USA > Indiana > LaPorte County > History of La Porte County, Indiana, and its townships, towns and cities > Part 25
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"NINE GUNS FOR PIERCE AND KING !!
Sufficient returns have come in from the elections in Indiana. Ohio and Pennsylvania, to indicate the greatest victories ever won
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by the Democratic party. Each of the States has rolled up over- whelming majorities, ranging from twelve to twenty thousand. Let the Whigs shut their eyes as they will, and ostrich-like, thrust their heads in such twigs of comfort as they can find; let them discover as many local issues as they choose, and contrast the present major- ities with past votes for Governor; let them reduce the figures as low as they will, and count the votes on steamboats and railroads, the great fact cannot be blinked, that the prestige of victory and all the omens of triumph cluster around the banner of Democracy. No one will believe the miserable subterfuge that the Whig party regarded the late elections as of no importance, and made no efforts to win the battle. Were it so, such shameful abandonment of the post of duty would most surely prove them unfit to be trusted with the destinies of the nation. But they did work, with all the frenzy of desperation, and their labors were all fruitless: the aspirations of the age and the instincts of the people were against them. Maine and North Carolina, Iowa and Missouri, Indiana, Ohio and Pennsylvania, Florida and South Carolina have taken their posts in the line of battle, and will not alter in November, the glorious war cry, which they have so proudly flung on the breeze in August and October.
Indiana is the banner State. Governor Wright's majority is probably near twenty thousand. In 1849 it was less than ten thousand-clear gain of ten thousand. Ten Democrats and only one Whig elected to Congress. In the Legislature there is probably on joint ballot a Democratic majority of fifty members.
Dr. Norman Eddy. Representative elect in our own District, received a majority in every county.
Herman Lawson, our present Sheriff, is elected Judge of the court of common pleas in this District, consisting of LaPorte, Porter and Lake counties. Majority two. One hundred and fifty-three ballots containing the name of James K. Farrand, were thrown out as informal.
In the late election, LaPorte county polled two thousand five hundred and eighty-eight votes. distributed as follows among the various townships, Michigan : two hundred and eighty-eight: Spring- field. seventy-four: Galena. seventy-three: Hudson. eighty; Cool
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Spring, eighty-three; Centre, seven hundred and forty; Kankakee, one hundred and forty-five; Wills, one hundred and twenty-one; Pleasant, four hundred and twelve; Scipio, one hundred and fifty- five: New Durham, one hundred and sixty-four; Clinton, one hun- dred and twenty -- four; Noble, two hundred and ten; Union, one hundred and sixty ; Cass, twenty-nine."
It seems quite evident that in 1852, there was a Democratic tidal wave which rolled over not LaPorte county alone, but the whole country. The result sounded the knell of the Whig party. It was broken up and never again rallied. New departures were taken, and out of the disorganized material of which the Whig party was composed, augmented by numerous accessions from the anti-slavery sentiment of the Democracy, the Republican party was at length formed; and parties became divided squarely upon issues growing out of slavery.
At the election of October. 1853, only a few more than one thousand and six hundred votes were polled in LaPorte county. The field seems to have been yielded to the Democrats without a struggle. The only officers to be elected were Reporter of the supreme court, County Auditor and two Commissioners. The vote stood as follows: For Reporter supreme court, A. G. Porter, nine hundred and ninety-nine votes and James W. Gordon six hundred and thirty votes : for County Auditor, Andrew J. Wair, one thou- sand and fifteen votes, John S. Allen four hundred and three, and Abram Fravel two hundred and twenty votes; for Commissioners, James Drummond, nine hundred and ninety-six votes, Jacob R. Hall, one thousand and seven votes, Phineas Hunt, six hundred and seventeen votes and Joseph Orr six hundred votes.
The election aroused no political feeling: and very little was said about it in the press. The following mild utterance is from the LaPorte Times, and is about all that was said concerning the election of 1853:
"OCTOBER ELECTION.
For some weeks we have had the name of Albert G. Porter at the head of our columns as the Democratic nominee for Supreme Court Reporter, and we would now call attention to the importance of that office, and the election of a fit and competent man to dis-
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charge its duties. Mr. Porter, as appointee of the Governor, has already manifested his entire capacity, and if elected, will do credit to the position. There is but one fear on the subject of the October election, and that is that the Democracy will not think this matter of electing a Reporter of sufficient importance to induce them to the polls. This should never be! Let the people show their will on every occasion of this kind, for if they do not, there are opportunities left open for now and then a most shameful defeat. We shall notice this election again."
