History of Macoupin County, Illinois, Part 31

Author: Brink, McDonough & Co.
Publication date: 1879
Publisher:
Number of Pages: 440

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His term of Probate Judge expired in August of the same year. He was a candidate for re-election. The slavery men determined to defeat him. His speech before the Constitutional Convention was read at the polls on the day of election. This, although his personal popularity was great, de- feated him by a small majority. The next year his opponent, Captain Gil- more, resigned, and Palmer: was elected to fill the vacancy. In 1851 he was elected to the State senate, and was made chairman of the Committee of Incorporations. The slavery question at that day came up in various shapes. Palmer's sympathy was with the Free Soilers. He was decidedly Anti-slavery, but his respect for the laws kept him outside the ranks of abolitionism. His prominence as a Democrat, and his ability as a man, re- ceived recognition in being selected to renominate Douglas for the United States Senate in 1853. During the session John A. Logan, now United States senator from Illinois, introduced his well-known Black Laws, which Palmer stoutly opposed.

In 1854 the Missouri compromise was repealed, and what was known as the " Kansas Nebraska troubles," commenced. The danger of the exten- sion of slavery alarmed the people of the North. An extra session of the Legislature was called. Douglas determined upon having an endorsement of his course. There were eighteen Democrats and seven Whigs in the Senate. At first, a majority of the Democratic senators stood with him, and Douglas' object seemed likely to be defeated, but he succeeded in the end in obtaining an endorsement. For this act of Palmer's, it was deter- mined to defeat him in his own district. At the District Convention in the same year, a resolution was passed in substance, that no man should be nominated for State Senator who would oppose the Kansas Nebraska act. Palmer boldly joined issues with the convention. He announced himself as an Independent Democratic candidate, and on the broad ground that slavery was not Democracy, and that the Kansas Nebraska act should not be made a party test. He was opposed by Major Beatty T. Burke, the most popular Democrat in the Douglas wing of the party. Palmer was elected by two hundred majority, in the district composed of the counties of Greene, Jersey, and Macoupin. The new senate at first contained four anti- Nebraska Democrats, viz. : Norman B. Judd, Burton C. Cook, Uri Osgood and John M. Palmer. Geo. T. Allen and H. S. Baker represented the party in the House. A United States senator was to be elected in place of Gen. Shields. Mr. Osgood gave in his adhesion to the Nebraska democracy, and the five men remaining held the balance of power. The whigs nominated Abraham Lincoln, and the democrats Gen. Shields. Palmer had at the be- ginning of the session, offered to go into the Democratic caucus, provided the demand for the fealty to the Kansas Nebraska act was withdrawn. His offer was refused. He was told that he must submit unconditionally to the action of the caucus or retire. He put Lyman Trumbull in nomination. Several ballots were taken, the anti-Nebraska Democrats voting for Trumbull. After the fifth ballot, Gen. Shields was withdrawn, and ex. Governor Mattison placed in nomination by the Nebraska Democrats. It was rumored that some of the Independents who had refused to vote for Shields would vote for Mattison. Five of the Independent Democrats had adhered to Trumbull, and on the first ballot, one vote from the whigs, the mem- ber from Lasalle county. On the first ballot the vote stood, Shields 48, Lin-

coln 46, Trumbull 6. The whigs became frightened and moved to adjourn. It was voted down by the united democrats. Lincoln saw the crisis was at hand. He was satisfied that the Independents would stand by Trumbull for one more ballot at least. He passed around among his friends and insisted upon them voting solidly for Trumbull. They were at last brought to do so, and he was elected to the surprise and consternation of the regular Democrats. This was a victory for Palmer over Douglas. He had met Palmer while the latter was a candidate for State Senator, and had urged him from sun- down to midnight to vote for Shields. But Palmer refused. Both in the wordy contest lost their tempers. Douglas taunted him with going over to the abolitionists, and rumored that if he did so he would fill his place with plenty of good whigs. Palmer grew hot and retorted, "So help me God, I'll never vote for Shields. You know how warmly I have supported you. You now tell me that you are willing to part with me and that you can fill my place with your life-long enemies. You demand that I shall surrender my personal independence and manhood, and threaten me if I refuse. From this time forward I will fight you, and will never speak to you until you are beaten, and lose your power to make and unmake men." The friendship then severed was not renewed until 1861, seven years later, when the gover- nor of Illinois sent Palmer to Washington as a delegate to the Peace Con- ference. The morning after his arrival, Douglas sent a card to his room requesting an interview. The great statesman came in, and offering his hand said, "Well, Palmer, the time has come when by your own limitation we are to be friends. I beat you a long time ago, but it has taken you a long time to beat me. I'm glad to see you." " Yes, Judge," said Palmer, taking the extended hand, " You were a thundering hard man to beat." Then Douglas said, " You have always misunderstood me. Years ago I saw that Davis and others meant disunion. I sought to force the issue upon them in the Lecompton controversy, and would have done so if Buchanan had not proven false. Then, there was union feeling enough even in the South to crush them. They have had two years since, to educate the South into secession." Then rising, and in solemn prophetic voice he said, "And now you will see millions of men in arms before the question is settled." The friendship was again renewed, nor was it broken until the death of Douglas.

