USA > Illinois > Adams County > Quincy > History of the city of Quincy, Illinois > Part 18
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issue had arisen as the natural sequent of the bitter and as yet unsettled county seat quar- rel of the preceding year. These excitements entered into the elections and the courts, af- feeted business and social relations and were productive of much and long-lasting acrimony and estrangement. The feverish feeling created at the time of the Nelson disturbances several years before, though somewhat suppressed still festered in the minds of the border people in the adjoining state and a similar sensitiveness pervaded to a considerable extent our own com- munity. It was kept alive by its own distrust- fulness and by the occasional escape of a slave, who was always suspected-with perhaps more or less of truth-of having been persnaded to run away, or afterward being harbored and hid by the abolitionists of Quincy.
In the previous year, 1841, three young men, Burr, Work and Thompson, students at Dr. Nel- son's Mission institute, some two miles east of Quiney, crossed the river a short distance south of the city and had not long landed before they were arrested under the charge of abducting or attempting to abduet slaves. They were speedily tried, convieted and sentenced to the Missouri penitentiary for a term of twelve years each. That they went over there for that pur- pose is more than probable, but it is still more certain that legal proof was wanting to sustain the charge against them, and this fact, added to a general suspicion that they in their rather too verdant philanthropy had been decoyed across the river for the purpose of being caught. brought about their pardon and release from the prison when their periods had about one- third expired. This, however, with other like occasional actions, kept sentiment on the sla- very subject constantly on the alert.
At a meeting held in Quincy on the 13th of June the abolitionists of the county resolved to organize politically and bring out a county ticket. They nominated for representatives to the legislature R. Sartle, Levi Stillman, Lewis Rowe. Wm. Wells and Richard Eels: county commissioner. 11. 11. Snow ; sheriff. E. H. Fow- ler; coroner. Edward Turner. This, although the numerical strength at the polls was shown to be very small, yet drew the question into no- tice like the flaunt of a red flag to their foes. and their actions were closely scrutinized, both here and across the river. An anti-abolition meeting was held at the courthouse which de- nounced in vigorous language the enticing away of slaves or their concealment. Shortly after the eleetion (sometime in October) a slave swam across the river, got into communication with some of his colored brethren and was taken under the protection of Dr. Richard Eels.
a prominent physician of the city. living then on Jersey between Fourth and Fifth streets. The doctor took the fugitive in his buggy at night after giving him a change of clothing and started for the country. He was followed by the Missonrians and others who had obtained traces of them and finally the doctor was pressed so hard that he dismissed his passenger and told him to make for the cornfields, which the poor fellow did, but was soon eaught and carried back to slavery. The doctor got back safely, but unfortunately there were found two proofs against him in addition to the partial recognition of himself and his horse. There were in the buggy the still wet clothes in which the man had swam the river, and also the dry garments which the man had on when taken, the ownership of which was traced to the doc- tor. Eels was tried in the Adams county court under the then existing fugitive slave law of the state and was convicted and fined. This decision was sustained by the supreme court of the state and of the United States. This case commencing this year and continuing for sev- eral years. attracted much attention every- where, from the importance of the issues in- volved, and was the cause of especial interest here from the prominence of the man who was nnder trial. This revived much of the former feeling of distrust between the neighboring see- tions, which only slowly wore away as all of the slaves here in northeastern Missouri who wanted to. gradually ran away, as they easily could, but was not fully allaved until the civil war put an end to it.
The political record of 1842 was of a very pe- enliar east. It singularly illustrated the strong predominance of partisan feeling and old party associations over the demands of local duty and interest. The two parties-the whig and the democratic-were almost equally balanced in the city and in the county.
They had been so for many years past-the whigs having slightly the superiority, owing in a great measure to the higher relative stand- ing and capacity of the men whom they placed before the public as their representatives and leaders. A reference to the politically promi- nent men of forty and more years ago will fully sustain this statement. Yet, usually any ordi- nary local issne, or as it more often happened, the personal popularity or otherwise of a can- didate, would easily determine an election and overrule party action. The special strength of the democratic party lay almost exclusively for a number of years on what was known as the "foreign vote."
