USA > Indiana > Biographical and historical sketches of early Indiana > Part 27
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In 1856 Mr. Robinson became a candidate for the Democratic nomination for Governor. His opponent was Ashbel P. Wil- lard, one of the most eloquent and dashing young men of that day. Each of the candidates had warm and devoted friends. and the contest between them was so even that it took the closest calculation to determine which was the stronger. Senator Bright was understood to favor the nomination of Mr. Robinson, and on being written to by Mr. Willard upon the subject, replied that he would take no part in the contest, but that he loved Mr. Robinson " as a very brother." The candidates came to In- dianapolis several days in advance of the meeting of the con- vention. and log-rolling and combinations were the order of the
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day. John C. Walker and Robert Lowry were candidates for the nomination for Lieutenant-Governor. The friends of Walker combining with those of Willard, and the friends of Lowry with those of Robinson, made it almost certain that one or the other of the combinations would be the ticket. Mr. Robinson counted his friends, and finding he would be beaten unless he could draw upon Walker for support, went to him and proposed that if the delegations from Laporte, Porter and Stark would favor his nomination he would insure the withdrawal of Judge Lowry and the nomination of Colonel Walker for Lieutenant-Governor by acclamation. The offer was a tempting one, for to be nomi- nated for the second office in the State government without op- position was no common honor ; but as Colonel Walker was an avowed friend of Willard, he declined the proposition and took the chances. Mr. Robinson had so thoroughly canvassed the matter and so well understood the situation that he knew he would be defeated without the votes of these counties, and fail- ing to secure them, he withdrew from the contest and left an open field for Willard. Willard and Walker were nominated, but the rebuff Mr. Robinson had received from the latter rank- led in his bosom, and he determined to get even with the man who gave it. Suspecting that Colonel Walker was not old enough to legally hold the office of Governor, he went to Shel- byville, where the Colonel was born, and sought for information among the records there. He found his suspicions well founded, and that the nominee for Lieutenant-Governor was under the constitutional age. He thereupon went before the Democratic State Central Committee and demanded that Colonel Walker be taken off the ticket. The situation was an embarrassing one, but Colonel Walker, who had not before thought of his dis- qualification, relieved the committee by withdrawing from the ticket. The committee published an address at the time notify- ing the public of Colonel Walker's withdrawal and of the sub- stitution of Judge Hammond, and saying that the action of the former had been such as to endear him more than ever to the Democratic party. It will be remembered that Governor Wil- lard died before his term expired, and was succeeded by Judge Hammond, the Lieutenant-Governor. Had Colonel Walker re- mained upon the ticket, and received, as he would have done,
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a majority of the votes, it is almost certain that the Republican candidate for Lieutenant-Governor would have been declared elected, for the votes cast for an unconstitutional candidate would not have been counted. Thus it will be seen that Mr. Robinson's action in this matter-whatever may have been his motive-secured the succession of a Democrat to the governor- ship.
Mr. Robinson was the administration leader in the Demo- cratic State convention of 1860. At that time the Democratic party was divided on the Lecompton question, and its different wings fought each other with great violence. Indeed, the ad- ministration men and the adherents of Douglas were more bit- ter and hostile to each other than to the Republican party. When the State convention met the two wings came together, but they did not fuse and become one body. The fight on the organization was bitter, but on the first ballot it was apparent that the friends of Douglas were in the majority. Mr. Robin- son and Governor Willard fought gallantly, and contested the ground inch by inch, but the numbers were against them and they had to succumb. They retired with honor, having secured the nomination of several administration men on the State ticket, and they swallowed the instructions for Douglas with apparent gusto. But the pill was a bitter one, and the seeming complacency with which they took it served to prove them the consummate politicians they were.
The Legislature of 1855 passed a very stringent liquor law, known as the Maine law. It made impossible the buying of spirituous liquors, except from regular authorized agents, and then only on the certificates of practicing physicians. Mr. Robinson was accustomed to having liquors about his housc. and not being able to procure them in the State, he sent to Louisville for a keg of the best Bourbon and ordered it shipped to him as lard oil. The keg reached Rushville in safety, but before it was taken to Mr. Robinson's house the true character of its contents was discovered. This incident was widely pub- lished at the time, and. afterwards, while Mr. Robinson lived. he was often called "Lard Oil John L."