In 1856 the Republican party came into life. Mr. Palmer was presi- dent of the first Illinois Republican Convention, that met at Bloomington, and nominated a State ticket and delegates to the National Convention. He was also a delegate to the National Convention that met in Philadelphia and nominated Fremont. He entered the campaign of 1856, together with Lincoln and Trumbull. They were the leaders of the new party in the West. As soon as he announced his allegiance to the new party he resigned his seat in the State Senate upon the ground, that having changed his politi- cal connections after his election, self-respect and a proper regard for the opinions of others demanded such a course. This act was so much out of the line, and at variance with the conduct of most men, that it won him hosts of friends.

The campaign of 1856 was the first open aggressive warfare upon the system of slavery. It required considerable courage to face the mob of howling men and publicly proclaim that the further extension of slavery must stop, and that freedom was the moral condition of the territories. Fre- mont was defeated. Then, two years later, came the memorable struggle between Douglas and Lincoln. This campaign developed the strength of the young party. Palmer lent a helping hand, and stumped the State for Lincoln, and did effectual service. The next year Palmer accepted the nomination for Congress, in this district. His personal popularity was great, and although the district was strongly democratic, yet there seemed to be some chance of capturing the prize ; but the Harper's Ferry raid by John Brown, in October of the same year, had the effect to alarm the whigs and the timid and weak-kneed republicans, and they swung into the democratic line, and Palmer was defeated by over four thousand majority. In 1860 the re- publican party was successful, and Lincoln was elected. Mr. Palmer as elector for the State at large gave him his vote. But with the success of the Republican party came the war. State after state seceded from the Union. Many efforts were made to patch up a settlement of the difficulty, but with- out success. War was inevitable. As a member of the Crittenden Peace Congress, Palmer advocated the calling of a National Convention for the settlement of all difficulties. That proposition failing he finally favored compromise measures offered by the south. The firing upon Fort Sumter awoke the north from its lethargy. The call for troops to put down the re- bellion was made. Palmer put aside his practice and was among the first to respond to the call. He organized the 14th Regiment, Illinois Volunteers,

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HISTORY OF MACOUPIN COUNTY, ILLINOIS.

and was unanimously elected colonel. The regiment was ordered to north Missouri, where it did gallant service. On the 23d of October, 1861, Gen. Hunter assigned Col. Palmer to the command of a brigade which marched to Springfield, Missouri, with Fremont, and afterwards as part of Gen. Pope's expedition to Milford, where a large number of prisoners were cap- tured. On December 20th of the same year Col. Palmer was made a briga- dier-general. He commanded a division in Pope's expedition against Is- land No. 10 and New Madrid, and did gallant and meritorious service in the capture of those important places.

