Past and present of the city of Quincy and Adams County, Illinois, Part 20

Author: Collins, William H. (William Hertzog), 1831-1910; Perry, Cicero F., 1855- [from old catalog] joint author; Tillson, John, 1825-1892. History of the city of Quincy, Illinois. [from old catalog]
Publication date: 1905
Publisher: Chicago, S. J. Clarke Pub. Co.
Number of Pages: 1228

USA > Illinois > Adams County > Quincy > Past and present of the city of Quincy and Adams County, Illinois > Part 20

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A course of library lectures was the chief weekly enjoyment of the winter. These were a dozen in number, prepared by our own eiti- zens, the professional men generally, and were «mite popular. One very interesting lecture given by Andge Snow on the 14th of February, on the old times of Quincy, was the inciting rause of what then promised to save some val- mable records of Quiney's infant history. The interest felt on the subject was such that the Historical (Inb, which had been rather inactive For some years, proposed to the city council to furnish free of expense, a manuscript of Quincy of which the club was to have sixty copies whenever the same was published. Bartlett and Sullivan, of the Whig, proposed to print the work and sell the same at twenty-five cents per volume, if the city would pay for publish- ing the sixty copies. The city council agreed lo accept these proposals, as soon as a copy should be furnished and appointed a commit- tee of three of its members to collect statistics and furnish them for the use of the club. This project, the first and only general effort to collate and preserve faets bearing upon our carly history, seems to have quietly died. This is to be regretted, for that was a period when there was much of incident and legend fresh in recollection, now forever forgotten, and there were men then living who could have largely

PAST AND PRESENT OF ADAMS COUNTY.

contributed to such a work. This lecture of Judge Snow's, which is unfortunately lost, and an address on the same subject by Mr. Willard Keyes a few years later, were the only efforts made by any of our old pioneers to place our early history into print in a connected and per- manent form. Beyond the scant writings of these two men, both specially familiar with what they might have written more about, and some more extended reminiscences from Mr. Charles Holmes, who resided here from 1828 to 1833, hardly a serap of history or memo- randa even exists from the pen of any of the old settlers who were here prior to 1830.

The military feeling was very prevalent at this period. It was so all over the country. The jarring relations with England over our Maine and Oregon boundaries, and the feeling that trouble was ahead in Texas and with Mexico, set men to thinking of war, and with- out any immediate thought of action in that way a military spirit was aroused. There had been a large and very good German company here for a year or two. The noted "Quincy Grays" had been disbanded some time before. but in 1843. partially from the membership of that company, the "Quincy Rifles," was or- ganized. Also, now the "Montgomery Guards." a showy Irish company was formed, making its first parade on the 31st of May. These skilled companies proved to be of much needed im- portance a few months later when the state was suddenly required to call out its military foree in this section on the oceasion of the killing at Carthage of Joseph and Hiram Smith, and the consequent "Mormon War," as it was called, in Hancock county. Two com- panies, the "Rifles" and "Guards" were creditably represented three years later in the Mexican War, the captain ( Kelly) of the Mont- gomery Guards being killed at Buena Vista.

The first Odd Fellows Lodge, the Quincy, No. 12. was organized during this year. Dr. David Nelson, the eminent theologian, whose name is associated with most of the early religions and philanthropie history of this see- tion died in October. Ile had become mentally feeble some years before.

A somewhat singular movement, taking into account the feelings and prejudices of the peo- ple in those times, was the presentation to the city council of a strong petition, signed by Judge Richard M. Young, and one hundred and thirty others, asking that provision should be made for the education of colored ehildren. The result was as singular as the application. A committee of the council, to whom the matter was referred, recommended that an appro- priation should be made equal in proportion to

