Saline County, Missouri - Chapter 20: Events Following the Civil War, 1910

In 1865, at the close of the Civil war, Missouri and Saline county had already been reconstructed. The government of this county was turned over to the radical element while the war progressed. Following this, Charles D. Drake, who had enjoyed the reputation and standing in the St. Louis bar as a second-rate lawyer, sprung up as a first-class leader of the radical element in this state. He knew, in order to retain control of the state, it would be necessary to disfranchise a large number of the more intelligent part of the population and set about to construct a test oath for that express purpose.

However, here in Saline county, reconstruction had begun immediately after Governor Jackson left the state, and a new set of county officials had been appointed and placed in posses^^ion of the county offices.

Under the Gamble provisional government, the general election was held in 1862. All candidates for offices and nearly all those who voted professed to be loyal to the Federal government. The Legislature elected was decidedly loyal, and proceeded at once, in January, 1863, to elect senators in place of Truston Polk and Waldo P. Johnson, who had been senators when the war came on. County officials were also elected this year, under the Gamble provisional g'overnment. and here, as elsewhere in the state, parties began to assume the names of Conservatives and Radicals. At that time, J. R. Berryman was clerk of the county court by appointment of Lieutenant-Governor Hall. Civil law and the processes of the court were maintained to some extent during the next two years, notwithstanding the existence of martial law and the presence of the military in the county.

In 1863 there was a canvass between the Consen'atives and the Radicals for supreme judges, who were elected that year. Saline county voted for the Conservatives, Bates, Bay and Diwden, who were elected.

At the adjourned term of the Legislature, X^ovember, 1863, an act was passed submitting a call for a constitutional convention submitted to the people at the next election, X^ovember, 1864. In these elections of 1862, 1863 and 1864, the vote of the county as well as of the state was very small, nearly all of the Southern people, those who were not already in the aiTny, declining to vote, between four and five hundred votes being all that were cast.

At the election in 1864, wiiicli was national, state and connty, county officials were el-ected, and the proposition for a convention also voted on. The records contain no table of this election. The convention carried by a small majority. \\ W . Thompson was elected county judi^e; P. E. Alaupin, county clerk, and J. K. Berryman, circuit clerk.

F. ]\I. Fulkerson was elected deleg^ate to the convention assembled (jn the 6th of January, 1865, Fulkerson being elected by the Radical party, and of course he entertained their views. The original design of the callers of this convention - known in history as the Drake convention - was only to pass certain amendments to the existing constitution, but soon after it first assembled, the covention resolved to make a new constitution altogether.

One of the first acts of the convention was to abolish slavery in Missouri. The next was to fix the qualification of voters through the instrumentality of a test oath of loyalty.

On the 8th day of April, 1865, the constitution with its prescriptive clauses in regard to the right of suffrage w-as adopted by the convention, and on the 6th of June, following, was submitted to the people for their adoption or rejection. The \'ote of Saline was as follows, only four hundred and fiftv-one votes being cast: For the constitution, three hundred seventeen; against it, one hundred thirty-four.

On the first day of July, 1865, Governor Thomas E. Fletcher issued his proclamation declaring the constitution adopted and in force in the state on and after the 4th day of July, 1865.

By ordinance of the convention, all the state and county offices were vacated and were to be filled under the new constitution at the next general election, November, 1866.

The General Assembly, which met in November, 1865, passed stringent registry laws in order to force the test oath of the constitution. A supervisor of registration for each district was elected by the people, and a board of registration of three for each county was appointed by the supervisor. The rigid requirements of the test oath were strictly enforced by the board of registration in Saline and many scenes of violence and bloodshed followed until finally it became necessary for the board to demand and receive a guard of armed men to protect them in dieir duties through Saline county.

Even as early as the canvass of 1866, several leading Re])ublicans, among them Carl Schurz and R. Gratz Brown, began to cfinsider the i)ropriety of general amnesty and enfranchisement.

