Nodaway County, Missouri - Chapter 33: Financial and Political History of Nodaway, 1882

Chapter 33: Financial and Political History of Nodaway

Below will be found a concise statement of the finances of Nodaway County during the years 1850, i860, 1870, 1881, prepared by John Miller, the county clerk. Anything like a complete financial history of the county would alone fill a large volume. Did we, however, desire to give this history, we could not do so, as the records are too imperfect. What is here presented will show the financial condition of the county for the decades mentioned.

An aggregate abstract of the receipts and expenditures of Nodaway County, Missouri, for the year ending December 31, 1881, showing the condition of the several funds at that date:

Recapitulation Bonded Debt

Court house and jail bonds, principal and interest payable at the County Treasurer's office issued September 8, 188 1, sold at three per cent. premium.

In relation to the floating debt of the county, the present tax levy made for the year 1881, will amply provide for the payment of said debt, and leave a handsome balance in the treasury to pay current expenses of the county. At this writing, January 7, 1882, the county collector has in his hands county revenue to the amount of over $30,000. This will be paid into the treasury at once, and will place our funds all in good shape - entirely out of debt with a good balance to start on for the ensuing year.

From 1845 to i860, or during the first fifteen years of the county's history, party politics wielded but a slight influence in the local government of the county. While it is true that many of the first settlers from the earliest days, possessed well defined political views and tenets, and were thoroughly partisan upon all questions pertaining to national or state elections, an indefinite number of candidates were usually permitted to enter the race for he respective county offices, and the one possessed of superior personal popularity, generally led the field, and passed under the wire in the advance of all opponents.

In the early days it was not at all unusual to meet the energetic candidate for the sheriff's office, the treasurer's office, or who aspired to represent his people in the State Legislature, astride his horse, going from settlement to settlement, to meet with the voters of his county at their own firesides, to sleep beneath their humble roofs, and sup with them at their family boards, to compliment their thrifty housewives, and to kiss the rising generation of little ones.

The historian would not dare draw upon his own imagination to supply the stock of rich, rare and racy anecdotes, moulded and circulated by these ingenious canvassers, or to describe the modes and methods by them adopted to increase their popularity with the people. There was then no press, as now, to perpetuate daily events as they transpired. Many of the maneuvers and capers, successes and failures, with their pleasures and sorrows, of twenty and more years ago, in this county, are hidden from us by the shadows of time. Darkness intervenes between us and many sayings and doings of bygone days, which, could we but penetrate that darkness and gather them in, would shine out upon the pages of this history " like diamond settings in plates of lead." In vain have we tried through the lens of individual recollection to ferret them out. We could not do it. Our discouraged fancy dropped the pencil, and said 'twas no use. We could not paint the picture. A little consolation may be found in the lines, -

In some of these early campaigns the various candidates for a single office, and sometimes those running for the different county offices, would travel together from settlement to settlement throughout the county. Every camp meeting, log raising, shooting match and even horse race occurring in the county during the season preceding election, was a favorite resort of the electioneer, and every honorable device was adopted by each candidate to develop his full strength at the polls.

misplaced or destroyed, it is impossible to here insert the names of the respective candidates who ran for office at such elections, or the number of votes cast on such occasions. Little more can be said of this period of the county's history, than to give the list of county officials, which has been done in succeeding pages.

Shortly after this election the civil war broke out, during which all political differences were forgotten, or were held in abeyance by the excitement generated in the friction of contending armies and military movements.

The close of the war left the county government in the hands of the Republican party. For the first two or three years after the war, little opposition was manifested against the reign of this party.

Many citizens of the county, under the state constitution adopted in the year 1865, were disfranchised on account of their participation in, or sympathy with the rebellion. Numbers of the oldest citizens in the county, for several years, could not take the test oath by the state constitution made requsite to complete citizenship. The interest in governmental affairs of those thus situated necessarily abated. During the period of this political status, the Republican party held conventions and placed candidates in the field for the different county offices. The election held in the county in the fall of 1866, will be seen in the following official returns :

The total number of votes cast at this election was 967. Though the war was over, a great number of citizens of the county could not qualify under the registration law, then in force, and were not allowed to vote.

