USA > Michigan > Wayne County > Detroit > History of Detroit and Wayne County and early Michigan: A Chronological Cyclopedia of the Past and Present, Vol. I > Part 25
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 | Part 132 | Part 133 | Part 134 | Part 135 | Part 136 | Part 137 | Part 138 | Part 139 | Part 140 | Part 141 | Part 142 | Part 143 | Part 144 | Part 145 | Part 146 | Part 147 | Part 148 | Part 149 | Part 150 | Part 151 | Part 152 | Part 153 | Part 154 | Part 155 | Part 156 | Part 157 | Part 158 | Part 159 | Part 160 | Part 161 | Part 162 | Part 163 | Part 164 | Part 165 | Part 166 | Part 167 | Part 168 | Part 169
In January, 1823, they sent to the Judiciary Com- mittee of Congress what was called a "statement of facts," giving reasons why a change in the govern- ment of the Territory was necessary. Their state- ment, printed in the Detroit Gazette for January 24, 1823, says :
The legislative board do not meet to do business at the time fixed by their own statutes for that purpose, and they have no known place of meeting ; and when they do meet, no public notice of the time or place is given ; and when that can be ascertained by inquiry, they are found sometimes at private rooms or offices, where none have a right, and few except those immediately inter- ested in the passage of the laws have the assurance to intrude themselves, or can find room or seats if they should. Laws
are frequently passed and others repealed, which take effect from the date, and vitally affect the rights of the citizens, and are not promulgated or made known to the community for many months.
This statement of facts was effective, and on March 3, 1823, Congress enacted that the govern- ment of the Territory be transferred to the governor and a council. The people were to elect eighteen persons, from whom the President was to select nine, who should, on confirmation of the Senate, constitute the Council of the Territory. The mail which arrived at Detroit at noon on Thursday, March 27, 1823, brought the news of the passage of this law. Colonel Smyth, of the Sagina Hotel, was at once requested by several citizens to prepare a supper. At sunset Captain Woodworth's company fired a federal salute, with an extra gun or two for Michigan; and at eight o'clock there was music and firing of guns and crackers. Supper was served soon after, Governor Cass presiding.
On June 7, 1824, the first territorial council was held in Detroit. One of the sessions was opened with prayer by Rev. Father Richard, the Catholic priest, who prayed that "the legislators may make laws for the people, and not for themselves,"-a prayer that might be appropriately made at every session of a legislative body. By Act of February 5, 1825, provision was made for increasing the size of the council by the election of twenty-six persons, from whom the President was to select thirteen, to constitute the council.
By Act of April 12, 1825, Wayne County was made the first district, and was to elect eight of the twenty-six persons whose names were to be for- warded to the President. By Act, approved Jan- uary 29, 1827, the people were authorized to elect thirteen persons, who should constitute the council, without requiring the approval or confirmation of the President. The passage of this Act caused much rejoicing.
The members of the legislative council from Wayne County were as follows: First Legislative Council, June 7, 1824, Abraham Edwards. Second Legislative Council, November 2, 1826, Abraham Edwards, Henry Connor, Robert A. Forsyth. Third Legislative Council, May 5, 1828. Henry Connor, William Brown, Abraham Edwards, John McDonnell. Fourth Legislative Council, May II, 1830, William Brown, William Bartow, John Mc- Donnell, William A. Fletcher. Fifth Legislative Council, May 1, 1832, John McDonnell, Joseph W. Torrey, Charles Moran. Sixth Legislative Council, January 7, 1834, Charles Moran, John McDonnell, Elon Farnsworth.
A second session of the sixth legislative council was held at Detroit, lasting from August 17 to 25. 1835. They passed an Act providing for the elec.
99
LEGISLATURES AND LAWS.
tion of a delegate to Congress, together with numer- ous other Acts.
What is sometimes designated as the seventh legislative council was held at Green Bay from Jan- uary 6 to 13, 1836. It was called by proclamation of John S. Horner, acting governor, in order to peti- tion Congress to provide for the organization of the Territory of Wisconsin. A memorial was also adopted to be presented to Congress for an appro- priation to secure the improvement of the Fox and Wisconsin rivers. Only three counties, in what was afterwards Wisconsin, were represented in the council, viz., Brown, Milwaukee, and Crawford. The Territory now known as Iowa was also repre- sented. Governor Horner not being present, Colonel W. S. Hamilton was chosen president. A. G. Ellis was secretary.
