USA > Illinois > Cook County > History of Cook County, Illinois : being a general survey of Cook County history, including a condensed history of Chicago and special account of districts outside the city limits : from the earliest settlement to the present time, volume I > Part 35
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Another immense meeting held at Metropolitan hall on May 31, 1856, continued the extraordinary movement against slavery exten- sion. The 3,000 seats in the hall did not hold half of those who desired to hear the proceedings and an overflow meeting was held in the courthouse yard. Over the meeting in Metropolitan hall Nor- man B. Judd presided. On this occasion Chicago subscribed $15,000 in one evening to aid the Free Soil movement in Kansas. The speakers at the two or three different meetings were Norman B. Judd, Francis A. Hoffman, J. C. Vaughn, Dr. Egan, I. N. Arnold, J. H. Lane of Kansas and others. At this meeting it was determined to send a colony of 500 actual settlers to Kansas to aid the Free Soil movement. Means to provision this colony for one year were pro- vided at this meeting. Among the heaviest subscribers to this fund were the following: T. B. Bryan, $1,000; a citizen, $600; Peter Page, $500; L. C. P. Freer, $500; Charles H. Walker, $500; Philo Carpenter, $500; Tuthill King, $500; A. G. Throop, $500; R. K. Swift & Company, $500; Jonathan Brown, $500; W. B. Ogden, $500; I. N. Arnold, $200; E. C. Arnold, $200; F. A. Hoffman, $200 and many others in equal or less amounts. At the meetings the enthusiasm had scarcely ever been paralleled in Chicago. The men present were so inspired by the righteousness of the cause that they subscribed rifles and other weapons and ammunition instead of
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365
HISTORY OF COOK COUNTY
money when they could not afford the latter. Almost a hundred men volunteered to go to Kansas to fight in favor of free soil. Mr. Arnold said in his speech at this meeting that the rifles were sub- scribed "to protect the settlers and punish the wild animals." When the meeting broke up at midnight so enthusiastic were the partici- pants that they adjourned singing "The Star Spangled Banner." No such enthusiasm and determination in the cause of right had ever before been witnessed in this city.
In June, 1856, a committee of the Kansas Aid society reported that fifty citizens were ready to go to that territory. There was organized here before that date a Ladies' Kansas Aid society the object being to supply clothing, money, etc., to the destitute in Kansas territory. Mrs. H. C. Hibbard was president of this soci- ety. Late in June a company of about seventy men raised here left for Kansas, of whom the names of sixty-six were published in the Demorcatic Press of June 18. This company was not permitted to pass through the state of Missouri where slavery was in vogue. The border ruffians therein prevented their passage, the company returning, and the indignation at Chicago found vent in numerous mass meetings where fiery resolutions exhibited the wrath of the people. They had been permitted to pass half way through the state and were forcibly turned back. At one of these indignation meetings speeches were made by J. Y. Scammon, J. W. Waughop, Peter Page, I. N. Arnold, General Bruce of New York, J. C. Vaughan and others. During the entire period of the Kansas- Nebraska trouble this act was a burning coal upon the heart of Chicago.
The nomination of Colonel Fremont for the presidency by the Republicans was pleasing to the members of that party in Chicago. The Democratic Press called the ticket the People's party or Repub- lican-Democratic. In June Gerrett Smith sent $500 here to be used as a contribution to the Kansas cause. On June 19, the nomination of Colonel Fremont was ratified here with bonfires, fire-crackers, pole-raising and speech-making throughout the city and at Dear- born park in particular. At one of these meetings William Bross, General Lane of Kansas, John Wentworth and Francis A. Hoff- man were the speakers. During the summer and fall of 1856 emi- grants for Kansas continued to pour through Chicago principally from New England. The organized Kansas Aid societies in New England were remarkably active at this time.
One of the meetings which denounced in unstinted terms the act of the Missourians in turning back the Chicago company was ad- dressed by about a dozen of the most prominent citizens of this city.
Abraham Lincoln was advertised to speak here on July 19, 1856, on the Kansas question and as he was a great favorite already an immense crowd gathered to hear him. The Democratic Press re- ported the speech as follows: "A large meeting was held in Dear-
366
HISTORY OF COOK COUNTY
born park on Saturday evening to hear the speech of Mr. Lincoln, and we have never seen an audience held so long a time in the open ยท air to listen to an argumentative speech. The speaker was calm, clear and forcible, constantly referring to indisputable facts in our political history and drawing conclusions from them in favor of supporting the Anti-Nebraska platform and nominees that were unanswerable. He showed how the South does not put up her own men for the presidency but holds up the prize that the ambition of Northern men may make bids for it. He demonstrated in the strongest manner that the only issue now before us is freedom or slavery, that the perpetuity of our Union is dependent upon main- taining the former against the latter and held up the bugbear of disunion threatened by the slavery extensionists to the scorn and contempt it deserves."
