USA > Maryland > Governors of Maryland : from the Revolution to the year 1908 > Part 18
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
217
JOHN LEE CARROLL
Doughoregan began preparations for going abroad, in order that he might place his children-his family consisted of five sons and four daughters-in French schools. He remained in America, however, to attend the session of the legislature in the opening months of 1874, and was elected president of the senate during this session. After having entered his sons in the Jesuits College and his daughters in the Convent of the Sacred Heart, near Paris, Senator Carroll returned to America in the early part of 1875, and several months after his arrival he became the democratic nominee for governor of Maryland. The campaign was one of the bitterest in the history of the state. Mr. Carroll was opposed by J. Morrison Harris, who in earlier years had been prominent in the know-nothing party, and much was made by the republican spellbinders of Mr. Carroll's devotion to the Roman Catholic Church. The democratic ticket was elected by a majority of about 10,- ooo out of a total of 157,984 votes; but immediately the defeated candidates made claims of fraud and intimidation on the part of the democrats. Mr. Carroll's election was contested before the legislature, although the contestants were not able to substantiate their claims; and he was inaugurated on January 12, 1876.
The Baltimore and Ohio Railroad strike-already referred to-was the event of greatest moment in the Carroll admin- istration. It was on July 11, 1877, that the company issued its notice of a reduction of 10 per cent in the wages of all men receiving more than $1 a day. In making the announce- ment attention was called to the general business depression and the necessity of a more economical management of the company; and the president added : "It is hoped and believed that all persons in the service of the company will appreciate the necessity of and concur cordially in this action." The brakemen and firemen did not, however, "concur cordially."
218
GOVERNORS OF MARYLAND
On the day set for the reduction to go into effect, July 16, there was a concerted refusal on their part to work. The vacancies thus created by the strikers were filled with sub- stitutes, and then the strikers became violent .. The strike fever, which was general throughout the Eastern states, was stirred to white heat in Maryland; and on July 20, Governor Carroll concluded to send the Fifth and Sixth Regiments to Cumberland, where the strikers were doing considerable damage to property. But the announcement of this intention created wild excitement in Baltimore. The regiments, due partly to sympathy with the strikers, especially among the members of the Sixth, were slow in reporting at their respective armories. The military call was then rung from the City Hall, but this only increased the general excitement; and for several days thereafter vast mobs of men and boys and women crowded about Camden station determined to oppose the departure of the militia.
By the time the regiments had been marched to Camden station, on July 20, the city was in such a frenzy that Gover- nor Carroll, who was personally directing affairs, did not dare to send away the soldiery that, to all indications, would be needed for the protection of law-abiding citizens of Baltimore and for policing the city. The mob reached such proportions that the governor made an urgent request of President Hayes for aid from the federal government, and he received assurance that the required troops would be hurried to the city. In the meantime, however, the heroic efforts of Baltimore's police and the hearty support of part of the militia enabled the state executive to suppress the riot spirit before the federal troops arrived. The mob had at most been only temporarily quieted; there were still threats of a fresh outbreak; and yet at this stage of the trouble Governor Carroll revealed somewhat of his courage
219
JOHN LEE CARROLL
and solicitude for the people who had entrusted their lives in his hands, by seeking to divert to Cumberland the aid promised by the Washington government to Baltimore. On Saturday, July 21, Camden station was set on fire and other buildings were given to the flames by the rioters. Troops began to arrive from the various federal forts, despite Governor Carroll's cancellation of his request for such aid, and these established themselves in the city with headquarters at Barnum's Hotel, subject to the orders of the governor. Again on the twenty-second an attack was made on Camden station, but on this occasion the forces under Governor Carroll surrounded the rioters and drove several hundred of them into the building, where they were cap- tured, bound and carted off to jail-and the backbone of the uprising in Baltimore was practically broken. By the next day the riot was dead, although the labor conflict continued for some time thereafter in various parts of the country, notably around Pittsburg.
