The history of Detroit and Michigan; or, The metropolis illustrated; a chronological cyclopedia of the past and present, Vol I, Part 27

Author: Farmer, Silas, 1839-1902
Publication date: 1889
Publisher: Detroit, S. Farmer & co
Number of Pages: 1096

USA > Michigan > Wayne County > Detroit > The history of Detroit and Michigan; or, The metropolis illustrated; a chronological cyclopedia of the past and present, Vol I > Part 27

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So great was the desire for harmony, in the early days of the war with the South, that a union politi- cal convention, held on October 26, 1861, composed of members of both political parties, decided to nominate but one city ticket.

During the campaign of 1864 a grand Union and Republican demonstration was held on the first of November. Thirty thousand strangers were present. Orations were delivered by Hon. Salmon P. Chase and others, and an immense procession took place at night. In the election of this year the soldiers in camp and field were allowed to vote, commissioners being appointed by the State to afford them the opportunity of so doing.

On October 28, 1866, just prior to the State elec- tion, General B. F. Butler made a speech at the D. & M. R. R. Depot ; and on November I following, Hon. Schuyler Colfax spoke in Young Men's Hall.

ELECTIONS.

Territorial Elections under Northwest Territory.

When the first election was held, Detroit had only a township organization. The occasion was as follows : In 1798 a census showed that there were five thousand or more inhabitants in the Territory, and in accordance with the provisions of the ordi- nance of 1787, Governor St. Clair issued a procla- mation, ordering an election to be held on the third Monday of December, 1798, to elect delegates to a General Assembly to be held at Cincinnati. Even in this first election there was the cry of fraud, and Judge May went to Cincinnati to consult Governor

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St. Clair in regard to it. As a result of his visit, another election was ordered. It was held on Janu- ary 14 and 15, 1799. The voting was done viva voce. The sheriff, with Peter McNiff, and another judge of the Court of Common Pleas, acted as inspectors. They were very arbitrary in the exercise of their powers, refusing some votes on the ground that the candidate voted for was not eligible, and adjourning from ten o'clock to three o'clock on the first day. During the two days, one hundred and ninety-eight votes were called. Concerning this election, in a letter commenced on the 14th and finished on the 15th, addressed to James May, then at Cincinnati, Peter Audrain says: "McNiff came four times to the street door, and earnestly recom- mended to the friends of Wisewell to exert every nerve in their power to get more votes for him. Whereupon old Cissne and Christian Clemens offered one hundred dollars for ten votes to several bystand- ers. This fact can be proved upon oath.'

An Act of December 6, 1799, provided for an election for representative to the General Assembly, which was to sit the second Tuesday of October, 1800, and every two years thereafter. The polls were to be opened between 10 and II A. M., and to remain open till 5 P. M. the first day, to be then adjourned till 10 A. M. next day, when they were to be kept open until 5 P. M.

The same Act provided that free male inhabitants, twenty-one years old, residents of the Territory, former citizens of other States, or persons who had been two years in the Territory, should be voters, provided they possessed fifty acres of land in any county, or any land in their own county which, with improvements, was worth one hundred dollars.

An Act of December 9, 1800, provided that three election districts should be established in Wayne County, and that elections should be by ballot, the polls to open at 10 A. M. and to close at 5 P. M. On Saturday, September 5, 1801, the Court of Quarter Sessions, at Detroit, determined that the bounds of the three election districts should be as follows: First District, from the foot of the Rapids to Rocky River, inclusively, the Presbytery on the River Raisin to be the central point, or voting place. Second Dis- trict, from Rocky River to Milk River Point, with Detroit as the voting place. Third District, from Milk River Point to Lake Huron.

Territorial Elections under Indiana Territory.

The only general election participated in by citi- zens of Detroit while under the government of Indiana Territory was that of September 1I, 1804, held to determine whether the people wanted a General Assembly. Only a majority of one hundred and thirty-eight, in the whole Territory, were in favor of an Assembly; but in accordance with the

law, Governor Harrison issued a proclamation order- ing an election in each county, on January 3, 1805, to elect delegates to the Assembly. This proclama- tion did not reach Wayne County in time, and therefore no election was held.