New questions now arose, growing out of the Know-Nothing excitement and the agitation which attended the passage of the Nebraska Bill, and repeal of the Missouri compromise, and at the October election of 1854, the average majority against the Demo- cratic party was three hundred. The election was for State officers. except Governor and Lieutenant Governor, Representative in Con- gress, Prosecuting attorney for the circuit court, and also for the court of common pleas, Representative to the State legislature and several other county officers. The candidates for Congress, were Schuyler Colfax. and Norman Eddy. and Colfax received one thou- sand seven hundred and twenty-nine, votes to one thousand three hundred and ninety-nine for Eddy. The candidates for Prosecut- ing attorney in the circuit court, were Morgan II. Weir and Don J. Woodward, and Weir received three hundred and nine majority. James A. Thornton was the Democratic candidate for common pleas Prosecutor against Wm. C. Talcott, and Talcott received a majority of two hundred and forty-five votes. Jacob R. Hall was elected Representative to the State legislature against John C. Walker: Edmund S. Organ was elected County Treasurer against Orpheus Everts; Wm. H. H. Whitehead was elected Sheriff over H. P. Lans: the candidates for County commissioner, were O. F. Piper and James Drummond, and Piper was elected; the candidates for County Surveyor, were Daniel M. Leaming and John P. Cath- cart, and Leaming was elected: and Henry W. Fox was elected Coroner against Wm. Fry.
Not much interest was manifested by the people of the county in the election of 1855, as there were no officers to be elected except a Recorder and three Commissioners. Only about one thousand and
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nine hundred votes were cast. although there were probably thirty- two or thirty-three hundred voters in the county. The Democrats were successful and elected all their candidates by majorities ranging from ninety-one to two hundred and fifty. Anderson Hupp was elected Recorder against Burwell Spurlock, and Asa M. Warren, Aquilla W. Rodgers, and H. J. Reese were elected Commissioners against Samuel Harvey, Abram Westervelt and George Crawford.
Prior to 1856, the anti-slavery sentiment of the country had become consolidated. It took the form of opposition to the exten- sion of slavery into the territories of the United States, and resulted in the organization of the Republican party. The larger portion of the Whigs found themselves naturally in the new party, most of the Free Soilers united with it, and also the large anti-slavery ele- ment of the Democratic party. The first national convention of the new party met early in 1856, and nominated John C. Fremont for President and Wm. L. Dayton for Vice President. The candidates of the Democracy were James Buchanan and John C. Breckenridge. Oliver P. Morton was the Republican candidate for Governor of Indiana, and Ashbel P. Willard, the Democratic candidate. W. Z. Stewart was the Democratic candidate for Congress and Schuyler Colfax had been nominated by the Republicans for re-election. M. H. Weir was the Republican candidate for State Senator, and Herman Lawson, the Democratic candidate; and for Judge of the court of common pleas, the candidates were William C. Talcott, Republican, and Daniel Noves, Democrat. The candidates for county officers were as follows, the Democratic candidate for each office being first named: For Representative to the State legisla- ture, William R. Bowes and George Crawford; for Clerk, C. W. Mead and James Moore; for Treasurer, Seth Eason and Abel D. Porter; for Sheriff, Nathan Kell and Wm. H. H. Whitehead; for Surveyor. John P. Cathcart and Daniel M. Leaming; for Coroner, Wm. Fry and R. G. James, and for Commissioner, A. W. Rogers and Elam Clark.
The Republicans were victorious. The vote was the largest that had ever been cast in the county, the total number being four thousand five hundred and sixty-three; and the Republican candi- dates were all successful by majorities ranging from fifty, to one
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hundred and forty-nine. On State officers the average majority was one hundred and five. The majority of Mr. Colfax was one hundred and thirty. Morgan H. Weir's majority was one hundred and twenty-two. Whitehead's majority was one hundred and forty-nine.