After the attack at Fort Pillow Gen. Pope joined Gen. Halleck at Corinth. The corps was reorganized. Gen Palmer was sssigned to the command of the First Brigade, First Division of the Army of the Mississippi. It included four regiments of Illinois troops and Hiscock's battery. At the battle of Farmington, May 9th, he narrowly escaped capture by the enemy. He had been directed to pass a swamp and camp near the above-named place, and with this purpose in view he rode forward with a small escort in advance of the line to look out a suitable position for his command. When he reached the open ground near Farmington he found the enemy's infantry and caval- ry driving in the pickets. The cavalry seeing him in advance of his command on the top of a hill made a dash to capture him. They called upon him to sur- render. After a rapid chase of nearly half a mile, he reached two companies of infantry who were concealed behind the hill. A volley emptied a half dozen or more saddles, and they scattered and fled. Heavy bodies of in- fantry made an attempt to seize a road through the swamp and cut off Palmer's command from the main army. He made arrangements to check this movement, when he received orders from Pope to retire across the swamp to camp. The road was filled with wagons and Loomis' brigade. Long lines of the enemy appeared upon the open ground and opened fire from three batteries upon him. Gen. Palmer determined to hold the enemy in check until he could clear his line of retreat and retire in obedience to Pope's orders. Hiscock's guns silenced one of their batteries, when the three di- visions of the enemy came steadily upon them. They were met and gal- lantly resisted by the 22d, 27th, 42d and 51st Ill. regiments. The immense force of the enemy was now developed, and Gen. Palmer saw his great dan- ger. He acted with such great courage that the confederates supposed Gen. Pope's entire army was at his back and hidden in the swamp to support him. They therefore advanced cautiously. He held them in check for two hours. The road was now clear and he fell back. The brigade fell back and the confederates came through the woods within two hundred yards of Hiscock's batteries, and threatened to reach the entrance to the swamp be- fore him. Hiscock had sent his caissons to the rear. He double-shotted his guns with grape and canister, and fired into the approaching columns, producing great slaughter, and made rapidly for the road through the swamp. Gen. Palmer had disposed of such of his troops as remained in front of the swamp by placing them behind a hill in the edge of the woods, where they were hid from the enemy by the undulating ground. The confederates, sure of a victory, came on in a confused mass. Gen. Palmer stood behind his men on foot. When the enemy were within fifty yards he gave the order to fire. The volley carried destruction to large numbers. The open ground lay covered with the dead and wounded, and the enemy fled. Gen. Palmer lost 22 killed, and 151 wounded, and 10 taken prisoners. The confederate loss was 411 killed and wounded, among them Col. Ingraham, of Gen. Van Dorn's staff. Gen. Palmer's ability as a military man was fully established at the battle of Farmington. Soon afterwards, owing to illness, he was ordered home by Gen. Pope. He brought with him, as a personal attendant, a negro boy who had come into the lines at New Madrid. The colored boy nursed him tenderly through his sickness. The general soon regained his health and returned to the army. The negro boy, however, refused to go with him. He was therefore left in charge of the family at Carlinville. This was a gross violation of John A. Logan's infamous black laws. At the De- cember term of the circuit court, 1862, the grand jury of Macoupin county indicted him for bringing Martin Taylor, a negro slave, into the state. Gen. Palmer being at home at the time the case was pressed, by the states attorney, for trial. The trial developed no evidence to prove that the negro boy had ever been a slave, and he being a negro was disqualified by law, and was not a competent witness. The result was that Gen. Palmer was found "not guilty."

After aiding in organizing a new regiment, Col. Palmer returned to the front, and was assigned by Gen. Rosencrans to the command of the first di- visions of the Army of the Mississippi. He was ordered to join Gen. Buell at Nashville. He was then at Tuscumbia, Ala. It was a long and danger-