Early in his administration was held the Centennial Exposition, in Philadelphia, and Governor Carroll, who attended with his staff, was given a notable reception. While in the executive mansion, Governor Carroll made his second matrimonial alliance, his bride being Miss Mary Carter Thompson, daughter of Judge Lucas Thompson, of Staunton, Virginia, to whom he was married in April, 1877. Mrs. Carroll died in 1899. After the close of his administra- tion, Mr Carroll contented himself with supervising his Howard county plantation and with looking after his other business and his social engagements. Although asked on several occasions to become a candidate for public service, he declined to re-enter the political field as an aspirant for office, but he frequently served other candidates upon the stump. In the first Cleveland campaign he was espe- cially active, and spoke for the democratic national ticket
220
GOVERNORS OF MARYLAND
throughout the state. Had Governor Carroll done no more than pilot the state safely through the troubled sea of labor disturbances in 1877, he would still be entitled to a large share of fame. But he accomplished other things of per- manent value; he did enough outside of his settlement of the labor riots to cause endless regret that his services for the state should have covered so brief a period. From his entrance into office as a member of the legislature, in 1868, to the close of his administration, in 1880, was just twelve years; while the span of his life has so far stretched over seventy-eight years. The shorter period, marked with its brilliant public service, however, does not overshadow the longer period, with the equally meritorious contribution of John Lee Carroll to the weal of the nation in his rôle of a model, public-spirited citizen.
COPYRIGHT, 1908, BY H. E. BUCHHOLZ.
WILLIAM THOMAS HAMILTON
-------
WMPROTIMAH ZAMOHT MANJIW
+331-0881.
di regard of the per ore servants, whole orAmi
patronage falling 16 50
while she therefind pour LAours .
---
regole posle
WILLIAM THOMAS HAMILTON 1880-1884
XXXVIII
WILLIAM THOMAS HAMILTON
Economy, if not actuated by selfishness, is a praiseworthy attribute; when prudence, and not avarice, inspires the economist, he practices an admirable virtue, and one most difficult to cultivate. It matters not whether the field of his activity be in the home or in the outside world, the righteous economist deserves a wreath of roses-or if he pur- sues his practice in the political world, a halo, for the world politic is not the place best adapted for introducing eco- nomic doctrines. With the subject of political adminis- tration there is strongly associated in the public mind an idea of necessary extravagance with public funds and a disregard of the return received for salaries paid to public servants, whose employment is looked upon as part of the patronage falling to political workers. For this reason, while the theoretical economist makes an admirable candi- date, the practical economist, if given office, is apt to prove disappointing to the "spoils-seekers" of his party. The men, as a rule, who most heartily support a man for an elective office carrying with it some patronage in the form of appointments, look to that candidate, if successful, for favors. Since the days of President Jackson the motto of political parties in the United States has been: "To the victor belong the spoils"-and "spoils" here is synony- mous with everything but the elective office itself.
Bearing this in mind, it is not difficult to see that a party man, if elected by his organization to an office rich in patron- age, would soon fall into disfavor if he not only refused to regard public offices as "spoils" but immediately upon
222
GOVERNORS OF MARYLAND
entering office sought to reduce the number of public posi- tions to be filled. Herein is found an explanation for Governor Hamilton's falling out with the so-called "lead- ers" of his party and for the opposition which he encoun- tered in the closing years of his life from party workers who had once labored for his success. Mr. Hamilton was a political economist, or, more properly, he was an economi- cal politician. The ruling passion of his life was to lighten the people's burden of taxation. But light taxation is not to be obtained unless there is economical administration, and economical administration is impossible without honest administrators, while honest administrators cannot win office unless the ballot is maintained undefiled-so his endeavor led him to support a series of reforms all of which were distasteful to a large part of his political bedfellows.
