History of Penobscot County, Maine; with illustrations and biographical sketches, Part 157

Author: Williams, Chase & Co., Cleveland (Ohio)
Publication date: 1882
Publisher: Cleveland, Williams, Chase & Co.
Number of Pages: 1100

USA > Maine > Penobscot County > History of Penobscot County, Maine; with illustrations and biographical sketches > Part 157

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).

To furnish pitchforks for our stable, Cheerly man O, O, cheerly man O.

5. His fame through all the country soundeth, . Cheerly O, O, cheerly O,

From one to five miles it reboundeth, Merrily O, O, merrily O,

6. Prove he's the man of your appointment, Cheerly O, O, cheerly O, And he'll drop the trade of making ointment; Merrily O, O, merrily O.

"Bangor" was of opinion that the electors of the dis- trict should give their "suffrages to the firm and decided friends of the National Administration," whatever their preliminaries in politics might have been. Samuel But- man, an old Republican, had been nominated for Sen- ator, and Jacob McGaw, an old Federalist, had been nominated for Representative to Congress, and were the friends of the Administration; therefore they should be elected.

A somewhat obscure writer intimates that it is under- stood by some "that the Hon. S. H., the inventor of the celebrated Cutaneous Liniment, and the favorite of Vul- can and Esculapius, is about to journey through a neigh- boring county for the benefit of health, and to eradicate the diseases of others, especially of the Scotch species. But those who see deeper into a millstone, whisper that the journey is, in truth, of a political nature."

A county convention in Somerset, which was exclu- sively Republican, did not concur in the nomination of Mr. McGaw.

A candidate to represent the district in Congress was advertised for, who "must be a man of honesty, integrity, firmness, independence, and a tolerable share of modesty, good common sense, and a good common-school educa- tion. But none having a diploma of law, physics, or divinity, need apply."

"A Citizen" deprecated the action of the Somerset convention. He was of opinion that if they had re- flected on the changes in the Government and in the two great parties in the last ten years, "their partiality to the present administration would have prevented their making any invidious distinction between Federalist and Republican."

"A Backwoodsman," in reply to "A Republican of '76," says: "Well, after the general notice, if Republi- cans enough could not be found to form a convention, or righteous persons enough to save the city from fire and brimstone, what can we do? Why, do as well as we can; and choose enough out of the second best to hold a convention, and save the city in that way." This was done; no unfairness was practiced.

"A Revolutionary Soldier" comes out in a tirade against Crawfordism and the evil it has done, and favors the election of Mr. McGaw, as a man "of fair character, a firm friend of the administration, capable and honest." "But it seems he has a competitor in the famous W. D. Williamson, of office-seeking memory; for a specimen of whose talents I refer you to his speech on the late Presi- dent Adams's bust, and his speech in Congress on cir- cumcision."

629

HISTORY OF PENOBSCOT COUNTY, MAINE.

"Fair Play" says he is neither a friend nor an enemy of Mr. Williamson, but rather an "amicas curicane-a kind of go-between, whose business it is to prove that both sides are altogether in the wrong, and neither of them at all to blame." After a scathing review of Mr. Williamson's course in the canvass, he concludes: "I appeal to the candor of his opponents to say whether, placed in precisely the situation of Mr. W., they would have man aged better then he has done."

"A Republican of 1815" is astonished at the "abuse and obloquy poured out upon the character of Judge Williamson." If his reputation is thus to " be aspersed with impunity, there is no character so pure as not to be polluted by the breath of slander." He enumerates the offices he has held with honor; how he has been the friend of the people, while other lawyers were opposing them, cursing their politics, and calling them a "swinish multitude."

"Brewer" inquires: "What are Mr. McGaw's claims? Whatever opinions we may entertain concerning him as a citizen or as a lawyer, we must award him the sentence of all antecedent time, that he is not a man of the peo- ple-that he does not possess those qualifications requi- site to public employment."

"Arator :" "Mr. McGaw is as bitter a Federalist as he was in the time of the embargo and war. Mr. William- son, though he professes to be a Republican, has neither talent nor energy sufficient to represent the Re- publicans." He then enlarges on the excellencies of Jonathan Farrar as a candidate. Full confidence might be had in him.

"An Elector" is of opinion that if there was truth in half that had been said against Mr. Williamson and Mr. McGaw, both ought to be set aside and David Perham elected, against whom nothing could be objected.