During one of the sessions of the Legislature, while Mr. Robinson was marshal, Silas Colgrove', a member from Ran-
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dolph county, and afterwards a general in the Federal army, attacked Mr. Robinson in a speech delivered in the House. He charged him with having prostituted his office to political purposes. The speech was offensive to Mr. Robinson, and on the evening after it was delivered he met Mr. Colgrove in the office of the Palmer House, and called him to account for it. Angry words passed between them, and these were followed by a blow from Mr. Robinson. He was a small man, physically, and having his overcoat on at the time, the blow had little ef- fect, save to excite Mr. Colgrove to anger. The latter was large and strong, and he struck his assailant a powerful blow, which felled him to the floor. Mr. Robinson was taken up limp and helpless by his friends and conducted to his room. After he had washed and dressed himself, one of his friends asked him what he proposed to do about the difficulty. He answered, "Nothing." "Why, you don't intend to let the matter rest where it is, do you?" inquired his friend. " Why not?" said Mr. Robinson : " I am satisfied, and I am sure Col- grove ought to be. A man can't always whip, but he can al- ways fight. When he fights he satisfies his honor, and mine is satisfied." One of the gentlemen present went down stairs and told Mr. Colgrove what Mr. Robinson had said. In a mo- ment that gentleman was knocking at Mr. Robinson's door. On its being opened, the two late antagonists met face to face. " I have come to your room," said Mr. Colgrove, " at the risk of being kicked down stairs, to offer you my hand. I have heard what you said about our difficulty, and it touched my heart. If you will take my hand, you may count on me as a friend while you live." Mr. Robinson took his hand and in- vited him to a seat. He ordered a bowl of punch, and the two drowned their difficulties in the exhilarating fluid. The seal of the punch-bowl was never broken.
One who knew Mr. Robinson intimately in all the relations of life thus sums up his character :
" Of all the public men I ever knew he was farthest removed from the time-server and the demagogue. He despised politi- cal intrigue, chicanery, dissimulation, tergiversation, untruth and injustice, and held with Jefferson that ' an honest heart is the first blessing, a knowing head is the second.'
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·· What his ambition compassed highly it compassed holily. In the assured confidence of an honest purpose for the achieve- ment of the public weal he was bold, fearless and audacious, and vet always unerring in the precision of his aim.
"His was no spirit that palls in irresolution and doubts its own quivocation, nor did he consort with those juggling politi- cal fiends ' that palter with us in a double sense ; that keep the word of promise to the ear, and break it to the hope.'
" But what he was in pledge he ever fortified in performance. He knew nothing of that oily art, to speak and purpose not. No one was ever at a loss to know his convictions in regard to either measures or men. He was unreserved and candid in the avowal of his opinion as to both.
" His marked decision of character, his clear judgment, his unselfish devotion to the popular cause, his unfaltering faith in the masses of his own party, his pre-eminent abilities as the ad- vocate and defender of popular rights, combined to make him, as acknowledgedly he was, the heart and head leader of the De- mocracy of Indiana."
Mr. Robinson died at his home in Rushville, March 21, 1860. Over twenty-one years have passed since he departed from among us, but he is still remembered by many who admired him living and mourn him dead.
Mr. Robinson was five feet nine or ten inches high, was sparely built, and weighed from 135 to 140 pounds. His mouth and nose were large and prominent, his forehead broad and high, his eyes coal-black and wonderfully expressive, and his hair was as the raven's wing. Such was John L. Robinson, one of the great men of Indiana twenty-five years ago.
CYRUS L. DUNHAM.
