USA > Maryland > Baltimore County > Baltimore City > History of Baltimore, Maryland, from its founding as a town to the current year, 1729-1898, including its early settlement and development; a description of its historic and interesting localities; political, military, civil, and religious statistcs; biographies of representative citizens, etc., etc > 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 | Part 26 | Part 27 | Part 28 | Part 29 | Part 30 | Part 31 | Part 32 | Part 33 | Part 34 | Part 35 | Part 36 | Part 37 | Part 38 | Part 39 | Part 40 | Part 41 | Part 42 | Part 43 | Part 44 | Part 45 | Part 46 | Part 47 | Part 48 | Part 49 | Part 50 | Part 51 | Part 52 | Part 53 | Part 54 | Part 55 | Part 56 | Part 57 | Part 58 | Part 59 | Part 60 | Part 61 | Part 62 | Part 63 | Part 64 | Part 65 | Part 66 | Part 67 | Part 68 | Part 69 | Part 70 | Part 71 | Part 72 | Part 73 | Part 74 | Part 75 | Part 76 | Part 77 | Part 78 | Part 79 | Part 80 | Part 81 | Part 82 | Part 83 | Part 84 | Part 85 | Part 86 | Part 87 | Part 88 | Part 89 | Part 90 | Part 91 | Part 92 | Part 93 | Part 94 | Part 95 | Part 96 | Part 97 | Part 98 | Part 99 | Part 100 | Part 101 | Part 102 | Part 103 | Part 104 | Part 105 | Part 106 | Part 107 | Part 108 | Part 109 | Part 110 | Part 111 | Part 112 | Part 113 | Part 114 | Part 115 | Part 116 | Part 117 | Part 118 | Part 119 | Part 120 | Part 121 | Part 122 | Part 123 | Part 124 | Part 125 | Part 126 | Part 127 | Part 128 | Part 129 | Part 130 | Part 131
When Canton was reached, the nomina- tions were ratified. Daniel Webster was the lion of the meeting and cheered to the echo. Berrier, Thomas Ewing, John J. Crittenden, Metcalf Reynolds, George Evans, of Maine; Reverdy Johnson,
96
HISTORY OF BALTIMORE, MARYLAND.
Thomas Yates Walsh, of Baltimore, and Clayton Botts; each in his turn was re- warded with the greatest gift an audience can bestow upon those who inspire it- .spontaneous applause.
May the 27th the Democratic National Convention assembled in the city. The ses- sions were held in the Odd Fellows' Hall on Gay street. James K. Polk, of Tennes- see, was its nominee for President. Silas Wright was selected for the second place on the ticket, which honor he declined with thanks, and in doing so refused the Vice- Presidency. Mr. Wright was replaced by George N. Dallas, of Pennsylvania.
The 27th of May, at Calvert Hall, a hand- ful of Tylerites, whose chief had been ig- nored by the Whigs, whom he had aban- doned, and by the Democrats who needed far more available material than existed in Tyler's construction, nominated that states- man for re-election. He does not appear to have been a factor in the ensuing con- test, as this one act was his appearance and exit.