In 1824 the legislative board published a compila- tion of the laws then in force. Most of the copies of these early laws have disappeared, and a com- plete set of all the laws cannot now be found.
In 1833 the laws were again condensed, arranged, and published by the legislative council. On March 8, 1836, William A. Fletcher was appointed to pre- pare a code of laws for the State. He was after- wards appointed chief justice, and Messrs. E. B Harrington and E. Y. Roberts were appointed by the governor to complete the work. At an extra session of the Legislature the revisions were accept- ed, and became the law of the State in September, 1838. In 1846, by authority of the Legislature, Judge Sanford M. Green prepared a revision of the laws, which is known as the " Revised Statutes of 1846." In 1857 Thomas M. Cooley prepared a compilation in two volumes, which is designated as the "Compiled Laws of 1857." In 1871 Judge James S. Dewey, by authority of the Legislature, prepared a similar compilation, which was published in two volumes, under the title of " Compiled Laws . of 1871." By law of May 4, 1883, a compilation prepared by Judge Andrew Howell, of Adrian, was authorized to be received as evidence, and the pur- chase of nine thousand copies, at five dollars each, was ordered.
The laws of each session are published at Lan- sing, and since 1871 they have been somewhat systematized when published, by issuing the private and local laws in one volume and the general laws in another. Copies of all the laws are sent to the county clerk, who furnishes them free of charge to all judges and justices, regents of the university, county officers, to the supervisor and town clerk of each township, and also to the city clerk. In 1871 and 1874 copies of such territorial laws as could be obtained were published by the State, in three volumes. The compilation, however, is incomplete, in that it omits all the laws passed at the second
session of the sixth legislative council. A list of early laws, known to be missing, is given in one of the volumes; since then a number of them have been found.
Under a provision of the Constitution of 1835, and anticipating admission as a State, one regular and one extra session of the Legislature was held in 1835 and 1836, before the State was formally admitted to the Union. The first regular State Legislature began its session January 2, 1837. Annual sessions were held up to 1851, since which time, in accordance with the Constitution of 1850, regular sessions have been held every two years.
The last regular session in Detroit closed on March 17, 1847. The sessions since then have been held at Lansing, which city, after that year, became the State capital. Up to 1883 nine extra sessions had been held, the occasions for them and their dates being as follows: In 1851, to provide for paying the indebtedness of the State and for a new legislative and congressional apportionment, also to provide for elections and other matters made neces- sary by the new constitution. In 1858, to redistrict the State for circuit courts, and to provide for paying State bonds. In 1861, to provide men and means for the war then in progress, and to furnish relief for families of volunteers. In 1862, to consider the question of assuming a portion of the direct tax proposed to be levied by the United States, and to provide for enrolling the militia. In 1864, to provide for filling the State quota of troops, to provide a State bounty, and to arrange for receiving the votes of soldiers in the field. In 1870, to provide for submitting an amendment to the constitution, authorizing payment, by counties, of bonds voted by them in aid of proposed railroads. In 1872, to make new apportionments for representatives to Congress, and provide for investigation of the State land office. In 1874, to provide for extending time of completion of railroad from Mackinaw to Marquette, and to make provision for submitting the question of woman suffrage at a State election. In 1882, to make a new congressional apportionment, provide a new tax law, and to aid sufferers by fires in Eastern Michigan.
By Constitution of 1835, the State House of Representatives was to consist of not less than forty-eight nor more than one hundred members. The Senate was to number, as near as possible, one third as many members as the House. Under Con- stitution of 1850, the House was to consist of not less than sixty-four nor more than one hundred, and the Senate was to have thirty-two members.
By an amendment to the constitution, adopted November 8, 1874, the House of Representatives may consist of not less than sixty-four nor more than one hundred persons. No township or city may be divided to form representative districts; but all,
100
LEGISLATURES AND LAWS.
from each city, are to be elected on a general ticket. Counties entitled to more than one representative, are to be divided for election purposes, by the Board of Supervisors.
Wayne County has always been in the first sena- torial district of the State. The convention of 1835 provided that it alone should constitute the first dis- trict, with three senators. By law of April 3, 1838, the first district was to have but two senators. By law of April 12, 1841, Wayne, Macomb, St. Clair, Sanilac, and Huron Counties were constituted the first senatorial district.