The canvass for the Presidential nominees was still kept up, and in November, LaPorte county cast a still larger vote than in October. the whole number of votes being four thousand eight hundred and nineteen. Of these the Republican electors received two thousand five hundred and thirty-three votes, the Democratic electors two thousand two hundred and thirty-nine votes, and there were forty- five votes cast for a third electoral ticket. Daniel D. Pratt was the Whig elector for the ninth District, and Orpheus Everts the Dem- ocratic elector. The whole campaign was one of intense interest and excitement, and although the Republican party was defeated in its first national contest, and in most of the States, yet the large vote it cast, and its many local victories, served to consolidate it and prepare it for future success.
The election of 1857 was without especial incident. It included county officers and Judge of the circuit court, Andrew L. Osborn being elected to the latter position by a heavy majority. The can- didates for county officers, were for Clerk, James Moore and John B. Fravel: for Sheriff, Wm. H. H. Whitehead and Nathan Kell : for Treasurer. Abel D. Porter and Seth Eason : for Auditor. John G. Laird and Thomas Pryce; for Commissioner first District, Isaac B. Coplin and Wm. W. Garrard: for Commissioner second District, Sidney S. Sabin and Henry P. Lans. Moore. Whitehead, Porter, Laird. Coplin and Sabin, all Republicans, were elected by major- ities ranging from one hundred and fifty to over four hundred. In the case of Laird and Pryce there was a contest on the ground that Laird had been elected to the office of Justice of the Peace, within four years, which would under the constitution prevent his holding any but a judicial office within that time. It was finally adjudged that neither party was entitled to the office, and Reuben Munday was appointed by the commissioners to serve until the next general election.
Political excitement became warm again in 1858. The terms
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that were heard most in the party language of the day were "Lecompton Constitution," "Kansas," "Border Ruffianism." "Freedom of the Territories," " Non-Extension of Slavery," " Dred Scott Decision." All the State officers except Governor were to be elected, a member of Congress. and county officers. The Repub- licans carried the county on State officers by from five hundred and twenty to five hundred and sixty majority in a total vote of five thousand and twenty-six. Schuyler Colfax and John C. Walker were the opposing candidates for Congress, and the former's majority in the county was five hundred and sixty-five. Wm. B. Biddle and James A. Thornton were the opposing candi- dates for Prosecuting attorney in the circuit court, and Biddle received a majority of five hundred and two. John Walton and Theophilus Fravel were the opposing candidates for Auditor. and Walton was elected. Abel D. Porter was elected Treasurer over Truman T. Harris: Joshua S. McDowell was elected Sheriff over Levi Ely: Elisha L. Bennett was elected Surveyor over Munday Allen: Luther Brusie was elected Coroner over Henry Ellsworth : John Warnock was elected Commissioner over J. W. Butterfield. and Wm. H. Scott and M. G. Sherman were elected Representa- tives over James Bradley and James Orr. The officers elect were all Republicans, and the majorities were generally over five hundred.
The " off year" of 1859 brought out a very light vote, the whole number cast being only two thousand eight hundred and thirty-five. There were but three offices to be filled : Prosecuting attorney common pleas court. Recorder, and Commissioner for the second District. Joseph M. Dow and Daniel Noyes were the candidates for Prosecuting attorney : and Dow. Republican, received a majority in this county of one hundred and eighty-four. Luther Mann. Jr .. was the Republican candidate for Recorder and Anderson Hupp the Democratic candidate for re-election. Hupp was elected by sixty- six majority. Sidney S. Sabin was elected Commissioner against Harvey Truesdell, Democrat.