The State Whig Committee was unusu- ally strong during this Presidential contest. Among those composing it were the follow- ing Baltimoreans: William Schley, George R. Richardson, Samuel H. Taggart, Thomas Yates Walsh, William H. Gat- chell, John P. Kennedy and others, who were perhaps not so well known, but were of the highest standing in the community where they resided. The committee issued an address July 3, 1844, to the voters of the State, in which they said: "The accumulated confidence of our countrymen with the un- wavering steadiness, the calm courage, the indomitable perseverance with which the great Whig party of the Union has stood to
its principles, under the extraordinary vicis- situdes which it has been doomed to en- counter, is a proud heritage. The occur- rences in the career of the Nation through which the Democracy have piloted us is humiliating history. The offspring of Ty- lerism, it bears the mark of its paternity throughout, nor are its features mended by the new squint thrown into them by the in- fusion of Calhoun nullification." The threat of disunion was asserted to be held out to enforce the preponderance of a new issue. Mr. Polk was declared to be "a fit representative of the movement of imme- diate annexation." He was also arraigned and identified as a supporter of Mr. Cal- houn in opposing the protection system, and the policy of distributing among the States the proceeds of public land sales. The question of the annexation of Texas was deplored as a bad precedent to be hurled into a political canvas. The commit- tee charged that their opponents "had sought to turn to party purposes and action unfortunate occurrences in Philadelphia and other places, where differences arose between native born and naturalized citi- zens, mingled more or less with differences of religious opinions and observances. It may be sufficient to say that with these things we have nothing to do. They do not belong to the sphere of political contro- versies. The rights which the Constitution guarantees to naturalized citizens we would guard as sacredly as those which are the birth-right of the native born citizen; and as for the undisturbed enjoyment of re- ligious belief, it is hardly to be expected that anything would be countenanced in Maryland that would infringe upon this holy right of conscience."
97
HISTORY OF BALTIMORE, MARYLAND.
The address discussed the policy of the Whig party; its protective system and sound tariff for revenue, "adequate to sup- ply the Treasury abundantly with money," and also the purpose of the party "to sus- tain the interest of domestic labor against the sinuous competition of pauper labor from abroad."
On the subject of the National currency the address was equally explicit, declaring "that the Government should have the con- trol over it to such an extent as the sound- ness and safeness of the public convenience demand."
At the November elcction, Mr. Clay re- ceived in the city of Baltimore 8,413 votes, and Mr. Polk had 8,887 votes. Pratt, Whig, for Governor, received 7,968 votes, and Carrol, Democrat, 9,190. James O. Law, Whig, for Mayor, polled 7,971 votes, and John G. Davis, Democrat, 8,468, at the previous election in October.
The dawn of a movement was nearing which was to diversify American politics by a novelty unrivaled and unprecedented.
The American party had existence in Baltimore as early as November 5th, 1844. The Baltimore "Clipper" announced that it intended to support the principles of the American, Republican or native American party.
1845.
May the 5th a city convention of Na- tional Americans was held. May 13th an address to the public was issued. The ob- ject of the party was set forth to be the correction of prevailing abuses; the extirpa- tion of foreign influence in American af- fairs; the prevention of fraud and America for Americans.
The 29th of August the American party
nominated its first ticket in Baltimore. Its nominees were: For Congress, Fourth Congressional District, a Mr. Duncan; for the House of Delegates, David Taylor, Joseph Breck, John C. Holland, David Parr and Josiah Balderston. The Ameri- can candidate for Congress received 1,147 votes; John P. Kennedy, the Whig candi- date, had 4,962 votes, and William Fell Giles, the Democratic candidate, was the recipient of 5,804 votes. Had Mr. Ken- nedy received Mr. Duncan's vote, he would have been elected over Mr. Giles by 395 majority. Probably hc could not have ob- tained it, as the American party was com- posed of both former Whigs and Demo- crats.
In the city a Temperance ticket was nominated for the lower House of the General Assembly. At the election it re- ceived 212 votes. On the general result in the city, the Democrats elected their Con- gressman, the sheriff and the delegates. At the election held under the management of wards there were from twelve to twenty councilmen in consequence of increased population. The Democrats returned seventeen out of the twenty members com- posing the First Branch, and nine of the ten in the upper branch.
1846.
At the election held on the 17th day of October, 1846, one of the issues before the people was the question of holding the ses- sions of the Legislature biennially. Balti- more gave a majority of 694 against the in- novation. The State secured the adoption of the measure by registering a majority in its favor of 4,655 votes.
The Whigs scored a triumph in the city,
98
HISTORY OF BALTIMORE, MARYLAND.
securing both branches of the Legislature. Charles M. Keyser, Whig, for Senator, ob- tained over Joshua Vansant, Democrat, a majority of one vote, out of a total of 14,- 871. A subsequent recount increased his majority to three votes.
