USA > Illinois > Macoupin County > History of Macoupin County, Illinois : biographical and pictorial, Volume I > Part 36
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At the May term of the Macoupin circuit court, after my admission to the bar, I was assigned to the defense of Aaron and William Todd, in conjunc- tion with others. William Todd was acquitted and Aaron Todd was convicted of the murder of Larkin Scott, their cousin, and was hanged at Carlinville. By this time my business had so increased that it afforded me a comfortable sup- port, according to the simple habits of the times, and I think I may say that, from that time to the present I have never seen a day when I was without em- ployment. I do not mean to say that I have worked every day but if idle, it was not because I had not something to do.
I pass over the election of 1840, in which I took an interest and supported Mr. Van Buren. After the election of 1840 I continued the practice of my pro- fession with great industry, and during this time won a fair share of legal business that reached the court.
On the first Monday in August, 1843, I was elected to the office of probate justice of the peace. That officer had jurisdiction of the probate business and also that of an ordinary justice of the peace. I held that office until 1847, when I was elected to be a member of the constitutional convention which assembled in Springfield on the 7th day of June, 1847. I was placed, at my own request, on the committee of education, and made a report from that committee which
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provided that "It shall be the duty of the general assembly to provide for a system of common schools which shall be as nearly uniform as may be through- out the state, and such common schools shall be equally free to all the children in the state, and no sectarian instruction shall be permitted in any of them." It was too early for the adoption of free schools, and the convention paid 110 further attention to the subject.
On the first Monday in August, 1847, I was defeated for reelection to the office of probate justice of the peace. In May, 1848, I was again elected to that office, my successor having resigned, and at the election in the November fol- lowing I was elected county judge of Macoupin county.
In 1852, at a special election held to fill the vacancy occasioned by the death of Hon. Franklin Witt, I was elected state senator from a district com- posed of the counties of Greene, Jersey and Macoupin without opposition, and was reelected a member of the state senate in 1854 from the same district as an anti-Nebraska democrat.
In 1856 I resigned my seat in the state senate, and afterwards was president of the first republican convention which assembled in Illinois. After that time I continued the practice of my profession, and supposed I had abandoned poli- tics forever. In 1859, much against my will, I became a candidate for the seat in the lower house of congress and was defeated by General John A. McCler- nand. In 1860 I was one of the electors at large, pledged to vote for Mr. Lincoln.
In 1861 I was a member of the peace conference which assembled in Wash- ington on the 4th of February of that year, and took part in its deliberations, and on the 9th of May of the same year I was elected colonel of the Fourteenth Regiment of Illinois Infantry at Jacksonville by the unanimous vote of the men composing the regiment. On the 25th of May, 1861, I was mustered, with my regiment into the service of the United States for three years, or during the war.
When I left home, in May, 1861, I told my clients that the war would soon be over and that I would return at the September term of court and would attend to their business; but I was mistaken, for my resignation as major gen- eral of volunteers was accepted on the Ist day of September, 1866.
In February, 1865, I was assigned to the command of the department of Kentucky by Mr. Lincoln himself, where many legal questions of a most em- . barrassing character arose which the department commander was compelled to decide promptly. Kentucky was excepted from the Proclamation of Emancipa- tion, and it was never known whether it furnished more troops to the Confed- eracy or the Union.
My first report was made to the adjutant general on the 24th of February, 1865. On the 22d of February, 1865, Colonel Robert J. Breckenridge, of the rebel army, was arrested inside of our lines as a spy.
The secretary of war happily relieved me of any responsibility for him by ordering him to be taken to Columbus, Ohio, as a prisoner of war. On the 3d of March, 1865, congress passed a joint resolution which declared the families of soldiers to be free, and then my troubles commenced. It is perhaps known that the marriages of slaves were not recognized by any of the laws of the states
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in which slavery existed; this made the enforcement of the joint resolution de- claring the families of soldiers to be free, particularly difficult in Kentucky and in other states and parts of states not embraced in the Emancipation Proclama- tion.
Another fact tended to still further complicate the question: When I took command of the department of Kentucky a draft was impending; I do not re- member what the quota of the city of Louisville was, but the masters of able bodied slaves were selling them to the government for enlistment as soldiers, and in case the slave exhibited any reluctance to enlistment he was confined in either the jail or the slave pens that were conveniently situated for that pur- pose, so that I was compelled to appoint an officer to inquire into the case of all colored persons held in confinement by the civil or military authorities, with directions to report to me the causes for their detention. I ordered the dis- charge of all persons confined in slave pens by private authority, and in like manner from the jails, unless held for some criminal charge. It will be remem- bered that Kentucky was under martial law at that time.
