Tipton County, Indiana - Chapter 8: Political History, 1914

Chapter 8: Political History

The year of 1844 was the first presidential year in the history of Tipton county. In 1840 Tipton county was yet a part of Hamilton county, the citizens casting their votes at Noblesville, voting for the Whig presi¬ dential candidate, Harrison, or the Democratic, Van Buren.

The principal issue of the 1844 campaign was the probable future ap¬ plication of Texas for admission into the Union. The Democrats were in favor of admission, mainly upon the ground that it would add more slave territory; the Whigs violently opposed the Democrats. The Whigs were defeated, and in the spring of 1845 the state of Texas became a part of the Union. Tipton county also went Democratic by a small majority.

In 1846 David Wilmot, a Pennsylvanian, introduced a bill into Con¬ gress for the prohibition of slavery in the new state of Texas. Debates of long and fiery nature followed, and the partisan spirit of the whole country was stirred to the depths. A Free Soil party was organized, and, although the bill was finally defeated, the issues which it incited were * carried into the campaign of 1848, and the new party placed a ticket in the field. No attempt had been made to organize a Free Soil party in Tip- - ton county, though a number of citizens, principally the Quakers, had de¬ clared in favor of the new party. The partisan spirit in Congress and throughout the country continued with unabated intensity. California adopt¬ ed a constitution prohibiting slavery, and asked for admission into the Union. The measure, however, was promptly opposed by the Southerners in Congress, who insisted that, as a part of the state, at least, was south of the Mason and Dixon line, it should be admitted as a slave state. In 1850 Henry Clay introduced into Congress the "Omnibus Bill," which provided, among other clauses, that California should be admitted as a free state, that Texas should be divided into not more than four states, with or without slavery, as the citizens might decide; that a more stringent fugitive slave law should be adopted, and that slavery in the District of Columbia should be abolished. After passing through many storms, this bill was finally adopted. However, this simply postponed the issue and in the election of 1852 the questions involved in the bill were again presented. The Free Soil party had become stronger, and maintained that slavery should be ban¬ ished from all territories.

In January, 1854, Stephen A. Douglas introduced into Congress his famous "Kansas- Nebraska bill/' which provided for the formation of those states, and for the adoption or rejection of slavery, as the citizens should determine at the polls. This bill aroused the Northerners, as in case of its adoption the Missouri Compromise and the compromise of 1850 would be virtually repealed, as both new states lay north of the Mason and Dixon line. The bill was adopted, in spite of the hot and violent debates against it in Congress and elsewhere. The soil of Kansas was immediately in¬ vaded by pro-slavery and anti-slavery partisans, to decide the question of bondage. This state of affairs led to open war and bloodshed there. This excitement continued to such an extent that it was soon impossible to say which was the stronger party in that state, whereupon President Pierce appointed John W. Greary as governor of Kansas, and order was restored in a measure. The new Republican party then was organized, and drew its strength from that sentiment in all parties opposing slavery.

In 1857 the bitterness dividing the North and the South continued to increase, and the United States supreme court decided in the Dred Scott case that the negro could not become a citizen under the constitution. This decision was followed by indignant mass meetings in the North, the adoption of resolutions of indignation and the so-called "personal liberty bills." In 1859 John Brown endeavored to incite an insurrection of slaves in Virginia, but was captured and, with his followers, hung. The fugitive slave law was openly violated in the North, and prosecutions failed to stop it. The South witnessed with dread the growing population of the North and, realizing that it would mean the. election of a Republican President, they favored im¬ mediate secession.

Tipton county voted in favor of the Democrats in i860, the ticket Jieaded by Douglas receiving the largest vote. However, Lincoln and Hamlin were elected to the highest offices in the land, and very shortly the Southern states began to revolt and secede from the Union. The rest is written in a traiL of fire and blood, but the spectre of death is overshadowed by the goddess of victory proclaiming a whole and united country and freedom to the slaves.

Election Laws

Prior to and during the years of the Civil war and up until 1888 there was no adequate nor efficient system of voting in Indiana. Ballots were colored according to the party, and in this way a voter would proclaim his doctrine when he selected his ballot, whether it was yellow, pink or blue. In after years this system was modified to some extent, but not sufficiently to remedy all defects. The Australian ballot system, which still exists, was established in the year 1889. This system is secret, safe and efficient, and it promises to stand, even with the introduction of the voting machines. The fairness of this method is unquestioned.

In 1912, for the first time in the history of Indiana, the voters of the state were called upon to register their names in order to be eligible to vote in the November elections. Under the new law, three chances were given to register before the day of election. According to the provisions of the statute, a man must declare that he has been a resident of the state one year, of the county six months, has lived in the township sixty days, and at the October registration he must state that he has been in the precinct for thirty days. At the first registration in 1912 many voters failed to register, but on the two succeeding dates practically all, or ninety per cent, enrolled their names. In all there were five thousand and sixty voters registered in 1912 in Tipton county.

County Officers Probate Judges

William H. Nelson, 1844: Joseph A. Lewis, February, 1851; Richard Miner, November, 1851-1853. The probate court was abolished by the Legislature, and merger into the circuit court, in the legislative session of 1851.

Common Pleas Judges

E. A. Stone, 1852; Nathaniel R. Lindsey, 1857; John Green, i860; N. R. Lindsey, 1864; William Garver, 1864-1873. The common pleas court was legislated out of existence in 1871 and transferred to the circuit court.

Circuit Court Judges

1852; Stephen Major, 1854; Joseph Buckles, 1858; John Davis, 1865; James O'Brien, 1868; Clark N. Pollard, 1872; N. R. Overman, 1878, died in office, and James O'Brien appointed for one year; Dan Waugh, 1884; Lex J. Kirkpatrick, 1890; W. W. Mount, 1896; James F. Elliott, 1902; Leroy B. Nash, 1908, died in office, and James M. Purvis appointed to fill out his term, and in 1912 was elected and is now serving on the bench.

Presidential Elections

In i860: Douglas and Johnson, Democrat, 824: Lincoln and Hamlin, Republican, 770; Breckenridge and Lane, Democrat, 21 ; Bell and Everett, 3.

In 1892: Cleveland and Stevenson, Democrat, 1,995; Harrison and Reid, Republicans, 1,773; Bidwell and Canfield, Prohibitionist, 123; Weaver and Field, Peoples, 568.

In 1896: Bryan and Sewall, Democrat, 2,804; McKinley and Hobart, Republican, 2,260; Levering and Johnson, Prohibitionist, 18; Palmer and Buckner, Gold Standard, 3; Bentley and .Southgate. National, 29; Malchett and Maguire, Socialist Labor, 3.

In 1900: Bryan and Stevenson, Democrat, 2,414; McKinley and Roose¬ velt, Republicans, 2,404; Wooley and Metcalf, Prohibitionists, 148: Brvan and Stevenson, Peoples, 90; Harriman and Hayes, Socialist Democrat, 2; Ellis and Nicholson, Union Reform, 3.

In 1904: Parker and Davis, Democrat, 2,269; Roosevelt and Fairbanks, Republican, 2,639; Swallow and Carroll, Prohibitionist, 234; Watson and Tibbies, Peoples, 41; Debs and Hanford, Socialist, 13.

In 1912: Wilson and Marshall, Democrat, 2,158; Taft and Sherman, Republican, 1.247; Roosevelt and Johnson, Progressive, 896; Chafin ancl Wat¬ kins, Prohibitionists, 198; Debs and Seidel, Socialist, 112; Reiner and Gilhaus, Socialist Labor, 12.