USA > New Jersey > Essex County > Newark > A History of the city of Newark, New Jersey : embracing practically two and a half centuries, 1666-1913, Volume II > Part 8
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RIOT IN A CHURCH-1833.
Early in the month of July, 1833, the Rev. Dr. W. R. Weeks, pastor of the Fourth Presbyterian Church, gave a Friday evening lecture upon "The Sin of Slavery" in his church. A crowd of fully a thousand gathered outside the church, first contenting itself with hooting its disapproval of the theme and its expounder, and finally rushing inside. In the audience was a black man. The mob fought fiercely to get hold of him, but a few young men gathered around him and saved him, probably from lynching. Then the crowd vented its fury upon the building, mutilating the altar, smashing the lamps and doing other damage. Later Pastor Weeks took occasion to explain that, while he considered slavery a sin, he did
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not believe in the inter-marrying of the white and black races. A few days later a mob gathered around the shop of a colored man and made direful threats. Presently there came a rumor that the unfortunate man was armed and would sell his life as dearly as possible; and the mob's enthusiasm vanished.
There were no less than three hundred slaves in New Jersey in 1846. As late as 1810 Essex County, as then constituted, had 1,129 slaves. Numbers of slaves were employed on the farms in what is now Clinton Township during the first three or four decades of the last century.
But the slavery question, as applied to Newark and Essex County, had practically settled itself by 1840, as there were almost no slaves. Anti-slavery sentiment, however, grew steadily, being fostered in the churches, and by some of the newspapers. This city had every sound business reason to deprecate the enforcement of the laws against secession by drastic means, for it was, as one writer has put it,1 "essentially a Southern workshop. For about two-thirds of a century the shoemakers of Newark shod the South, its planters and its plantation hands, to a large extent. For genera- tions the bulk of the carriages, saddlery, harness and clothing manufactured in Newark found a ready and profitable market south of Mason and Dixon's line. And so it was to a greater or less extent with all our industries." It was not strange, therefore, that many of the leading manufacturing houses were opposed to the war. The majority of the people, however, were firmly and devotedly resolved to do their full share in upholding the Union, no matter what should happen.
MAYOR BIGELOW'S DECLARATION-JANUARY, 1861.
A striking evidence of the city's attitude is to be gathered from the remarkable concluding paragraphs of Mayor Bigelow's annual message to the Common Council, written in the opening days of January, 1861. A short time before, on December 20, 1860, South Carolina had passed her ordinance of secession. Mayor Bigelow's expression was as follows:
1 Joseph Atkinson's History of Newark.
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"In closing this communication, I feel it to be my duty to refer to the importance and solemnity of the present crisis in the political affairs of Our Country, the first effect of which has been a general prostration of its industrial interests, and, unless soon adjusted, will cause unprecedented deprivation and suffering. I regard the Union of these States as indispensable to the liberty, peace and prosperity of our people, and the great source of happiness at home and honor and respect abroad. When compared with the question of its preservation, the transitory issues of party should be regarded as mere 'dust in the balance.' The great problem is now before us: How can it be preserved ? Our Constitution was formed to perfect and perpetuate it, establish domestic tranquillity and pro- mote the general welfare, and its noble and patriotic framers laid its foundation in the spirit and principles of compromise and con- cession, political and social comity, and fraternal forbearance ;- and if, in the conflicts of party strife, or amid the excitements of party passion, we have departed from this spirit, we should hasten to retrace our steps-for if we are to live under one Constitution, with one country and one destiny, we must be one people, not in form and name, but one in affection, and one brotherhood loyal to the rights and institutions of all, and with a union of hearts and hands, sustaining in a sincere and generous spirit the compromises of the Constitution as the only means of preserving the great Ark of our safety-the Union.
"Without a prospect of continued and permanent peace there can be no permanent happiness and prosperity ; and shall our dear- est interests be sacrificed or put in jeopardy by contests about abstractions which the laws of climate, production and immigra- tion, together with territorial position, will practically settle under the Constitution and Supreme Judiciary of the country, to which all are bound to submit? As citizens of New Jersey, and the repre- sentatives of her most flourishing and important city, I con- gratulate you upon her record as a State faithful to the Constitution and loyal to the rights and institutions of all her sisters in the Confederacy. Let us endeavor to extend and perpetuate this spirit within her borders, and in emulation of the teachings and example of Him who 'spake as never man spake,' continue to 'render unto Caesar the things that are Caesar's,' firmly trusting that under Providence our great and powerful Union of States will ever remain like the mighty waters which bound its eastern and western shores -'though distinct as the billows, yet one as the sea.'