There was at that time, and subsequently, a statute of the state which pro- hibited slaves to go at large and hire themselves out as free persons, and as the fact of the freedom of almost all colored persons was disputed it was sought to enforce the laws prohibiting vagrancy and the statute before adverted to.
Perhaps I can condense the whole matter by giving extracts from my com- munication to the mayor and a committee of the common council of the city of Louisville, dated May 11, 1865: "I have the honor to acknowledge the re- ceipt of your communication of yesterday's date in reference to the presence and condition of the large number of colored people in the city of Louisville, in which you express apprehension of pestilence from their crowded state and ask my cooperation in ridding the city of the evil. Before replying to the general facts and views you express, allow me to correct the error found in your statement, that 'no arrangement was or has been made by the military authorities for the protection and support of colored persons coming into the city ;' on the contrary, the wives and children of colored soldiers coming here, and those residing in the city, have been fed by the government, and all who could be induced to do so have been transported to Camp Nelson and there provided for, at the national expense, and the military authorities are still will- ing to provide in the same way for all of that class. But there are difficulties in the problem you present that cannot be solved by the enforcement of the laws against vagrancy, or by restricting the rights of the owners of slaves to allow them the small measure of freedom implied in permitting them to hire their own time and go at large as free persons.
"These people and their ancestors, for generations, are and have been natives of the state of Kentucky, and have all as strong local attachments as other na- tives of the state. Recent events, which need not be particularized, have dis- turbed, if not changed, their former relations toward those once their masters. What is now required is that their relations to the state be defined with reference to existing and not past facts. When that is done confidence between the races will be restored, cach will again become useful to the other, and order and pros-
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perity will take the place of the confusion and vagrancy which is now seen on every hand, to the alarm of all.
"As preliminary to this, and as a preventive to vagrancy, these people must be allowed to migrate at their pleasure and seek employment where it is to be found. Now, under the operation of laws obsolete for all useful purposes, and alive only for evil, colored men and women in Kentucky who might and would find employment elsewhere are forbidden to cross the Ohio river, except on almost impossible conditions.
"Capitalists who own and operate the boats that navigate the river (which has already led some minds to inquire whether the ownership of large property is not a disqualification rather than a proper qualification for the manly exer- cise of the rights of citizenship), terrified by these grim shadows of the past, throw unjust and oppressive difficulties in the way of the transit of even free persons, while those whose right to freedom is questioned by any one, upon grounds however slight, are denied the right of escaping from idleness and enforced vagrancy to where industry is possible and employment within reach. This difficulty, however, can be partially obviated by military authority.
"Deeply impressed by the dangers to public health, which you so truthfully and forcibly depict, and anxious that the laboring poor of the city shall be saved the terrible consequences of the 'disastrous pestilence' of which you as- sure me great fears are entertained, I have caused to be issued the General Order No. 32, from the headquarters of this department, a copy of which is herewith laid before you, and will, I hope, meet your approval."
The General Order No. 32 required all carriers of passengers, whether by the river or by the railroads, to transport colored persons, on the tender of a reasonable fare, to their destinations.
On the first Monday in August, 1865, Judge George W. Johnston was elected judge of the circuit court, and at the September term of the circuit court he charged the grand jury that my order, No. 32, was contrary to the statutes of Kentucky. The grand jury found many indictments against me, alleging the illegality of that order, under which, as was charged, many slaves had escaped from Kentucky.
Bench warrants were issued for my apprehension and placed in the hands of the sheriff. He waited upon me politely with the writs, and I told him that I would certainly appear at the next term of court and answer the indictments. I told him at the same time that I would submit to an arrest, if he desired it, but also informed him that I could not command an army through the grates of a jail, and that I had already issued orders to General Watkins, second in com- mand at Louisville, if I was arrested and confined to capture the jail and im- prison all who were concerned in finding the indictments, including the sheriff. He did not arrest me! . At the November term of court I appeared, and the judge accepted my promise to appear and answer the indictments.