A eurions exemplification of this was proven by Judge Lott and the writer in 1848 from an
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PAST AND PRESENT OF ADAMS COUNTY.
examination of the poll books that had been used at the elections of that year. That was the last year of elections "viva voce." The bal- lot system of voting ordained in the later state constitutions was not in existence at that time, and first was used in the fall of 1848. Previous to that period all voting was done openly and aloud. A register was pre- pared by the judges containing the names of all supposed candidates under the head of the office to which they aspired and each voter as he came to the polls would give in his name, have it written down and then announce sue- cessively who he voted for. Itis vote thus given would be tallied on the line containing the name of the candidate for whom he voted. Thus the poll book was the final "return" and not only could it be known afterward how each man had voted, but also how the vote was pro- gressing during the day. Judge Lott had said that "out of the one thousand and fifty votes that had been cast at that time it would be found that less than one-fourth of those who had voted the democratic ticket were native born, and that it had been nearly so in propor- tion for several years past." On examining the poll book it appeared that out of five hundred and sixty democratie voters less than one hun- dred had American names. The curious corol- lary to this is that through the earlier years of the city the foreign vote generally con- trolled; and it was especially strong for the reason that naturalization at that time was not a necessary qualification for a state voter, since under the old constitution and until 1848 any white male citizen over twenty-one years of age, and who had been in the state six months, was a qualified voter, whether naturalized or not. This fact is a worthy matter of record, as it has had a strong bearing upon the municipal fortunes of the city. The foreign immigration which poured so extensively after 1835-36 into Quiney, instinctively enlisted in the democratic ranks and constituted for many years its chief strength.
Recurring to the statement made above that political affairs during this year had a peeu- liar east. it is somewhat strange that although there was before the people the most important and absorbing local issue that they have ever had that of the removal of the county seat- - vel party nominations were made and strife went on as usual without any special formation upon this question that affected the parties.
The vote, it will be remembered. in 1841 was declared to be in favor of Columbus. The county commissioners neglected to order the removal of the county records. A mandamus was applied for and granted, directing them
to comply with the law, but they still evaded it and Quiney had appealed from the declared result.
Thus the sectional rivalry between the two claimants to the possession of the county seat had at this time become a legal issue -- to be determined by the courts, and dependent upon the "glorious uncertainties of the law." By the delay thus secured Qniney was greatly the gainer. Columbus came into court fortified by the record of a legally ordered and formally held election and a certificate of a majority of the votes cast being in favor of removal. and that these figures and the formalities of the elec- tion were unquestioned. All beside this that was needed and demanded was that the county commissioners should transfer the records and offices. Quiney, on the other hand, stood solely upon the refusal of the commissioners to issue the necessary order for removal, but there was added to this an assertion of illegalities in the election. While these never came to be fully proven, they were so broadly charged and be- lieved and were tinged with so much of plausi- bility as to greatly cloud the question and make a decision upon it difficult and doubtful.
It appeared, for instance, that at the Angust election in 1841, 2,978 votes were cast for mem- bers of congress, while at the same time the vote on the county seat question was 3,181-an excess of 203 votes. The well-known latitude that is usually allowed on a seetional vote. with- out question, in localities where the sentiment is all one way, gave credence to the suspicion and charge that this excess was illegal and that the majority of 91 obtained by Columbus was cast by unqualified voters. This suspicion was strengthened when, a year later, at the Angust election in 1842, there were but 3.069 votes polled for governor in a very warmly con- tested election, and on the same day 1,574 votes were given for Wm. Richards ( who represented the Quiney interest and was its candidate for re-election as county commissioner), and 1,393 votes cast for A. Turner, the representative of Columbus, 30 votes being thrown away on the abolition candidate who was nupledged. Here was a falling off within a year of nearly two hundred votes on this local test question, when it would seem that natural causes and the con- tinuing interest in the question would have increased the vote; and, significantly, as it was claimed. the falling off was from the former Columbus vote. All this tended to weaken the «laims for its removal. So stood the issue at the end of the year 1841.