"MOSES BIGELOW."
Mayor Bigelow was a Democrat, and, what is more, was inter- ested in manufactures. But he knew full well the feelings of the plain people all about him in the city, and he was in sympathy with
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their attitude. His sentiments, once published, had much to do with fixing the popular view of Newark on the mighty questions so soon to be settled by war.
LINCOLN IN NEWARK, FEBRUARY 21, 1861.
On the morning of February 21, 1861, Abraham Lincoln, then on his way to Washington for his inauguration, passed through Newark. He came by way of Jersey City in his private car, which was brought to the depot of the Morris and Essex Railroad Com- pany at Broad and Division streets, over the tracks of the New Jersey Railroad and Transportation Company, subsequently the Pennsylvania. He was met by a deputation of leading citizens at the depot, where Mayor Bigelow made an address of welcome. Mr. Lincoln spoke a few words in reply. They were good words and were no doubt remembered by those who heard them, when the times of greatest tribulation, then so near, actually arrived. They were as follows:
"Mr. Mayor-I thank you for this reception you have given me in your city. The only response I can make is that I will bring a heart similarly devoted to the Union. With my own ability I cannot hope to succeed ; I hope to be sustained by Divine Providence in the work I have been called upon to perform for this great, free, happy and intelligent people. Without this I cannot succeed. I thank you again for this kind reception."
Mr. Lincoln was then driven down Broad street in a coach drawn by four white horses. There was an escort of citizens, mounted, but not in uniform. The arrangements for his welcome had been made hurriedly, as definite intelligence that he would stop here had been gained but a very few days before. One of those in the carriage with him was the illustrious Colonel Elsworth, of the Chicago Zouaves, who was soon to be shot down while in the act of removing a Confederate flag from the staff of the Marshall House in Alexandria, Virginia. It was snowing heavily as the coach passed down Broad street. The street was lined with people, thou- sands of whom had come in from the surrounding towns. A New York newspaper described the scene on the following day:
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"The scene in Broad street while the procession was passing, was magnificent; although the crowd was great the width of the street prevented any confusion, and this noble street, of which the people of Newark are justly proud, must have made a favorable impression upon the mind of Mr. Lincoln. There were not less than twenty-five thousand people in the streets. * Altogether, the Newark reception reflected credit upon the city, and was, we predict, as agreeable an ovation as Mr. Lincoln has received since he commenced his pilgrimage to the White House."
Mr. Lincoln proceeded down Broad street to Chestnut street, to the railroad station there. As he passed Chestnut Street Pub- lic School the children welcomed him with cheers and singing.
A GREAT MASS MEETING.
In the stormy days just before the War for Independence meet- ings of patriots were held in the Court House, which was then a plain building on Broad street, nearly opposite the present First Presbyterian Church. There fiery speeches were made, and there were adopted, as we have seen in a preceding chapter, the first resolutions passed by the people of a county in New Jersey, calling for delegates to a Congress to protest against the tyrannies of the British ministry. Ninety years afterwards we find the people of Newark, and of a large part of Essex County, summoned to give their aid in carrying on a great war-and again patriots gathered at the Court House. This time, however, the gathering was too large to get into the Court House, albeit the Court House was now a much more pretentious and roomy structure; so it gathered in the triangular space at the junction of Market street and Spring- field avenue. This is highly significant for more reasons than one. On the very spot where, in April, 1861, the people met together, in the open, and, as if of one mind and in one voice, con- secrated themselves to help preserve the Union and to uphold the hands of Abraham Lincoln, so, on Memorial Day, 1910, a statue of Lincoln provided for in the will of Amos II. Van Horn, a soldier of the war against secession, was formally dedicated by the surviving members of Lincoln Post, G. A. R., of which Mr. Van Horn was a member. Ex-President Theodore Roosevelt tendered the gift for the post, to the Mayor of the city, Jacob Hayssling.