Territorial Elections under Michigan Territory.

The first territorial election was held on Monday, February 16, 1818, to decide whether a General Assembly should be held, and the second grade of government adopted. A majority of votes were cast against the proposition.

By Act of February 16, 1819, Congress provided for the election of a delegate to that body, and all free white male citizens, above the age of twenty- one years, who had resided in the Territory one year, and paid a county or territorial tax, were made voters. The time for holding this election was fre- quently changed. It was first held on the first Thursday in September, 1819. In 1824 the time was changed to the first Monday in April. In 1825 the last Tuesday in May was selected, and the elec- tion was to occur every second year.

At the election for delegates in 1825 there were three candidates, Austin E. Wing, John Biddle, and Gabriel Richard. The inspector's return of votes gave Biddle seven hundred and thirty-two, Wing seven hundred and twenty-eight, and Richard seven hundred and twenty-two.

That the number of votes for the three candidates was so nearly equal, in an office voted for by all electors in the region now covered by both the States of Wisconsin and Michigan, was a most remarkable showing, and probably no similar in- stance has ever occurred. Father Richard con- tested the election, on the ground that his supporters were intimidated and maltreated by sheriffs and constables. The Congressional Committee decided that there could have been little intimidation, when his votes so nearly equaled those of the other candidates.

In 1827 the time for the election of delegates was changed to the second Monday of July, the polls to be open between the rising and the setting of the sun. In 1835 the first Monday of November was fixed as the time for holding the election.

Members of the Legislative Council were first elected on the last Tuesday of May, 1825. By Act of April 13, 1827, the day of election was changed to the first Monday of November.

On April 4, 1835, an election was held for dele- gates to the constitutional convention. Under the first Constitution, all voting was done by ballot. The first election was held the first Monday in October, 1835, and continued two days.

The constitution provided that the electors should be white male persons, twenty-one years of age,

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who resided in the State at the time of the adoption of the constitution, or for six months preceding any election, and provided also that they should have resided in the district voted in. It will be noticed that this provision reduced the time of residence for voters from one year to six months, and it also did away with the former requirement that voters should be tax-payers. As a consequence, and for the first time, great numbers of foreign-born persons had the privilege of voting, and many of the citizens were greatly displeased; one of the papers com- plained that a majority of the votes cast were those of British and German subjects.

In arranging the preliminaries for the State Gov- ernment, delegates to a convention held to consider the question of accepting the boundaries of the State prescribed by Congress were elected on the second Monday of September, 1836.

State Elections.

Following the custom of elections, as held under the territorial governments, a law of 1836 provided

that the polls should be kept open for two days at the elections of State and county officers.

Some of the scenes which occurred at the State election of 1837 are portrayed in a painting made by T. H. O. P. Burnham, an artist, and a publisher of that period. Mrs. A. S. Williams, for many years the fortunate possessor of the picture, has kindly permitted it to be engraved for this work. The large building on the right will be recognized . as the old City Hall; the building in the center, with the cupola, represents the old Jail, then occu- pying the site of the present Public Library. The houses on the left, and near the foreground, were on the site of the Detroit Opera House. C. C. Trow- bridge was the Whig candidate for governor, and Stevens T. Mason, who was the secretary of the Territory and acting governor, was the Democratic nominee. A portion of a Whig procession, having passed down on the further side, is seen advancing towards the front of the City Hall. In the center of the picture, and forming a part of the Whig pro- cession, is the Ship of State, with various mottoes,

NO/MONOPOLY!

REGULAR DEMOCRATIC

NOMINATION

FOR GOVERNOR

STEVENSS

EASON

PROVISIÓNSIC

POOR IF THE WHIGS CARRY THE DAY-

MORNIN

CHE PO UNG YPORK

TG GULL TRAP

ACU

ELECTION SCENE .- FIRST STATE ELECTION.