Col. Jacob G. Davis, Democrat for Mayor, was elected over Aaron R. Lever- ing, Whig, by 106 votes.
1847.
In 1847, Philip Francis Thomas, Demo- crat, was elected Governor; his majority in Baltimore City over his Whig opponent, William T. Goldsborough, was 1,566. Goldsborough, although supported by the Whigs, declined to acknowledge his alle- giance to that party. He was clearly an independent, disclaiming all party attach- ments, and appearing before the people without one-sided political opinions. In the Congressional contest McLean, Demo- crat, received 7,649 votes, and John P. Ken- nedy, Whig, 7,108 votes.
1848.
A State Convention of the friends of Gen. Zachary Taylor, presided over by Alexan- der Randall, was held in Baltimore April 26, 1848, in the Law Building. The gen- tlemen composing it professed to have pre- viously belonged to both the leading par- ties. They were influential and many of them of intellectual caliber. This so-called State Convention "took time by the fore- lock," and without delay nominated their favorite for President.
This convention completely ignored tar- iff, finance, admission of Texas, war with Mexico and all other political questions, as no longer those of prominence. They is- sued a spirited address, ambitiously to the
people of the United States, in which they said: "The only remarkable thing that char- acterizes this movement of ours consists, we may presume, in this, viz: That we have met together in our representative capacity, as citizens, in the exercising of the rights of citizens without regard to party restrictions, and being of the opinion that Gen. Tay- lor is the only man who can unite the moderate men of all parties, and thus pre- pare the country for the severe ordeal through which our institutions may have to pass in the course of approaching events, we have chosen, without waiting for the permission of hasty conventions to act upon that conviction, and to unite our country- men, who may upon reflection adopt the same views and resolve to act in conjunc- tion with us." The convention was cer- tainly the first to nominate Gen. Taylor.
The National Convention of the Demo- cratic party, met in Baltimore in the Uni- versalist Church, May 22, 1848, and nomi- nated Gen. Lewis Cass for President and Gen. William O. Butler for Vice-President.
Gen. Samuel Houston, in the interval be- tween the temporary and permanent organ- ization of the Convention, was loudly called upon to make a speech. He finally com- plied and defended the constitutional right, the morality and justice of the war with Mexico. Andrew Stevenson, of Virginia, was selected president of the convention, which proceeded vigorously to business. Mr. Humphreys, of Maryland, had intro- duced a resolution which was under discus- sion, declaring that a majority of all the votes of the convention, as regulated by the electoral votes of the several States, should be sufficient to nominate candidates for the Presidency and Vice-Presidency, and that
99
HISTORY OF BALTIMORE, MARYLAND.
such nominations afterwards receive the unanimous votes of the convention, when a panic was created by a crashing noise in the left gallery. The auditors began to disperse in the midst of great confusion. Some per- sons in the gallery in their eagerness to es- cape climbed down the posts which sup- ported it. Those who were seated under- neath the gallery hastily vacated their seats. One person leaped to the floor below. The alarm, it was afterwards learned, was caused by the breaking of the back of a pew, al- though a few doubting Thomases main- tained that the gallery had settled two inches. What they said had its effect and the gallery was closed. The convention lasted five days and ended in a blaze of en- thusiasm. It was followed by the holding of a ratification meeting in the square, and the usual amount of campaign oratory.
The nominations of Gen. Taylor and Mil- lard Fillmore, made by the Whig National Convention, were received with delight in Baltimore. Tuesday evening, June 20th, a public meeting was held in Monument Square. Daniel Webster had promised to be present, but was prevented by indispo- sition and the advice of a physician to take care of himself. Hugh Burkhead presided. J. Morrison Harris and Robert W. Thomp- son, of Indiana, made the great speeches on the occasion.
