USA > Missouri > Linn County > The history of Linn county, Missouri. An encyclopedia of useful information > Part 31
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ARTICLE EIGHT-ELECTIONS.
SECTION 1. No election will be or can be legal when a person or persons electioneer for office in this council or permit others to electioneer for them.
The by-laws were added to the above, the first article being the duties of
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HISTORY OF LINN COUNTY.
its officers, followed by how to fill vacancies, compensation and the order of business. The secretary and treasurer were required to give bonds.
CLOSING REMARKS.
The order flourished, as has been said, for a few years, and then it waned. Why, would be hard to tell. The schemers got a foothold in its organiza- tion in time, but still they were in a vast minority, and with proper efforts could have been driven out. At this time, in the year 1882, there is no life, but a time may come when it, or a similar one, may be organized-may be demanded of the people if they would not submit to be robbed by extortion and monopoly, and when that time comes, it will be of value to those who direct and lead in the move to know something of the wonderful order that for two years made fraud and rascality take a back seat, and the money power and railroad magnates quail before what they believed for a time to have been an avenging Nemesis. It flashed like a meteor and was gone, but its works will live after it, for the grange has shown to the people what they can do to defend themselves against oppression by concert of action and harmony of feeling. Another such move inaugurated, with the light of the previous one before it, may last longer and survive even the under- handed work of traitors, or the open opposition of a combined monopoly.
The grange organization was a wonderful effort of the people, and well worth the space given to it in this history. It will not die out in the mem- ory of the people of Linn county, but will ever be a beacon light of hope, of what man has done man can do, when oppression again lays it hands, heavy with extortion and crime, upon the people. They will know that an- other combination, a unity of strength and action, will right the wrong and that oppression cannot last if the people have the will to act, and the nerve to carry out the work of reform. This much the order of the Patrons of Husbandry has accomplished, and it should be remembered. The light of freedom dawns only when a people knowing their rights dare maintain them, and the heavy hand of oppression is ever ready to tighten its remorse- less grip when the people falter in their manhood or sink in listless apathy. It is the fact that the Patrons were so successful, which will give hope and comfort to the people for all time, knowing that wrong can be righted when it becomes the seal of oppression.
WHY IT FLOURISHED AND WHY IT FAILED.
The declaration of purposes of the Patrons of Husbandry, that which caused the order to spread so rapidly over the country was of that spirit of brotherly love, and opposition to all manner of oppression, which has gained the heart of a people reared in the cradle of liberty, and staunch defenders of a republican form of government. Could the order have prevented the politician from becoming a feature in its organization, and the efforts of a
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HISTORY OF LINN COUNTY.
few aspirants for power and pelf to make it a stepping-stone to their polit- ical ambition, it would have flourished to-day as it did a few years ago. As a political party, its successes were of a transitory nature and local effect, yet what reforms they did succeed in carrying out were of essential benefit to the great agricultural interests of the country, and it is to be regretted that the order to this day is not enlarged and united for the work of reform, as declared in its public profession of faith. Future generations may look back with pride to their ancestors who made these declarations the ground- work of their civil and political actions. It will show them that the true spirit of brotherly love and noble manhood inspired their forefathers of this day and generation.
The declaration of principles and purposes by the National Grange Was a grand and noble one and gave strength and encouragement to the order throughout the country and caused it in a few short months to become a power for good in the land; to cause monopolists to tremble and extortion- ists to shake with an apprehension of coming doom. That it should so soon loose its power is much to be regretted, but that its good work lives after it, is seen even to this day. The farmers, the mechanics, and the laboring men have found that they were strong enough to rule when joined together in the cause of right, and the same organization will again come to the front when monopolists become tyrants and would oppress and rob those who are their real benefactors. That it checked the railroad cormo- rants in their insatiable greed is certain, and that the money power felt that the Patrons of Husbandry had rights that the money kings were bound to respect was more than once illustrated by the lack of that defiant tone so common to those who have secured wealth and usurped power.
POLITICAL.
The political history of Linn county is not an exciting chapter. In her early days she was strong in Jeffersonian and Jacksonian Democracy. The Whigs boasted of very little strength in the county, and at one time David Mullins was credited with being the only Whig in the county. Of course local considerations would sometimes change votes, and men were elected that were not Democrats, but this was the exception and not the rule. Andrew Jenkins seems to have been the first Whig elected to the legislature from Linn county, and the next was Judge Jacob Smith.