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Fort Sumter fell on April 13, 1861. The great mass meeting in front of the Court House was held on the afternoon of Monday, April 22. It was called by the people of Newark, said an account of the time, "without respect to previous political opinions or associations, to express their sentiments in the present crisis of our national affairs, and their determination to uphold the Government of the country, and maintain the authority of the Constitution and the laws." The whole population seemed to be on the street and the greatest enthusiasm prevailed. Mayor Bigelow presided. All classes, professions, sexes and conditions were numerously repre- sented. Among the clergy represented were: Rev. J. F. Stearns, D.D., Presbyterian; Rev. H. C. Fish, D.D., Baptist; Rev. B. F. McQuaid, then rector of St. Patrick's Cathedral and later a bishop, and Rev. George H. Doane, Roman Catholic. The venerable Judge Haines was present, and the long list of vice-presidents and secre- taries included representative citizens from each of the eleven wards then composing the city. C. L. C. Gifford was the first speaker, and he was followed by William Pennington, who but six weeks before had completed his term as Speaker of the House of Representatives. Father McQuaid was the third speaker. "We now stand together as one people," said Mr. Gifford, "to take council together in the present extraordinary crisis which now finds us arrayed against those whose duty it was to stand by us." It was no time to talk about patriotism, but to act it out, said ex-Governor Pennington.
Father McQuaid spoke with deep feeling. "We hold," said he, "a common creed-obedience to the laws and Constitution of the land. Some of you might in the past have supposed that because we stood aloof we were not good American citizens; that our hopes are not where our bodies are. But when danger threatened our country, we have ever been found standing side by side with the defenders of the country; you may call us traitors, you may pro- scribe us-that moment has come and we are true."
"Party spirit," said the next speaker, Joseph P. Bradley, "is buried deep in the ground. There are now no Republicans, no
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Democrats ; we are to-day American citizens, and nothing else. We do not regard the opinions of our leader-his politics or his religion -all we ask is, is he a patriot ?" 2
Cortlandt Parker called upon all men to give their prayers, their money, their strength to the cause, and the women, too, to give everything for what is great and good. He added: "He that would not fight now is a dastard."
Theodore Runyon-who, five days later, was commissioned by Governor Charles S. Olden, Brigadier-General of New Jersey troops -gave eloquent expression to his sentiments. It was by no act of his that the present incumbent of the Presidential chair was placed in that position ; he tried all he could to keep Abraham Lin- coln out. He (the General) had but one duty now to do, and that was to recognize him as the legal President of the United States, and to support his Government.
In a similar strain of patriotic fervor, Frederick T. Freling- huysen-a descendant of that Frelinghuysen whose valor contrib- uted largely to the Revolutionary tide-turning victory at Trenton in 1776-then Attorney-General of the State, spoke. Anthony Q. Keasbey, who had just been appointed United States District Attor- ney for the District of New Jersey, spoke exultantly of the mani- festations all around of loyalty to the Government. Speeches were also made by Joseph C. Jackson, F. Scriba and Samuel H. Baldwin. As the unanimous sentiment of the great gathering, resolutions were adopted setting forth "that it is the firm, unanimous and unalterable determination of the citizens of Newark, first of all, and above all other duties, laying aside all party distinctions and asso- ciations, to sustain the Government under which they live"; and, furthermore:
"That we, the said citizens of Newark, will give our united, strong and unwavering support to the President of the United States and the General Government in its endeavour to enforce' the laws, preserve the common property, vindicate the dignity of the Government, and crush the treasonable conspiracies and insur- rections which are rampant in various parts of the land, leaving to them, as the constituted authorities, the exercise of their rightful
2 Shaw's History of Essex and Hudson Counties ..
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discretion, within all constitutional limits, as to the mode and manner in which it is to be done; at the same time deploring the necessity which compels us to array ourselves in opposition to men of the same blood, and who possess, in common with us, the tradi- tions of the Revolution, solemnly declaring that nothing but the highest and most sacred sense of duty to our Country and our God could lead us to risk the shedding of our brothers' blood."
A resolution was also passed authorizing the chairman to appoint a committee of citizens "to take in charge and carry for -. ward all measures needful for the equipment of troops, and to take such measures in co-operating with the authorities for the general security and protection as may be deemed advisable." This com- mittee consisted of the following well-known citizens:
Marcus L. Ward, Joseph P. Bradley, Alfred L. Dennis, Henry Vanderpool, Silas H. Kitchell, James M. Quinby, Joseph N. Tuttle, George Peters, Jacob Van Arsdale, C. L. C. Gifford, Nicholas Moore, Jacob Stucky, Peter H. Ballantine, James F. Bond, Thomas Kirk- patrick, Jacob Lagowitz, Stephen H. Condict, Theodore P. Howell, William Rankin, Joseph H. Halsey, Frederick H. Teese, Ira M. Har- rison, S. R. W. Heath and James Dougherty. To this committee were added the Mayor and Aldermen John C. Littell, James Smith, John Remer, Charles S. Macknet and W. A. Whitney. It organ- ized the day following the mass meeting, under the name of the "Public Aid Committee of the City of Newark," and with the fol- lowing officers: Marcus L. Ward, Chairman; Beach Vanderpool, Treasurer; Jacob Van Arsdale, Secretary; James F. Bond, Assist- ant Secretary.