that provided for the white children, and as there were eight hundred white children in the city, for whose education $1,200 had been appropriated, that for the thirty colored chil- dren there should be appropriated $45. This recommendation was adopted by the council, but resulted in nothing of practical value. It is, however, notable as being the first public and official action in the direction of schools for the colored race. It is also a little singular that this proposition was fathered by those who had been always counted as pro-slavery men. Judge Young long after his residence in Illi- nois, was a slaveholder, and had not a great while before this time advertised for the cap- ture of runaway slaves. Almost every one living north of Mason and Dixon's line was anti-slavery in sentiment, south of that line many thought the same, but the majority there was attached to its home institution. A very few in the north were abolitionists. conseien- tiously so, and perhaps as many northern men sympathized with slavery and would be willing to see it generally established. but these two classes were small and uninfluential ; yet so un- reasoning were the prejudices of the day, that it was common to charge the northern man who objected to interference with the institution of slavery in the states where it existed, with being "pro-slavery." and alike also the south- ern man who said a word in opposition to slavery, was suspected and assailed as an "abolitionist." This was untrue and unjust all around. Neither of these small factions, repre- sented the general sentiment of the north. The extension of slavery beyond its already pre- seribed limits was altogether another question, and when that issue arose, as subsequent political history has unmistakably proven, the north showed itself to be ahost a unit.

Referring to the school question again, it appeared that an examination and report made a few months before this petition was presented on the 7th of February, as to the condition, cost, ete., of the public schools, did not fully agree with the report above named. Then the full statisties showed that there were five private schools in operation in the city. aggre- gating one hundred and six pupils, and four public schools with three hundred and ten scholars registered, and with an average daily attendance of two hundred and seventy-five. The expense of sustaining the public schools was stated to be $1.800 per annum, and the cost of each pupil per quarter $1.63. about $6.50 for the year. The general condition of the schools was at this time less satisfactory than it had been ever before.

Purchase was made by the city. or rather

PAST AND PRESENT OF ADAMS COUNTY.

cession made by the county to the eity, of the south half of block one, in the original plat of Quiney, to be forever used for publie pur- poses only. This was that portion of the block which in 1825 had been set apart as a "burial ground." and used as such until 1837. The city had been gradually obtaining possession . of portions of the north half of the block, and finally secured it all. Later the land passed into the hands of the Board of Education and a large brick school house was there erected. which stood for many years. This arrangement between the city and county, which had been under consideration for some years was a , * judicious one, as it afterward proved, providing as it has a convenient place for the courthouse. which was ereeted in 1876, for which no other location could have been so easily secured. Not so satisfactory, however, was the result of an- other effort, long and quite persistently made, to have a poor house, constructed mutually by the county and city. After months of negotia- tion and committee conferences, this scheme. mainly from unwillingness on the part of the county authorities, fell through entirely.

The Quincy Herald made its periodical change of ownership, as it used to alnost annually in those days, Louis M. Booth and R. B. Wallace succeeding E. A. Thompson in the possession and control of the paper, adding much to its credit and influence.

The political excitement which pervaded the country in 1844 to a degree rarely paralleled at any presidential election, (certainly never exceeded in the west) was felt with full in- tensity in Quincy. Its enthusiasm had here as everywhere else been preparing during the past four years, and its open activity began at the city election . in April, constantly increasing until the close of the presidential battle in November. The whigs all over the land, mind- ful of their sweeping success under Harrison in 1840, and the treachery of Tyler, which had wasted all the fruits of their victory and rallied by their idolized leader. Clay, were all expect- ant of national success. This they would have undoubtedly seenred but for the introduction of that "side issue" the "annexation of "Texas." which broke the whig strength in sev- eral of the southern states.

On the other hand, the democratie party, anxious to redeem their great defeat of 1840. and to regain the ascendeney which they had so easily maintained for three successive presi- dential terms, especially strong in the south and west, were active. earnest and aggressive. The whole country was in motion.

As an illustration of how all absorbing this contest became. a hundred men went from

Quiney to Peoria to attend a whig convention, hiring a steamboat and being absent the entire week.

At the city election in April the whigs placed in nomination for mayor, JJohn Wood, and II. V. Sullivan, F. W. Jansen and G. B. Dimoek for aldermen ; believing, as it was then thonght that it is a party duty, by which only its repute and strength can be sustained, to allow no names to be offered as proper public servitors, save such as are fit and respected. The demo- crats re-nominated Enoch Conyers, who had held the office for the two years last for mayor, and B. F. Osborne, J. Il. Holton and James 11. Luce for aldermen. Both tickets were excep- tionally strong. The whigs elected their mayor by a majority of 113 in a total vote of 793. and all of the aldermen except Jansen, who was beaten three votes by Holton.