"Bangor" is strongly laudatory of "Hon. Simon Har- riman," whose "undoubted talents, strict integrity, and undeviating principles" had long since marked him as the man whom the people delighted to honor. . He stood alone on his own naked merits, and if his friends did their duty he would receive a vote worthy of his inde- pendence of character and integrity and soundness of judgment.

"Castigator" criticises "Candor," etc., says that he shall leave Mr. Williamson to the full enjoyment of their panegyrics, as he found that under the castigation he had administered even his opposers pitied him, and bade that gentleman take his chance at the polls, as he should raise no more sympathies in his favor.

The reader will gather from the foregoing abstracts the manner in which a political campaign was conducted in Penobscot about half a century ago. The candidates nominated by conventions and by individuals were re- spectable men. It is not to be supposed that any body of men or any man would be so stupid as to nominate'a person who was not of average respectability-unless, peradventure, he should nominate himself-with the ex- pectation of procuring for him a decent support. But it mattered not who were the candidates; when one ob- tained sufficient prominence he was pursued by the

friends of the others with a bitterness that would be hardly excusable in savages. Like death they pursued the shining mark; no matter how sensitive the subject or how pure his life, if there was the least flaw in the armor of his character it was found and pierced, and reamed and rasped, until it would seem to be the most rickety, unsubstantial character in existence.

The effect of all this miserable discussion with the electors in the district will be gathered from the vote. Mr. McGaw, the regular nominee of the district, received 1, 162 votes; Mr. Williamson, the irregular nominee, re- ceived 1,427. Of the nominees of individuals, Mr. Far- rar received 169; Judge Perham, 117 ; General Herrick, 92; Daniel Wilkins, 46; Benjamin Nourse, 29; and "Major" Harriman, who nominated himself, 211; scat- tering, 54. Necessary to choice 1,669. The vote of Bangor was 112 for McGaw; 33 for Williamson; 33 for Harriman; 18 scattering.

The meeting for the choice of Representative was held on the 11th of September. A week afterwards Mr. Wil- liamson attempted to close the office of the Register by attaching the printing materials, in a suit on a demand of $281 which he had held against Mr. Burton for several years, and which Mr. Burton said his creditors had assured him should not be pressed to cause him dis- tress. This act embittered Mr. Williamson's enemies more than ever against him, and caused his friends much regret. Whether he deserved it or not, he was thought to be actuated by feelings of revenge. He may have ob- tained payment of the debt from the friends of Messrs. Burton & Carter, who would not have the paper dis- continued; but he lost much of that sympathy which the virulent attack upon him had awakened in the bosoms of many of his supporters.

The candidates for Representative to the Legislature were David J. Burt, Thomas A. Hill, and William Neil. There was no choice. Joseph Treat was afterwards brought into the field, but after the third balloting, Major Bent was elected.

At this period goods came to Bangor by sailing vessels. It was considered " dispatch " when a gentleman went from Bangor to Boston, selected $3,000 worth of various kinds of goods, shipped them on board a sailing vessel, in which he took passage, and had the goods opened and marked, and was selling them in Bangor in just one week after he left the town to purchase the goods .*

On the 28th of August the slide in the Notch of the White Mountains occurred, which destroyed the Willey family. The report of this calamity created a profound sensation.

On the 24th the steam-packet New York, which had some time before visited Bangor, was burnt near Petit Menan Island on her passage from Boston to Eastport.

General Irish, the Land Agent, offered for sale at Jacob Chick's inn, on September 21st., the west half of Township No. 3, Third Range ; Nos. 1 and 3, Fourth Range; Nos. 1, 2, 3, A, and Tract Z, Sixth Range; I and 3, Seventh Range, by Norris & McMillan's plan, and tract E, of Third Range, north of the Mattawamkeag and

*Rufus Dwinel.

630

HISTORY OF PENOBSCOT COUNTY, MAINE.

south of the Monument line. As no minimum price was fixed and a third of the purchase money was required down, only one tract of twenty-one acres was struck off. The ability of such as wanted to buy was too limited for so large purchases.

Mr. Reuben Bartlett, of Garland, thought the occa- sion required that he should publicly inform the gentle- men who convened at Garland to ascertain the state of the vote in that Representative class, on the 13th of September, that he did not intend to slight Esquire Wheeler (they not being personally unfriendly) in not extending a special invitation to him to drink, because he did not vote for him-a matter for which he did not care, as every one had the right to vote as he pleased- when he included him in the general invitation. There were some diffident persons to whom he spoke particu- larly, without intending to slight any. He added, for the benefit of those who had misrepresented his religious principles, that he believed in a -just God who would, " most assuredly, chastise vile calumniators."