Born at Hagerstown, September 8, 1820, the infancy and early childhood days of William Thomas Hamilton were passed at Boonsboro, the parental homestead. Deprived of his mother at the age of six years, and two years later of his father, Henry Hamilton, he was placed under the guard- ianship of his three uncles. These relatives-the brothers of his mother, whose maiden name had been Anna Mary M. Hess-were engaged in farming, and also conducted a mill and general merchandise store. The lad, thus inti- mately associated with business men, early developed those traits which characterized him in after years-self-reliance, an indomitable will, and the spirit of combativeness which readily comes to a boy thrown upon his own resources. The elementary training of the boy was acquired from James Brown, a happy mixture of pedagogue and politician; and from this preceptor the youth doubtless received his taste for politics. He received his college preparatory training at Hagerstown Academy, and studied for four years- 1836: 1840-at Jefferson College, Cannonsburg, Pa. Upon
223
WILLIAM THOMAS HAMILTON
his return to Hagerstown, he entered the office of John Thomson Mason as a law student, and in 1843 was admitted to the bar. Although Mr. Hamilton developed into a cap- able attorney, the legal profession was with him a secondary pursuit, for throughout his career he centered his interest on politics. It was not, however, for selfish motives that Mr. Hamilton slighted other matters for public service; indeed it is doubtful if any man gave less thought to the emoluments that were to be obtained from public office. It was rather an affection for the great body of the common people that prompted him to seek service as their servant, and that ever guided his course while performing the duties of their representative. In the legislative campaign of 1846, Mr. Hamilton was elected a member of the house of dele- gates upon the democratic ticket, and during the session which followed he was an ardent supporter of Governor Pratt in his fight against a repudiation by Maryland of her debts. Pratt was a whig, and it was perhaps largely due to Hamilton's support of the enemy of his party that he met with defeat when he appeared for reelection in 1847.
The next year (1848) Mr. Hamilton made his appearance in national politics as a presidential elector for Lewis Cass, the opponent of Zachary Taylor; and in 1849 he was the nominee of his party for the house of representatives. The tariff question was at this time agitating the American people and the eyes of the nation were upon Maryland, to which the democratic party looked for the deciding senti- ment which should mean democracy's ascendancy or de- cline. Mr. Hamilton made the slogan of his campaign: "Tariff for revenue only," a doctrine which he must have known would be distasteful to a large portion of the people of whom he asked support ; he was, nevertheless, elected and during his first term in congress became a staunch follower of Henry Clay. Congressman Hamilton was reelected in
224
GOVERNORS OF MARYLAND
1851, and toward the close of this second term he announced his intention of retiring from the house. He was, how- ever, prevailed upon again to be a congressional candidate, and had as his opponent the fiery Francis Thomas, who filled many public offices, including that of governor of Maryland. Mr. Thomas, although originally a democrat, ran as an independent candidate, and the contest between him and Mr. Hamilton was a spirited one; the latter, however, gained the victory. This third term in congress witnessed Mr. Hamilton as the champion of President Franklin Pierce.
Congressman Hamilton again asked to be relieved of office in 1855, but once more he was persuaded to enter the cam- paign because he was regarded as the strongest available democrat to do battle with the know-nothing candidate. But know-nothingism was then all-powerful in Maryland, and Mr. Hamilton was defeated for congress in 1855. With the termination of his third term in the house of representa- tives he retired from political life and it was some years later-indeed, not until after the adoption of the state constitution of 1867-before he was again prevailed upon to seek public office. He had been married in September 8, 1850, to Miss Clara Jenness, a daughter of Richard Jenness of Portsmouth, N. H. After his marriage the care of a family demanded much of his time and proved an incentive to choose such occupations as would permit him to remain in Hagerstown or at his country home nearby, and, although he was solicited to become a candidate for the governor- ship in 1861, he refused to allow his friends to present his name to the convention. During these years of retire- ment Mr. Hamilton devoted his entire time to the law partnership which he had formed with Richard H. Alvey, later judge of the court of appeals.
Mr. Hamilton made his reappearance as a political factor in 1868, when he came out as an aspirant for senatorial
225
WILLIAM THOMAS HAMILTON
honors. The ballot of the general assembly, taken on Jan- uary 17, 1868, gave Mr. Hamilton 56 votes; Thomas Swann, 46, and William M. Merrick, 7. Hamilton thus received just enough to be elected, and he served in the United States senate from March 4, 1869, until March 3, 1875. During this period he wrote himself down as a mighty foe of admin- istrative extravagance. When the so-called "salary grab" was attempted none fought it more determinedly than did he. It was in March, 1873, that congress undertook a gen- eral increasing of the nation's payroll for the Washington officials. The president's salary was raised from $25,000 to $50,000 a year; the pay of members of the bench of the supreme court and cabinet officials was increased $2000 a year and the salaries of senators and representatives was changed from $5000 to $7000. But congress, in its very generous mood, decreed that its own increase should date from 1871, or two years before the increase was actually authorized. Senator Hamilton not only fought the bill, but when it had finally been passed he refused to accept the back salary which it declared him entitled to draw. It was his action and that of a few other equally honest members of congress that cleared the way for that public condemnation which necessitated congress, because of adverse sentiment, to repeal all the provisions of the bill except those concerning the salaries of the president and members of the supreme bench.
