USA > Maryland > Governors of Maryland : from the Revolution to the year 1908 > Part 12
Note: The text from this book was generated using artificial intelligence so there may be some errors. The full pages can be found on Archive.org (link on the Part 1 page).
Part 1 | Part 2 | Part 3 | Part 4 | Part 5 | Part 6 | Part 7 | Part 8 | Part 9 | Part 10 | Part 11 | Part 12 | Part 13 | Part 14 | Part 15 | Part 16 | Part 17 | Part 18 | Part 19 | Part 20 | Part 21 | Part 22 | Part 23 | Part 24 | Part 25
I39
FRANCIS THOMAS
common, and he electioneered throughout the state. In Hagerstown he encountered William Price, a distinguished fellow member of the bar, and the pair had a heated dis- cussion upon the political issues. The impetuosity of Governor Thomas is here somewhat revealed by the fact that as a result of a disagreement the candidate for gov- ernor felt called upon to engage his opponent in a duel.
Contemporaneous with Mr. Thomas' nomination, election, and inauguration as chief magistrate of Maryland were his ill-advised venture into matrimony, disturbed honey- moon and his rupture with his bride of a few weeks. The story of this domestic tragedy has been preserved in minute detail by Governor Thomas, who in a frenzy of anger pub- lished a pamphlet, in 1845, in which he laid bare with unpar- donable brutality his relations with the woman who had been his wife. The unfortunate alliance had been the result of an unusual wooing between the Maryland states- man and Miss Sally McDowell, a daughter of Governor James McDowell, of Virginia. Miss McDowell was a girl of fifteen when Mr. Thomas, then a member of the house of rep- resentatives, met her in Washington, while he wasthirty-seven years of age. In vindication of his subsequent conduct, when he later exposed every detail of his relations with the girl both as sweetheart and as wife, he sought to make it appear that he had been influenced into marrying her; such a defense, however, was altogether to his discredit. At all events, on June 8, 1841, when Mr. Thomas was forty-two he married Miss McDowell, aged twenty. But within a few days he began to entertain very uncomplimentary sus- picions of his wife. He seems to have been constantly upbraiding her for either frivolity or greater offenses, and he was ever ready to demand that she return to her home until her old bachelor husband might become convinced that she was everything that he hoped. This mere sug-
140
GOVERNORS OF MARYLAND
gestion was as unusual as it was insulting, and yet Mr. Thomas never seemed to be able to understand why Mrs. Thomas would not comply with his demands. Finally her relatives came and took her under their protection, and then Mr. Thomas began a long struggle to regain possession of his wife. Subsequently, Mrs. Thomas obtained a divorce and became the wife of Reverend Mr. Miller, an esteemed Presbyterian minister of Philadelphia.
During the three years that Francis Thomas administered the affairs of the commonwealth he was, of course, laboring under the worry and cares that his estrangement had natur- ally imposed, but these trials did not cause him to shirk in the smallest degree the duties which his election had placed upon him. He appreciated the fact that the people of Maryland had chosen him as their governor, and he strove constantly and successfully to show himself a big enough man to act faithfully in that capacity, despite his domestic troubles and delusions. Governor Grason, who preceded him, had throughout this administration sounded warnings to the people that the course which public affairs had been permitted to take would terminate in financial disaster. Governor Thomas was likewise opposed to the reckless em- ployment of state funds for private or semi-public enter- prises and continued the work of lamenting where Mr. Gra- son had left off.
Governor Thomas acknowledged the endeavors of the immediately preceding administration to remedy exist- ing evils, and yet he could only report that the means devised had proved inadequate. He suggested certain ways in which he believed that the burden which had been placed upon the state might be lightened and possibly event- ually removed, and he did much toward saving the common- wealth from falling prey to the temptation of repudiation. The legislature, realizing that something had to be done to
141
FRANCIS THOMAS
prevent the enormous debt of the state from increasing further by the accumulation of arrear interest, levied a tax upon the people. But the people to a large extent refused to pay the tax. As the state was unable to pay interest on her bonds, Mr. Thomas suggested as a remedy, that the coupons upon state bonds be accepted as currency. This course was to work to advantage for the owner of bonds -who otherwise would have been compelled either to hold his coupons indefinitely or to sell them at a very great sac- rifice-as it placed in his hands a reasonably good nego- tiable paper. At the same time it opened up for circulation in payment of public debts a large amount of governmental paper. But in 1842 Maryland was forced to suspend payment on its bonds, and this gave rise to a somewhat marked agitation for repudiation. Although neither Gra- son nor Thomas can be regarded as other than the most pronounced enemies of repudiation, it was not until the administration of Governor Pratt-the whig successor of Mr. Thomas-that the idea of repudiation was finally dis- posed of in Maryland and the state's creditors were given assurance that the commonwealth would honor her every obligation. Thomas, in his message to the legislature, asserted that "the debt of Maryland, however unwisely contracted, was created by the representatives of her peo- ple. This being the case, every principle of honor as well as of justice, makes it the imperious duty of the people to essay every effort to meet the obligations which their own agents have imposed."