At the December term of the court, after Alabama, which completed the requisite number of states, had adopted the constitutional amendment, with the Hon. Milton Hay, now deceased, while I was engaged in a trial of a suit in the circuit court of the United States, I received a peremptory order to come to Washington and from thence proceed to Raleigh, North Carolina, and pre-
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side over a court martial to be convened at that place for the trial of certain officers connected with the Freedmen's Bureau. I proceeded to Washington, received my orders from the secretary of war, spent part of the Fourth of July, 1866, in Richmond, Virginia, and arriving at Raleigh on the 5th, remained there until the 12th of August and then returned to Washington, where I met General Grant.
The General kindly offered to recommend me for the appointment of briga- dier general in the regular army, which I declined, and in return offered him ten thousand dollars for his first year's salary as president of the United States, which he declined.
On my return to Illinois I resumed the practice of the law with Mr. Hay, and in April, 1867, removed my family to Springfield, where I have resided ever since. In November, 1868, I was elected governor of Illinois, which dis- solved the partnership with Mr. Hay. My partnership with him was, a most agreeable and profitable one. He was a great lawyer and an honest man; his logical power was unsurpassed by any one with whom I have ever been as- sociated ; we tried many causes of great importance.
I was inaugurated as governor on the 12th day of January, 1869, but on the 30th day of the same month I was compelled to veto an "act to incorporate the La Salle Ice and Transportation Company," upon the ground that it disregarded the registry laws; and on the first day of February, 1869, I vetoed an act en- titled "an act to repeal an act entitled an act to establish a court of common pleas in the city of Cairo," upon the ground that it allowed extra compensation for services already rendered by the marshal and ex-marshal of the city of Cairo. On the 6th day of February, 1869, I vetoed a bill which organized a clistrict for taxation, including the town of Greenville, in Bond county, in which I said, "Indeed, it seems to me that we are rapidly reaching a point where other taxation will be impossible; the people are now taxed by counties, cities, towns, townships and school districts, and it is by this bill proposed to lay off special districts, strips and sections, so that excuses may be found for levying new taxes for new objects, and thus eat up the substance of the people."
I was compelled to veto a bill which required the city of Bloomington to issue bonds and levy a tax for the purpose of paying for the grounds recently purchased in said city by the Chicago & Alton Railroad Company for their, machine shops. I also vetoed a bill for an "act to fund and provide for paying the railroad debts of counties, townships, cities and towns" upon the ground that. it required the taxes of one municipal corporation to be devoted to another.
I vetoed many other bills, upon the grounds that they were unjust or in vio- lation of the constitution. In all I vetoed one hundred and twelve bills passed by the legislature. In many of the vetoes I was sustained by the supreme court.
In 1888 I was nominated as a candidate for governor by the democratic state convention, which met in Springfield. In 1890 I was nominated as a can- didate for United States senator for a term of six years, beginning on the 4th of March, 1891, and was elected on the one hundred and fifty-fourth ballot, March 1I, 1891. September 3, 1896, I was nominated by the national demo- cratic party as a candidate for the presidency. On the 3d of March, 1897, my
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term as senator expired, and since that time I have devoted myself to the prac- tice of the law, as a member of the firm of Palmer, Shutt, Hamill & Lester."
General Palmer was the candidate for the gold standard democratic party in 1896, in opposition to William Jennings Bryan, who had been nominated at the Chicago convention of that year by the "free silver" wing of the party. His death occurred September 25, 1900, Mrs. Palmer having preceded him to the grave, May 9, 1885. Both are interred in Carlinville's beautiful "city of the dead."
CHAPTER XVIII.
THE PRESS.
THE PRINTER EARLY IN THE FIELD AND ONE OF THE GREAT EDUCATIONAL FACTORS OF TIIE DAY-A CONSIDERABLE HISTORY OF MACOUPIN COUNTY'S NEWSPAPERS -TIIE STATESMAN PIONEER OF THEM ALL-MANY WELL EDITED JOURNALS ABREAST OF THE TIMES IN NEWS AND MAKE-UP-PAPERS OF BY-GONE DAYS ARE IIERE MENTIONED.
CARLINVILLE.