The 28th of August presented a strange scene to the gaze of Baltimoreans. A Free Soil Convention met in Union Hall at noon. It was composed of twelve persons. There were no plaudits; no bands of music nor waving of flags. At I o'clock a tem- porary organization was effected, with Dr. John Rose in the chair and J. J. Wolcott and W. Lee secretaries. The declaration
of principles of the Free Soil party was read and several persons subscribed their names approvingly thereto. The convention then adjourned until 4 o'clock. When it reas- sembled thirty persons were in the room. It first proceeded to elect permanent of- ficers. David Gambril, of Frederick City, President; Dr. John Rose and Robert Gardner, of Baltimore City; Edmund H. Lewis, of Baltimore county, and George W. Buck, of Prince George's county, Vice- Presidents. The secretaries were J. E. Snodgrass, J. J. Wolcott and Edwin Thomas. A State Central Committee, con- sisting of Dr. John Rose, John N. Buck, Darius Thomas, T. H. F. Lanford, Robert Gardner, William Gunnison, E. B. Cun- ningham and William Shepherd, was form- ed. Mr. Clayton, of Easton, Va., in his speech made an attack on slavery. Elec- tors-at-large were named. They were David Gamble, of Frederick; Dr. R. F. Allen, of Kent county, and J. Hampton Williams, of Baltimore City. All other electors were to be announced by the State Central Committee.
The Whig State Central Committee, all of whom, as usual, were Baltimoreans, had among others composing it during the year the names of Isaac Nevitt Steel, Thomas Swann, Isaac Monroe, J. P. Kennedy, Trueman Cross, Stephen Collins, George Brown, J. H. Duvall, George E. Sangston, O. C. Tiffaney, John Pickell, William Chestnut and J. Morrison Harris.
November 2, 1848, they issued an address from which the following is extracted: "You have been told that General Taylor is a mere military chieftan without the requi- site capacity or experience for the exalted station to which the people would desire to
100
HISTORY OF BALTIMORE, MARYLAND.
elevate him. It is true that his life has been spent in the active service of the camp. He has grown grey in the faithful performance of duties which no man could have dis- charged with more ability than himself. But who has witnessed his past career, bril- liant and successful as it has been, who would hesitate to place himself under the guidance of such a leader. During the long life of varied and reasonable public duty an honest man has yet to appear who would detract from the spotless purity of his name."
The result of the election in Baltimore City was, that Taylor received 10,406 votes; Cass, 10,990 votes, and Van Buren (the Free Soil candidate) 71 votes. In the four years' growth of population since the Presidential election of 1844, neither party increased its vote to any appreciable ex- tent to the disadvantage of the other.
1849.
At the State election, held in the fall of 1849, in several of the counties of the State, the Whigs and Democrats united their forces under the name of Reform. In Bal- timore both parties were pledged to a new State Constitution. The Democrats elected their ticket by an average majority of 2, 118 for the House of Delegates. There was also an election for members of Congress this year, held Tuesday, October 4th. In the Fourth District Robert M. McLane was the Democratic candidate, he received 7,276 votes, which elected him over John R. Ken- ly, who polled 6,326 votes.
In the Third District, composed of the 16th to the 20th wards and Baltimore, Howard and Carroll counties, Edward Hammond, the Democratic candidate re-
ceived over Mr. Grey a majority in Balti- more City of 1,056 votes.
The Court House clique was active at this juncture. It was a junta of leading lawyers who confederated to control the policy of the Whig party, and to shape its ends for usefulness.
1850.
At the election in Baltimore for Governor in 1850, Enock Lewis Low, Democratic candidate, received a majority of 2,759 votes, and John H. T. Jerome, Whig candi- date for Mayor, had a majority over Ma- bury Turner of 777 votes.