Gen. Francis P. Blair, who had been an anti-slavery man prior to the beginning of the war, and a distinguished Federal general in the army during the war, now returned to his old poHtical allegiance, the Democratic party, denonncing- the test oath of the constitution and demanding" a more magnanimous policy towards those who were disfranchised thereby. In this campaign, the Democrats threw olT the name of Conservative, resuming their old-time party title. General Blair made a canvass throughout the state. Political and party excitement running high. During the canvass, he spoke at Marshall. The Radicals interrupted his speech and a disturbance ensued in which one Republican was dangerously ^\-ounded, but afterwards recovered, though at the time it was considered that his wound would certainly prove mortal.

The vote in Saline county, under the new registry law, increased slightly at this election, amounting to a total of seven hundred ninety-eight votes. The vote of the county for various offices in 1866, was as follows:

Following" the election of 1867, political excitement disappeared in a great measnre. The soldiers from both armies had nearly all returned home and were busily engaged in trying to restore the destructive effects of the war. It was generally quiet in this county. In January, 1868, the Legislature passed a new registry law, more severe than the old one, authorizing- the governor to appoint a supervisor of registration in each senatorial district each year of the general election. In January previous, the supreme court of the United States had decided that the test oath in Missouri was unconstitutional, and then the act of the Legislature passing the new registry law for the more rigid enforcement of the test oath created great excitement in the state and in Saline county, thereby hastening the day when the whole would be repealed. An amendment of the constitution enfranchising the negroes was submitted to the people at the November election, 1868, and voted down.

During the year 1869 the break in the Republican party grew wider upon the question of universal amnesty and enfranchisement. Carl Schurz stumped the state in favor of universal enfranchisement, and at this time it became evident that if the test oath was not voluntarily abolished by the Republicans, the Republican party would be rent in twain. It became evident to all that the iron-clad oath for voters, jurymen, ministers, lawyers and teachers must be repealed.

In 1870 the Democrats, believing that the discord in the Republican party would soon result in the repeal of the test oath, declined any part in the canvass as an organized body, refusing to make nominations. After this, the division in the Republican party grew rapidly, and when the Republican convention met in August, 1870, it was plain to all that a split was imminent. On the third day of the session the committee on resolutions made two reports. The majority platform, which was reported by Carl Schurz, chairman of the committee, was liberal and declared that the time had come in Missouri for general amnesty and the repeal of all test oaths. The minority platform on the contrary declared that the time for the repeal of the test oath had not arrived and that the question must be determined by a popular vote. The minority platform was adopted, three hundred and forty-nine for and three hundred and forty-two against. As soon as the vote was declared, two hundred and fifty delegates, headed by Carl Schurz, withdrew from the convention, amid great excitement. The bolters proceeded to organize a separate convention, adopted the Hberal platform, and nominating a full state ticket headed by B. Gratz Brown for governor. The Republican convention also nominated a full state ticket. The canvass was one of the most excited ever witnessed in Saline county. At first there seemed to be no hope or relief for any disfranchised voters until the Liberal party proceeded to register the county, applying the test oath just as vigorously as in former years, but towards the latter end of the canvass the Liberal movement gained strength and became more aggressive. R. B. Thorpe, of Saline, member of the Liberal Republican state committee, applied to the supervisor of registration of this district for the removal of the old board of registrars in Saline county and the appointment of a new board, more in sympathy with the Liberal movement. Being a Liberal Republican himself, the supervisor, Col. Richard Ritter, complied with his request, removing the old board and appointing in its place Dr. Robert McNutt, S. C. Aulger, and George Smith, registrars, with orders to take a new registration in Saline county. In this new registration the third section was wholly ignored, and the only oath required was that the affiant had not been in arms against the United States and would thereafter support the Constitution of the United States. Under the call of R. B. Thorpe, member of the Liberal state committee, a Liberal Republican county convention was assembled in Marshall consisting of delegates from every township in the county, and nominated candidates for county officers. In this election of 1870, the Liberal Republican candidates in the county and state were elected. The vote for congress in this county was as follows : A. Commingo, Democratic candidate for Congress, one thousand six hundred and twenty-four; Smith, Republican candidate, eight hundred and seventy-five.