The country was now becoming deeply moved over questions which stirred the popular heart as none had ever done before. The storm had been gathering ever since the repeal of the Missouri
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compromise: the struggles in Kansas had deeply intensified the feeling of the people of the North, and John Brown's attempt upon Harper's Ferry had been skillfully managed so as to arouse and heat the people of the South. That the territories of the United States should be forever consecrated to freedom was the solemn determination of a large majority of the people of the North ; and that the boundaries of the institution of slavery should not be further enlarged. The South, seeking its perpetuation by means of enlarged political power, determined that it should not be restricted, but should have enlarged privileges. The questions dividing par- ties were thus chiefly sectional, and pointed directly to war. In this state of the public mind. the Republican party met in national con- vention in Chicago, and nominated Abraham Lincoln for President, and Hannibal Hamlin for Vice President. The Democratic party met at Charleston in South Carolina, and the "fire-eating " element of the South. the better to secure their object, the dissolution of the Union, broke up the convention. The party afterwards met in the city of Baltimore, and there the same turbulent element divided the convention, and the result was the nomination of two Democratic tickets, Stephen A. Douglas and Herschel V. Johnson for President and Vice President on the one side, and John C. Breck- enridge and Joseph Lane on the other. Henry S. Lane stood at the head of the Republican State ticket, as candidate for Governor and Thomas A. Hendricks, at the head of the Democratic ticket. In the ninth District Schuyler Colfax was again the Republican candidate for Congress and the Democrats pitted against him the veteran Charles W. Cathcart. Daniel Noves and Elisha Egbert were the opposing candidates for Judge of the court of common pleas. The candidates for county offices were as follows: For Clerk, James Moore and C. C. Morrical; for Sheriff, Joshua S. McDowell and Richard Huncheon: for Treasurer, Reginald H. Rose and Truman T. Harris; For Coroner, Ludwig Eliel and Robert Friedel; for Surveyor, Edward H. Leaming and John P. Cathcart : for Commissioner, Isaac B. Coplin and Ephraim Barney ; for Representatives to the State legislature. Samuel- Harvey and Mason G. Sherman, Republicans, and Irwin S. Jessup and Henry P. Lans, Democrats. The candidates for State Senator, were Abraham Teegarden and Henry Higgins.
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The position which the Republican party maintained on slavery questions may be seen in the following resolutions found in the State Republican platform of that year :
" Resolved, That we are opposed to the new and dangerous doc- trine advocated by the Democratic party, that the Federal consti- tution carries slavery into the public territories, and that we believe slavery cannot exist anywhere in this government, unless by positive local law, and that we will oppose its extension into the ter- ritories of the Federal Government by all the power known to the constitution of the United States.
Resolved. That we are opposed to any interference with slavery where it exists under the sanction of State law. that the soil of every State should be protected from lawless invasions from every quarter, and that the citizens of every State should be secured from illegal arrests and search, as well as from mob violence."
They also embodied the following in the platform :
Resolved, That we regard the preservation of the American Union as the highest object and duty of patriotism, and that it must and shall be preserved, and that all who advocate disunion are, and deserve the fate of, traitors."
Other questions formed issues between the parties, but the chief and most important by far, the overshadowing ones, were those growing out of the institution of slavery and the attitude of the South with respect to it, and also towards the Union. Threats of secession in case of the election of Mr. Lincoln were freely made, and the leaders in the violence which characterized the proceedings in the South, were more deeply in earnest than the people of the North generally supposed. The campaign was distinguished, besides the usual processions and speeches, by a Republican organ- ization known as Wide Awakes, which adopted a simple uniform, and were provided with torch lamps, fixed on poles, and thus added much to the interest of night meetings. The company of Wide Awakes which existed in LaPorte, was drilled by Gen. Newell Gleason, in the manner of handling their lamp sticks according to the manual of arms. In one year from that time many of the same persons were drilling with arms, preparatory to fighting the battles of the nation against a section of country which had wantonly risen
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in rebellion. The political pulse beat high in both parties. great political gatherings were frequent, and processions and enthusiasm filled up the days and the nights. At length the day of the October election came, and the Republicans were completely successful. The average majority which the county gave on the State ticket was nine hundred and eighty-five. Colfax's majority for congress was one thousand and five. Egbert's majority for Judge was four hun- dred and seventy. Teegarden's majority for the State Senate was one thousand and three. The Republican majority on county offices was from seven hundred to one thousand majority. The whole number of votes cast was five thousand and fifteen. But the great event was still to occur-the Presidential election in November. At this election there were four electoral tickets in the field. those headed by the candidates already named, and the Union party ticket. headed by John Bell and Edward Everett. Each of them were voted for in this county. The county filled three places on electoral tickets. John C. Walker was on the Douglas Democratic ticket for the State at large, James Bradley was on the Brecken- ridge Democratic ticket for the ninth District. and John P. Early on the Bell and Everett electoral ticket for the ninth District. The Lincoln electoral ticket received two thousand nine hundred and sixty-seven : the Douglas ticket, one thousand six hundred and six: the Bell and Everett ticket. twenty-seven. and the Brecken- ridge ticket. four hundred and seventy-four, the number of votes cast being five thousand and seventy-four. The Republican majority over all was eight hundred and sixty; and over the Douglas-Democratic ticket. one thousand three hundred and sixty- one. On the next day after the election. the LaPorte Union had this to say :
" La Porte county is entitled to the Banner. Lincoln's majority in this county is probably one thousand four hundred over Douglas. The Breckenridge vote in the county is about five hundred.