At their February meeting in 1842 the county commissioners' board had a full meeting. all were present and acted for the first time for
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several months. Under the requirement of the mandamus issued by JJudge Douglas in Septem- ber, 1841, they "agreed to disagree." Two of the board ( Richards and Seehorn, a majority) decided that the result of the election was so doubtful that they would not obey the writ of the circuit court. The other commissioner, Smith, said that he was ready and willing to order the removal of the records.
Thereupon Judge Douglas on the 4th of March issued a peremptory mandamus to the commissioners ordering their immediate action. From this Quiney at once appealed to the su- preme court, giving security, and the settlement of the ease was, of course, still farther delayed. It was argued in the supreme court in the July following by George C. Dixon for the commis- sioners and Archibakl Williams for the Column- bus claimants. and the decision was ordered deferred until December.
Immediately after the August election of 1842 the contest took a new shape and a bombshell was thrown into the Columbus camp which broke its unity and resulted in the full defeat of all its aspirations. At a meeting held in Quiney on the 26th of October the proposition was agreed to that the legislature should be asked to divide the county by entting off the ten townships on the eastern side of Adams, and therefrom form a new county. Columbus was asked to unite with this movement, but refused. In fact. Columbus could not safely agree to it for the reason that the town lies on the extreme western edge of the proposed new county-a part of it being in Gilmer town- ship, and the village would thus be ent in two, and the same objection would then lie against Columbus as a county seat ("away at one side of the county") that had been before used against Quiney.
This project stirred into activity every local interest in the county and proved that the pre- vious movement had not been based on a pref- erence for Columbus merely, but for a county center. A half score of plans were started for outlining new counties, most of them not favor- ing a division of the county, but demanding. if a division of the county should be made, that it should be so outlined as to make a central point the county seat, most generally ignoring Columbus. Some of these proposed to take in part of Hancock. some part of Schuyler, and some part of Brown or Pike, and all seemed to have forgotten about Columbus. The end was not difficult to foresee.
This movement, adroitly originated for a di- vision of the county, so as to compromise the differences between eastern and western sec- tions, practically decided. at the very outset
that the county seat ultimately would remain at Quincy. Time had been gained, and the issue transferred itself again to the state legislature, which then convened every two years on the first Monday in December.
As early as the 19th of December, at the ses- sion of 1842-43, Mr. Wheat. one of the repre- sentatives from Adams county, introduced a bill for the division of the county, based upon the proposition which had been made and adopted at the meeting in Quiney on the 26th of October.
Upon this there followed a flood of petitions for and remonstrances against the proposed ac- tion, coming from all parts of the county with every variety of project, proposition and sug- gestion. It was made a matter of long, bitter and doubtful discussion, and came to a final determination in the early part of 1843, result- ing in a nominal division of the county, which separation stood as of a record which was never practically completed throughout the five fol- lowing years.
Mr. Wheat's action in this matter was not in accord with that of the other four representa- tives, and was not in sympathy with the popu- larities of the period, the publie generally sus- taining those who were opposed to a division of the county, but it is a truth which no one now looking back to that contest ean deny, that, however, it might have been operative upon the interests of Columbus or any other section of the county antagonistie to Quincy ; so far as the city was concerned this movement which he drove through the legislature. to the peril of personal popularity, was that which clinched the continuance of the county seat at Quincy for all time to come. This story of the rounty seat difficulties and the temporary divi- sion of the county is a part of past history, upon which depended the future interests of Quincy. It could be told in far more amplified detail. because it was the absorbing idea of its time. It was settled during the winter of 1842-43, but it had kindled passion and prejudice which may claim consideration in a subsequent chapter.
Manufacturing interests during this year showed a steady and healthy progress not only in the enlargement and increase of a number of already existing industries, but also in the establishment of several new enterprises. An iron foundry was started by James Adams and Milton Worrell, on the east side of Front street. between Broadway and Spring. This was the first establishment of the kind, the pioneer in business of a special industry that has gradual- ly grown to be one of the most extensive and substantial factors in the permanent prosperity of the place.
