; he became discouraged, sold the farm, and in November, 1864, resumed business in Grayville. The next year he was re-elected Justice of the Peace. Meanwhile he continued in the mercantile business until 1869, when he was elected County -Judge, and he closed his business in Grayville and removed to Carmi, where he has since resided. He was elected Police Magis¬ trate of this city in 1874, and in 1878 Justice of the Peace, to fill the vacancy caused by the death of James S. Boyd. In 1880 he was again elected to the General Assembly of the State of Illinois, to represent the Forty-sixth District - the counties of Jefferson, Hamilton and White.

Judge Martin has always been a Jacksonian Democrat, steady in his principles and prompt to his word. He has been a public benefactor in more ways than one, sacrificing much of his time and money. lie has been the leading man in White County to procurd the building of the first railroad through the same. Besides, he has been a man of singular misfortune, having lost three sons by drowning. Thomas J., his eldest son, and Samuel H., his third, were drowned in the Big Wabash River, opposite Gray ville, June 20, 1865, at the ages of sixteen and ton respectively. Thomas J. was drowned in the act of rescuing the younger brother. Again, June 14, 1873, the second son, Franklin Pierce, a young man twenty years of age, was drowned in the Little Wabash River, at the milldam in Carmi. The two elder sons were young men of great promise, and their death was a great loss to the community. At the time of the accidents, Thomas was at home on a vacation, from a school he was attending in Philadelphia, and Franklin was a writer in the county clerk's office.

Judge Martin was married June 25, 1S46, to Mary Jane Hughes, of Grayville, and a native of Philadelphia; and of their seven children the following four are living - Margaret Catharine, the wife of Leroy L. Staley, Sheriff of White County; Charles Henry, a cadet at West Point; Cordelia and WiUie, at home.

Leroy L Staley was born in this county near Carmi, Jan. 6, 1851, and is a son of G. S. Staley, one of White County's most prominent citizens, of whom a sketch will be found in another de¬ partment of this book. He made his home with his father till he was twenty-one years of age, and with him learned the miller's trade. After leaving home he went to Phillipstown and there ran the steam grist-mills about six months. He then returned to Carmi and operated his father's mill some five years, and then engaged in the grocery and provision business about three years. His first political fight for himself was when he was only a little past twenty; he was elected Mayor of Carmi. His opponents were John D. Martin and Dr. Cook; but he had a combined vote of fifty-six over the two. Mr. Staley served as Mayor two years, then ran for Sheriff, but was beaten forty-four votes in the nominating conven¬ tion. The next election he was nominated over the same men by a vote of fifty-six; this resulted in his election, with a majority of 372 in the county. The last nomination he was again chosen by a majority of 3S1, and was re-elected Nov. 7, lSS2.to the same office. Dec. 11, 1873. he married Miss Maggie C. Martin, daughter of Judge Martin, of this city. Mr. S is a member of the Knights of Pythias.