In October the circus, with its "ground and lofty tumbling," Shetland pony, hunted tailor, etc., ex- hibited at Hutchins's hotel to the great delectation of the grown and small boys.

On October 12 the "Debating Society" assembled at the office of Edward Kent, and discussed the question whether "it was commendable in a candidate for office to be active in promoting his own election."

The Stillwater bridge in Orono was completed this month. In the Report to Congress of the Board of En- gineers for the Defense of the Seaboard, the Penobscot Bay was stated to be an important part of the coast. "Upon this bay," it says, "and upon the river of the same name flowing into it, are situated several flourish- ing towns and villages. Of the many bays which inter- sect this coast, the Penobscot is the one which presents the greatest number of safe and extensive anchorages; their number, indeed, is such as to render it inexpedient to attempt, under present circumstances, the defense of them. . . It is necessary, however, to protect the valuable commerce of the bay and river, and to afford a secure retreat for such vessels as, endangered by an enemy, may be enabled to place themselves under the protection of the works to the right or left of the bay. The lowest point at which the object can be accomplished, without great expense, is at the narrows of the river op- posite Bucksport, and the Board have accordingly presented a project for a fort at that position, accom- panied by a memoir and estimate; the expense is es- timated at $101,000."

Thirty-two vessels were in port on the twenty-third day of November.

The Penobscot Boom Corporation was organized this year. Messrs. Fiske & Bridge, of Boston, erected this year two double saw-mills in Milford, at the foot of Old- town Falls. They also erected a dam across the main channel of the Penobscot, having a sluice, sixty feet wide, for the passage of rafts. But the sluice was of no value, and the dam was thought by many to be a nui- sance, as persons having lumber above could not get it

over the Falls as they could before the dam was built. There was great dissatisfaction, when the proprietors al- tered the sluice, and the lumber public was accom- modated.

The 18th of December having been appointed for a new trial for a Representative to Congress, "Elector " nominated Samuel Call as a candidate. "Penobscot" had no hesitation in saying that Jacob McGaw's qualifi- cations entitled him to the entire confidence of the elec- tors. Another "Penobscot" thought poorly of Mr. Williamson, better of Mr. McGaw, but Samuel Call was preferable to either. "Kenduskeag" also was pleased with the nomination of Mr. Call, and was severe upon the lawyers.

"Philo" was of opinion that, as the subjects of the Northeastern boundary, our claims for indemnification for trespasses on our timber lands, the navigation of our waters, the defense of the country, a military road from the head of our tide-waters to the St. John River, a col- lection district for the county of Penobscot, the interrup- tion of our fisheries, the capture of our vessels by the British ship Dotterell, were pending before Congress, we ought to have a gentleman there to protect our rights "of paramount natural and acquired accomplishments," and he wished to know of the gentlemen who had made the new nomination "how many of these paramount qualifi- cations their candidate was supposed to possess." He thought, as it had been suggested that Judge Williamson had withdrawn, and the people of the county were so in- different in regard to a candidate, there would be no election at the next trial.

"An Elector" nominated John Wilkins as preferable to the other candidates.

"Justitia" says in regard to Mr. Wilkins: "The ambi- tion of filling a public office, no matter how unsuitable our talents or incompetent our powers to discharge the duties of it, has become proverbial. Give a man a taste of public life and he hungers and thirsts eternally. The persons who had nominated Mr. Wilkins had been for a year circulating reports detrimental to him, and now had signed a circular recommending him for office. There is something so abhorrent to good sense and propriety in this as to excite in every breast emotions of indigna- tion."

At a meeting of Democratic Republicans of Bangor and neighboring towns, on November 23, Joshua Cham- berlain Chairman, and Peleg Chandler Secretary, "inas- much as Mr. Williamson declined to be considered a candidate for Representative to Congress," John Wilkins was recommended.

"Philo Justitia," in a long, wordy article, in which he made some flings at Mr. Williamson and Mr. McGaw, thought the private caucus that nominated Mr. Wilkins was composed of "treacherous friends and open ene- mies."

"Justitia " comes out against McGaw and Wilkins, and squarely for Call as the most suitable and best qualified of either of the candidates.