Macoupin Statesman, March 4, 1852-55; edited by Jefferson L. Dugger, 1852-55. It was an advocate of whig principles. Changed to
Macoupin County Spectator, 1855-68; edited by George H. Holliday, who made it a democratic paper, 1855-57 ; Charles E. Foote, 1857-58; John F. Megin- ness, 1858-61; Messrs. Shinkel and Gray, 1861-62; Horace Gwin, 1862; J. R. Flynn and P. B. Vanderen, 1862. The last named soon became the responsible proprietor and editor and he continued it until 1868, when the Merritts of Springfield and J. A. I. Birdsell became possessed of it. Pending the negotia- tions between Foote and Meginness the Spectator was suspended from Decem- ber 21, 1858, to January 15, 1859. The Merritts were connected with the paper for only a short time. Birdsell changed its name to
Macoupin Times, 1868-71 ; he remained its editor, 1868-70; H. R. Whipple, 1870-71. In 1871 the leading men of the democratic party of Carlinville con- cluded to form a joint stock company and publish a more thoroughly demo- cratic paper. The work of canvassing for the stock was assigned to Restores C. Smalley. When the stock was sold and the money raised, the company bought the Times printing office. The name of the paper was changed to
Macoupin County Enquirer, 1871 to date; edited by E. A. Snively, 1871-77 ; Samuel Reed, 1877-79. In 1873 the company leased the institution to Mr. Snively and he published it until 1877, when W. H. Reed leased it. In January, 1879, Reed was succeeded by E. A. Snively and L. C. Glessner, and in March, 1883, Mr. Glessner sold out to Mr. Snively, who soon sold the paper to E. B. Buck. In August, 1886, W. J. and C. J. Lumpkin took charge of the paper and eventually bought it. Since the death of W. J. Lumpkin a few years ago, C. J. Lumpkin has been owner, editor and publisher. When Messrs. Snively and Glessner succeeded Mr. Reed, they discontinued the Herald. The paper was semi-weekly until 1879. A daily was started in 1896 and is democratic.
Free Democrat, September 6, 1856-67; edited by William C. Phillips for
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HISTORY OF MACOUPIN COUNTY
the first month; Mr. Phillips and Henry M. Kimball, 1856-59. Phillips an- nounced in the first number that the paper was republican, would support Fre- mont and stand by the ticket of the Bloomington convention. In 1859 Mr. Kimball purchased Mr. Phillips' interest and remained sole proprietor for eight years. When Mr. Kimball assumed proprietorship John M. Palmer took charge of the editorial department as political editor and continued so till near the end of the year, when he was nominated for congress. From that date till 1867, Mr. Kimball was sole editor and proprietor. In March, 1867, the name was changed to
Democrat, March, 1867, to date; edited and managed by A. W. Edwards and H. M. Kimball, 1867-72; H. M. Kimball, 1872-79. A. G. David was man- ager 1879-81. Since 1882 it was published and edited by A. G. David until Octo- ber 1, 1901, when James E. McClure bought A. G. David's stock and became publisher. From 1856 to 1868 the Democrat was issued weekly, then weekly and semi-weekly until October, 1898, daily then until May 24, 1902. The paper has always been Republican. There is a complete file in the office.
Conservative, March 24-June 2, 1868; a campaign paper edited by George H. Holliday and published by the Macoupin Printing Company. File owned by A. G. David and by the Macoupin Printing Company.
Volksblatt, May-November, 1870; a German campaign organ, with Theodore Fischer as editor.
Blackburn Gazette, October, 1871-73; a monthly quarto published at Black- burn University. Edited by students.
Macoupin County Herald, March, 1879 -; a democratic paper established by L. C. Glessner, with E. A. Snively as editor. After a short time it was merged in the Enquirer.
Macoupin Anzeiger, 1879; established by H. Schlange. German.
STAUNTON.
Staunton Times was established in August, 1878, by Showman and Lamb, who sold after two months to W. F. Bently. It was published and edited by F. L. Blome from 1885 to 1898; T. H. Edwards, 1898 to 1904; T. H. and J. J. Edwards, 1904 to 1908; M. W. Meyers, 1909. Bound files dated from 1885 to 1908 in possession of T. H. Edwards. The Times was the first paper con- ducted in Staunton after the lapse of time between 1861 until 1878. In 1858 the Staunton Banner was established by Parsons Percy, a practical printer, who brought the office outfit from Monroe county. The existence of the Banner was a precarious one and in 1861 the plant was purchased and moved to Gillespie.