CYRUS LIVINGSTON DUNHAM was born at Dryden, Tompkins county, New York, January 16, 1817. His family was poor, and he worked in the spring, summer and fall for money to pay his schooling in the winter. In this way he grew to manhood, save that he once took service in a fishing-smack and made a trip to Newfoundland. By his labor he obtained sufficient means to pay his way in a seminary for awhile, and when he had obtained the requisite education he commenced teaching school and studying law. Soon after his admission to the bar he emigrated to Indiana and located at Salem, in Washington county. This was in 1841. He at once commenced the prac- tice of law, and, considering the competition he had, succeeded remarkably well. But it was not until 1844 that he obtained much reputation as a speaker, and that was gained, not at the bar, but upon the hustings. In that year Dr. Elijah Newland was the candidate for elector upon the Democratic ticket in his district. He associated Mr. Dunham with him in the canvass, 'and the latter became noted throughout the district for his elo- quence and ability as a speaker. The next year he was elected prosecuting attorney for his circuit, and soon became eminent as a criminal lawyer. In 1846 he was elected to the State Leg- islature from Washington county, and the next year was re- elected. He was active in the support of a bill authorizing the calling of a convention to make a new constitution for the State. In 1848 he was on the electoral ticket for his district, and cast his vote in the electoral college for Cass and Butler. The next year-1849-he was nominated by his party for Congress, and defeated William McKee Dunn for the place, his majority over
21
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Mr. Dunn being 485. In 1851 he was re-elected, his competitor being Roger Martin, whom he beat 963 votes. The next year he defeated Joseph G. Marshall, one of the grandest men In- diana ever had, his majority over Mr. Marshall being 931. Two years after this, in 1854-the year of the Know-nothing av- alanche-he was beaten by George G. Dunn 1,660 votes, which ended his congressional career. On the resignation of Daniel McClure, in 1859, Governor Willard appointed Mr. Dunham Secretary of State. He held this office until the election and qualification of his successor, Mr. Peelle, in the fall of 1860.
Soon after the breaking out of the civil war Mr. Dunham raised the Fiftieth regiment Indiana Volunteers and took it to the field. After serving about a year ill health compelled him to resign his commission and retire from the service. He set- tled at New Albany and opened a law office there. The next year, in 1864, he was elected to the Legislature and took a lead- ing part in the proceedings of that body. In 1871 he was elected judge of the Floyd and Clark Criminal Circuit Court. While holding this office he removed to Jeffersonville, and remained a resident of that city while he lived.
James K. Marsh, Esq., had read law with Colonel Dunham in New Albany, and in 1867 or '68 the two lawyers formed a partnership, Mr. Marsh opening an office in Charlestown and Colonel Dunham remaining in New Albany. This relation continued until the election of Dunham as criminal judge. After his term expired he resumed his practice, and continued in it until November 21, 1877, when he died.
Colonel Dunham's death was deeply lamented by the people of Southern Indiana, to whom he was as well known as any man in the State. A meeting of the Jeffersonville bar was held to take action on his death, at which Hon. J. C. Howard acted as chairman. At this meeting invitations were extended to the lawyers of New Albany and Charlestown to participate in the funeral ceremonies, and necessary arrangements were made for the burial of his remains. The following resolution was adopted :
" Resolved, That in the death of Colonel Dunham our profes- sion has lost a member possessed of eminent personal worth and rare legal attainments. Guided always by a strong sense
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of justice and right, his firmness, his fearlessness and indepen- dence in maintaining his convictions, won the confidence and respect of all who met him, either in professional, public or private life."
The day after the meeting of the bar, the remains of Colonel Dunham were followed to Walnut Ridge cemetery, near Jeffer- sonville, by a large concourse of people, and there interred. When the earth covered them, all that was mortal of a great man was hid from view.
Colonel Dunham was a very brave man. He proved his cour- age in many combats, both private and general. No one ever saw him quail at the sight of danger. His nerve and endurance were wonderful. Once his abdomen was so cut that his bowels protruded : he put them back with his own hand and walked some distance, unaided, to the office of a surgeon. In his con- test for Congress, in 1851, with Roger Martin, he and that plucky Irishman had a set-to and knock-down.
One of the most striking illustrations of his genuine courage is an incident given while he was on the bench in Clark county. A family named Park, living near Henryville, had been mur- dered in their beds, and three negroes had been arrested on sus- picion and lodged in jail. A mob of about fifty men entered Charlestown about midnight and overpowered the sheriff and broke the jail and took the men out and hung them. Court was in session at the time, and Colonel Dunham was loud the next morning in the denunciation of the mob. Business was entirely suspended in the town, and intense excitement had taken pos- session of every one. The streets were full of threats, that should any of the officers attempt to find out who were in the mob they would share the same fate of the negroes. When court assembled the room was crowded, and it was generally supposed that a majority of the mob were in the crowd. Judge Dunham had the grand jury brought in and delivered to them a special charge upon the mob, taking occasion to denounce it in the most vehement and bitter terms. It was a regular stump speech against mobs in general and that one in particular. In this Judge Dunham displayed more bravery than in any of his personal encounters.