Governor Thomas retired from the executive mansion on January 6, 1845, and then went to his Frederick county home, from which he issued a few weeks later his remark- able attack on Mrs. Thomas and her friends. He lived very much to himself for the remaining years of his life, which covered the rather long period from 1845 to 1876. At times
142
GOVERNORS OF MARYLAND
he was almost a recluse, but occasionally he took part in public affairs. Late in the forties he became an active advocate for constitutional reform and was elected a mem- ber of the convention which sat from November, 1850, to May, 1851, and devised the constitution of 1851. In this convention he fought with his old time fire for a more equit- able apportionment of representation, and also combated the endeavors of the slave-holding counties to gain any additional power. But when his services here ended, he again sought retirement. It was not until the outbreak of hositilities in 1861 that he came into prominence again. He then raised a regiment of 3000 soldiers to fight for the north. Mr. Thomas was once more elected a member of the lower house of congress, in which body he served from 1863 to 1869. Although he had been a democrat till 1861, he now became a supporter of the republican party. He was active throughout the remaining years of the war, though, with the succession of Johnson after Lincoln's death, Mr. Thomas became an opponent of the "tailor" president.
Radical, even revolutionary, as Governor Thomas was as a leader, he rendered Maryland greater service, perhaps in republicanizing the form of government given the people than did any other state governor. His organization of the revolt in 1836, although it brought him into momen- tary disrepute, was the direct cause of the reform act, which made the governor and state senators the representatives of the people, instead of the representatives of the legisla- ture and of the electoral college. He was largely responsible for the constitutional convention of 1850, and when he realized how far short that movement fell of its purposes he fought untiringly for a new convention. Upon his retire- ment from congress, Francis Thomas was appointed, in April, 1870, collector of internal revenue for the Cumberland dis-
143
FRANCIS THOMAS
trict. He resigned this position in March, 1872, to accept the post of minister to Peru. He remained in the South American republic until the summer of 1875, when he retired from public life and resumed his practice of the law in West- ern Maryland.
Mr. Thomas was much interested in his estate at Frank- ville and planned to make extensive improvements upon the place, which he purposed to occupy during the remaining years of his life. While superintending these improvements in the early part of the year 1876, Mr. Thomas was run down by a locomotive of the Baltimore and Ohio Railroad near Frankville and instantly killed, January 23, 1876. Several days later he was buried in the cemetery belonging to St. Mark's Episcopal Church, near Petersville. Over the grave was erected a stone bearing the inscription which the deceased himself had penned for his tombstone: "The author of the measure which gave to Maryland the constitution of 1864 and thereby gave freedom to 90,000 human beings."
XXVII THOMAS GEORGE PRATT
Greater men than Governor Pratt-more patriotic, more intellectual, more daring men-have been chief magis- trates of Maryland doubtless, but not many, if any, out- rival him in the homage paid by the people and the his- tories of the state to his memory. Of him it has been said- not once, but time and time again-that he did more than any other man to save proud old Maryland from the shame of repudiation. He appears in the light of one who dis- coursed to his fellow-statesmen upon the beauties, the peace- fulness, the tranquillity of the path of virtue, and after clos- ing his discourse took down the lash and vigorously, almost brutally, drove the people of the state into that path whose attractions he had extolled. It must, however, be admitted that the method he employed was in all proba- bility the only one that would have been effective. But while Mr. Pratt is confessedly remembered for having reëstab- lished Maryland's credit, there was another transaction in his public life which, perhaps, did almost as much to secure his fame among his contemporaries: thereis, in deed, a pos- sibility that although he was canonized in later years for his gubernatorial administration, his labor to redeem Maryland's honor was probably at times but a cloak under which lay the real cause of many people's affection-Gov- ernor Pratt's bold support of the Confederacy during the Civil War.