B. S. Morris was president of the Fillmore club in August, 1856. Evidently he had refused to join the Republicans. James M. Rich- ards was president of the Young Men's Fremont club in July, 1856. The Democrat, edited by John Wentworth, a lifelong Demo- crat, came out in 1856 for Fremont and Dayton. It also supported the Republican state ticket. Evidently Mr. Wentworth could not stand Dougles and his Nebraska measures. It was noted in August, 1856, that the Scandinavians were almost unitedly for the Repub- lican ticket. At the Republican county convention of September 15, R. M. Hough, Mark Skinner, George W. Dole, Andrew Aiken, George Schneider, R. F. Clough and A. H. Dolton served as com- mittee on resolutions. About this time ex-Governor Horatio Sey- mour of New York delivered a powerful speech here. Early in September Senator Douglas was advertised to speak in this city. The Democratic Press of September 8, said : "Stephen A. Douglas is announced by his paper (Times) to speak at the courthouse this evening. It was thought that he would not dare to show his face before a Chicago audience this fall after such a disgraceful and shameful proceeding as attended a public dinner in honor of the scoundrel Brooks who attempted to assassinate Senator Sumner. But he has the effrontery to do anything, and having failed to gain the respect of the people of Chicago, he now insults them with his presence."
Senator Douglas sustained himself in a speech of unusual adroit- ness and ability. He was answered the following day by Senator Trumbull. Concerning the Douglas speech the Democratic Press of September 9, said : "It was the old affair-his standing vindica- tion. If it differed from his other efforts on such occasions it was only that it excelled even those in its unblushing impudence-its coarse and vulgar language-and its unpardonable and willful falseness."
At this time there was an enormous sale of Harriet Beecher Stowe's famous book, "Uncle Tom's Cabin." Her book "Dred"
367
HISTORY OF COOK COUNTY
had just began to make its appearance here. At the Cook county Buchanan convention in September, 1856, Col. W. B. Snowhook was nominated for sheriff, L. M. Keith, clerk of the circuit court; Samuel Ashton, state senate; Patrick Ballingall prosecuting attor- ney. Doctor Helmuth, coroner, and H. L. Neihoff, William H. Davis, Jacob Rhiel and Elliott Anthony, representatives.
At an immense political meeting held at Barrington in September, 1856, Homer Wilmarth was chairman and S. W. Kingsbury secre- tary. William Jones delivered the principal speech and introduced resolutions favoring Fremont's nomination and in opposition to the Kansas outrage. One of the resolutions declared that "we are mis- represented in the United States Senate by the traitor Douglas."
In October the Fillmore county convention was held. T. J. S. Flint was nominated for the state senate ; A. Clybourn, B. F. James, J. E. Craine, Eliphalet Wood, representatives. S. B. Buckley, sheriff. Jacob Russell, assessor and recorder, J. W. Chickering, prosecuting attorney and Dr. S. Brownell, coroner. The Republicans also held their county convention in October. Their candi- dates were as follows: State senator, Norman B. Judd; represen- tatives, J. H. Dunham, George W. Morris, I. N. Arnold, A. S. C. Mueller ; George P. Hanson, coroner; William L. Church, clerk of the circuit court; Carlos Haven of Lake county, prosecuting attor- ney. The presidential campaign of 1856 was spirited and brilliant in the extreme. The Republicans were united, enthusiastic, vigi- lant and held a continuous series of meetings day and night through- out the county. City affairs were likewise thoroughly investigated and exposed. It was charged that Mayor Dyer had borrowed money when not needed, had raised taxation, had a corrupt under- standing with ward politicians, had favored unfairly the license system and had placed large sums in banking institutions, while at the same time continuing to borrow. The following articles from the Democrat of October 1 and 2, 1856, show something of the bit- terness existing during this campaign :
"The opinion universally prevails among our citizens that a more corrupt Council than the present never disgraced out city. If it keeps on its course of corruption it will make a great man of Mayor Dyer if he continues to have the moral courage to send in his vetoes."