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While in the Legislature of 1865 he had, in open session of the House, a difficulty with Alfred Kilgore, a representative from Delaware county, and hit that gentleman with an inkstand. A few days afterward he got into a quarrel with the Speaker, John U. Pettit, and was ordered to take his seat. He refused to obey the order, whereupon the Speaker directed W. W. Browning. the doorkeeper, to enforce the command. Mr. Browning ap- proached Colonel Dunham, and, laving his hand upon his shoul- der, ordered him to be seated. Colonel Dunham at once drew back and struck the doorkeeper in the face. For this offense- Judge Horatio C. Newcomb, then a representative from Marion county, offered a resolution to expel Mr. Dunham from the. House, but the resolution never reached a vote. When these difficulties occurred, both Mr. Kilgore and Mr. Browning were Republicans. Soon afterward they became Democrats, where- upon a wag remarked that Dunham struck proselyting licks .. that whomsoever he hit he converted.
Colonel Dunham's military career, though brief, was honor- able. He fought Forrest at Parker's Cross Road, Tennessee. and behaved with great gallantry. He was in several skir- mishes, and he always acted bravely and well. Colonel B. C. Shaw, in a letter to the author, thus speaks of Colonel Dun- ham's bearing at Mumfordsville :
" Your favor of the 14th instant, asking me to relate incidents. in the military career of Colonel C. L. Dunham, is received. My only direct connection in service with that in many respects. remarkable man, was at Mumfordsville, Kentucky, when the- so-called fort at the crossing of Green river by the Louisville- and Nashville railroad and turnpike was besieged by the Con- federate forces of General Bragg, in their advance north on Louisville, in the fall of 1862. The position was held by about three thousand Indiana troops, all new regiments, or recruits. that there stopped off on their road south to join the commands for which they had been recruited. Among others thus de- tained with their detachments was Colonel Dunham, Colonel John T. Wilder, and others. Colonel Dunham, being the sen- ior officer present, was placed in command of the post on the approach of Bragg's army. After the attack on the fort was.
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made by Bragg's advance, General Dumont sent Colonel R. Owen, Sixtieth Indiana, and Colonel E. A. King, Sixty-eighth Indiana, as reinforcements. The writer was the lieutenant- colonel of the Sixty-eighth Indiana. When about to depart from Lebanon Junction on this mission, the General approached me with a warm grasp of the hand, remarking : 'Good-bye, Colonel. I never expect to see you again, unless after you have been a prisoner in the rebel army ;' saying, . I know it will not change your action nor dampen your ardor when I tell you that the forces at Mumfordsville will either all be killed or taken prisoners inside of forty-eight hours.' This was the first intimation to the writer of the truly perilous expedition upon which the two regiments were embarking. Arriving at Mum- fordsville, we found the devoted band, under command of Col. Dunham, had repulsed several direct attempts to carry the works by assault, but the whole force of Bragg was now fast surrounding the fort. During the last day the odds seemed so great against the Federals that the boys, being nearly all fresh troops, began to show some signs of discouragement. Several new guns had opened on us. The sharp twang of the Parrot shells and the whistling bullets of the muskets required men and officers to stick close to the ditches, as · heads up ' longer than necessary to take aim and fire was nearly certain death.
" During the heavy firing Colonel Dunham mounted his horse and leisurely rode along the lines of the fort, starting along the left flank, encouraging the men, not only by his daring, but with words of cheer, and at the same time attracting the fire of the enemy on all sides. Arriving about the middle of the left face of the fort, where Colonel E. A. King was in command, that officer immediately jumped out of the ditch and approached Colonel Dunham. I was in command of the right face of the fort, and seeing the extraordinary scene, I supposed some new phase of the fight was to take place at once. My curiosity tempted me also out of the ditch, to run over at great risk to receive the orders at once, that Colonel Dunham might not ex- pose himself unnecessarily. Running up to them I eagerly in- quired, ' Have you anything new for us. Colonel? ' The group thus fully exposed was receiving the compliments of the enemy in terrible, close and frequent calls. Colonel King at once
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said : 'I was just saying to Colonel Dunham that he had no more right to unnecessarily expose himself than I had, and if he was going to make a d-d fool of himself I would, also :' adding, in a jocular way, that the Colonel was an old bachelor, and if he did get killed there would be no one to mourn his loss. 'But,' said Colonel King, 'if by imitating his example I should get killed, what would become of my poor wife?' In- stantly straightening himself up more erect, if possible, than usual, Colonel Dunham retorted : 'By G-d, sir, I'll marry her.' Both laughed heartily at the rejoinder. The writer re- marked : . If that's all, I'll scoot to my ditch.' Colonel Dun- ham rode a few steps further, and, turning his horse, rode leisurely back to headquarters, in the rear. He had revived the spirits of all-officers and men-by hisdaring. An hour afterward he was relieved of command by a telegraphic order from General Boyle, at Louisville, and Colonel John T. Wilder was placed in command."