COMMON COUNCIL'S ACTION.
Even before the mass meeting just described the city authori- ties had been stirring. Six days after the fall of Fort Sumter, the Common Council met, on April 19, 1861, and, although nearly two- thirds of its members were Democrats, adopted the following reso- lutions, offered by Harry A. Whitney, of the Sixth Ward:
"Resolved, That it is the high duty of every citizen to ignore all past political issues and promptly and heartily to rally under the banner of the Stars and Stripes for the defense of the Union
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and the Constitution of our fathers against all enemies and opposers whatever.
"Resolved, That deeply impressed with the solemnity of our sworn allegiance to the State and its constitutional obligations, we declare our determination at every hazard and with all our power to sustain the laws of our City, our State and Nation, and utterly repudiate all mob violence, and tendency thereto, wherever found and however and whenever exhibited."
On April 24, five days later, on motion of Alderman Thomas McGrath, of the Seventh Ward, the Common Council unanimously voted an appropriation of $100,000, "for the support of the families of our citizens who shall enter the military service." An additional sum of $5,000 was appropriated "towards the purchase of suitable clothing for the volunteers, in addition to their regular equipment."
NEWARK WOMEN ORGANIZE.
A few days after the great meeting the women of Newark formed an association "to co-operate with the authorities and citi- zens in relieving the families of those who from this city go to uphold the laws." Its leader was the wife of the then ex-Governor William Pennington, and those most active in it were: Mrs. Dr. James P. Wilson, South Park Presbyterian Church; Mrs. Frederick T. Frelinghuysen, North Dutch Church; Mrs. Dr. H. C. Fish, First Baptist Church; Mrs. R. L. Dashiell, Central M. E. Church; Mrs. Mckenzie, High Street Presbyterian Church; Mrs. Dr. William O'Gorman, St. Patrick's Cathedral; Mrs. Edward Wright, House of Prayer; Miss Fanny Rowland, Park Street Presbyterian Church; Mrs. Dr. E. R. Craven, Third Presbyterian Church; Mrs. W. Y. Clough, Trinity (Episcopal) Church; Mrs. W. B. Brown, First Con- gregational Church; Mrs. Dr. C. M. Nichols, Central Presbyterian Church; Mrs. Crockett and Mrs. A. Q. Keasbey, Grace Episcopal Church; Mrs. A. P. Whitehead, Mrs. J. F. Stearns, Mrs. John P. Jackson, Mrs. Frederick G. Scriba, Mrs. Jane Trimble, Mrs. Peter Duryea, Mrs. S. H. Condict, Mrs. John Rutherford, Mrs. Joseph Bradley, Mrs. Cortlandt Parker, Mrs. E. F. Hornblower, Mrs. S. H. Pennington, Mrs. Captain Gillespie, Mrs. W. H. Steele, Mrs. Daniel
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Dodd, Mrs. J. P. Wilson, Mrs. Thomas Colyer, Mrs. W. T. Mercer and Mrs. William Wright.
These women, and others, did an inestimable amount of good, ministering to the ill and wounded soldiers in the hospital estab- lished later in the war and in caring for the families of those at the front. Newark would honor itself by providing, in tangible form, some lasting memorial of their noble and unselfish efforts to make the scourge of war less severe.
The Newark banks contributed $170,000, more than one-third of the total amount ($451,000) contributed by twenty-four finan- cial institutions in all parts of the State, to the war funds. The donations of the Newark banks were: Newark Banking Company and the State Bank, $50,000 each; Mechanics' and Newark City Bank, $25,000 each; Essex County Bank, $20,000.
The day after the great mass-meeting in front of the Court House, Major Robert Anderson, the defender of Fort Sumter, arrived in Newark, having mistaken the day for the gathering. He was, nevertheless, received with great enthusiasm, although the city was even then busily engaged in outfitting the First Regi- ment of militia for the front.
All these things show how intensely alive and alert Newark had become to the emergencies which then confronted the nation. We shall now see in what measure this spirit of lofty patriotism was put into actual operation.
NEWARK'S FIRST REGIMENT.