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one of which reads, "Free Trade and Sailors' Rights," a banner follows the Ship of State bear- ing the inscription, "Whig Nomination for Gov- ernor, C. C. Trowbridge." The bill which is being offered to the boy with the basket is on the " Bank of Lapeer;" the other inscriptions can all be read. The pole of the banner carried at the head of the procession on the extreme left, it will be noticed, is surmounted with a loaf of bread, a piece of pork, and a fish. These emblems, and the motto on the banner, have reference to actual occurrences at that period. At the head of a Democratic procession, just approaching on the extreme right, is seen a character of the period, -the redoubtable Stillson on his inevitable horse. Following him, although not shown in the picture, were several yoke of oxen, garlanded and decorated with ribbons and flags. After these came some two hundred newly made citizens from the Emerald Isle; they were employed on city work, and as they all voted the "Dimmy- chratic thicket," they formed the " balance of power" that carried the day for Mason. Gathered about in front of Stillson are representations of Major Mc- Kinstry, George C. Bates, F. H. Harris, Kingsbury of the Morning Post, and Frank Sawyer, in his well- known cap, all supposed to be eagerly disputing, and proclaiming the praises of their favorite candi- dates. The black-coated and silk-hatted figure, near the center of the picture, towards the left, represents the candidate, "Tom Mason," shaking hands, and presenting a ticket at the same time. On the ticket are the words, " For Governor, Stevens T. Mason." Near him, on the right, are two "sov- ereigns," one with a pick, the other with bottle high in air, from which flows a stream of old Monon- gahela.

In those days the possession of muscle was a prime political necessity; and there are living staid men of worth and solidity, men now deacons, elders, and trustees, who, when in the mood, will tell how they used their boots and their fists on the election days of "auld lang syne."

Under the Act of March 21, 1837, the polls were opened between the hours of 9 and II A. M., and continued open until 4 P. M., the inspectors being authorized to close the polls temporarily at any time when all present had voted.

On Monday and Tuesday, November 3 and 4, 1845, a two days' election was held, for the last time, an Act of May 16, 1846, providing that State elections thereafter should be held on the first Tuesday of November.

Under the Constitution of 1850 the following classes of persons were made voters: every white male citizen, every white male inhabitant residing in the State on the fourth day of June, 1835, and every

white male inhabitant residing in the State on Janu- ary 1, 1850, also every man who has declared his in- tention to become a citizen of the United States, six months prior to an election, or who, having resided in the State two years and six months, declares his intention as aforesaid; besides the above every civilized male Indian, not a member of any tribe,. was also constituted an elector. Each elector, how- ever, must be over twenty-one years of age, and must have resided in the State three months, and in the ward, where he proposes to vote, for the ten days next preceding an election.

The declaration of intention to become a citizen is called "taking out first papers." These are is- sued usually by the county clerk, but may be issued by any judge or clerk of any court of record hav- ing a common-law jurisdiction. These papers qual- ify the holder to vote and hold local offices. Under "second papers," so-called, the holder may be elected to State, legislative, and United States offices; but these papers cannot be issued, until two years after the "first papers" have been taken out.

On June 27, 1851, an Act was passed fixing the time for the State election on the first Tuesday after the first Monday of November, and no change has since been made. State officers are elected every two years, the election being held in those years in which the last figure in the date of the year is an even number. County officers are elected at the same time as State officers, and all of them for two years, except the judge of probate, who is elected for four years. Township officers are elected yearly on the first Monday of April. Two judges of the Supreme Court and two regents of the university are also elected on the first Monday of April, every two years, for terms of eight years each.

Colored people were first allowed to exercise the right of suffrage at the State election of November 8, 1870.

After the adoption of the Fifteenth Amendment to the Constitution of the United States, some per- sons claimed that it gave the right of suffrage to women. Upon this supposition, at an election for State officials, on April 3, 1871, Mrs. Nannette Gard- ner, who had previously registered her name in the ninth ward, was allowed to deposit a vote, but the act was protested against as illegal. The subject of woman suffrage was soon after agitated all over the State, and the Legislature submitted the question of conferring the right to hold office upon women, in the form of a constitutional amendment.

At the election which decided the question, com- mittees of ladies were stationed at the various poll- ing places, and mottoes in favor of woman suffrage invited the attention and the ballots of voters.

The subject was thoroughly canvassed and dis-

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cussed, and in November, 1874, the people, by vote of 135,957 against 40,077, decided against the amend- ment.

City Elections.