It was the practice of both parties to "coop" voters and supply them with whiskey and conduct them from polling booth to polling booth and vote them as often as convenient to do so. It was the practice of those having charge of the alms- house to permit the inmates to be conduct- ed to the "coop" and incarcerated in readi- ness for their itinerary on election day. The Democrats usually had the advantage of the almshouse vote. One poor unfortunate about this period died in the "coop;" un- daunted by the presence of a lifeless body the keepers of the place took his remains to a medical dissecting room and there sold it for five dollars and used the proceeds in rum for courage and solace on election day.
1850.
At. the election held in 1850, the man- agers advanced a step further; they "cooped," as previously, and kidnapped as well. This was done by capturing their op- ponents and imprisoning them in some se- cure place and keeping them there until the polls were closed: Some of the most promi- nent citizens of the town were subjected to
101
HISTORY OF BALTIMORE, MARYLAND.
such an indignity and afterwards laughed at for their misadventure. The Mayor of the city had a hairbreadth escape. The "coop- ers" sought to capture him on the day of the election prior to his voting, and only the fleetfootedness of his horse enabled him to escape their clutches.
185I.
The new State Constitution was adopted on June 4th, and Baltimore City was di- vorced from Baltimore county, and its legislative representation increased to ten delegates.
The Congressional campaign was a lively one in the fall of this year. Thomas Yates Walsh, Whig, received in the Fourth Dis- trict 6,683 votes, defeating William Pinkney Whyte, who received 6,454 votes.
In the Third District Lynch, Independ- ent, had in the city wards 1,333 votes, and Hammond, Democrat, 2,210 votes.
1852.
The National Democratic Convention as- sembled in the Maryland Institute in Balti- more, June 1, 1852, to nominate candidates for President and Vice-President. Its ses- sions were intensely exciting. Congress adjourned to enable Senators and represen- tatives to leave their seats in the National counsels and be present at the deliberations of the convention. The city was filled with the strong men of the Democratic faith not members of the convention, but present for consultation.
On the third day the convention com- menced balloting for a nominee for Presi- dent, and forty-nine ballots were taken, when Gen. Franklin Pierce, who had seen service in Mexico, was nominated. William
R. King, of Alabama, received the nomina- tion for Vice-President.
June 16th the Whig National Convention assembled in the Maryland Institute, and on the fifty-third ballot nominated Gen. Winfield Scott for President, and William A. Graham, of North Carolina, for Vice- President.
The evening of the 30th of June, a mon- ster meeting of the Whigs was held in Mon- ument Square. The Mayor presided with a list of Vice-Presidents headed by Thomas Yates Walsh. They were there to ratify the nomination of Scott and Graham. Twenty thousand persons attested by their presence their enthusiasm for their candi- dates. Numbers at a mass meeting were not conclusive factors as subsequent events demonstrated.
The 29th of August, 1845, the Native American party placed its first ticket be- fore the public. Scott was the last of the Whig candidates for the Presidency. Clay and Webster, its illustrious leaders, were dead before another nominating convention took place and Whiggery died with them. The Whig organization was a patriotic cir- cumstance of the past, worthy of the regrets and the tears that were shed over its fate. The Democratic party was the gainer by its dissolution. Reverdy Johnson, J. Nevit Steel, Severn Teackle Wallis, Thomas Yates Walsh, Charles H. Pitts, Richard D. Merrick, William H. Gatchel and many other Baltimoreans, whose names adorned the city's history, passed over into active membership of the Democratic party.
Throughout the years of the Whig party's existence in Maryland, it was composed of a membership not hostile to slayery, but dis- posed to yield the olive branch to the Dem-
102
HISTORY OF BALTIMORE, MARYLAND.
ocracy; the sensitive champions of the right to hold in chains the colored man. The defenders of the "peculiar institution" charged the Whigs with being in league with the abolitionists and all their cam- paigns were vocal with such assertions. The agitation of the slavery question en- tered into every Congressional election and continued to do so until the hour when the clock of destiny sounded its doom.
1852.