Judge James A. Clark, was the first elected member of the legislature from the county.
ELECTIONS.
The elections in the early days were generally a sort of holiday. The voters went early, took their guns along and proposed to have a good time. Excitement most always ran high and plenty of hard work was done by the
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HISTORY OF LINN COUNTY.
candidates and their friends. In the county elections, there was not any very great excitement. A few men had got on the right side of the people and they generally secured the loaves and fishes pertaining to the local offices of the county. And, singular as it may seem to those unacquainted with the wealth that comes to a man by being a public officer, most all of the men who held the offices and received the official pap, are to this day pretty well off in this world's goods. Still, it was the State elections, or the presidential elections which called forth the true patriotic fervor in these pioneer days, and song and story, with here and there a well filled jug, would raise the enthusiasm of the old settlers to the highest pitch. And it was genuine enthusiasm, too. There was nothing sordid about it, but they went in to win for their side, and until the polls closed at sundown they kept the ball rolling lively. When the battle of the ballot ended, the victors were cheered and the slain decently interred, to be resurrected, perhaps, at some future day.
There was not that wild excitement over the presidential election of 1840 as was found further east where the country was older and more thickly settled, but the financial crash of 1837 told fearfully upon the people, and the Whigs opened the campaign with song, and also beguiled the people of that day with something like the forty acres and a mule story that fooled the ebony race of the South at a later day.
1840.
The log cabin feature touched the hearts of the people, for such were their homes, and the songs had the effect of clinching reason and fancy and securing their votes. " For Tippecanoe and Tyler, too, for Van, Van is a used up man," and the chorus rang out with a heartiness that boded no good for the Democracy. In touching up the extravagance and promise of relief which had been circulated, but never realized, one verse of a song is still in the memory of the writer. It ran:
" In the year eighteen hundred and forty, The times of promised relief, Which was sung to the poor by the haughty, .Two dollars a day and roast beef."
It was claimed that the panic of 1837 was due to the administration of Andrew Jackson in crushing the United States banks, and that of Martin Van Buren, and was brought on by the latter's extravagance, and that " Old Tippecanoe," William Henry Harrison, who was not only a soldier boy but a farmer, would give the country a farmer's administration, which meant economy and good times. The Whigs had decidedly the best of the fight and the campaign was "immense " with its grand barbecues, speeches, and songs. The lavish expenditures of Van Buren were harped upon with
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HISTORY OF LINN COUNTY.
wonderful effect, and many songs were composed and sung of the way he got away with the people's money in aristocratic living. One verse which was sung with a wild enthusiasm in the campaign, was as follows, speaking as coming from the president:
" Bring forth, he cries, the glittering plate, We'll dine to-day in royal state; He speaks; and on the table soon They placed the golden fork and spoon. Around him bends a servile host, And loud they shout the welcome toast, Down with Old Tippecanoe! Down with Old Tippecanoe !! "
Henry Clay, of Kentucky, was the leader of the Whig party of those days, and he was made the target of Democratic thunder. The songs were not all on one side; but the charge of royalty was the winning card of the Whigs. However, the Democrats got off a good many songs against Clay and his party, and a verse is given to show the tactics of the opposition. Here it is:
" There 's Harry Clay, a man of doubt, Who wires in and wires out; And you cannot tell, when he's on the track, Whether he's going on or coming back."
The election came off and the songs of the old log cabins "did the busi- ness." "Old Tip" was elected, and Tyler, too, and the people once more settled down to a quiet life.
At this day the campaign of 1840 would be a farce. There is too much bargain and sale. They would not chime in with an innocent song, for there is very little innocence in the elections nowadays. Principles have very little to do at present with elections. High sounding words, plenty of promises to be broken, capital to the front, labor to the rear, monopolies to roll in wealth, the people to live and work. This is the present outlook of parties so far as their love for the dear people is concerned.
The political struggles of those days were as full of wrangling and bitter- ness as those of the present, but it was a square fight for principle only. Money was not the mighty power which has controlled the elections of the last decade. It did not rule Congress, buy legislatures, or elect presidents.
It was given over to this day and generation for a bank power, which a Jackson crushed, to again arise and dictate the laws of the country.
1844.
Political meetings, conventions, etc., were generally held at the county. seat, and while the population of the county did not warrant the largest of turnouts at these assemblies, they made up in enthusiasm what they lacked in number.