Mr. Hamilton also cast his influence for righteous legislation by his hearty and unwavering support of all measures tending to civil service reform. At the termina- tion of his senatorial service, in 1875, Mr. Hamilton appeared as candidate for the gubernatorial nomination. He had some little strength in the convention, but his economical views were not, perhaps, too much relished by the leaders, and John Lee Carroll became the party's nominee. In the
226
GOVERNORS OF MARYLAND
democratic state convention of 1879, Senator Hamilton, however, was unanimously nominated for governor. He was opposed by James A. Gary, who subsequently served as a member of President McKinley's official family. In the election the democratic candidate was chosen by a major- ity of more than 22,000 votes.
The keynote of the administration of the state executive office for the next four years, from January 14, 1880, to Jan- uary 9, 1884, was "reform." Throughout his term as gov- ernor, Mr. Hamilton was constantly an obstacle in the way of those members of the legislature who pursued corrupt practices or indulged in extravagant legislation. This nat- urally brought him in conflict with the legislative branch of the government, which was in a measure inclined toward liberal patronage, and also in conflict with state leaders, who were behind that particular portion of the legislature which Governor Hamilton opposed. The addresses of the chief magistrate to the general assembly were frank arraign- ments of those who sought to spend the commonwealth's money recklessly or dishonestly. He exposed certain meth- ods by which public officers of the state endeavored to create the impression that the treasury was in better con- dition than was actually the case. The effort to make up the state's deficiency by taking money from the school taxes was held up to condemnation; the creation of certain useless offices carrying large salaries and the maintenance of others equally useless were fearlessly denounced.
It is not difficult to find in all this ground for a growing dissatisfaction with Governor Hamilton on the part of those leaders of his own party who received the brunt of his criti- cism, and therefore it is not surprising that before his term as state executive should have expired he was in more or less disfavor with those whose reprehensible methods he refused to wink at. It is not really hazardous to write
227
WILLIAM THOMAS HAMILTON
down the clean administration of Mr. Hamilton as his fare- well appearance as a large figure in Maryland politics; nor is it, perhaps, any more hazardous to credit the termina- tion of his activity in state politics to his break with the democratic leaders because of his honest economic policies. Nevertheless, he served to a considerable extent in the presi- dential election of 1884, which was in the fall following his retirement as governor, and in Washington county he never lost his prestige. He was at the time of his death more dearly loved and more generally looked up to by his neigh- bors than at any eariler period in his life. When he breathed his last, on October 26, 1888, the town of Hagerstown, and the county of which it is the governmental pivot were both brought under a shadow; the citizens felt that a personal and a public friend had been lost. On the day of the funeral of the Maryland statesman business was suspended while the people of Hagerstown followed the body to Rose Hill Cemetery. To Mr. Hamilton, Hagerstown is largely in- debted for its new charter, for its improved streets, electric lights, waterworks and other municipal improvements.
In his native city Mr. Hamilton left many monuments to his ability and public spirit. In his own state he wrote an inspiring record of honest and economical administration of state affairs. But perhaps in the book of the nation he left the most pleasing account of his high ideals as a public official. The man who stood for "administrative economy, low tariff taxes and honest methods in politics," made a unique record on the pages of the history of the United States congress. At no time in his public career did he rise higher than when he refused to obey a law which had been enacted to enable his colleagues to rob the nation and, by that refusal, forced his less righteous fellow-senators to return to the national treasury their ill-gotten booty.