"One-half of the Council were relied upon in the outset to vote against every item that would increase our city expenditures. Instead of there being one-half, quite two-thirds of the Council have gone over bag and baggage to a system of corruption that equals anything that has led California to call a vigilance committee. The Mayor has become alarmed and has interposed his veto to head off these rascally proceedings. Some of these vetoes have been sustained and some have been corruptly stricken down." "At every municipal election quarrels have been gotten up between different interests of this city, but it has made no difference which of those
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HISTORY OF COOK COUNTY
interests have won, the same class of men have handled our funds under different administrations and have been plundering our city all the while. The same men are in power under Dyer that were in power under Dr. Boone, Millikin, etc. They manage to raise ficti- tious issues about license laws, politics, temperance, etc., merely to hide the true character of their proceedings. While honest men are quarreling about the rate of license, etc., the aristocracy have been plundering the city to an enormous extent through city loans, city deposits, city contracts, etc. Last year the Nebraska party out of power complained of the party in power that the expenses of the city were enormous, that the public expenses were unnecessarily large, etc. This year the Nebraska party have got into power and the expenses are swelled enormously; and salaries which had been raised too high in all conscience last year are raised still higher this."
On October 4, 1856, the largest mass meeting ever held in Chi- cago up to that time convened at Metropolitan hall with overflow meetings elsewhere. Cassius M. Clay was the first speaker at Metropolitan hall. The Democratic Press said: "He made a powerful, argumentative and persuasive speech. We must say that this was one of the most effective speeches that has been delivered in this city during the campaign." Martin P. Sweet of Freeport, General Robinson of Kansas and General Nye of New York also delivered eloquent and memorable addresses. Buckner S. Morris in 1856 became the Fillmore candidate for governor of Illinois. He was a Free Soiler of southern antecedents. During the Civil War he was a secessionist. In 1856 the Maine law and the native Ameri- can questions were almost wholly ignored by the Republican party in their zeal to elect their national ticket. At an immense Republi- can meeting held in Evanston, Dr. J. W. Ludlam served as chair- man, Edward Murphy as secretary, and speeches were made by Norman B. Judd, I. N. Arnold and L. F. Bingham. On October 18, the largest meeting ever held in Chicago up to date, assembled here. It was estimated that not less than 25,000 people were on the streets. Nathaniel P. banks delivered a speech two hours in length on the West side of the Public Square. Schuyler Colfax delivered a speech at an overflow meeting. So also did Frederick Hecker. This was the most imposing day of the campaign. The meetings were spirited in the extreme; parades were constantly passing through the streets and at night bonfires and fire crackers illuminated the sky.
On October 23, another meeting was held at Blue Island and on that occasion there were present N. B. Judd, I. N. Arnold, John Wentworth, General Nye of New York. William Bross, J. F. Farnsworth, J. C. Vaughan and George C. Bates, all of whom at different meetings delivered rousing Republican speeches. Late in October Frederick Douglas lectured here on the subject of "Free-
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HISTORY OF COOK COUNTY
dom," his address amounting to a stirring campaign speech. On October 25, a large Douglas meeting was held at Dearborn park, on which occasion speeches were made by the following men : Colonel Richardson, General Cass, Colonel Preston of Kentucky, J. L. Robinson of Indiana, C. H. Constable, a presidential elector and others. Glee clubs paraded the streets and sang campaign songs and torchlight processions were in evidence everywhere. Unfortunately Senator Douglas was too ill to take an active part. The same night a Fremont meeting was held at Metropolitan hall. The Speakers were Gen. Mitchell Sandford of New York, Rev. Theo. Parker, General Nye and George C. Bates of California. This meeting also had its glee clubs, parades and fire works. The entire county in 1856 was thoroughly canvassed by all parties. Late in October a Fremont meeting was held at Thornton station.
Several residents there delivered addresses as did also Owen Lovejoy, John Wentworth, F. A. Hoffman and others. On No- vember 1, at night the Republicans held a mass meeting on the West side of the courthouse square on which occasion all candidates who were present were called out and given a chance to be seen and heard by the public. Senator Douglas viewed these proceedings from the window of his office adjacent. It should be noted at this point that on election day, November 4, 1856, strong barricades were erected around every city polling place. This was the first time such a step seemed necessary. All parties wound up the cam- paign on the night of November 3, with meetings and parades. The Democratic Press said after the election :
"Chicago has never witnessed anything like the enthusiasm and excitement which prevailed all classes of citizens last night. Soon after dark thousands began to assemble at the corner of Wabash avenue and Water street. Eight thousand torches had been pro- vided. Before eight o'clock they were all given out and the cry was still for more."