Thomas George Pratt was born in Georgetown, District of Columbia, on February 18, 1804. Although not a native of Maryland by birth, his ancestors had been prominent
THOMAS GEORGE PRATT 1845-1848
THOMAS GEORGE PRATT
Grettower zo a than Governor Fratt-more patriotic, more intellectual, more @Mig mer -have been chief magis- trates of Marylandit doubting, But not many, if any, out- nyol fun in the homage pall lie the people and the his mories of the estem his memory Of him it has been paid- not .av d, bat Mmde and time agum-that he did more than any other man to save proud old Maryland from the shame of repudiation. He appears in the light of one who dis- course? to his fellow-statesmien upon the beauties, the peace fulness, the tranquilitaq Horodb &AMonrad after clo ing his disconice took dan 808f-2181
brutally, drove the peph
whose attractions he Dad en
Heltlei what fin method b
Tot while
wyg instab-
Transaction in
Debate Ol viment as much to secure
abloy zar ud p> \ we canpoijei in later years for his gubernat ru moreon his labor to redeem Maryleo's hoor wany they at wumnes but a cloak under which los the real runs many people's affection -- Gov- ernor Pramy colo wurmt of the Confederacy during the Civil Wer
Thomas Grege Prayt www born in Georgetown, District of Columbia. mo February ik x804 Although nea native of Maryland by Lik tos amccstors had been prominent
COPYRIGHT, 1908, BY H. E. BUCHHOLZ.
145
THOMAS GEORGE PRATT
residents of Prince George's county and in early manhood the future governor became a Marylander. His parents afforded him every opportunity to acquire a liberal educa- tion, and sent him, after the elementary courses had been completed, to Georgetown College and later to Princeton. He early determined to enter the legal profession, and while in the District of Columbia read law in the office of Richard S. Coxe. In 1823 he moved to Prince George's county, and subsequently practiced his profession in the town of Upper Marlboro. In taking up his residence in Prince George's, Mr. Pratt became a fellow-countian of Joseph Kent, who a few years later, in 1825, was chosen governor of Mary- land. There sprang up an intimacy between the two men and between the younger man and the family of Governor Kent, particularly Miss Adelaide Kent; and the young law- yer firmly cemented the friendly relations of the two families by marrying Miss Kent. From the time of the marriage of the couple until the death of Governor Pratt, their home was famed for its hospitality and the character of the guests entertained at the family board.
Mr. Pratt made his debut as a legislator early in the thir- ties when in the closing years of George Howard's admin- istration he was chosen a member of the house of dele- gates. He served in the lower branch of the legislature from 1832 to 1835. He was a member of the state electoral college of 1836, that famous body in which occurred the revolt of the "glorious 19" democrats. In the same year he was named as president of the governor's council and continued in the council during the administration of Governor Veazey. In 1837 he appeared as a presidential elector and cast his vote for Martin Van Buren.
At the close of his service as president of the governor's council, Mr. Pratt was elected to the Maryland senate and remained in that body consecutively from 1838 to 1843.
I46
GOVERNORS OF MARYLAND
This was a critical period in Maryland's history and the men who sat in the legislative halls at Annapolis were closely watched by the voters of the state. The various sections of the state were greatly agitated because of the gloomy financial outlook. Maryland was burdened with debt and there was not sufficient money which which to pay the interest on that debt, let alone any attempt to diminish the amount of indebtedness. Taxes had been levied, but the govern- mental officials had been unable to collect them, and through- out the commonwealth was talk of repudiation. Mr. Pratt, during the period that he sat in the state senate, had shown himself a man with decided views upon the subject of repudia- tion with courage to express his views. He was decidedly the strongest candidate whom the whigs could find in the middle gubernatorial district in 1844 and the convention placed his name at the head of its state ticket. The demo- crats named James Carroll, of Baltimore. Mr. Pratt's demand in the campaign was that the state should pay its debt, and upon this he won the election for his party, though by a nar- row majority of 548 votes. It must not be supposed that Governor Pratt alone reëstablished Maryland's credit, as is sometimes intimated. There were many men in the state equally zealous of Maryland's honor, but circumstances favored him. For instance, both William Grason and Francis Thomas-Pratt's immediate predecessors-were as firm as he in declaring that the people must pay their debts ; but while they administered the affairs of the commonwealth business was at a standstill and currency almost out of circulation : when Governor Pratt reestablished the state's credit busi- ness had improved and money was easier. In his first message to the legislature he asserted: "From an abundant harvest now at hand this is the time to pay our debts."