When the campaign of 1868 opened, in the spring of that year, the Democracy of the county began to partake of the spirit of enthusiasm kindled throughout the country by the approach of the coming National election. Strenuous efforts were made by some of those most thoroughly aroused to organize the Democratic party in the county and to place it upon a proper footing to contend with the Republican party.

Early in the summer A. P. Morehouse and Joseph E. Alexander were chosen as delegates from the county to attend the first Democratic State Convention which had been called in the state since the war.

This convention was held in St. Louis. On their return all efforts were doubled to effect a perfect organization of the party in this county ;- a convention was called and a Democratic county ticket was placed in the field. During the summer the Democrats held a grand rally at Maryville, which was attended by members of the party from all parts of the county. Foreign speakers were procured, and every step was taken to arouse the partisan spirit, and effect a unity of action upon the part of the Democracy.

The Republican party was also wide awake during this canvass, and seemed to be nettled to greater exertions by the movements of the opposition. This party also held a grand rally at Maryville during' the campaign. Though there appears to have been no well defined plan of canvassing the county adopted by either party, both sent speakers into the field to address the people. Among those who addressed the people in behalf of the Republican party in this canvass, may be mentioned B. K. Davis, M. G. Roseberry, A. B. Cornell, Spencer, Stark and others. Among those who stumped for the Democracy may be named A. P. Morehouse, Lafayette Dawson, Stephen Morehouse, Perry H. Talbott and others. The result of this canvass is shown in the following official returns of the fall election :

Notwithstanding the defeat of 1868, the Democratic party maintained its organization. In the year 1869 a Democratic paper was established in the county, and from this time a constant opposition was maintained to the party in power.

Long before the opening of the campaign of 1870, mutterings of discontent, characteristic of Republican institutions and American citizenship, began to be heard around the borders. An element of the Republican party began to chafe in its stall, as it were, and long for the chains which bound a portion of the citizenship of state and county to be broken, and to put to flight forever all the advocates of political proscription. This movement was denominated the Liberal Republican movement. It called to its aid all men whose former political principles were at variance with the original Republican party. This party was avowedly in favor of the constitutional amendments submitted, to be voted upon at the election in 1870.

The Democratic party and the Democratic paper of the county favored the movement, and joined with the Liberal Republicans in the campaign of 1870.

A dissension arose in the ranks of the Republican party of this county at this time which favored the Liberal movement. A. B. Cornell, who at the time edited the Maryville Journal, a newspaper which had theretofore been the organ of the Republican party, bitterly opposed the constitutional amendments. This gave rise to an opposition in his own party, for many of the Republicans of the county favored the amendments. A new paper was established, the Maryville Republican, edited by M. G. Roseberry. This paper advocated the cause of the Republican party, yet, at the same time expressed itself in favor of the constitutional amendments.

But two tickets were placed in the field - the Republican and Liberal Republican. The canvass was thorough and hotly contested. Both parties stumped the county in company with foreign speakers, who were pressed into the service during the electioneering season. The result of the election of 1870 is as follows:

The total number of votes cast at this election was 1 ,995- The Republican party elected seven of the county officers, and the Liberal Republicans elected three. All of the constitutional amendments carried by overwhelming majorities.

After the election of 1870, all residents of the county could exercise the elective franchise. The Democracy assumed the organization effected in 1868. Many of the Liberal Republicans returned to the ranks of the Republican party, while not a few remained with the Democracy. The Maryville Republican and the Nodaway Democrat became the champions of the respective parties in the county.

Though the campaign of 1872 was national in character, it was somewhat mild in this county. But two tickets were in the field - the Republican and the Democratic. A few Democrats in the county refused to vote for the National Democratic ticket. The two parties

The Democratic party lost none of its ardor by this defeat ; but, on the contrary, sought to add to its numbers and increase its strength for the next contest. The financial panic which took place throughout the country, in 1873, had a tendency to make the people distrustful of those in power. This fact, for the time, indicated a disintegration of the Republican party to some extent (that party being in power). The leaders of the Democracy began to take advantage of this situation of affairs, and to avail themselves of the opportunity to add to their party such as were becoming dissatisfied with the administration.