In the afternoon of July 26th, a conven- tion of the free colored people of the State met at Washington Hall, on Ploughman street. Its object was to consider the con- dition of the free colored people and to ad- vance the improvement of their race status. James A. Handy was temporary chairman and James H. Walker temporary secretary. Disorder prevailed, caused by the action of many delegates who opposed the call, fear- ing hostility to their race would result in consequence. The auditors were out of har- mony with the managers, and when some dissenting delegates asked permission to withdraw, they applauded with shouts of "That's right." It was reported that the Colonization Society had suggested to the convention to aid its scheme of sending im- migrants to Liberia. This rumor caused the withdrawal of several delegates who left the convention. John H. Walker secured the floor and held it for one-half hour, dur- ing which time he emphatically denied the accusation. He declared the convention was held to inquire into the most feasible plan for improving the actual and intellect- ual condition of the colored race. If it was found this could not be effected on Mary- land soil, then the enquiries would be ex-
tended to those counties to which the col- ored people were advised to immigrate, and inducements for such immigration would be examined and reported to the people. If, then, they saw fit to leave their homes and repair to those distant lands they could do so with a certain knowledge what would be their condition on reaching there.
Order was out of the question, and a riot seemed imminent. A dozen delegates were speaking at the same time. Rev. Darius Stokes, pastor of a Baltimore colored con- gregation, was saved from the clutches of the mob; ten or twelve of its ringleaders were arrested and then the convention to prevent further disorder adjourned for the day.
The 27th, it resumed its labors with Wil- liam Tasky permanent president. The morning session was consumed in discuss- ing the advisability of charging an admit- tance fee, but the proposition was dropped. A committee was selected on a platform of principles adopted, whereupon the conven- tion adjourned until 2 o'clock. When the convention reassembled a preamble accom- panied by a series of resolutions was before it for discussion. The resolutions were dis- cussed singly and two of them adopted; all the other resolutions with the preamble were laid on the table. Progress was re- ported and the convention adjourned.
The 28th, the third day of the conven- tion, dawned. It met and recommended to the committee on a platform that they re- port a resolution in favor of immigration to Liberia. A discussion was precipitated; there were those of the opinion that such an expression as the voice of the convention would have a salutary influence on the col- ored people, and after investigation, incline
103
HISTORY OF BALTIMORE, MARYLAND.
them favorably to a new home in a foreign clime. And there were others who were not in sympathy with this view; they be- lieved such a position would be demoraliz .- ing. Several of the speeches showed talent, research and a familiarity with the subject.
The motion was laid upon the table and the following preamble and resolutions of- fered by John H. Walker as a substitute and as the platform were adopted with but a single negative vote.
WHEREAS, The present age is one emi- nently distinguished for enquiry, investiga- tion, enterprise and improvement in physi- cal, political, intellectual and moral sciences, and
WHEREAS, Among our white neighbors every exertion is continually being made to improve their social and moral condi- tion, and develop their intellectual facul- ties, and
WHEREAS, It is a duty which mankind (colored as well as white) owe to themselves and their Creator to embrace every oppor- tunity for the accomplishment of this men- tal culture and intellectual development and general social improvement; and
WHEREAS, We, the free colored people of the State of Maryland, are conscious that we have made little or no progress in im- provement during the past twenty years, but are now sunken into a condition of so- cial degradation which is truly deplorable, and the continuing to live in which we can- not but view it as a crime and transgres- sion against our God, ourselves and our posterity; and
WHEREAS, We believe a crisis in our his- tory has arrived when we may choose for ourselves degradation, misery and wretcli- edness on the one hand, or happiness,
honor and enlightenment on the other, merely by pursuing one of two paths which are now laid before us for consideration and choice; may we not, therefore, hope that our people will awaken from their lethargic slumbers and seek for themselves that fu- ture course of conduct that will elevate them from their present position and place them on an equality with the other more ad- vanced races of mankind. May we not hope that they will consider seriously the self-evident proposition that all men are created equal, and endowed by the Creator with the same privilege of exerting them- selves for their own and each other's bene- fit; and
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.