Election day was November 4, 1856. On that day all of the saloons of Chicago were wide open. In the "Bloody Seventh" Ward fights and riots occurred throughout the day. That ward was on the West Side from Sangamon and Morgan. The Tremont house was the headquarters for news of the election. For sheriff, Wilson . received 6,482 votes; Snowhook 4,656 and Buckley 306. The vote throughout the country, particularly in Cook county, was immensely gratifying to the Republicans notwithstanding the national defeat. On November 12, the supporters of Buchanan held an immense celebration on which occasion a congratulatory speech was delivered by Senator Douglas. Mr. Farnsworth, candidate for Congress, was elected by a large majority. The Republicans regarded the re- sult as a Republican triumph. The ultimate curtailment of slavery was pointed and emphatic and certainly foreshadowed by this elec- tion. The moral effect was with the Republicans; slavery-extension
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HISTORY OF COOK COUNTY
was doomed. On December 10 the Republicans held a banquet at the Tremont house to celebrate their victory. On this occasion the speakers were Owen Lovejoy, Abraham Lincoln, James Curtiss, 'Ebenezer Peck, Dr. Egan, E. C. Larned, J. Y. Scammon and others.' Mr. Lincoln spoke to the toast "The Union," and the Democratic Press of December 11 notes his speech thus :
"He (Lincoln) maintained that the liberty for which we con- tended could best be obtained by a firm, a steady adherence to the Union. As Webster said, 'Not Liberty without Union, nor Union without Liberty, but Union and Liberty, now and forever, one and inseparable.' The speaker referred to the anecdote of the boy who was talking to another as to whether General Jackson could ever get to heaven. Said the boy: 'He'd get there if he had a mind to.' So was it with Colonel Bissell-he'd do whatever he had a mind to. He said our Government was based upon public opinion and whenever that changes so does the Government. Equality of men has been our central idea, and although we have progressed, yet we have been patient to a wonderful degree with certain ine- qualities that existed. We must change these inequalities-we must reform public opinion-we must found one principle-one central idea in the hearts of the people, that slavery is sectional and that freedom is national and we will not fail to achieve the victory. We must drown the cry now raised of equality of states, by the cry, 'All men are created equal.' "
Late in 1856 the Kansas Excelsior Joint Stock company with a capital of $20,000 was organized here. The object was to locate, purchase and settle upon a whole township in Kansas. At the city Republican convention in February, 1857, John Wentworth was nominated for Mayor, C. N. Holden city treasurer and John C. Miller city attorney. At the meeting which ratified the nominations Abraham Lincoln was present and delivered an address and Mr. Wentworth also spoke, outlining what he expected to do if elected. In February the Times called for a meeting of all who were opposed to the Republicans. In April a German colony of 800 persons to form a settlement in Kansas was organized here. They first dis- patched three commissioners to that territory to make preliminary arrangements; twenty families started westward on April 18. The municipal election of 1857 resulted in a triumph for the Republican party. The Press of March said :
"It will be seen that Chicago is thoroughly Republican in senti- ment and that the home of Stephen A. Douglas continues to stamp with the seal of its unqualified reprobation the political course of that arch-demagogue and traitor to freedom. No stronger evidence of that fact can be given than the election of yesterday affords." .
"The Dyer administration has closed in a succession of dis- graceful scenes such as have never on any former occasion been known in our city. We have had disturbances more or less serious
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HISTORY OF COOK COUNTY
in their nature. We have had one riot. Seldom has an election passed without its share of fights and fracases, but never before has the entire weight of the municipal government been thrown so openly and so entirely in countenance, in support, and we may add in participation with open violations of law and order and the rights of our citizens as men and voters as on yesterday.
Altogether, the election was one of the most disgraceful that has ever taken place in Chicago. In all the wards drunkenness and violence abounded-in some of them, ruled triumphant throughout the day."
"It was the settled purpose of the opponents of the Republican candidates to make the polls in the most closely contested wards the theater of disorder and outrage, to which end the base tools of baser men were freely plied with liquor and their excitable natures thus wrought to frenzy were purposely directed to prevent the peaceful exercise of the voters' right. The election has passed. We trust that it will stand without a parallel in the annals of Chicago. The apathy, the unconcern, the inattention of our business men and those who have the largest interest at stake, a year ago threw Chicago into the control of the worst municipal gov- ernment in origin, progress and termination that ever cursed the city."