For the constitutional amendments, of which there were several, the most important being that repealing the third section and the test oath, the vote in Saline stood, for the amendment, two thousand throe hundred and forty ; against it, twenty-two.

In 1872, the Liberal Republican party, having accomplished its mission of enfranchisement, had ceased to exist as a distinct organization. The Democratic party in Saline and throughout the state organized for the campaign and held a county convention in Marshall. A full Democratic ticket was nominated, except for county treasurer, which was given to the Liberal Republicans.. The Republican party, also, put out a full ticket.

For Greeley and Rrown, two thousand seven hundred and ninety-eight ; for Grant and Wilson, one thousand two hundred and eighty-three. The Saline .county vote for state officers was: Democratic, two thousand eight hundred and forty-one; Repuhlican, one thousand, two hundred and ninetythree. Silas \\'oodson was elected governor over John B. Henderson.

In 1874, the Republican party undertook to play the "passive policy," or facetiouslv termed "the possum policy," which had proved so successful for the Democrats in 1870, when they nominated no candidate for either state or county office. A party called the Tadpole party, at whose head was Col. William Gentry, of Pettis county, was supported by the Republicans. Charles H. Hardin, the Democratic candidate for governor, was elected over Colonel Gentry, Tadpole candidate, by a majority of over thirty-seven thousand votes, the entire Democratic ticket being elected by about the same majority. In Saline county, the vote for the state ticket stood two thousand six hundred and ninety-six Democratic, one thousand one hundred and twelve Republican and Tadpole.

The county canvass this year was an exceedingly lively and exciting one, particularly as regarding the county clerk. Two aspirants for Democratic nomination for county clerk canvassed the county. Col. W. S. Jackson, always a Democrat, and the other, James R. Berryman, only recently turned Democrat since the close of the war. The Democratic county convention met at Marshall, and after a stirring contest, nominated Berryman by a small majority. Jackson denounced the nomination as brought about by fraud in Cambridge and Blackwater townships. At his suggestion, and the call of the chairman, the convention re-assembled at Marshall about a month afterwards. A committee composed equally of Jackson and Berryman delegates was appointed to investigate the charge of fraud, which, after inquiring into the whole matter, unanimously reported that the whole proceeding had been fair and square and Berryman was honorably entitled to the nomination. Colonel Jackson refused to acquiesce and appealed to the people on the charge that he had been defeated by fraud, but he did not become a candidate ; his friends and supporters brought out Capt. C. M. Sutherlin, who was soon afterwards put on a Tadpole ticket for county clerk. Colonel Jackson stumping the county in support of him. The canvass on the county clerkship was spirited and angry. The Democrats were divided on the candidates for this office, the Republicans all voting the Tadpole ticket. About a thousand Democrats scratched the nominee for county clerk, voting for Sutherlin, who was declared elected by a small majority of thirty votes, but the balance of the Tadpole county ticket was overwhelmingly defeated.

In January, 1874, at an adjourned session,* the twenty-seventh General Assembly had submitted the question of calling' a constitutional convention to the popular vote at the next general election, and it had been carried by a small majority of two hundred and eighty-two votes.

The election for delegates to the convention was fixed for the 26th of January, 1875, and the convention was required to meet in Jefferson City, May 5. 1875. The canvass in Saline county was warm and interesting. Tw^o delegates were to be elected from each senatorial district, this district consisting of Saline, Lafayette and Pettis counties. A Democratic convention was called to meet at Brownsville to nominate candidates for the convention. Delegates to the nominating- convention at Brownsville were regularly elected by Lafayette and Pettis counties, who met at Brownsville on the appointed day, but by some mistake or mismanagement it was claimed no delegates were elected from Saline. The Brownsville convention met, and after waiting one day for the Saline county delegation, proceeded to make nominations without them. A. Y. Hull, of Pettis county, and H. C. Wallace, of Lafayette, were nominated. It was then published over Saline that the Brownsville convention had treated Saline county with indignity, if not contempt, and had given her no chance to appear in the convention, and calling upon the citizens of Saline to vindicate their county pride and honor by nominating- one of her own citizens against A. Y. Hull, of Pettis. Accepting the charge against the Brownsville convention as true, the people of Saline were quite indignant. Then a primary election was ordered, and the Hon. William H. Letcher was almost unanimously nominated, every precinct in the county voting for him except Marshall, which voted foi^* Col. Samuel Boyd. At this election, January 26, 1875, Letcher and Wallace were elected delegates from this district to the convention.