ous march. He arrived at Nashville with his command Sept. 11. October and the first days of November were employed in skirmishing with Wheeler and Morgan's cavalry and Breckinridge's infantry. In December there was an onward movement. The battle of Stone river followed, in which Gen. Palmer distinguished himself. During the battle, with the support of the artillery, he held the advance for hours after the right wing had fallen back. At one time, when occupying an extreme point, the firing of the enemy's mus. ketry and artillery were concentrated upon his command. He fully appre- ciated his situation and the importance of holding his position. The ad- vancing forces were held at bay. After several vain attempts to dislodge him from his position the enemy fell back, and that portion of the bloody field was saved. For gallant skill and heroic conduct on this occasion Gen. Palmer was made a major-general, his commission dating from the battle of Stone river. Gen. Palmer remained in command of his division until the bat- tle of Chickamauga, when his command remained unbroken and fought the ene- my to the end. When Gen. Geo. H. Thomas succeeded to the command of the Army of the Cumberland, Palmer was placed in command of the 14th army corps and won fresh laurels at Mission ridge. After the battle of Peach Tree creek and the investment of Atlanta, he was ordered to take a position in the rear of the Army of the Ohio and support Gen. Schofield. A question of rank arose between the two generals; Palmer said that rank made no difference to him on the operations then pending, that he was there to support the Army of the Ohio by order of General Thomas, and as Scho- field was in charge of the movement, he held himself subject to his orders. Gen. Sherman met Gen. Palmer soon after and said to him that he thought he was wrong. Palmer replied that he had waived all question of rank for the purposes of the contemplated movement, and was awaiting orders from Schofield. Gen. Sherman rode on to Schofield's headquarters. On that night he sent a letter to Gen. Palmer, saying that his voluntary consent to obey Schofield's orders was not enough; he must acknowledge his inferiority of rank. Gen. Palmer asked to be relieved. Sherman replied that he could not properly ask to be relieved in the presence of an enemy. By the ad- vice of Gen. Thomas, Palmer concluded to waive the question of rank until the end of the campaign. It was supposed that that would settle the diffi- culty, but on the following night, to his complete astonishment, he received a letter from Sherman saying that he (Sherman) understood from Thomas that he (Palmer) intended to offer his resignation at the end of the cam- paign. If so, he might fairly say, that the campaign was already closed, and resign. Palmer answered in effect that, " Yesterday when I asked to be relieved on a question of rank, you wrote I could not honorably do so in the presence of the enemy. Now you write otherwise. On this plain evi- dence of your unfriendliness, I conclude that I can be of no service under your command, and respectfully ask to be relieved, reserving to myself the right to determine whether it is proper to quit the service altogether." Sher- man referred the letter to Gen. Thomas, and that great general told Palmer that in view of Sherman's feelings toward the Army of the Cumberland he thought he could not not do him a better service than to grant his applica- tion. Gen. Palmer returned home Aug. 10, 1864. He immediately ten- dered his resignation to President Lincoln, saying he neither wished to be one of his unemployed generals nor sent to relieve one who was doing good service in the field. Lincoln replied that he would let him know his conclusion hereafter. Soon after a question arose between the governor of the state and the war department, concerning the quota of troops to be raised under a fresh call. Palmer was sent to Washington in January, of 1865, to settle the question. The contest over, and the quota of troops settled, Lin- coln told Palmer he had concluded not to accept his resignation, and offered him the command of the Department of Kentucky. Palmer protested against the appointment, but without avail.

He took charge of the department February 18th, 1864. Everything was in chaos. Kentucky was one of the states in which the Emancipation Proclamation had left a remnant of slavery. The state laws conflicted with the national. Army officers were arrested and brought before the civil courts for obeying the orders of their superiors; everything was in inextrica- ble confusion. Added to this the state was overrun with Confederate deser- ters, and full of bushwhackers, and law and order was the exception and not the rule. The negroes flocked to the cities looking for freedom. Out of all this confusion General Palmer had to restore law and order. Had he been aided by the state authorities his task would have been comparatively an easy one. But they were hostile and refused to act in con- cert with him. He wrote to Col. John M. Harlan and said, " Will not your legislature do something to comprehend the colored people within your laws,

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HISTORY OF MACOUPIN COUNTY, ILLINOIS.

regulate the subject of marriage, define the rights of husbands and wives, and give them the means of protecting themselves from outrage through the medium of courts?" The appeal was in vain. Palmer continued to correct masters who beat the wives of colored soldiers, and when black women or children came into camp whose husbands were not soldiers, they were re- ceived and cared for. He was asked by the mayor and other prominent citi- zens of Louisville to enforce the vagrant laws against the negroes in the city, their number being so great that a pestilence was feared. Gen. Palmer re- plied, "that the relation of the negroes to the state ought to be defined anew with reference to existing and not past facts. They must be allowed to mi- grate at their pleasure and seek employment where it was to be found." The state refusing to act, Gen. Palmer was forced to provide means of relief. He issued an order requiring common carriers of passage to transport all colored people, provided with passes from certain United States officers, on reason- able terms.

This proclamation in effect practically freed the negroes. It relieved Louisville, but it also gave rise to innumerable lawsuits. Suits for damages were brought against him aggregating 870,000, and numerous indictments under the instruction of Judge Johnson and others were found against him for aiding in the escape of slaves. He promptly acknowledged the supre- macy of the civil to the military law, and in October of 1865, appeared before Judge Johnson to answer to the charges against him, and submit to his jurisdiction. He thought his conduct in accord with both Federal and state laws, and offered, if necessary, to enter into recognizance for his ap- pearance for trial. The Judge replied, that his voluntary promise was sufficient.