It was during the summer of 1857 that candidates for the presi- dency in 1860 began to be proposed. Douglas was beaten by Pierce in 1852 and by Buchanan in 1856. He regarded his most formida- ble competitor in 1860 to be Breckenridge. The famous speech of Mr. Douglas at Springfield in June before the House of Repre- sentatives was considered by the South as his bid for the presi- dency. "The great object of Mr. Douglas is to keep himself before the people; and as the respectable portion of his old friends in Chi- cago did not see fit to call him out, it was contrived (and very prob- ably by his own suggestion) to have the United States Grand Jury at Springfield come to the rescue."-(Daily Press, June 16, 1857.) The questions discussed were Utah, Dred Scott and Kansas. He said, "root out the evil in Utah." He favored sustaining the Dred Scott case and skillfully answered attacks upon him concerning his attitude on the Kansas question. Immediately after this speech was delivered there arose from all parts of the state a general demand that Abraham Lincoln should answer him. This Mr. Lincoln proceeded to do. The following concerning that answer was published at the time :
"The reputation of its distinguished author will secure for it a careful perusal. Of all the leading men of the day none follows more closely in the footsteps of the sages of the Revolutionary period than Lincoln. The antagonism between the sentiment and moral tone of this speech of Lincoln and of that of Douglas is strongly marked and complete. They differ fundamentally and
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HISTORY OF COOK COUNTY
radically. They spring from opposite theories of the inherent rights of man and of the true intent and duty of government."
"We,, down here in the center (Springfield), consider Lincoln's speech an eloquent answer to the one delivered in this city by Douglas. It had the necessary fire in it and the power through it to crush out Douglas' pompous and flippant effort. Occasionally Lincoln would burst forth with the very grandest swell of eloquence. Douglas when he sees Lincoln's speech will see in it an argument he cannot answer and one that will stand in his way for more years than one. Our town people were as a matter of course delighted with it."
VOTE FOR MAYOR.
1857.
1858.
1859.
WARDS.
Haines-Gilman.
Haines-Brainard. Wentworth-Carver.
First
904
606
916
596
635
308
Second
1,073
886
1,091
977
897
532
Third
689
602
698
749
650
403
Fourth
429
501
502
594
388
320
Fifth
1,059
672
1,103
664
878
371
Sixth
1,275
980
1,187
785
725
509
Seventh
1,273
1,290
1,237
1,160
604
944
Eighth
604
555
719
603
477
511
Ninth
375
428
434
445
308
416
Tenth
907
1,208
720
934
386
629
Totals
8,588
7,728
8,607
7,507
5,948
4,943
At a large meeting held in June, 1857, Gurdon S. Hubbard pre- sided. Gerrett Smith delivered a speech of great strength on the unconstitutionality of the fugitive slave law and against the exten- sion of slavery into the territories. Senator Trumbull thoroughly answered Senator Douglas in a speech of nearly three hours' dura- tion while here in the summer of 1857. At the November election of 1857 the Republicans were again triumphant. The vote for county judge will illustrate about the majority on the whole ticket. For county judge, W. T. Barron, Republican, 6,000; Arno Voss, Democrat, 4,406; B. F. James, American, 177; scattering, 67. Charles B. Farwell was elected county clerk, August B. Boyden county treasurer, W. L. Greenleaf school commissioner and Ed. Bixley surveyor ; all Republicans. The average Republican major- ity throughout the county was about 1,730. No polls were opened in Cicero and the returns of Lemont were thrown out for defects. The Press of November said: "The victory in Cook county in the election of Republican county officers on Tuesday last was a tri- umph worthy to be made note of. It will be remembered, cer- tainly, by the defeated. It should be proclaimed as widely at least, as our opponents would have trumpeted their victory had victory been theirs. Had the Gleason and McCarthy ticket been successful the Border Ruffian press from the Washington Union down to the county organ (Times) of the most petty postmaster,
,
C. L. BILLINGS.
W. CLYDE JONES. I F. P. SCHMITT.
S. A. ETTELSON.
C. R. JANDUS.
L. C. BALL.
E. J. RAINEY.
W. H. DELLENBACK.
E. J. GLACKIN.
H. H. BREIDT.
NIELS JUUL.
W. M. BROWN.
A. C. CLARK.
CARL LUNDBERG.
GROUP OF STATE SENATORS FROM COOK COUNTY.
375
HISTORY OF COOK COUNTY
would have given the figures and chuckled hugely over the indorse- ment therein claimed for Douglas and his political gospel. We look back to the election of Tuesday with pleasure. Our Republicans turned out nobly ; our honest German Republicans and our Scan- dinavians were out in full force."
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