This election was contested, but unsnecess- fully, and the council, which was democratic, elected democrats to all subordinate city offices.

The mayor's salary, by a party vote, was fixed at $200 per annum, the clerk's at $150. At the state election in August for county officers, members of the legislature and member of congress, the democratic ticket was suc- cessful by unexpectedly large majorities. run- ning in the county from 149 to 286. Judge Douglas was re-elected to congress over D. M. Woodson by 149 majority in the county, falling somewhat behind his ticket on account of dis- satisfaction over his decision in the county division cases. Jacob Smith was chosen state senator over Abraham Jonas by 211 majority, and Peter Lott. Wm. Hendry and Warren Mil- ler, representatives. over Geo. C. Dixon, W. B. Gooding and John Dunlap. J. M. Pitman was elected sheriff over W. H. Tandy. An abolition legislative and county ticket received from 133 to 166 votes. At the presidential election in November the democrats carried both eity and county by a majority of 215, Birney, the aboli- tion candidate, receiving 149 votes.

There were reported as being in the city at this time, 44 stores and 9 churches. Wheat rated at an average of 50 cents per bushel throughout the year, and the crop was un- usually large.

The first Mormon war, which broke out in ITaneoek county during the summer of 1844, produced an excitement in Quincy, such as had not been since the time of the noted Nelson riots eight years before. A similar and almost equal excitement pervaded here two years later in 1846, when there came the second war, which resulted in the thorough expulsion of the Mormons from Nauvoo. These stormy troubles had so long been apprehended, that they

PAST AND PRESENT OF ADAMS COUNTY.

created no surprise, yet the final outbreak came in such a shape as to startle and shock the entire community.

About daylight on the morning of the 28th of June the city was roused by the clang of the church bells and a call for the people to assem- ble at once at the courthouse. Then and there appeared a delegation of well known citizens of Warsaw, headed by Wmn. Il. Roosevelt, who, with most exciting declamation and under an extreme evident alarm, which lent sincerity and drew sympathy to their appeals, announced that Joseph Smith, the Mormon prophet, and his brother lliram, had on the day preceding been killed in the Hancock county jail; that several thousand revengeful Mormons were marching upon Warsaw, which place was per- haps by that time sacked and burned. Also that Governor Ford, with his attendants had probably been killed, and they besought the assistance of the people of Quincy.

Following this were some equally exciting and intemperate speeches by two or three of our town talkers, who are always on hand on such occasion. While the position of these self- exiled runaways from the place where they should have remained for its defense was some- what derisively viewed, yet the situation was, or was likely to become serious. It was well known that the Smiths were arrested and con- fined under guard in the Carthage jail, and that Governor Ford with a small escort had gone to Nanvoo on the day when the murders were committed. A committee of twelve eitizens had been appointed at a meeting held here a few days before to mediate, if possible in the dissensions between the Mormons and their opponents in Hancock county. Now at once the full force of the city was promptly or- ganized and sent to the scene of action. A special meeting of the city council appointed a vigilance committee consisting of one alderman and three citizens from each ward. But the most practical action taken was that of the mayor in detaining the steamer Boreas, about to leave for St. Louis and sending it back to Warsaw, near the middle of the day, with an improvised military battalion of about four hundred men. This was composed of the Quincy Rifles, the German and Irish companies, and a volunteer force of between one and two hundred citizens, variously armed, under the command of Andrew Johnston as captain, and James T. Baker as first lieutenant, the whole under the command of Major Wm. G. Flood, who had been conspicuous in the Black Hawk war twelve years before.

The city trembled with anxiety and the land- ing swarmed with spectators. This feverish

feeling continued till greatly allayed when Boreas returned in the evening with the news that the Mormons, instead of rising to avenge the death of their prophet, were quiet and vowed by their apprehensions and these dis- plays of military force; that no reprisals had occurred ; that Governor Ford was unharmed ; and that "order reigned in Warsaw." It is strange that it was so; strange that there was not one or more of the many reckless and des- perate characters who infested Nanvoo to rouse, as easily might have been done, the Feelings of these thousands of credulous fan- aties into a wild wave of revenge, which, if it had been set in motion, would have swept de- struction within twenty-four hours all over Hancock county. It was not done, however, and the Mormons were cowed and powerless for the time.