Mr. McGaw-a lawyer who confined himself to his profession and generally had little to do with politics-

------ - - --- ---

631

HISTORY OF PENOBSCOT COUNTY, MAINE.

had been brought forward by his friends, who knew his genial and kindly qualities, but who were not intimate enough with him to understand the sensitiveness of his na- ture. There was one mean calumniator, however, who did understand that, and he did not hesitate to use his knowledge to get so formidable an antagonist out of the way of his candidate. He was probably one of those who marched with such courageous celerity from Hamp- den in September, 1814. He called himself "Scrutator," and produced from the town records the copy of a peti- tion, of the contents of which he knew that Mr. McGaw knew nothing when it was signed, and had remained ineffectual afterwards ; accompanied by an ac- cusation which in the morbid condition of the public mind at the time he had reason to believe must operate injuriously to him, false and malicious as it was. The petition was this :

To the Selectmen of Bangor : Whereas we, the subscribers, have witnessed and felt, with deep sensibility and concern, the inroads and breaches made upon the Constitution of the United States and laws, too grievous to be borne, made by those whose duty it is to govern the Union with honest moderation and profitable justice; and whereas, after waiting seven years, with a hope that the evils we have felt from the General Government would come to an end, and seen the vanity of supplicating them for relief-we despair, and rest our hope only on the Government of Massachusetts, to which we naturally owe allegiance.

We feel desirous that the people of the town of Bangor should assem- ble in town meeting for the purpose of memorializing the Legislature of the State on the subject of the iniquitous, oppressive, and unconstitu- tional laws passed by Congress, and praying them to adopt measures to relieve us against their operation. Wherefore we request you to issue your warrant, whereby the inhabitants of the town of Bangor may be notified to meet on Monday next, at two of the clock in the afternoon, at such place as you may think proper to appoint, to act on the following proposition : To memorialize in the form of petition, res- olution, or otherwise, the General Court of the Commonwealth of Mas- sachusetts, expressing to them the views of said inhabitants in respect to the Administration of the Government of the United States, and re- questing them to take measures, such as in their wisdom shall seem best, to afford said inhabitants, and the other citizens of the Common- wealth, relief from the operation of some of the unnecessary and in- iquitous laws passed by the Congress of the United States.

Bangor, February 15, 1814.

"The above petition was signed by nine persons, among whom were Jacob McGaw and some of his most strenuous supporters."

This malignant and unscrupulous writer then charges Mr. McGaw with friendship for the enemy in this man- ner: "When the English were in Bangor in 1814, Barry, the English commander, ordered the inhabitants to as- semble at the Court-house and sign a parole not to serve against the English during the war. The inhabitants of the town paid little or no attention to the demand. Bar- ry, disappointed at not seeing them, was apparently in a great rage. This Mr. McGaw, who was near, says to him [these are the very words], 'Commodore, we have no music by which to collect them ; if you will furnish me with a drummer and fifer, I will go round and bring them in.' Barry ordered out a drummer and fifer, and Mc- Gaw marched through the village at their head, and col- lected some who took the oath. This he did with an unblushing countenance and elastic step, as if he gloried in his shame. And is this volunteer lacquey of a British commander, and he such a brute as Barry, to be our member of Congress ? Forbid it, Patriotism. Forbid it, Decency."

The facts were, with regard to the petition, that it was handed to Mr. McGaw for his signature by one in whom he had confidence, saying it was a request for a town meeting to consider the existing state of things; and he, being otherwise occupied, put his name to it without reading it. When the town-meeting assembled and the petition was read, Mr. McGaw moved that the meeting adjourn without action and without day, as has been stated elsewhere in these Annals. The subject-matter of the petition was thought not to be proper to be even de- bated, and it was not. As to the other allegation, Mr. McGaw "was ordered under guard by Barry for attempt- ing to procure the release of some of the citizens of Hampden, who were then imprisoned on board the enemy's vessels." He was active in rendering every as- sistance in his power to his fellow-citizens, and in so do- ing he was compelled to submit to many indignities. The citizens were all prisoners of war until the parole was signed, and the will of the conquerors was their law, except to do things dishonorable ; and of that Mr. Mc- Gaw would not be guilty.

"A Republican" sounds the trumpet for John Wilkinsas a man of undoubted integrity, sound judgment, extensive general and political information, a firm and undeviating Republican and supporter of John Quincy Adams.

A meeting of the friends of the Administration on November 30th, at which Joseph Carr presided, with James Crosby Secretary, dissented from the nomination of Mr. Wilkins as not a friend of the National Adminis- tration, and sustained the nomination of Mr. McGaw, as made by "a numerous and respectable convention of Re- publicans."