XXXIX ROBERT MILLIGAN McLANE
Three general divisions are necessary for a proper classifi- cation of Maryland's governors. In the first of these are comprised those chief magistrates whose public services at no time gave their political activities more than a strictly local aspect. The second division takes in such execu- tives as have at some time in their public careers exerted an influence upon national affairs. These men may have served in congress, or they may have exercised their talents for the nation's good in other channels-in the cabinet, on the bench, or in the army or navy. Finally, there is a third class-the men who assumed the dignity of being factors in world politics. Of these there are naturally very few-that occasional public character whose labors bore results in lands outside the United States, who left his stamp upon the history of the entire world-and among the few in this division there is no name more deserving of inclusion than that of Governor McLane.
Robert Milligan McLane was born in Wilmington, Del., on June 23, 1815. His father, Louis McLane, had been frequently and greatly honored by the state of Delaware and the federal government, but in 1837 he withdrew from public affairs and came to Baltimore to assume the presi- dency of the Baltimore and Ohio Railroad. Through his maternal ancestry, however, the state of Maryland has greater claim to Governor McLane than that acquired by this change of residence, for Mrs. Louis McLane, who before her marriage had been Miss Catherine Mary Milli- gan, was a resident of Cecil county, Maryland. The initial
ROBERT MILLIGAN McLANE 1884-1885
n.
-
YXXIX ROBERT MILLIGAN McLANE
To gol donions are necessary for a proper classifi - oboist Vaskul's governors Tu the first of these are cantora. i @www chief magistrates whose public services A w von gere their political activities more than a strictly Vol Aspect. The second division takes in such execu- Aves as have at some time in their public careers exerted un landenes upon national affairs. These men may have arved in congress, or they may have exercised their talents for the nation's good in other channels-in the cabinet Hàvally, there is a third clair --- the men 1 woity of beiny lurdy very
Bile dirigida there o po ms- an derring of inclusion
ilbert Mer ruc U. como born in Wilmington Del., on fire antalg. 1Om Ather. Louis McLane, had been inquindy and greatly honored by the state of Delaware in tin ierul government, but in 1837 he withdrew from porlike a When and come to Baltimore to assume the presi- dency 00 4 IHih and Ohio Railroad. Through his mater ! * , however, the state of Maryland has greater cie de Ouvemci McLane than that acquired by this chan leiderre, for Mrs. Louis MLLane, who before her hall benn Mis Catherine Mary Milli-
gan, was a bo .. (. Coil county, Maryland. The initial
COPYRIGHT, 1908, BY H. E. BUCHHOLZ.
229
ROBERT MILLIGAN McLANE
schooling of young McLane was acquired under the tutor- age of John Bullock, a Quaker who conducted an academy in Wilmington. Mr. McLane continued at this institution until 1827, when he entered St. Mary's College, Baltimore. Two years later Mr. McLane, Sr., was appointed United States minister at the Court of St. James, and his son accompanied him abroad, although he separated from his father and went to Paris, where he pursued his studies at the College Bourbon. The McLanes remained in Europe until 1831, when the elder McLane was called back to America to accept the treasury portfolio under President Jackson. At the same time his son was appointed by the president to a cadetship at the United States Military Academy, from which institution he was graduated in 1837.
Upon leaving West Point Mr. McLane was commissioned second lieutenant in the First Artillery, and went to Florida, where he saw service under General Jessup. In the follow- ing year he was placed in the army commanded by General Scott, and took part in the Cherokee campaign. In the latter part of the year 1838, however, Mr. McLane was trans- ferred to the newly organized corps of topographical en- gineers. The secretary of war, in January, 1841, com- missioned Lieutenant McLane and a fellow-officer to go to Holland and Italy to examine officially the dykes and drain- age, respectively, of these two countries and to make a detailed report on them to the government. During this expedition Mr. McLane entered into a matrimonial alliance. The bride was Miss Georgine Urquhart, daughter of David Urquhart, a merchant of Louisiana, and the marriage was solemnized in Paris on August 2, 1841. This change in the domestic life of the officer unquestionably proved the final incentive to his breaking away from a profession for which his affection had waned somewhat in the years immediately preceding his marriage, Mr. McLane had
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.