While there was minch in these matters that appeared farcieal, and in the conduct of some of the parties concerned even worse, yet there was much ground for apprehension, demanding the effective action so promptly assumed by our people. Quiney, from its position as the largest near neighboring city, was the first called upon to interpose and furnish force to put down these disturbances, and it became a sort of civil and military headquarters during this and the war of two years later, so much so as to connect its history permanently with both oc- casions.

A detailed account of the Mormon troubles would be too extended for space here. It will he remembered that five or six years before this date the "Latter-day Saints, " as they were self- styled, when driven from Missouri, first found an asylum at Quincy, where their forlorn con- dition induced a sympathy, which for a long time continued. Settling shortly after in the town of Commerce, in Hancock county, at the head of the Des Moines rapids, they changed the name of the place to Nauvoo, said some- what doubtfully, to be a word of Hebrew de- rivation, meaning either "city of beauty," or more probably "city of rest or repose," and here they rapidly increased. Thither flocked by thousands the devotees of this strange creed. most of them from England.

By the state census of 1845, out of a popula- tion of about 25,000 in Hancock county, the Mormons' portion was liberally estimated at from 16,000 to 17,000, giving to it the numeri- cal predominance in the county. When they finally left in 1846 their numbers were yet fair- ly estimated at from 16,000 to 17.000.

Either the vanity of Smith, or more likely the needs of his situation, forced him and his people into a false position and ran them rap-

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idly to ruin. They struek against that instinc- tive sentiment of publie justice which will never allow violation. He, imagining that he might have control of the county, congres- sional, perhaps the state, possibly the national polities, assumed an independence above every- thing. Ile took the military rank of Lieuten- ant-General, claimed the pardoning power for criminal offenses, which is the highest attri- bute of sovereignity ; presented himself as a candidate for the presidency; petitioned and elaimed from congress for himself and church a separate state independence, and in all his actions repudiated every idea of subordina- tion to state or federal supremacy.

This was the breaker on which was shat- tered his and his people's success in Illinois, the perversion of legal justice, of publie rights. It was the "stoeking" of the courts and juries, the subsidizing of officials and the open resist- ence to all magisterial authority whenever the tendeney of such was "anti-Mormon" that brought about the crisis and ruin. The Mor- mons might fill all the county offices and pocket the fees: send members in their interest to the legislatures: dictate who should go to con- gress ; but grievous as these assumptions were they were borne until the quiet fiat went ont and was practically enforced that they owned the courts; that no Mormon was to be pun- ished for any offense; or if he was convicted Joseph Smith would pardon him.

This was too much, and it brought about the civil war, when Ilancock and the adjacent counties, hopeless of justice through the courts, turned out their military strength, on an unauthorized and illegal call, to put down and ont of existence the Mormon rule in Ili- nois.

This gathering of troops in Hancock County, ostensibly to sustain and enforce law but real- ly, as everybody knew, for the purpose of driving or scaring away the Mormons, had now forced the attention of Governor Ford to the pending troubles and brought him to the scene. He had been extremely anxions to evade any action. During the canvass of 1842, when he was elected, his opponent, Gov- ernor Duncan, erowded the Mormon question into an unpleasant political prominence: and it had now become, with the protection and broad principles which the dominant party in the state had too recklessly given to these people, a very sore subject for the state au- thorities to handle.

The Governor, when compelled to meet the matter face to face, tried no doubt to act faithfully, but his alternations of boldness and indecision were painfully apparent and did

much to impair his future reputation as a publie man. On reaching Carthage he found this large concourse of troops, several hun- dred in number, and at once assumed their command. A day or two later he disbanded the larger portion of them.