An early canvass was inaugurated in the spring of 1874. Both the Democratic and Republican parties commenced early to gird on their armor for the conflict. Through central committees, the townships throughout the county were organized, and political tracts and documents were conveyed into every neighborhood. The approaching campaign promised to bring with it a hand to hand struggle between these parties for supremacy. But a difficulty, little anticipated in the beginning, was to break the force of these two contending factions. Some of the Patrons of Husbandry, or friends of the Grange movement, which had imperceptibly grown up in the county, formed themselves into an Independent party. This new party marshalled to its principles a number of the best citizens in the county, and while it seemed confined to certain neighborhoods, or sections of the county, the most thoughtful politician could not foretell what the result would be. No one could predict which of the two old parties would be the more affected by this new movement. Three county conventions were called by the parties thus arrayed, and for many of the county offices three candidates entered the field. This triangular fight had a tendency to intensify the interest of the Republican and Democratic parties. The canvass was long and warmly disputed. The end of the campaign of 1874 is as follows:

The Democratic majority in the county for Governor was 33, for Congressman 138, and at this election that party elected six county officers, the Republicans two.

The election was followed by much rejoicing on the part of the Democracy of the county. For twenty-four years this party had been in the minority, during which period it had been unable to elect a single officer. In the battle which had just ended, it had elected three to one of the county officers, and had established a Democratic majority in the county.

Prior to the opening of the National campaign in 1876, the Independent party, which had figured in the county in 1874, had disbanded and its members had fallen back within the lines of the two National parties. Yet other disturbances aroused the apprehension of the leaders of the two parties.

Another financial crisis was upon the country. Business failures were heard of throughout the land. The preceding Congress had spent much time in debating the financial problem, and the public mind seemed in a condition to center upon one single idea, how to avoid impending bankruptcy ? Little interest was manifested in general political measures. To avoid the organization of a new party in the county upon this single question, both the Democratic and the Republican parties, keeping consistency in view, sought the sunny side of the situation. As early as the 29th of April, 1876, the Chairman of the Democratic Central Committee issued a call to the Democracy to meet at the court house in Maryville, to discuss the financial question. Little was accomplished by this movement other than to ascertain the differences of opinion existing in the minds of the members of that party upon the question. From that time forward, all means were adopted to bring about a unity of sentiment and action upon this one disturbing question, and to confine its discussion within the old party lines, A3 the canvass progressed, and partisan spirit increased, the work was more easily accomplished.

After the National and State Conventions were held, the Democratic and Republican parties held their County Conventions, and with but two tickets in the field, they marched into the conflict. This was perhaps one of the most thorough canvasses every made in the county. Meetings were held in almost every school district in the county. The respective candidates for Representative made a joint canvass of the county, while other speakers were busy all directions. As in former campaigns, able speakers from abroad were invited to participate, and for a time the usual routine of business seemed to stand still while the political war was waging. The fight continued until the night preceding the election. Each party was thoroughly organized for the day of election, which closed the labors of the season in this county as follows :

Before either of the old parties had entered upon the canvass of 1878 the movement apprehended in the spring of 1876 was set on foot in the count)-. Financial embarrassments still prevailed throughout the length and breadth of the land. Few questions were so fully discussed in the Congress of the United States as the financial problem. Books, essays, speeches and documents of every desciption bearing upon the monetary system of government flooded the country.

During the winter of 1877 and '78 the Greenback Standard was established in Maryville. A new party sprang into existence. Meetings were "held and the county awakened to the new situation of political affairs before the first "movement had been made by either of the old parties. The cloud had burst upon the political sea and the waves of excitement were running mountain high before the first mustering drum was heard in the old political camps. In the issue of the Nodaway Democrat of March 28, 1878, the Democratic Central Committee, then retiring from office, published a lengthy address to the members of that party, urging the voters to stay within its party lines, and maintaining "that all needed reforms and financial relief could be brought about earlier and better by and through the Democratic party than by any other political organization."

All parties commenced to organize from that date, and the entire summer was spent in electioneering. Conventions were early called in the summer, and three full tickets were placed in the field for county -offices.