By Act of March 10, 1846, the first district was composed of Wayne, Macomb, and St. Clair Coun- ties. An Act of June 27, 1851, provided that Wayne County should be divided into several dis- tricts, as follows :
First District : Third, Fourth, Sixth, and Seventh Wards, Hamtramck and Grosse Pointe.
Second District : First, Second, Fifth and Eighth Wards, Springwells, Greenfield, Ecorce, and Mon- guagon.
Third District : Brownstown, Huron, Sumpter, Taylor, Romulus, Van Buren, Canton, Plymouth, Livonia, Nankin, Dearborn, and Redford.
By Act of February 13, 1855, Wayne County was divided as follows :
First District : Third, Fourth, and Seventh Wards, Hamtramck, and Grosse Pointe.
Second District : Second, Fifth, and Sixth Wards. Third District: First and Eighth Wards, Green- field, Springwells, Ecorce, and Monguagon.
Fourth District: Plymouth, Livonia, Redford, Dearborn, Nankin, Canton, Van Buren, Romulus, Taylor, Brownstown, Huron, and Sumpter.
By Acts of March 15, 1861, and May 1, 1875, the districts in Wayne County were as follows :
First District : Second, Third, Fourth, Seventh, and Tenth Wards, Greenfield, Hamtramck, and Grosse Pointe.
Second District : First, Fifth, Sixth, Eighth, and Ninth Wards.
Third District : All towns except the three above named.
The names of State senators from Wayne County in various years have been as follows :
1835-1837, John McDonnell, Conrad Ten Eyck, Jonathan D. Davis.
1838-1839, B. B. Kercheval, Wm. Woodbridge, John McDonnell.
1840-1841, De Garmo Jones, B. F. H. Witherell. 1842, Jonathan Shearer, Lyman Granger.
1843-1844, Jonathan Shearer.
1845-1846, William Hale.
1847, A. T. McReynolds, John E. Schwartz.
1848, John E. Schwartz, Geo. R. Griswold.
1849, Geo. R. Griswold, Titus Dort.
1850-1851, A. Harvey, Titus Dort.
1853, G. R. Griswold, A. H. Stowell, H. Fralick. 1855, B. Wight, G. Jerome, N. Ladd.
1857, A. H. Redfield, Geo. Jerome. H. Ledyard, J. L. Near.
1859. A. Dudgeon, H. Barns, T. F. Brodhead, W. E. Warner.
1861, William Adair, H. P. Baldwin, H. T. Backus, J. L. Near.
1863, Wm. Adair, W. C. Duncan, W. E. Warner.
1865, Wm. Adair, Joseph Godfrey, Adam Minnis.
1867, Paul Gies, Alanson Sheley, Oliver C. Abell.
1869, Wm. Adair, Lorenzo M. Mason, Elliot T. Slocum.
1871, James W. Romeyn, Alanson Sheley, Robt. D. Briggs.
1873, W. B. Wesson, D. M. Richardson, W. C. Sutton.
1875, Wm. Adair, John Greusel, James I. David. 1877, Wm. Adair, Thos. H. Hinchman, Matthew Markey.
1879, J. D. Weir, T. W. Palmer, W. W. Duffield. 1881, James Caplis, John Greusel, Thos. Morrison.
1883, James W. Romeyn, John Greusel, James Hueston.
1885. Michael Greiner, T. D. Hawley, James Hueston.
1887, John Rairden, C. B. Crosby, B. O'Reilly.
The convention of 1835 provided that Wayne County should have eight representatives. Subse- quent apportionments have given it the following number of representatives: Act of 1838, seven. Acts of 1841 and 1846, six. Act of 1851, seven. Acts of 1855, 1861, and 1871, nine. Act of 1875, ten.
The names of representatives have been as fol- lows :
1835-1836, Peter Van Every, Chas. W. Whip- ple, Jonathan P. Foy, Ammon Brown, H. A. Noyes, Geo. W. Ferrington, John Strong, Eli Bradshaw.
1837, Chas. W. Whipple, Wm. Munger, Job Smith, John Martin, Ammon Brown, N. P. Thayer, Caleb Herrington, Geo. W. Ferrington.
1838, A. W. Buel, Louis Beaufait, Levi Cook, L. Goodman, J. M. Howard, Joshua Howard, Chas. Moran, Theodore Williams.
1839, Louis Beaufait, J. L. Near, A. Mack, Harry Saunders, Ebenezer Eaton, T. F. Sheldon, Titus Dort.