Smith, with several of his leading associates, on the arrival of the Governor, either from policy or fear, submitted to an arrest, vol- untarily presenting themselves at Carthage, where they were put in confinement. Hereto- fore he had on several occasions defied, evaded or escaped from legal service. The original charge on which he now was arrested was "treason."' This writ was dismissed and he was rearrested on the charge of rioting; the special offense being his order and action in suppressing the Nanvoo Expositor. This was a paper which had been started at Nauvoo especially opposing Mormonism. But one issue appeared when Smith decreed it to be a "nuis- anee" and the press and type were openly destroyed. On the 27th the jail where Smith, his brother Hiram and two others were con- fined, was attacked by an armed mob, the gnards by agreement overpowered, and the Smiths were killed. From this came the ex- citement at Quiney of the next sneceeding days. Governor Ford at the time when these events occurred was in Nauvoo. He heard of them just as he left the city on his return to Carthage, and from there on the 29th, with his staff, came to Quincy. People who have gone through the excitement and anxiety of a really great war may not know, yet it is a fact that a small war when people are not used to them is equally absorbing and excit- ing. The Governor's stay was of several days' duration and when he left early in .Inly mat- ters seemed to have quieted down. But they were far from being so. The death of the Smiths did not, as perhaps had been expected, break up the Mormon association. On the contrary, with the prestige of martyrdom now attaching to the prophet's name, their numbers increased more rapidly than ever before.

The Quiney companies that had gone to War- saw at the time of Smith's death remained but a day or two, but three months later they were again ealled into the field. As the Mor- mons showed no disposition to leave the state. and their members were steadily increasing, a movement was again inaugurated to effeet their removal.

A grand wolf hunt was advertised to take place in Hancock in September, which was well understood to mean a raid upon the Mor- mons. The Governor again came to Quiney, having ealled ont from Sangamon and Mor-

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PAST AND PRESENT OF ADAMS COUNTY.

gan counties and elsewhere a large force, and with them the Rifles and German company, who were again marched up to Hancock coun- ty on the 25th of September, and for a few days the city was filled with "war's alarms." After a week or ten days quiet was restored and the soldiery returned.

An addition to these excitements was the bringing down to Quiney under military guard of William and Shappe, who had been arrested on the charge of having been con- nected with the murder of the Smiths. The guard was rather farcical since these men had voluntarily surrendered themselves. Still, this added to the exeited feelings of the time. These men were examined here and bound over for trial. Subsequently, in 1845, trials were had in Hancock county of several men charged with the death of the Smiths, but though it probably was known who took part in that affair no convictions resulted.

The bitter strife between the city and coun- ty, which had commenced several years before, about the removal of the county seat, still "dragged its slow length along." It had. however, lost its special excitement for Quincy, for the reason that the issue had been now changed to a judicial contest over the divi- sion of the county, concerning which Quincy felt but a secondary interest. The Marquette people steadily refused to be thus ent away from Adams county, and they constantly voted at every general or special election, whenever this issue could come in, either against separate organization or for candidates for county of- fices, who were pledged not to qualify and assume office. These were invariably elected. The eireuit and supreme court decisions had affirmed the law which established the new county, and ignored all recognition of the ter- ritory therein as being a constituent portion of Adams county. But so long as the people in the eastern section of the county revolted against this arbitrary expatriation and con- stantly refused to organize all these judicial decrees were but paper bullets and totally in- effective.

Consequently for a number of years Mar- quette remained politically parentless. Fonr years later than this period, however, under the operation of the new state constitution of 1847-48 this local trouble was eured.

A elause was introduced by Mr. Williams and secured by his special action that "all territory which has been or may be stricken off by legislative enactment from any organized county or counties for the purposes of form- ing a new county. and which shall remain un- organized after the period provided for its

organization, shall be and remain a part of the county or counties from which it was originally taken, for all purposes of state and county.

CHAPTER XXIII.

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Past and present of the city of Quincy and Adams County, Illinois, Part 20

Author: Collins, William H. (William Hertzog), 1831-1910; Perry, Cicero F., 1855- [from old catalog] joint author; Tillson, John, 1825-1892. History of the city of Quincy, Illinois. [from old catalog] Publication date: 1905 Publisher: Chicago, S. J. Clarke Pub. Co. Number of Pages: 1228

Author: Collins, William H. (William Hertzog), 1831-1910; Perry, Cicero F., 1855- [from old catalog] joint author; Tillson, John, 1825-1892. History of the city of Quincy, Illinois. [from old catalog]
Publication date: 1905
Publisher: Chicago, S. J. Clarke Pub. Co.
Number of Pages: 1228