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About the same time O. F. & G. A. Miller. who had as early as 1836 opened the first regu- lar drug store in the place, built a castor and linseed oil factory on the west side of Front street, opposite the Adams & Worrell factory. This was a few years later changed into a steam fouring mill. At this time the castor bean mania was overspreading the west. as exten- sively as had not a long time before the " Morus Multicaulis" or silk work fever, and as a little later came up the beet sugar craze. These all had their day and it is enrious now to revert to those times, when, for two or three years so many of our farmers set off and carefully planted four or five aeres of the white mulberry or Morus Multicanlis, and after that sensation had fallen through, each one had next his acre or more of the handsome flowering castor bean : and still farther on, and but shortly afterward, all expectations were sweetened by the profuse cultivation of the sugar beet, which was to rival and exelude from use all tropical sugars, and all this unfortunately worked to the partial neglect of the cultivation of the great staple cereals which are adapted to our latitude, eli- mate and soil.
The winter of 1842-43 was unusually severe. The snow fall began early, and continued longer and more in amount probably than in any season since the proverbial "big show" winter of 1831. Business and travel through- out the central and northern part of the state was for a large part of the winter done on sleds and sleighs.
A sleighing pleasure party, for instance, left Quiney during this winter, visited Jacksonville and Springfield and returned safely on run- ners. after being gone nearly two weeks.
CHLAPTER XXL.
1843.
EARTHQUAKE. POLITICAL STRUGGLES. DOUG- LAS. BROWNING. MARQUETTE COUNTY.
BOTT. CAPT. KELLY. R. M. YOUNG. SIDNEY BREESE. DULL BUSINESS. JUDGE
THOMAS, HIGHLAND COUNTY, NEW INGS. NEW SCHOOLS.
The river was unusually high during the win- fer of 1842-43, and continued so until late in the year. It had closed on the first of Decem- ber, 1842. opened on the 24th of January fol- lowing. and until about the middle of February there was some, though difficult navigation. 1 then firmly closed, opening again on the 6th of April, and did not close during the winter of 1843-41.
The rather unusual excitement of an earth- quake shock occurred on the 4th of January, the heaviest that had been known for many years. - The rumbling was distinctly heard and the shaking of the ground and buildings felt and soou throughout all central Illinois. With the exception of a general scare and an occa- sional break of crockery, no damage was done.
The city council early in the year, made an attempt to secure as a public landing. all of the river Front lying south of Maine street, and west of a line parallel with Front street and eighty feet west. The consent of most of the owners of the property affected. to convey the same to the city was obtained. but some of them objected, and although the council on the 8th of July, declared the land in question a land- ing, vet this summary course was indecisive and was not eventually sustained.
The city election in 1843 resulted in the com- plete success of the democratie ticket. Enoch Conyers was re-chosen mayor over Capt. Joseph Artus, and Thomas Jasper. Samuel Hohnes and R. S. Benneson, elected aldermen. Sam'l Leech was re-elected city clerk. An official statement made by the city clerk in September showed rather an unsatisfactory financial condition. It reported an indebtedness of $22,098,50, of which $5,746.48 would mature during the year, and that the tax assessment of $4.089.14, if all ap- plied to this debt. would leave a deficit of $1,636.34. How the apprehended trouble was avoided, does not appear, probably. as in the later years, by postponement and hoping, Mi- cawber like, that something would "turn up." The salary of the city clerk was fixed at $100. showing either a commendable spirit of econ- omy, or that the duties of the office were not very heavy. H. S. Cooley, then a young lawyer not long a resident of this city. who afterwards became prominent politically. being secretary of state when he died. a few years later. was ap- pointed city attorney. A special census taken by order of the council in November in refer- ence to the school question, which was still in a very unsettled state, gave a total population of 3,148 and of children under twenty years of age, in the city and adjoining section, which formed with Quiney a school district. 1.357.
Some politieal feeling was temporarily roused by a change in the postoffice. Robert Tillson. a whig, who had held the office for ten or twelve years, was removed and a Mr. Clifford. a Tyler- ite From Alton, appointed in his place. Major Win. G. Flood, and Samuel Leech were re-ap- pointed respectively register and receiver of the publie land office. Judge Douglas having been elected to congress, his place on the bench was filled by the appointment of Jesse B.