1840, Chas. Moran, Joshua Howard, D. E. Har- baugh, A. T. McReynolds, H. T. Backus, Wm. S. Gregory, John Forbes.
1841, John Biddle, A. T. Mather, F. A. Harding, Roswell Root, Eurotas Morton, L. E. Dolsen, Shad- rach Gillett.
1842, Titus Dort, James Gunning, Thos. Lewis, John Norvell, John Scott, B. F. H. Witherell.
IOI
LEGISLATURES AND LAWS.
1843, Geo. A. O'Keefe, D. H. Rowland, J. C. Vaughan, P. Godfroy, A. Y. Murray, D. Goodell.
1844, John V. Ruehle, Jr., H. N. Walker, John Blindbury, Harry Saunders, Elijah Hawley, Jr., David H. Rowland.
1845, Andrew Harvie, Wm. O. Rose, John E. Schwartz, Arch. Y. Murray, Wm. Munger, N. W. Pullen.
1846, G. E. Hand, George Moran, Conrad Ten Eyck, Elijah Hawley, Jr., M. E. Ames, Thos. Lewis.
1847, Edward C. Eaton, Geo. W. Ferrington, Henry Fralick, James McFarlane, Geo. W. Moore, Geo. B. Throop.
1848, Jed. P. C. Emmons, Cyrus Howard, Bethuel Noyes, Hiram H. Stone, Abram P. Young, A. W. Buel.
1849, Wm. F. Chittenden, Orrin David, E. Haw- ley, Jr., George Moran, Amos Stevens, Warren Tuttle.
1850, H. D. Carpenter, Jonathan Hudson, David Sackett, Bethuel Noyes, Asa H. Otis, Hiram Mills- paugh.
1851, B. F. Hyde, Jonathan Shearer, Levi Eaton, Alfred B. Gulley, Jared Sexton, George Martin.
1853, First District : Wm. F. Chittenden, J. O'- Callaghan, John Reno. Second District : W. W. Irwin. Third District : Thos. P. Matthews. Fourth District : W. H. Gregory. Fifth District : W. E. Warner.
1855, First District: H. H. Wells, Pliny Power, Asa P. Moorman. Second District : F. C. St. Aubin. Third District : Chas. Noble. Fourth District : W. H. Gregory. Fifth District: Arthur Edwards.
1857, First District: Sheldon McKnight, C. O'Flynn, M. A. Chase, E. Kanter, J. M. Davis. Second District : S. Ludlow. Third District : A. B. Gulley. Fourth District : W. H. Gregory. Fifth District : Wm. Munger.
1859, First District : A. W. Buel, T. J. Campau, D. P. Bushnell, John McDermott, Paul Gies. Second District : R. H. Connor. Third District : J. B. Wallace. Fourth District : Geo. A. Stark- weather. Fifth District : J. I. David.
1861, First District : J. F. Joy, J. G. Peterson, Wm. Phelps, T. W. Lockwood, Wm. Chapoton. Second District : John Strong. Third District : J. S. Tibbets. Fourth District : A, J. Leetch. Fifth District : Ira Davis.
1863, First District : T. W. Lockwood, A. Chapo- ton, L. M. Mason, S. G. Wight, Wm. Warner. Second District : H. W. Deare. Third District : Alex. Tinham. Fourth District : B. Hodgkinson. Fifth District : R. E. Clark.
1865, First District : Wm. S. Bond, J. Logan Chipman, Paul Gies, Richard Hawley, Wm. P.
Wells. Second District: Benjamin May. Third District : Titus Dort. Fourth District : John M. Swift. Fifth District : Moses R. Nowland.
1867, First District ; Edward C. Walker, Thos. D. Hawley, Thos. R. Spence, Jefferson Wiley, Wm. Warner. Second District : Chas. B. Chauvin. Third District : C. C. Smith. Fourth District : Geo. W. Swift. Fifth District: Jared A. Sexton.
1869, First District : J. W. Romeyn, C. N. Rio- pelle, P. Klein, W. Purcell, T. W. Harris. Second District : Peter Ternes. Third District: R. V. Briggs. Fourth District : Geo. W. Swift. Fifth District : James Stewart.
1871, First District : Lyman Cochrane, W. C. Hoyt, J. Greusel, J. Gibson, James McGonegal. Second District: L. Dalton. Third District : B. Pierson. Fourth District : O. R. Pattengil. Fifth District : P. D. Pearl.