Under Act of January 18, 1802, incorporating the town of Detroit, the first purely local election was held on May 3 of that year.

The Act of September 13, 1806, which gave the city its first city charter, provided that the first elec- tion for members of the Upper House of the Com- mon Council should be held on the last Monday of September of the same year ; members of the Lower House were to be elected on the first Monday of October; and all persons over twenty-one years old, who had rented a house within a year, and paid their public taxes, were made voters.

The city charter of October 24, 1815, ordered a special election for October 30 of the same year, and provided that the regular election should be on the first Monday in May.

In those earlier days there were but few issues in the corporate elections, and oftentimes there was practically but one candidate in the field. At the city election, on April 4, 1825, John R.Williams was chosen mayor by a total of one hundred and two votes against eleven scattering.

Three years later John Biddle was elected to the same office, by a total of one hundred and ninety- nine votes, five other persons receiving one vote each.

By Act of September 4, 1824, a special election was to be held for city officers on September 6, and regular city elections thereafter were to take place on the first Monday of April. Under this law, up to 1833 or later, it was customary for persons to apply to the Common Council to have their names registered as voters.

An Act of March 27, 1839, ordered an election for city officers on the third Monday in April follow- ing, and provided that after 1839 the city election should be held on the first Monday in March.

At the time of the city election of 1853, it was believed that the regular Democratic nominations had been made in the interest of persons opposed to the public-school system. An independent Demo- cratic ticket was therefore nominated, and success- fully elected.

Two years later occurred the great struggle in which the so-called Know-Nothing party supported what was styled the native American element. The candidate of this party for mayor received 2,026 votes, against 2,798, and they elected their aldermanic candidates in the first, second, fifth, and sixth wards, or one half of the whole number.

On February 12 of this year a charter amendment provided that after 1855 the city election should be

held on the first Tuesday in February. Two years later, on February 5, 1857, a new law provided that the city election should be held on the first Tuesday after the first Monday of November.

In case a vacancy occurs in the office of mayor, councilman, or alderman more than six months prior to the time of an annual election, the Com- mon Council must order a special election. When possible, these special elections are held on the first Monday of April, the time fixed for the election of certain state officials. By special Act, the school inspectors are also required to be elected at that time.

Several noticeable coincidences have occurred in connection with city elections. In 1862 the rival candidates for the office of school inspector, in both the third and the fifth ward received the same number of votes; and the same state of facts existed in the first ward as to candidates for over- seer of highways. Another curious incident oc- curred in connection with the regular city elections of November, 1868 and 1869. On both occasions Lucien Zink was a candidate for overseer of high- ways in the tenth ward; and at both elections there was a tie-vote between him and his competitor. By provision of the charter, in such cases the presi- dent of the council determined by lot who should hold the office; and each year the drawing was in favor of Mr. Zink. In the same ward, in April, 1873, three hundred and thirty-five votes were cast for each of two rival candidates for the Board of Esti- mates.

Much interest was felt in the election of April 7, 1873, at which a Board of Estimates was elected who were opposed to the expending of money for a public park. The local election of November 2, 1875, also excited much interest, Alexander Lewis being elected mayor on what was called the Law and Order Ticket, supported by those who favored the closing of saloons on the Sabbath.

During the winter of 1877 a State law was passed requiring saloons to be closed on all election days, and on November 6, 1877, for the first time in the history of Detroit, the saloons were closed on the day of an election.

Under Acts of 1824 and 1827, the mayor fixed the time when polls should be opened. At the election of April 5, 1830, the polls were opened at 9 A. M. and closed at 10 P. M. Five years later, on April 4, they were opened at 8 A. M. and closed at 6 P. M. At the present time they are opened at 8 A. M. and closed at 5 P. M.

Qualifications and Registration of Voters.

By Act of 1802 all freeholders or householders paying an annual rent of forty dollars were consti-

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tuted voters, without reference to sex. Under this provision, at the election of 1804, four ladies voted, Mrs. Provencal and Mrs. Coates in person, and two others by proxy. The city charter of October 24, 1815, retained the same provision as to qualifica- tion of voters, but also provided for the accepting of the votes of such other persons as a majority of the electors voted to admit to the privilege.