In this city the vote was as follows: For Lincoln nine hundred and twenty-seven: for Douglas. three hundred and eighty-nine; Breckenridge. ninety-five, and Bell, seventeen.
St. Joseph county gives Lincoln nine hundred majority.
The result is better than we had hoped for; but we are none the
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5. Regiments will, if time permits it, be formed of companies from the same Congressional District. If time will not allow, com- panies will be assigned to regiments according to the date of their report, as above designated.
6. Respect for the five regiments sent from Indiana to the Mexican war, and avoidance of historical confusion hereafter, re- quire that regiments should be numbered in order beginning with the sixth.
7. Companies not already uniformed will take no step about uniforming until they know the regiment they are attached to.
8. Arms will be distributed to accepted companies as soon as possible. If not distributed before marching to the place of ren- dezvous, patience must be exercised.
9. If practicable, an inspecting officer will be sent to such com- panies, notice being given of the time of his coming.
10. Accepted companies must not wait for arms, but begin their drill immediately.
11. All communications touching arms, place of rendezvous, and organization, must be addressed to this office.
12. Notice of time and place of general rendezvous will be given in future orders.
LEWIS WALLACE, Adjutant Gen. Ind. Militia.
On the same day, President Lincoln issued his call for 75,000 men. But recruiting had already begun in La Porte; from all over the county they came, and in a very few days, two companies were ready to take the field. From the Herald we take the following account of the departure of the first Volunteer company from La- Porte :
"Last Monday morning was the time set for Capt. D. J. Wood- ward's company of volunteers to leave La Porte for Camp Morton, at Indianapolis, and at an early hour our streets became thronged with both our citizens and those from the country, to witness the interesting spectacle. The various fire companies and the German Rifle company were out, accompanied by Frisbee's silver band, and added much to the occasion. The company were drawn up in line in front of the Court House, and answered to the call of the roll, and received the warm congratulations of many sincere friends,
20
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after which they marched to the depot and went aboard the special train provided for the occasion to take them to the Crossing. The crowd at the depot was really immense, many of whom manifested decided sadness and grief at the parting of near and dear friends. perhaps never to see them more. We saw many weeping bitterly as they pressed perhaps for the last time the hand of a husband, brother or son, and bid him God speed in his noble undertaking. Capt. Woodward was particularly affected, as well as many of his company. At about half after nine o'clock the train started. amid the cheers of the vast multitude. The fire companies and many citizens went aboard the cars and accompanied the volunteers as far as the Crossing. Frisbee's Silver Band continued with the company to Indianapolis, where they intend to offer their services to their country.
This company is finely officered and contains as brave and trusty men as our county affords. Capt. Woodward makes a splendid officer and commands the respect of the whole company. Lieuts. Patton, Carter and Richards, are also of the right stripe, and worthy of the positions they severally occupy."
This company united with the celebrated ninth Indiana Regi- ment under command of Col. R. H. Milroy, participated in the first campaign in West Virginia, and at the close of the three months' service returned to La Porte, and was reorganized for the three years' service. Before taking the field Capt. Woodward was made Major of the Regiment; Lieut. Patton, Captain, and Second Lieut. Carter. First Lieutenant. Michigan City was also on fire with patriotic fervor, and organized and sent forward a company under command of Capt. Wm. II. Blake. which reached the ren- dezvous in time to gain admission into the ninth for the three month's service. The complete roster of these two companies will be given elsewhere in this history. But far more than enough came forward to fill up these two companies, and another company was speedily organized, and called the La Porte Zouaves; with the intention of gaining admission into Lew Wallace's Zouave Regi- ment, the eleventh Indiana. It serves to show how thoroughly the war spirit of the people of the whole State was aroused, that not- withstanding the La Porte Zouaves were ready on the fifteenth, yet
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