1873, First District : J. Greusel, J. Burns, H. D. Edwards, J. Caplis, J. J. Speed. Second District : M. Markey. Third District: O. O. Pierce. Fourth District : Winfield Scott. Fifth District : Henry Gordon.
1875. First District: Cleaveland Hunt, James Daly, Wm. Livingston, Jr., James Craig. Peter Klein, Second District : Michael Greiner. Third District : H. N. Ocobock. Fourth District : D. B. Northrop. Fifth District : Cady Neff.
1877, First District : R. Hawley, F. A. Baker, P. McGinnis, E. F. Conely, Stephen Martin, Louis Dillman, Paul Gies. Second District : Geo. W. Crandall. Third District: Myron Coon. Fourth District : Thos Morrison.
1879, First District : A. Goebel, J. C. Donnelly, F. A. Noah, Geo. H. Hopkins, J. E. Girardin, J. Kuhn, Geo. W. Moore. Second District : F. W. A. Kurth. Third District: E. W. Cottrell. Fourth District : Joseph Waltz.
1881, First District : Geo. H. Hopkins, Geo. B. Remick, Adam E. Bloom, Robert E. Bolger, M. V. Borgman, Chas. Ewers, Henry Klei. Second Dis- trict : C. B. Hubbard, Third District : E. W. Cottrell. Fourth District : A. P. Young.
1883, First District : Geo. H. Hopkins, Robert E. Bolger, Conrad Bettinger, W. H. Coots, L. A. Brant, John Devlin, O. N. Case. Second District : H. W. Riopelle. Third District : Alexander Tinham. Fourth District: M. H. Ellis.
1885, First District : O. N. Case, L. A. Brant, L. H. Collins, F. B. Egan, H. McClelend, G. W. Wal- thew, J. D. Long. Second District : G. W. Coomer. Third District : C. K. Brandon. Fourth District : J. Waltz.
1887, First District : C. Bettinger, Judson Grenell, F. H. Hosford, R. Y. Ogg, T. Rentz, P. Stewart. Second District : A. B. Pierce. Third District : C. H. Cady. Fourth District : J. J. Vrooman.
CHAPTER XVIII.
PRESIDENTIAL ELECTORS, CABINET OFFICERS, AND MEMBERS OF CONGRESS FROM DETROIT .- PRESIDENTIAL VISITS TO THE CITY.
PRESIDENTIAL ELECTORS, CABINET OFFICERS, AND MEMBERS OF CONGRESS.
THE direct connection of the State and the city with the Government of the United States comes primarily through the appointment, by vote at the presidential elections, of as many presidential elec- tors as the whole number of United States senators and representatives to which the State is to be entitled when the President elected comes into office.
These presidential electors are bound by honor alone to cast the vote of the State in favor of the candidate of the ticket upon which they were elected. They are required to meet on the first Wednesday of December, in their own States, and deposit their votes. The record of their votes is then certified to and sealed, after which some one is appointed to deliver it personally to the president of the Senate, at Washington, before the first Wednes- day in January following their meeting. Another copy is sent by mail to the same officer, and a third deposited with the judge of the district.
The first presidential election in which Michigan participated was the thirteenth. It was held in the fall of 1836, and placed Martin Van Buren in the presidential office. The names of the presidential electors of Michigan, who have lived in Detroit, are as follows :
Thirteenth election, David C. Mckinstry; four- teenth, none from Detroit; fifteenth, Louis Beaufait ; sixteenth, L. M. Mason; seventeenth, D. J. Campau ; eighteenth, none from Detroit; nineteenth, George W. Lee and Rufus Hosmer; twentieth, none from Detroit; twenty-first, William Doeltz and John Burt; twenty-second, E. B. Ward and Herman Kiefer; twenty-third, William Doeltz; twenty-fourth, E. H. Butler.
All the presidential candidates voted for by Michi- gan have been elected except Generals Cass and Fremont and James G. Blaine, and Detroit has fur- nished the following cabinet officers : General Lewis Cass, Secretary of War under President Jackson, and Secretary of State under President Buchanan ; Governor Robert McClelland, Secretary of Interior under President Pierce; Zachariah Chandler, Sec-
retary of Interior under President Grant, and Don M. Dickinson, Postmaster General under President Cleveland.