* It must be borne in mind that under the constitution of 1865, a Legislature was provided for every two years, but the people composing the Legislature, who were elected for several years after the Civil war, were so determined to consume or squander the public revenue that they would hold an adjourned term after every regular session and thus furnishing practically a Legislature every year instead of every" two years as contemplated by the constitution. There being no limitation in the constitution of 1865 of the length of the sessions either regular or adjourned, the Legislature continued in session during the whole of almost every winter. The constitution of 1875 undertook to prevent these annual sessions of the Legislature, restricting the Legislature to one term every two years and limiting the sessions to a term of seventy days, and also fixing the pay of its members. But the disposition to use up the public revenues has since been as great as ever, and resulted in the practice of employing a great number of clerks for each member, sometimes four or five for each member, and with pay equal to a member himself, and in this way has made the expenses of the Legislature just as great as it used to be if not really more so than ever. And there may be in this play a way of enhancing the pay of members themselves.

In the great presidential election of 1876, Tilden and Hendricks received in Saline county, three thousand nine hundred and thirty-eight votes, while Hayes and Wheeler, the Republican candidates, received one thousand seven hundred and twenty-eight votes, the Democratic candidates for state and county offices receiving about the same vote.

The county officers this year elected were: N. B. Ross, for surveyor; J. H. Irvine, for assessor; A. McAllister, for coroner; L. W. Scott, for public administrator; E. V. Garnett, for circuit clerk; J. M. Brown, foi" probate judge, without opposition.

For county clerk to fill the unexpired term of Captain Sutherlin, who had resigned, the canvass was again exciting. Col. W. S. Jackson, who had been deputy for Captain Sutherlin, now came out for office himself, and at a primary election received the Democratic nomination against very determined opposition. After the nomination, this opposition, composed of some Democrats who would not condone Colonel Jackson's bolt and support of part of the Tadpole ticket two years before, combined as it was with the Republican party. In the short canvass that ensued people were excited and exercised to a considerable degree. Some personal collisions occurred. In a public circular, the opposition charged Colonel Jackson with robbing and plundering during the war, giving times and dates supported by affidavits. But the opposition was all in vain. He triumphed over his combined enemies, and was elected to fill the vacancy and two years afterwards was re-elected for the full term, which he was filling at the time of his death. In 1876 the opposition put forward Capt. Robert Ruxton, of Miami, against him. The votes stood three thousand five hundred and forty for Jackson, one thousand seven hundred and seventy-eight for Ruxton.

In 1878 the Republicans, being in a hopeless minority, made no nominations in Saline county, but there was a heated controversy over the Democratic nominations, especially over the nomination for county clerk. Col. W. S. Jackson was again a candidate for county clerk, being opposed by Peyton Brown, of Miami township. The result was the nomination and election of the following officials: William S. Jackson, county clerk; George Lankford, circuit clerk; Samuel Davis, representative; M. C. Sandidge, recorder; John R. Cason, sheriff; William M. Walker, collector; J. P. Martin, treasurer; D. D. Duggins, county attorney; Robert Smith and B. G. Orear, county justices, and John W. Sparks, presiding county justice, by a Democratic vote of about four thousand.

In the canvass of 1880, which w^as also a presidential and state election, three county tickets were in the field. The Democrats, somewhat dissat- isfied with the workings of the primary election, determined to return to the county convention plan of nomination. They did so, the convention nominatmg the following for county officers : For representative. Robert Frazer, first district; V. C. Yantis, second district; county judges, first district, James Davis; second district. Nicholas Smith; probate judge, James Cooney; treasurer, J. P. Martin; collector, \A'illiam M. Walker; public administrator, L. \\'. Scott ; sheriff. John R. Cason ; county attorney, D. D. Duggins.