In December Alabama adopted the Constitutional Amendment prohibit- ing slavery. This filled the number of states required to give the Amend- ment validity. When Palmer was brought to trial all laws relating to slavery had perished, and Judge Johnson, taking this view of the case, ordered the indictments quashed. The proclamation of the Secretary of State, announcing formally the passage of the Constitutional Amendment abolishing slavery, relieved Gen. Palmer of many of his troubles. He re-

signed the command of the Department of Kentucky, February 19th, 1866, but was not relieved until May 1st, and he then returned to Carlinville. After remaining a short time he was ordered to North Carolina to act as President of a Court Martial for the trial of officers of the Freedmen's Bureau. His resignation took effect September 1st, 1866. In April, 1867, he removed to Springfield. Here closes the life of John M. Palmer as & citizen of Macoupin county. His history since that time is a part of the record of the state. His reputation has gone out and become the property of the whole country. His nomination and election to the high and honor- able office of Governor of the great State of Illinois by the largest majority ever given in the state, and his honest and efficient management and direction of the affairs of the state, are well known and need not be recited here.

At present he is engaged in the practice of his profession, which has be- come very large and lucrative. In personal character Gov. Palmer is with- out reproach. Here in Macoupin county, where people know him best, he is universally liked and respected. Even those who have differed with him in political or other matters, all accord to him the reputation of being a large, kind-hearted gentleman, a good citizen, and an honest man. In his manners he is unpretentious and unassuming.

It is wholly unnecessary to pass any eulogium on John M. Palmer ; his deeds speak more than words in whatever position he has been placed- whether as a lawyer, soldier, or statesman, he has always commanded a prominent and distinguished position.

In his domestic life he has been blessed with a reasonably large family. Six children are living of the ten that have been born to John M. and Me- linda Ann Palmer. Their names are, Elizabeth A., eldest daughter, the ac- complished wife of Dr. W. P. Matthews, of Carlinville ; John Mayo, eldest son, a lawyer, and partner in the practice with his father, of Springfield, Illinois, married to Miss Ellen Robertson, daughter of Dr. W. A. and Nancy Robertson, of Carlinville ; Margaret Ellen, wife of William Jayne, now of Springfield ; Harriet, wife of E. J. Crabbe, of Springfield ; Jesse Lyon and Lewis James Palmer, who are yet beneath the parental roof. Both Mr. Palmer and his estimable wife are members of the Baptist Church.

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HISTORY OF MACOUPIN COUNTY, ILLINOIS.

Beachy . P. Banka

FEW men have figured more prominently in the history of Macoupin county, than he whose name heads this biographical sketch. The life and history of Major Burke, is a part of the history and growth of the county, and so intimately are they interwoven, that the history of the latter would be incomplete without the former. He was born in Jefferson county, Vir- ginia, on the twelfth of September; 1806. His father's name was Thomas Burke, a native of Ireland. He married Ann Thompson, who was born of Scotch parents. When the subject of our sketch arrived at the age of four- teen years he removed to Harper's Ferry, Va., where he remained until his twenty-ninth year. His boyhood days were spent in the common schools of his native state-then much inferior to what they are at present-but he was a close observer of men and things, and a diligent student in all that he undertook to learn, and in mature life was a well informed man upon all subjects coming under his observation. During his residence at Harper's Ferry he was employed for a number of years in the United States armory, and for years previous to leaving his native state, which he was compelled to do on account of ill health, he was collector and constable of his town- ship. In the year 1830, while in his twenty-fourth year, he was united in marriage to Miss Harriet Jackson, daughter of John .Jackson, Esq., of Jef- ferson county, Virginia, by whom he had one child, a boy. In May, 1835, he determined to emigrate West, and in the latter part of the same month he arrived in St. Louis, where he engaged in the dry goods and grocery business, on the corner of Fourth and Olive streets. He, however, remained in St. Louis but a few months, when he crossed the river and settled in "Slab Point," or Zanesville, in Montgomery county, Illinois, where he en-

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History of Macoupin County, Illinois, Part 31

Author: Brink, McDonough & Co. Publication date: 1879 Publisher: Number of Pages: 440

Author: Brink, McDonough & Co.
Publication date: 1879
Publisher:
Number of Pages: 440