An Act of May 3, 1821, provided that all free white males, over twenty-one years of age, who had resided in the city one year, and paid a city tax, might vote. By law of March 27, 1839, a person must have resided in the ward in which he voted for the ten days prior to the election, the ward in which meals were taken being reckoned the place of resi- dence.

By Act of April 13, 1841, the time during which a voter must have resided in a ward was extended to thirty days. The Constitution of 1850 restored the time of residence in a ward to ten days, and provided that voters need reside in the city only three months instead of one year. An Act of March 12, 1861, provided that the residence of a voter should be construed to be where his family resided, or where his regular boarding-place was located.

In 1859 a registration law was enacted which was designed to prevent fraudulent voting. Under this law and subsequent laws of February 5, 1864, April 13, 1871, and the charter of 1883, the aldermen of the city, with enough other persons appointed by the Board of Aldermen to make two for each district, constitute the Registration Boards for the several districts, and together they form a City Board of Registration. Sessions of the District Boards, for the purpose of making an entirely new registry of voters, are held in each election district every four years, counting from 1880. Sessions begin on the second Wednesday preceding the November elec- tion, and continue four days, from 10 A. M. to 8 P. M. In the years when a new and general regis- tration is not made, sessions are held on the second Thursday, Friday, and Saturday next preceding the general State election, from 10 A. M. to 8 P. M., and also on the second Friday and Saturday next pre- ceding the regular charter and spring elections, for the purpose of revising the registry lists. The sessions of the board must be public, and no name can be written in the register without the personal request of the applicant, unless he be known to the board, or to some member thereof, as a qualified voter of that ward and' district. All names are required to be plainly written in ink, with the Chris- tian and surname in full; and opposite each name the day and year of the entry, with the number of the dwelling and name of the street, or if there is no street name, then a description of the locality of the

dwelling in which the voter lives. The board are required to ask each person unknown to them whether he is entitled to vote, and whether he has previously registered or resided in any other district; and no person may be registered in any district who is not, at the time of registration, a resident of said dis- trict, and qualified to vote. At the close of each session of the Board of Registration, the registration lists must be signed by each member of the board, and deposited with the city clerk. At least two weeks before any session of the Board of Registra- tion, these lists are printed and posted up in each district.

The City Board of Registration, composed of the District Boards, convenes at 9 A. M. on the Monday preceding every election (except it be a special elec- tion for ward officers), and examines the registers of the several districts. No name may at this time be added to the voting list, but if any name is found registered in two or more districts, the examining officer may designate on the registers in which dis- trict the person is, and in which he is not entitled to vote. A person who has changed his residence to some other district between the time of the last meeting of the Board of Registration and the day of election, cannot vote ; and no person can register on election day without stating on oath that sickness of himself or some near relative, or absence from the city on business, prevented his registering at the proper time.

Election Districts.

Prior to 1828 the polls were held at the old Coun- cil House on the corner of Jefferson Avenue and Randolph Street, at the City Council House on Larned Street, and sometimes at Woodworth's Hotel. After the erection of the City Hall, and up to 1839, that was used as the polling place.

On April 15, 1839, elections were held in the several wards for the first time, the places for hold- ing them being designated by the Common Council.

The charter amendments of March 12, 1861, March 27, 1867, April 13, 1871, and March 29, 1872, gave the council power to divide wards into two or more election districts. An Act of 1872 provided that no election district should embrace parts of two wards, or contain less than five hundred electors.

Under these provisions, in August, 1868, for the first time, several of the larger wards were divided into election districts. Other wards were subse- quently divided, and the boundaries of districts changed.

After the addition to the city limits made in 1885, the Common Council, by ordinance of June 5, 1886, laid out the following election dis- tricts :

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The history of Detroit and Michigan; or, The metropolis illustrated; a chronological cyclopedia of the past and present, Vol I, Part 27

Author: Farmer, Silas, 1839-1902 Publication date: 1889 Publisher: Detroit, S. Farmer & co Number of Pages: 1096

Author: Farmer, Silas, 1839-1902
Publication date: 1889
Publisher: Detroit, S. Farmer & co
Number of Pages: 1096