President Lincoln issued his first call for troops on April 15, 1861, for seventy-five thousand men to serve for three months. New Jersey's quota under this call was four regiments, a brigade. One regiment, the First, was made up chiefly of Newark militia- men. Its officers were as follows:
Colonel, Adolphus J. Johnson; Lieutenant-Colonel, James Peck- well; Major, William W. Michels; Adjutant, Joseph Trawin; Quartermaster, Theodore F. Ketchum; Surgeon, John J. Craven; Surgeon's Mate, Edward A. Pierson; Sergeant-Major, George H. Johnson; Drum-Major, Nathan P. Morris; Fife-Major, Elijah F. Lathrop; Musicians, 14.
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Company A-Captain, John Brintzinghoffer; First Lieutenant, John Ward; Ensign, Alfred J. Payne.
Company B-Captain, William S. Tipson; First Lieutenant, George Sweeney; Ensign, Mark Sears.
Company C-Captain, Thomas L. Martin; First Lieutenant, William C. Davis; Ensign, George T. Woodbury.
Company D-Captain, Henry O. Beach; First Lieutenant, John Glazrie; Ensign, George Blair.
Company E-Captain, Martin B. Provost; First Lieutenant, Alexander Vreeland; Ensign, Garret Debow.
Company F-Captain, Henry Bowden; First Lieutenant, John E. Beam; Ensign, John B. Monroe.
Company G -- Captain, Henry V. Sanford; First Lieutenant, Jesse Keen ; Ensign, John H. Arey.
Company H-Captain, William H. Reynolds; First Lieutenant, Charles E. Mackey ; Ensign, Stephen C. Fordham.
Company I-Captain, John H. Higginson; First Lieutenant, William H. Thompson; Ensign, John McIntee.
Company K-Captain, Charles W. Johnson; First Lieutenant, James B. Baird; Ensign, Ephraim Hall.
The Newark brigade of militia, from which this regiment was practically made up, consisted of the following commands just previous to the war: First Regiment, 277 officers and men; Mont- gomery Battalion, 92; Liberty Rifles, 110; City Battalion, 106; Steuben Battalion, 159; total, 734. The Steuben Battalion, com- posed entirely of Newark Germans, and commanded by Major Herman Schalk, volunteered as a body. The Montgomery Bat- talion, made up of Irish-Americans, headed by Senior Captain John Toler, stood ready, as did the other organizations. The regiment's departure from Newark was thus described by a local newspaper: "The streets, house-tops and windows along the route were filled with people, and the troops were constantly cheered. The display of enthusiasm by the populace was never so great on any previous occasion in Newark." When the regiment reached the High School at Washington and Linden streets, it was halted and a handsome flag was presented to it by the girls of the school. That flag has been carefully preserved in the Barringer High School since 1899.
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RUNYON'S BRIGADE IN THE FIELD.
Theodore Runyon, a Newark lawyer, then about thirty-eight years of age, later Mayor of the city, afterwards Chancellor of the State and near the close of his life Ambassador to Germany, was made commander of this brigade. He had taken a deep interest in military affairs for a number of years but had never hitherto been in the field. The Newark regiment was clothed in Newark, at the expense of the State, was mustered in at Trenton on April 30, left the State on May 3, for Washington, proceeding by boat by way of the Delaware and Chesapeake Canal to Annapolis, reach- ing Washington with a part of the Second and Third regiments early on the morning of the sixth of May. It was the best equipped brigade that had so far arrived at Washington, and was received with marked enthusiasm. Says Joseph Atkinson in his History of Newark:
"Organizations from other States had already reached there, but none had presented the completely uniformed, equipped and in every way soldierly appearance of the Jersey troops, especially the Newark regiment. The arrival of the Jersey boys was hailed with delight in Washington.
* 'For your prompt and patriotic response to the call of the General Government,' wrote the Secretary of War to Governor Olden, 'I tender to yourself and the people of New Jersey my sincere and heartfelt thanks.'
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* Upon the raising of a United States flag on one of the Government buildings in Washington, the officers of the First Regiment were present by invitation of the President and Post- master-General Blair. Describing the reception given the Jersey- men by these distinguished officials, Chaplain A. St. John Chambre wrote at the time: 'I notified the President that seven-eighths of the First Regiment were probably Democrats, and therefore opposed to his election, but now were willing and ready to support him and the Constitution with their life's blood if necessary. He was greatly pleased, remarking that "on an arithmetical calcula- tion so much was clear gain." He also complimented Newark especially, and the whole State, observing that New Jersey had the largest body of troops in the field of any State in the Union in comparison with her size.'"
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