In 1905 John Camp came into possession of the Star and in November, 1910, bought the Times. He then hyphenated the name of the paper and it is now known as the Star-Times. It is an excellent sheet, well patronized, and the only paper published at Staunton.
BELT HALL
GYMNASIUM
MAIN BUILDING
STIVER HALL
LIBRARY OF THE UNIVERSITY OF ILLINOIS
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HISTORY OF MACOUPIN COUNTY
MT. OLIVE.
Teutonia, established in 1892, by Julius Schnell, who is the present editor and manager. It is the only German newspaper in the county and has good support. It is published every Friday. '
Herald, This paper was established in 1880. H. F. Troeger is the pres- ent editor.
PALMYRA.
Transcript, This paper was established in 1890. Editor and publisher, Ross Etter.
VIRDEN.
Record, August, 1866 to date; established by Reynolds and Milton. After six months of intermittent solvency they sold to a Mr. Johnson, who in October sold one half interest to W. F. Thompson, and in November sold the other half to E. L. Rich. Thompson bought out Rich in 1870, and in 1879 was still owner and publisher. In August, 1885, Thompson sold a half interest to E. P. Kim- ball, and in 1887 Kimball became and has continued sole owner and editor. Neutral, then democratic.
News, April, 1872, established by R. H. Ballinger and John Frank. Publica- tion ceased after a year. Revived by A. M. Barker, April, 1873, and continued till August, 1874. A republican paper.
Conservative, established March, 1868; edited and owned by George H. Holliday and published by the Macoupin Printing Company. It was discontinued in June of the same year. A democratic paper.
Reporter, 1879; established by A. M. Barker, who published it one year ; then A. G. David & Company, one year; E. P. Kimball, one year; B. Brown, one year; then George H. Sewall until 1897, when he sold to John R. Under- wood, who is still editor and publisher. A republican paper. .
GIRARD.
Enterprise, November, 1857-58; edited by Dr. Critchfield, 1857-58; W. A. Solomon, 1858; neutral in politics. Changed to
Guide, 1858-59; the first editor was W. A. Solomon, who was succeeded by Mr. McChesney, who took a Mr. Canfield as associate. Changed to
News, 1860-61 ; edited by McChesney and William E. Milton.
Enterprise, April, 1865-67; begun by a Mr. McChesney and William E. Milton. McChesney retired in October, 1865. In March, 1865, citizens bought the paper and turned it over to H. H. Keebler, with William Shook as local editor. After eight months it was turned over to Thomas Organ, who changed its political tone from neutral to republican. It was soon discontinued.
Review, 1872-74; begun by William E. Milton. Sold to Charles E. Fish, who changed the name to
Democratic Chief, 1874, under which name it continued for four months. Three months later it was revived by William R. Crenshaw and J. H. Power, who soon resumed the name.
Vol. 1-20
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HISTORY OF MACOUPIN COUNTY
Review, 1874-78. J. H. Power was editor and publisher in 1878. It con- tinued, under many brief ownerships, until November, 1878. It was democratic, favorable to greenback ideas for a time.
Gazette, January, 1879 to date; Tipton and Stuve, proprietors, William Stuve, editor. It was suspended in April but publication was resumed after a few weeks. A. H. Simmons purchased Stuve's part and edited the Gazette four months, when he sold to Tipton. George L. Tipton published the Gazette until December, 1904, when he presented the office to his son, Fred L. Tipton. Neu- tral in politics. Files are in the office.
GILLESPIE.
Union and Gazette, November, 1860, established by A. W. Edwards, who edited it until 1863. Alonzo James conducted it for a time after Edwards left. It was extremely democratic. Edwards revived the paper in Bunker Hill in 1866.
Gillespie News. This paper was established November 22, 1905, by the Gillespie News Publishing Company, the members of which are S. P. Preston and Clinton Bliss, of the Hillsboro News. The first few issues of the paper were of a five column quarto, all home print. That was the size of the paper until 1908, when it was enlarged to a six column quarto, all home print. In 1911 a linotype was installed. The plant has a splendid two-story brick building, re- cently erected and the outfit consists of modern machinery, new body and dis- play type and everything that goes to make the up-to-date newspaper and job printing establishment. The patronage is very gratifying. S. P. Preston is the resident managing editor.
BUNKER HILL.
Journal, December, 1859-May, 1860; edited by E. J. Bronson.
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