The Greenbackers and Republicans also held a convention and nominated a full county ticket, except for one office upon which they united. Just before the election, the death of the county clerk. Col. William S. Jackson, necessitated a new Democratic convention to nominate his successor, which resulted in the nomination of Robert J. McMahan. At the November election, 1880, the entire Democratic ticket was elected by somewhat decreased majorities as compared with the election of 1878.

On Wednesday evening, the 7th of March. 1877, there came into ]\Iarshall the vanguard of the first railroad that was built across Saline county. Mr. Blackstone, president of the Chicago & Alton Railroad Company of Illinois, with Mr. Mitchell and the engineer, had been surveying the route, and feeling the temper of the people along the line of the road between Mexico and Kansas City regarding subscriptions towards the construction of the road. An informal meeting of citizens was held in the office of Col Sam Boyd. In reply to some incredulous remarks arising from the various schemes of railroad building, which had been proposed to the people of Saline county at various times preceding this, Mr. Mitchell said that if the subscriptions asked were made by the people along the road that he would give his individual bond providing for a forfeit of fifty thousand dollars in the event that the company should fail to build the road within two years. The railroad officials departed the next day.

Early in the season, the improvement of Sweet Springs as a summer resort was completed and hotels were soon opened to invalids and pleasure seekers about the first of July.

At St. Louis, ]\Iarch 6, 1878, an arrangement was completed with the Chicago & Alton Railroad Company for the building of a railroad through Saline county to be leased to and operated by that company.

A meeting- of the veterans of the Mexican war was held at Marshall. The veterans present were \\'. W. Aniett, John L. Smith, C. H. Parker, Thomas S. Sybley, Daniel Alloway. Campbell Gilmer, W. M. Taylor, James A. Lewis. Andrew Campbell, John B. Brown, Thomas J. Edwards and N. H. Lewis.

Tueschn- night, March 25th, "dog- row\" a long row of frame buildings on the west side of the public square, some of which had been built since the beginning- of the town, were nearly all destroyed by fire. The first building- on the north end of the row was the first house ever erected in Marshall having been built by Henry Simmons in 1839. One not far ofT, built of logs, was erected by Jerry Odel in 1837.

In the early part of October, the Chicago & Alton railroad was completed to Marshall, being the first railroad to reach the place. A great banquet w'as given to the railroad officers and employees by the citizens, the track layers even being feasted and treated to forty gallons of beer by Colonel McGinnis, proprietor of the Senate saloon. Speeches were made and firew'orks went up in the evening, amid the noise of locomotive whistles, the ringing of bells and the cheers of the populace. On the 7th of November the new road met with its first destructive accident, a brakeman being run over at the Marshall depot and killed.

In the presidential election of 1880 some people were credulous enough to believe in the election of General Hancock, who had been nominated by the Democratic party, and his defeat was not only a matter of great regret but surprise to a great many people, but he caried Saline countv bv more than three thousand majority.

The winter of 1880 was unusually severe. The weather was extremely cold, and in February there was a heavy fall of snow, which drifted so badly as to fill up the lanes and make travel completely impossible. Railroad trains were also blockaded, resulting in much delay and inconvenience.

On Sunday evening, April 30, 1881, the court house building in Marshall, the one that had been built just after the war, was destroyed by fire, supposed to be the work of an incendiary, but for sometime before the building had been deemed unsafe, and the officials with all the records moved out. The building was completely destroyed by the fire.

A meeting of the people of the county by delegates was held in June and it was agreed to ask the county court to submit a proposition to build a new court house at the expense of fifty-one thousand eight hundred dollars.

The Missouri river was higher this spring than at any time since 1814. The l)ottoms were all overflown and a great damage done although there were but two persons drowned, one, a young man near Lanesville, and another in the bottoms below Miami. The river covered the track of the Chicago & Alton railroad in the bottom this side of Glasgow, stopping the trains for several days.