This change from commercial stagnation to business pros- perity was an enormous factor in favor of saving Mary-
147
THOMAS GEORGE PRATT
land from the temptation of repudiation, although with a chief executive of less firmness than Mr. Pratt the common- wealth, despite its prosperity, might still have neglected the unloved state debts. But even after deducting from Governor Pratt's account the excess credit which has occasionally been accorded him, there remains enough to give him distinction among the statesmen who have made history in Maryland. He was inaugurated governor on January 6, 1845, and his term expired on January 3, 1848. During these three years he was untiring in his endeavors to have Maryland resume her interest payments, which had been passed continuously since 1842, and within a few days of his retirement from the gubernatorial office the state did resume these payments. Under his administration the taxes were collected, for whether the people favored repudiation or not made little difference to the determined governor, who charged Maryland's failure in 1842 to pay her maturing obligations to the neglect of governmental officials in the matter of enforcing the laws.
During Governor Pratt's administration occurred the Mex- ican War, and he promptly declared that "the sons of Mary- land have always obeyed the call of patriotism and duty, and will now sustain the honor of the state." His proph- ecy was fulfilled. His governorship also witnessed much difficulty regarding an enforcement of the law regulating slave property, and this, perhaps, more than anything else, made Pratt the whig over into the democratic Pratt of later years. Several slaves had escaped frm Maryland into Pennsylvania and the governor made out requisitions upon the executive of the Quaker state for their return, but the governor of Pennsylvania refused in both cases to gratify the demand, and accompanied one of his refusals with the opinion of the attorney-general of that state, declaring that the act of the general assembly of Maryland of 1838 was deemed unconstitutional by the authorities of Pennsylvania.
148
GOVERNORS OF MARYLAND
Somewhat later other slaves escaped into Pennsylvania and their owners went thither and under a provision of an act of congress proved their property and started for Maryland when they were set upon by residents of the Quaker state, the slaves released and in the conflict one of the Maryland- ers-Mr. Kennedy-was killed. Finally a negro owned by Alexander Somerville, of Calvert county, attempted to kill his master and then fled into Pennsylvania, where he was arrested, and, after a protracted trial before a Philadel- phia court, ordered delivered to the Maryland authorities. But immediately a writ of habeas corpus was issued by some other tribunal than that before which the case had been tried and the criminal was rescued by the populace. These several violations of the law concerning slave property made Governor Pratt an uncompromising supporter of slavery.
After his retirement from the executive mansion Mr. Pratt resumed his law practice in Annapolis. He had taken up his residence permanently in the state capital, having purchased the colonial residence of Governor Ogle. He was not, however, permitted to remain in private life for any great length of time. Reverdy Johnson had accepted the portfolio of attorney-general of the United States from President Taylor on March 8, 1849, and consequently resigned his seat in the United States senate. The legisla- ture of the state named Mr. Pratt as Senator Johnson's successor for the remaining year of his term and also elected him for a full term of six years additional. He took his seat in the upper house of congress on January 4, 1850, and continued there until March 3, 1857. During these seven years he represented his state with credit and honor, though his senatorial career was not marked with such note- worthy distinction as his gubernatorial administration. The whig party had now passed from national politics, and in 1856 John C. Fremont appeared as the first presidential
I49
THOMAS GEORGE PRATT
nominee of the republicans, while James Buchanan was the democratic standard-bearer. Mr. Pratt supported the latter, and was even more radical than Buchanan in his attitude toward the question of slavery and secession. Indeed, at the outbreak of hostilities between north and south, Governor Pratt was regarded with considerable fear by the governmental officials, and was arrested in 1861 and held a prisoner at Fort Monroe for several weeks. Although he did not join the secession forces himself, he gave to the confederate army his moral support throughout the contest and the services of his son.