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HISTORY OF LINN COUNTY.
The campaign of 1844, while not so exciting as that of 1840, was enough so to give both sides plenty of work. Harrison dying soon after his inaug- uration, the United States State-bank party, which Jackson had so roughly handled, met a stern opposer in the vice-president, Tyler. This had caused considerable dissatisfaction in the Whig ranks, and they failed to rally their forces. In fact, the popular cry that year was decidedly with the Democ- racy. "Fifty-four, forty, or fight," was the battle cry of the Democracy, and as it rang out a note of defiance against the hereditary foe of the coun- try, Great Britain, it took with the people.
The Democratic nominees were Polk and Dallas; the Whigs, Clay and Frelinghuysen. The Democratic majority in those days, in Linn county, made it pretty much all one way; but the Whigs, though in the minority, went into the fight undismayed.
At a big meeting at the county seat, Linneus, the Democrats raised a hickory pole, and a beautiful banner was given to the breeze, upon which was inscribed, "Polk and Dallas. Texas, Oregon-all or none. 54-40 or fight." This last had reference to the Oregon boundary question, then in process of settlement between the United States and Great Britain, and meant that the Democracy of Linn county favored not only the acquisition of Texas, but the extension of Uncle Sam's dominion far enough to the north to include the greater portion of the Puget Sound country, now be- longing to Canada.
An incident of this campaign of 1844, which happened in Linneus, will bear reading. Judge James A. Clark was holding court in the old log court- house some time in the fall of that year. The representative of the county. a Democrat named Molock, came to Linneus and partook of the corn whisky there to be found, to such an extent that he was overcome thereby. In plain words, Mr. Molock got drunk. ' He started to find a lodging place, and near Colonel Flournoy's tumbled off his horse by the roadside, and there lay unconscious of his plight, and "o'er all the ills of life victorious." The dogs licked the sores of Lazarus and a blind steer belonging to Colonel Flournoy came along and licked the face of the boozy Molock
· News of the condition of the honorable member from Linn soon spread over town, and, as he was a leading Polk and Dallas man, the Whigs were greatly tickled. . One of them, a waggish old fellow with considerable talent and education, although rather careless in his manner of living, named Amos A. Moore, went to the court-room and announced to Judge Clark that Molock was dead, and, said he, "I will preach his funeral sermon in front of this court-house, under the Democratic banner which bears the inscription. ' Polk and Dallas. Texas, Oregon-all or none.' The services will begin right away."
Accordingly Moore mounted the rostrum and began a burlesque funeral oration over the "dead (drunk) body of the mighty Molock of Linn," as he
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HISTORY OF LINN COUNTY.
called him. A large crowd of all parties gathered, so large that Moore was compelled to adjourn his meeting to the northwest corner of the square, or near where Brandenburger's store building now stands, and where he finished his "funeral oration" which was so replete with wit, humor, and satire that it kept the crowd roaring with laughter and cheering throughout its delivery and was long remembered by all who heard it.
Linn county Democracy though generally numerous enough to have it all their own way used to, occasionally, turn around and go the other way if the nominee suited them. It was that way in 1842, and also in 1850, in regard to the member of the General Assembly. The Democracy had elected James A. Clark in 1838, and Ervin Ogan in 1840, but in 1842 enough of them voted with the Whigs to elect Mr. Jenkins to the legislature. Just so in 1850, Judge Jacob .Smith was elected, also a Whig. These were not con- sidered Whig victories at the time. They were personal ones for it was the personal popularity of both these candidates that elected them. Thus it will be seen that the Whig party had some talent and popularity in its ranks, and when brought forth it was recognized by the Democracy.
This seemed to have ended the success of the Whig party in Linn county. In 1862 the Radical party carried the county and continued to do so until 1870. The Democrats claimed that during the war they all enlisted and therefore the Republicans carried the county and after that the Drake con- stitution disfranchised them. This in some respects was a plausible excuse for their defeat, and if they had added the important fact that they did not have votes enough, the three reasons would fully have covered the ground of their failure. Since 1870 but one Republican representative has been elected, and some of the county officers have been of the same party, nota- bly the circuit clerk. Still, while the Democracy have generally got away with their opponents in the matter of supplying offices generally, the county is really only from forty-five to sixty Democratic.