In regard to his war record a correspondent of the Indiana- polis fournal, who speaks from personal knowledge, relates the following incidents to show how earnestly Colonel Dunham was devoted to the Union, and how zealously he defended it during the war :
"' His command was on duty at Nashville, Tennessee, during most of the summer of 1862. More than once I heard him com- plain because he could not get out to the front where the big fighting was being done, notwithstanding his position, while he was fighting small detachments of Rebel cavalry and keeping them from approaching Nashville along the Nashville and Louisville railroad, was attended with much danger, and he did not know at what moment he would have to contend with greatly superior forces, for that country was at that time full of bushwhackers and wandering squads of rebel cavalry and in- fantry, ever ready to attack any unfortified position. He had. therefore, to keep men on guard and scout duty all the time.
"John Morgan slipped in one day in broad daylight and rode with fifty men behind an embankment thrown up for a railroad track, and actually reached the bridge across the Cumberland
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river, and would in ten minutes more, had he not been discov- ered, had the bridge on fire. He had just commenced applying turpentine when the alarm was given. No troops were for one hour safe from the risk of an attack by some of these dashing, daring men. Morgan had sent word by some prisoners who reached our lines from him, or, rather, he had said in their presence that he would come down to Nashville on the Fourth of. July and learn the Yankees how he celebrated that day. When the word reached Colonel Dunham he said, 'I will send him an invitation to come, and I will teach him some new lessons of devotion to the old flag.' Colonel Dunham was too familiar with the reckless bravery of Morgan not to indulge some appre- hensions that he might undertake to carry out his threat.
"A few days before the Fourth the Colonel announced that he was going to have the glorious old day of independence cele- brated in camp, and everything was made to conform to his purpose. A large stand was erected, and a reader of the Dec- laration was appointed. Colonel Dunham was to be the princi- pal orator of the day. Everything was put in readiness, not only for the celebration, but to defend the camp against the threatened attack of John Morgan.
"The day was a beautiful one. The men were dressed up in their best, and all that could be spared from duty were called around the stand. The Rev. Mr. Jackson, the chaplain, opened the exercises with prayer ; the Declaration was read, and Colonel Dunham made one of the best speeches he ever made in his life, much of which was addressed to the citizens, who had gathered in to witness the ceremony. Quite a num- ber were present. among them some of the best citizens of Nashville.
" I shall only give one or two of the impressive utterances of the Colonel on that occasion. In referring to General Jackson, whose tomb was almost in sight, he quoted his memorable ut- terance with reference to the preservation of the Union, that. · By the Eternal, it must and shall be preserved.' He referred to the attempt made by the Confederates to stop the navigation of the Mississippi river, and said :
. ' We are standing upon the banks of the Cumberland river, and this stream bears off the products of your farms. It is the
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channel along which pass the trade and much of the travel that support and maintain the prosperity of your capital. Were we of the North to attempt to blockade this outlet, which the God of heaven has prepared for your use and for the expansion of your enterprise, you would be cowards if you did not fight till that wrong was redressed. I live up in Indiana. The farm that raises my bread gathers a part of the waters that flow down the channel of the Mississippi. It is the outlet that nature has provided for the products of the land. You men of the South now attempt to blockade that river, and tell me and my neigh- bors in Indiana that we must seek other channels of trade. I tell you, men of Old Tennessee, here to-day, on this anniver- sary of our national independence, under that flag, that you underestimate our manhood, and misapprehend the temper of the citizens of Indiana, if you for one moment suppose we will not fight till this blockade is raised. We will float our traffic down this stream if we have to do it on our hearts' blood. The spirit of the Revolutionary fathers will marshal the hosts of heaven to defend us in a cause so just as that in which we are struggling.'
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