After the expiration of his congressional service, in 1857, Mr. Pratt returned to his Annapolis home, where he remained until 1864, when he took up his residence in Baltimore. In 1864 he was a delegate to the Chicago national convention, and in 1866 he attended the union convention at Philadelphia as a delegate. He appeared as a candidate for the United States senate in 1867, but received only meager support in the election which resulted in the selection of William T. Hamilton. This was about his last public appearance of note, and two years later, on November 9, 1869, he died at his home in Baltimore.
XXVIII PHILIP FRANCIS THOMAS
Among some of the less advanced peoples a man's vocation is determined hereditarily, and as a consequence there has sprung up a powerful system of caste founded upon occupation. A butcher is not tempted to squander his money sending his boy to college, for the inevitable law of the land is that the son must be a butcher also; and the daughter of a baker is not prompted to make personal sacrifices because of social ambitions-she is destined by a barbarian, though not unwise, law to remain in the baker class. A parallel of this custom is found in many of the more civilized countries of the world, although the system of heredity there is more arbitrary in certain professions than in the business calling of the offspring. In America the religious persuasions and the political faith of the sire are reflected in the son. A Methodist brings up a Methodist, a Baptist rears a household of little Baptists. So far this is natural and harmless. But when the son is a republican because his father is, or when a youth becomes an adherent of democracy for no other reason than that his parent votes the democratic ticket, there is ground for suspicion that the younger citizen selects his political creed sentimentally rather than intellec- tually. This phase of heredity has become so thoroughly imbued in the national mind that there is invariably a raising of the eyebrows when the son of a republican joins the ranks of the democrats, or vice versa. Bearing this in mind, and with it the fact that seventy-five or a hundred years ago there was in many sections of Maryland
PHILIP FRANCIS THOMAS 1848-1851
........
PHILIF FRANCIS THOMAS
Among waste of The less advanced peoples . man's Wolada ia Seterolbed bereditarily, and as a conse prence Drum his nomeg ap a powerful system of caste founded A Butcher if not tempted to squander the money seine his bay to college, for the inevitable law M the land & that the ton must be a butcher also; and the de umber of a baker is not prompted to make personal menfices because of social ambitions -- she is destined by a Harkerian, though not unwise, law to remain in the baker dass. A parallel of this centy found in many of The mom RAMOHT 2124A81 ALIIHA
suntem of be
profes .com .. ...
tar tu li topend ing loroless. But when
bas Ligitis isme his Estller is, or when a
rador por tus tuo parat Noise The democratic ticket, CHETY is groene Jor suspicion what the younger citizen Leverte his political rical sinem wody rather than in teller wady This phase of homekly we become so chorroughly 100lapal in the national med Chat there is invariuddy a sending al the eyebromt . llo son of the ticin
this in word and wnles us kut that
vi Merriand
COPYRIGHT, 1908, BY H. E. BUCHHOLZ.
151
PHILIP FRANCIS THOMAS
a social distinction between the two leading political parties, it seems very surprising, indeed, that the son of a well-connected Talbot county federalist should have adopted the cause of democracy in that district of aris- tocracy. But the conversion of Governor Thomas when a young man to democracy was only a promise of even more surprising spectacles to which he should treat his fellow-countians in after years.
Philip Francis Thomas was born at Easton, Talbot county, on September 12, 1810. His father, Dr. Tristram Thomas, practiced medicine on the Eastern Shore for more than fifty years; his mother before her marriage had been Miss Maria Francis. Young Thomas was early entered at the academy at Easton, where he received his elementary schooling. Later he was sent to Carlisle, Pa., where he became a student at Dickinson College. For two years he labored at Dickinson, sometimes over his books and at other times striving to concoct schemes whereby he might relieve his high-strung spirits. The detection, however, of one of his youthful indiscretions resulted in his suspension from Dickinson, and he returned to Easton. He then became a law student in the office of William Hayward, and in November, 1831, was admitted to the bar. It was not long before Mr. Thomas began to make a name for himself as an attorney. He was, however, regarded by both relatives and friends as a man of most erratic temperament, because he did not pursue the precepts which others laid down for him arbitrarily, and occasionally dealt fogyism and excess-respectability some rather telling blows. His father had been an ardent federalist, and upon the death of the federalist party he became an even more ardent whig. Nearly all the other Thomases were of like political conviction. And Talbot county, the home place of the Thomases, was not only whig, but overwhelmingly whig.
Need help finding more records? Try our genealogical records directory which has more than 1 million sources to help you more easily locate the available records.