THE VOTE.
This is too small a margin to brag on, and so this brings forth the good result of only putting up capable and honest men on both tickets, to be sup- ported by the people. In a half century of existence, or rather since settled,. Linn county can show less than $2,000 loss by defalcatious. The closeness .. of the vote can be seen from the following:
PRESIDENTS.
1876-Tilden, Democrat, 1,914; Hayes, Republican, 1,878; Tilden's ma- jority 36.
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HISTORY OF LINN COUNTY.
JUDGES.
1878-Norton, Democrat, 1,809; Denny, Republican, 1,591; Gilsthrop, Greenback, 262.
The latter a Greenback nominee for judge. The combined vote gives a majority against the Democrats of 44.
GOVERNOR.
1880-Crittenden, Democrat, 2,047; Dyer, Republican, 2,001; Brown, Greenback, 179.
The same year the vote for president stood:
Hancock, Democrat, 2,049; Garfield, 1,991; Weaver, Greenback, 182; plurality, 58.
TENTH CONGRESSIONAL DISTRICT.
1878-The vote for congressman was, Rothwell, Democrat, 14,793; Pol- lard, Republican, 10,875; Broadus, Greenback, 5,682. The Democrat was elected but the Republicans and Greenbackers saw that their combined vote was 1,764 majority. This- led the Republicans to decline to nominate in 1880 and combine to beat the Democrats. Joseph H. Burrows, Greenback, 17,284; Mansur, Democrat, 17,219; Greenback-Republican majority 65.
The total Greenback-Republican vote in 1878 was 16,557
The total Democratic vote in 1878 was 14,793
Combination majority. 1,764
The total Greenback-Republican vote in 1880 was. 17,284
The total Democratic vote in 1880 was 17,219
Combination majority 65
Combination vote, 1880
17,284
Combination vote, 1878. 16,557
Combination gain in two years
727
Democratic vote, 1880
17,219
Democratic vote, 1878 14,793
Democratic gain in two years
2,426
Total vote of the Tenth District, 1880
34,509
Total vote of the Tenth District, 1878. 31,351
3,158
This gives five scattering votes over the gain of the two parties. The following shows the political complexion of the counties composing this
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HISTORY OF LINN COUNTY.
TENTH DISTRICT.
Chas. H. Jos. H. Scatter-
Mansur. Burrows.
ing.
Randolph
2,963
1,662
.
Chariton
·2,945
2,077
. .
Linn.
2,040
2,126
..
Sullivan
1,737
1,775
1
Mercer
999
1,055
Grundy
1,096
1,975
...
Livingston
1,878
2,354
... .
Daviess
1,997
2,064
1
Harrison
1,564
2,196
4
Total.
17,219 17,284
6
Majority over Mansur, 65.
1882.
There will be a general election the fall of this year-congressmen, State senators, representatives, and a portion of the county offices are to be filled. The following represents the officers who, on January 1st, 1882, held the respective offices in the county, and their post-office address: E. D. Harvey, representative, Meadville; G. D. Burgess, circuit judge; J. B. Wilcox, pro- bate judge; Marion Boles, sheriff; Thomas H. Flood, treasurer; James Tooey, collector; F. W. Powers, circuit clerk; B. A. Jones, county clerk; J. A. Craig, recorder; J. D. Shifflett, public administrator, all of Linneus; C. G. Bigger, surveyor; J. C. Scott, coroner, St. Catharine; J. T. Nickerson, school superintendent, Bucklin.
CHAPTER XIV.
STATEMENT OF FACTS OF PUBLIC INTEREST.
Poor-farm-Its Cost-Lease and Family of Lease-Sold, Repurchased, and Traded-Some Interesting Facts-Swamp. Lands, When Selected-Cost of First Sale and Survey- 23,759.99 Acres-By Townships-What it Brought-The Closing Sale-Removal of County Seat a Failure-Another Trial and Another Failure-A Suit for Damages by Linneus Against Brookfield Suggested-Vote of 1870 and that of 1880-No Hope for Brookfield-A $75,000 Court-house-Population of Linn County-Per Cent of Gain.
POOR-FARM.