Whereupon William D. Williamson, William Emerson, Joshua Chamberlain, Isaac Jacobs, Isaac Hodsdon, James Tilton, Royal Clark, Wiggins Hill, Thomas Davee, and Joshua Carpenter, with fifteen gentlemen of Somerset, issued circulars in favor of Mr. Wilkins for Congress, as "the poor man's friend, the good man's companion."

A convention of delegates from eight towns, fearing that from the distracted state of the public mind upon the subject of a Representative to Congress, a person wholly unqualified would be elected, concluded that they would avoid the calamity by still further distracting the public mind by assembling at Hampden on December 9th and repudiating Mr. McGaw and nominating another candidate-Simeon Stetson, Esq.

Simon Harriman deprecated the course that had been pursued in regard to him. The law had pronounced some of the votes for him legal; others not, because of verbal errors in the votes, "conjured up by technical lawyers;" then, that it was said that his nomination was got up for sport, when it was no such thing, but a real, serious, honest nomination, and his intentions were "true, pure, and honorable," and that he was still a can- didate for the suffrages of the people.

"Somerset and Penobscot" urged the election of Jacob McGaw as having been nominated in the old Democratic way, and repudiated Mr. Wilkins as a Craw- fordite and a candidate of the friends of William H. Crawford.

632

HISTORY OF PENOBSCOT COUNTY, MAINE.

"Veritas " said that John Wilkins had been taken from that obscurity for which nature evidently designed him and forced into office, " in which he could neither do credit to himself nor reflect honor on the community;" therefore the electors should vote for the regular nominee of the convention, Jacob McGaw, who was the equal of Mr. Wilkins in integrity, and "in talents greatly superior, and certainly in no respect inferior to either of the op- posing candidates."

An anonymous writer thought Samuel Call the man who preserved "that intelligence which would make him respected everywhere ; that virtue which may be relied upon ; that moral and physical courage which will be proof against the sarcasm of a Randolph or the pistols of a McDuffie ;" that love of country, etc., which rendered him the fittest candidate for Congress.

This was the last shot fired before the meeting, which was held on the 18th. Mr. McGaw then received in Bangor 136 votes (doubtless "Scrutator's" attack helped him in Bangor), Mr. Call 33, Mr. Wilkins 32, Simon Harriman 17, scattering 15. Mr. Wilkins had the high- est number of votes in the district-1,300; Mr. McGaw received 993, all others 607. There was no choice. The 2d day of April was assigned for the third trial.

December 13, Benjamin Garland opened the Franklin House. It was a very pretty two-story dwelling, with the end on Harlow street, of red brick. The front was to- wards Franklin street, sheathed, and painted white. It had a hip-roof, and was at that time one of the hand- somest dwellings in town. Its dimensions have since been greatly enlarged.

Rev. S. L. Pomroy, Chairman of the Superintending School Committee, gave notice that the following-named books had been adopted for the public schools, viz: New York Primer, Marshall's Spelling Book, Beauties of the Bible, Historical Reader, American First Class Book, Fisk's Murray's Grammar, Cummings's Geography, and Colburn's Arithmetic and Sequel.

Among the business men this year whose' names have not been mentioned were John Roberts, Benjamin Nourse (books), Ford & Isaac S. Whitman, Thomas Furber, Elmore Parker, Philip H. & John J. Coombs, Rufus Dwinel, George W. Randall, Benjamin Haskell, Micajah Haskell, Charles B. Prescot, Thomas F. Hatch, Edward Hatch, William A. Hatch, Thomas Green, Hazen Mitchell, Samuel True, David Reynolds, Samuel L. Val- entine, Mark Trafton, John Bright, Nathaniel French, Dustan C. Quimby, Hosea Stodder, William Emerson, Jr., Fordyce Hills.

The old firm of Taylor & Brown (Abner Taylor and George W. Brown), which had been in existence a great many years in a two-story frame store at the right-hand corner of West Market Square approaching Kenduskeag Bridge, was dissolved this month.

With the winter came the muse of the season, and "Sleighing" was announced in these lines:

The bells are jingling-winter now, With his white livery clothes the ground, And o'er the glar'd, hard-trodden snow, The merry bells are ringing round.

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.

History of Penobscot County, Maine; with illustrations and biographical sketches, Part 157

Author: Williams, Chase & Co., Cleveland (Ohio) Publication date: 1882 Publisher: Cleveland, Williams, Chase & Co. Number of Pages: 1100

Author: Williams, Chase & Co., Cleveland (Ohio)
Publication date: 1882
Publisher: Cleveland, Williams, Chase & Co.
Number of Pages: 1100