The Republican party of this congressional district, failing to place a candidate in the field for Congress, that party, in this county, united with the Greenback party upon their candidate. With the exception of this fusion, the three parties fought in their respective intrenchments, and for expressed principles throughout the canvass. This canvass was bitterly contested. The three parties sent their ablest workers into the field, and every neighborhood in the county witnessed the war of words and the conflict of theories concerning the moneyed interests of the country. Like the preceding canvass, this was continued with unabated fury up to the election, and never in the history of the county was greater labor performed in one day than on the election day, in the fall of 1878. The following are the returns of that election :

The canvass and election held in 1880 was very similar to that of 1878, differing only in the fact chat the latter was a National campaign. The three parties placed full county tickets in the field. The action of the Republican party in the Congressional race was the same as that of 1878.

But one distinguishing feature appears between the two canvasses-: That arose in the ranks of the Republican party in its selection of dele-

The Republicans of the county were divided over the question of the candidacy of General Grant for the presidency. Some of the strongest followers of the "Third Term Movement" canvassed the county, in order to secure Grant delegates to attend the State Convention. This aroused an opposition on the part of the opponents of Grant in that party, and when the County Convention was called to select the delegates to attend the State Convention, the two factions were present to contend for their respective views of the matter. The line was drawn in the selection of the delegates, and all anti-Grant men were chosen to attend the State Convention. This action of the Republican party in this county resulted in the selection of S. C. McClusky as one of the Republican delegates from this state to the Chicago Convention. Mr. McClusky proved true to the views by him expressed in the primaries, throughout the session of the Chicago Convention, casting every ballot in opposition to Grant and his entire state delegation. He cast every ballot, but the last, for Washburn. The last he cast for Garfield, who was nominated, and afterwards elected, President of the United States.

The total number of votes cast at this election for president was 5,724 ; the Democratic majority over the Republican was 183. The Democrats elected seven of the count}- officers, the Republicans three.

The last election returns show, as nearly as may here be stated, how the political parties in this county stand at this time, the beginning of 1882. Few counties in any state can show a more healthful political condition than is presented in these few pages of history. With the opposing parties so evenly divided, that the slightest mistake on the part of one would cause its defeat at the polls, great caution has been exercised by the respective parties, in the selection of candidates to fill the different county offices. Since 1874, the county administration has been divided between the Republican and the Democratic parties. At no time since that date has either party had control of every county office. Though the Greenback party, in this count)', has been unable to overcome the opposition of the Republican and the Democratic parties at the polls, it has developed great strength, and in the election of

1878 and 1880, was chiefly instrumental in the selection and election of a Greenback Congressman in the Congressional District of which this county forms a part.

When we reflect upon the fact that, between the years 1870 and 1880, the population of the county more than doubled ; that the aggregate number of votes cast in the county, increased from 1,995 in 1870 to 5.724 in 1880, the relative positions maintained by the Republican and the Democratic parties appears but little less than remarkable. The untried element (new voters) at each election has been equally divided between these parties. Independent movements and the organization of new parties have about equally effected them. Like twin children they have grown up together. At no time in the past ten years have the leaders of either party been too sanguine of success at the polls. Party spirit has run high, it is true. In the midst of a canvass, when the barometer of hope was fluctuating between anticipated success and ' dreaded defeat, a few have been reckless enough to lay a wager upon the success of their party, but usually the vote has been counted and the result announced before many were certain who were elected. These close political contests have benefitted the county, as they do a state or a nation. They purify the social and political atmosphere as does the thunder storm the air we breathe. A spirit of energy and emulation are thus cultivated among the people. Public men and public transactions are watched and understood by the masses. A common interest is taken in the welfare of the county, and each public servant endeavors to excel in the public service. Chief among the leading causes which have contributed to bring about this wholesome situation of public affairs in this county may be mentioned the public press. The two political journals, while advocating the cause of their respective parties, have not hesitated to approve right conduct on the part of a political opponent, nor to condemn misconduct wherever observed, even in the ranks of their own party, while the independent press of the county has aimed to support merit in the political affairs and public administration of the county throughout.

We will offer no prophesies as to the future. Already the political war-horses are snuffing the breeze and are impatient for the campaign of 1882.

" In knots they stand, or in a rank they walk, Serious in aspect, earnest in their talk; Factions, and favoring this or t' other side, As their strong fancy or weak reason .guide. *r