In the fall of 1855 the County Court concluded that a poor-farm would be the best arrangement to keep the county paupers, it having heretofore been the custom of letting their keeping to the lowest bidder. A farm
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HISTORY OF LINN COUNTY.
was accordingly purchased and rented February 4, 1856, for three years. The manager and renter of the poor-farm to keep the paupers at so much per year. At the end of the three years there is an order of record au- thorizing the disposal of the poor-farm for $2,000. Nothing further was heard of a poor-farm until 1870, when the county clerk, William S. McClanahan, sold to the County Court sixty acres of land for a poor-farm at $30 per acre, or $1,800. This was on on section sixteen, township fifty- eight, of range twenty, about three miles sontheast of the county seat. This land was the north sixty acres of the southeast eighty acre lot of the section.
The next thing was to rent this farm and secure a home for the poor of Linn county, and this was done as the following copy of the lease shows: " This lease commencing on the first day of March, 1870, and termi- nates on the first day of March, 1871. A. B. Bumgarner to take charge, oversee, and take care of the paupers of the county for that year for $560, the county to furnish everything furnished for the use of carrying on of the farm and support of the paupers, and to have the benefit of what is grown thereon for the use of the paupers and the support of the family of the lease, with the exception following: The said A. B. Bumgarner furnish cows, not over three, to let the milk .and butter be used on the farm for the keeping of the cows, also to have the privilege of furnishing hogs, the county to feed them, and the said Bumgarner to have half the whole. The said Bumgarner to furnish one riding horse and the county to feed it."
This was the quaintly worded document in full, and the terms were un- doubtedly carried out according to the understanding of the parties to the lease. The first account presented to the court for payment was at the March term, and it amounted to $347.70, including one horse to match the riding horse of the " lease " aforesaid and make a double team.
The farm was rented annually for three years more, and at the end of that time was found too small for the wants of the county, and a larger tract of land was negotiated for.
The new purchase was one hundred and sixty acres of land on the same numbered section,-sixteen, township fifty-nine, of range twenty, and the price paid was at the rate of $30 per acre. This trade was made with J. W. Southerland, in the spring of 1874, one of the judges of the County Court, he giving his farm of one hundred and sixty acres for the county farm of sixty acres, and receiving $3,000 to boot, or at the rate of $30 per acre, purchased of the county clerk. This makes the county poor-farm stand in price $4,800, besides the cost of improvements and repairs.
The county has continued to hold this farm, and it is in every respect a good one, in fact one of the finest in the county. It cost a pretty high price, more than land is worth in Linn county at this time, but land was about as high ten years ago as now. The farm is now leased for the sum of
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HISTORY OF LINN COUNTY.
$250 per year, and the lessee is allowed $65 per annum for the keeping of each pauper. There are a few paupers in the county not kept at the poor- house, who have relatives or friends who are allowed a fair compensation for their keeping, but less than the cost would be at the farm. Where this saving can be effected it is done. Taken all together there are few counties in the State that have better arrangements for a pleasant home for those who have been unfortunate in accumulating a sufficiency of this world's goods for their support, and for this handsome provision for her unfortunates Linn county should be emulated and congratulated.
SWAMP LAND.
The swamp land sales of Linn county had not been promptly mnet by payments, and a large number of purchasers defaulted. This had become so universal that the legislature in the spring of 1860-61 passed a sort of relief act. Lands were so dull of sale that those who had purchased swamp lands, were, in a great many instances, unable to sell them for what they gave, and their other property was in jeopardy to meet their payments. In this state of affairs the General Assembly in the session above stated, passed in substance the following, which was approved February 8, 1861.
"That the person purchasing swamp and overflowed lands, and wishing to return the same and be released from their indebtedness, could do so upon condition that they would give. satisfactory proof to the County Courts that the land was not damaged in any way, and if so, that the damage should be paid for, pay up all interest on their notes to date of the applica- tion for release, pay all taxes to date, costs of release, and deliver up their certificate of purchase." These conditions being complied with, their notes were given up to them and their sureties released. The act in some re- spects was considered onerous, some thinking that if they paid interest on their notes to date of release that the taxes should not be collected, yet the law as it stood was a boon to thousands, and thousands availed themselves of the opportunity to be released from the incumbrance from which, until the law was passed, they saw no way for escape but ruin. From the approval of the law in February, 1861, until 1863, advantage was taken of the law by large numbers. Some held on, hoping to go through and save their lands, and put off the day of application, but as it proved, were finally compelled to take the benefits of its provisions. Those in Linn county who gave up their lands mostly did so in 1862, and some in 1863.
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