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Thomas. Jr .. a son of Jesse B. Thomas, who was one of the first two U. S. senators, from Illinois. and who is eredited with being the author of the famous Missouri compromise. Judge Thomas held this position for about two years only. when he resigned and was succeeded by Norman IT. Purple, whose term was ended by the new constitution in 1848.
This was in some measure a comparatively quiet and slow business year, yet it was marked with an unusual degree of local feeling and ex- vitement. The old abolition and Mormon dis- turbanees had been temporarily allaved. to re- appear. however, in the near future. but there remained the unsettled public school question. the strife over the county seat and county divi- sion matter. To these the most stirring con- gressional contest was added. that up to that period this section. or, indeed, the state had ever witnessed.
The political record of Quiney and of Adams county in 1843 is an episode, which demands a more than ordinary detail. It was the era of an entrance into national infinenee by the state of Illinois. This was on account of not only the increased representation of the state from three to seven members of congress, but also beeanse such a number of younger men, of only state repute heretofore, struck out for a more extended reputation. which many of them fairly won, and maintained to the exclusion of the older politicians, who had for the twenty- five years held the representation of Illinois in the national councils. Out of the fourteen ean- lidates for congress in 1843 one only. Casey. had ever previously served, and only one other. Douglas, had even been a candidate for the honor. The political excitement was more in- tense than has ever attended any similar strife. scarcely excepting the famous discussion fif- teen years later between Donglas and Lincoln. The interest in the election lay in the congress- ional contests. there being at the time neither state nor national ticket in the field. It may be well to state that this year (1843) was the last time that congressmen were elected in the odd numbered years.
The next election came off in 1844, and ever since. members of congress have been chosen in the even numbered years with state or presi- dential officials. Before this it sometimes hap- pened that a state would not be represented in the lower house of congress in case that a called session was held during the spring or summer of the odd year. The term of a member he- gins on the 4th of March, although usually the session commences in December. Illinois was thus not represented at the early part of the called session of congress in 1841.
U'nusual interest. of course. attached to an election which would determine who were to be the future "great men " of Illinois, and special attention was turned toward the Quiney dis- triet, which was of doubtful political complex- ion, and in which the two foremost of rising leaders in their respective parties were pitted in opposition. These were Stephen A. Douglas, the presiding judge on this circuit, and O. It. Browning, the admitted head of the bar in the western portion of the state. both residents of Quiney. as the contestants. Each enjoyed a prestige of almost unbroken political snecess. a most devoted party popularity and a personal reputation for consistency and integrity which was unassailable. They were nearly of the same age. Douglas had been a conspicuous pol- itieian from his first coming to the state. Brown- ing. whose eminence was more definitely legal. held an equally prominent political reputation and his ambitions were then strongly in that di- rection. lle was, and no doubt correctly, con- sidered at the time as the most attractive and able debator of the two. Douglas, thongh strong on the stomp. had not attained that peculiar position he studied for and afterward attained, of being, as he unquestionably ranked in later years, the most popular and powerful stump speaker of the day. Douglas was not the first choice of his party in convention. Judge Cav- arly, of Greene, and Gov. Carlin preceeded him in the early ballots, but the nomination finally fell to him. Browning was nominated by his party without opposition. It is more than prob- able that had either of the two first named above received the democratie nomination. Browning's popularity would have won for himself the election, and it is equally sure that against any other candidate than Browning, Donglas' majority of about 400 woukl at least have been doubled. They canvassed the dis- triet together most exhaustively during the early summer months to within less than a week before the election in Angust, when hoth were taken down with sickness, which nearly proved fatal, and from the effect of which, it took many months to restore them. This was the most complete carrying ont of the old "stump speaking" enstom that could be imagined. The parties traveled together. sometimes slept to- getlier, spoke together almost daily at half a dozen or more places in each of the counties. Sneh exertion naturally brought ont an extra- ordinarily large vote.
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