Under the Northwest Territory the following per- sons were delegates to the United States Congress : 1799-1800, W. H. Harrison; 1800-1801, William McMillan; 1801-1803, Paul Fearing. During our connection with Indiana Territory W. H. Harri- son was again chosen delegate.
As a Territory, Michigan had no representative in Congress until, by Act of February 16, 1819, she was authorized to elect a delegate.
The following persons served as delegates for the terms named ; all of them, except Messrs. Wing and Jones, were residents of Detroit : 1819-1821, Wil- liam Woodbridge; 1821-1823, Solomon Sibley ; 1823-1825, Gabriel Richard; 1825-1829, A. E. Wing; 1829-1831, John Biddle; 1831-1833, A. E. Wing ; 1833-1835, Lucius Lyon; 1835-1836, Geo. W. Jones.
United States senators are elected every six years by a majority vote of the State Legislature in joint convention. Of the sixteen different senators elected under the State organization, the following nine have been from Detroit : 1836-1840, Lucius Lyon; 1836-1841, John Norvell; 1840-1845, A. S. Porter ; 1841-1847, William Woodbridge; 1845-1857, Lewis Cass; 1857-1875 and 1879-1881, Zachariah Chan- dler; 1862-1871, Jacob M. Howard; 1881-1883, H. P. Baldwin; 1883- , Thomas W. Palmer.
United States representatives for the several dis- tricts are elected directly by the people, for terms of two years. The population of the State at the time of its admission entitled it to only one representative, but its growth was such as to treble the number in 1843. The counties of Wayne, Monroe, Lenawee, Washtenaw, and Hillsdale were, by Act of March 2, 1843, made the first district. The census of 1850 showed that the State was entitled to four representa- tives, and the Act of June 26, 1851, made the first district to consist of the counties of Wayne, Wash- tenaw, Jackson, and Livingston. In 1861 the State had become entitled to six representatives; and an Act of March 15 provided that the first district
[102 ]
103
MEMBERS OF CONGRESS-PRESIDENTIAL VISITS.
should embrace the counties of Wayne, Monroe, Lenawee, and Hillsdale. The United States census of 1870 showed a population entitled to nine repre- sentatives, and an Act of March 29, 1872, made the first district to consist of Wayne County only. The census of 1880 showed a population entit. 1 to eleven representatives, and the apportionment under State Law of March 14, 1882, continued Wayne County as the first district.
Under the several enlargements of the number of representatives, up to 1887, seventy-two different persons have been elected from Michigan, and of the whole number the following twelve were from Detroit : David Stuart, Jacob M. Howard, Lucius Lyon, Robert McClelland, A. W. Buel, W. A. How- ard, M. W. Field, A. S. Williams, J. S. Newberry, Henry W. Lord, W. C. Maybury and J. L. Chipman.
The pay of senators and representatives, under various laws, has been as follows: By law of Sep- tember 22, 1789, they were each paid six dollars a day while attending the session, and six dollars for each twenty miles traveled in going to Congress. By law of March 19, 1816, they were to be paid $1,500, without mileage, for each Congress attended. This law was repealed in 1817, and by law of Janu- ary 22, 1818, each was to be paid eight dollars a day, and eight dollars for each twenty miles traveled. By law of August 15, 1856, they were to receive $6,000 for the two sessions, also mileage. On December 23, 1857, the law was so amended that they were to receive $250 per month and mileage. A law of March 3, 1873, fixed their pay at $7,500, with actual traveling expenses for one trip each session.
PRESIDENTIAL VISITS TO THE CITY.
The city has been favored, at different times, with the presence of persons who, at the time of their visit or subsequently, filled the office of President. The first was W. H. Harrison, who was in Detroit on May 10, 1803, as Governor of the Territory, again, on the first day of the re-occupation, Septem- ber 29, 1813, on October 6 following, and also on September 8, 1815.
The first time that Detroit was honored with a presidential visit was on August 13, 1817. Unan- ticipated intelligence was received, about 8 A. M., that President Monroe, with Governor Cass and Generals Brown and Macomb with their suites, were at the mouth of the river, and would be within three miles of the city at ten o'clock. A meeting of citizens was immediately called, with William Woodbridge in the chair and Major Charles Larned as secretary, and a committee, consisting of Solomon Sibley, Major A. Edwards, Captain J. McCloskey, A. E. Wing, Charles Larned, Colonel Stephen Mack,
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.