History of New Mexico : its resources and people, Volume I, Part 39

Author: Pacific States Publishing Co. 4n; Anderson, George B
Publication date: 1907
Publisher: Los Angeles : Pacific States Pub. Co.
Number of Pages: 670


USA > New Mexico > History of New Mexico : its resources and people, Volume I > Part 39


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).


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William G. Ritch.


(Secretary acting as Governor.)


1875-78.


Samuel B. Axtell.


1878-81. 1881-85.


Lionel Sheldon.


1885-89.


Edmund G. Ross.


1889-93. L. Bradford Prince.


1893-97. William T. Thornton.


1897-06. Miguel A. Otero.


1906. Herbert J. Hagerman.


Secretarics.


1846-51. Donaciano Vigil.


1870-72. Henry Wetter.


1851. Hugh N. Smith.


1872-73. W. F. N. Arny.


1851-52. William S. Allen.


1873-84. William G. Ritch.


1852-53. John Greiner.


1884-85.


Samuel A. Losch.


1853-54.


William S. Messervy.


1885-89. George W. Lane.


1854-57.


W. H. H. Davis.


1889-92.


B. M. Thomas.


1857-61. A. M. Jackson.


1892-93. S. Alexander.


1861. Miguel A. Otero.


1893-97. Lorion Miller.


1861-62. James H. Holmes.


1897-01. George H. Wallace.


1862-67. W. F. N. Arny.


I90I.


J. W. Raynolds.


Attorneys General.


1846-48. Hugh N. Smith.


1867-69. Merrill Ashurst.


1848-52. Elias P. West.


1869-72. Thomas B. Catron.


1852. Henry C. Johnson.


1872. Thomas F. Conway.


1852-54. Merrill Ashurst.


1872-78. William Breeden.


1854-58.


Theodore Wheaton.


1878-80. Henry L. Waldo.


1858-59.


R. H. Tompkins.


1880-81. Eugene A. Fiske. Office was


1859-60. 1860.


Spruce M. Baird.


1860-62.


R. H. Tompkins.


1862-66. Charles P. Cleaver.


1866-67. S. B. Elkins.


1881-89. William Breeden.


1867. Charles P. Cleaver.


*Compiled from the Legislative Manual.


Hugh N. Smith.


declared vacant from February 14, 1880, to June 22, 1881, by the decision of the Supreme Court of New Mexico, 2 N. M. Reports, 49-62.


1867-70. H. H. Heath.


Lewis Wallace.


267


CIVIL RECORDS


The office of Attorney General was abolished and the office of Solicitor General was created, February 15, 1889.


Solicitors General.


I889-95. E. L. Bartlett.


*1897-04. E. L. Bartlett. 1904-06. Geo. W. Prichard.


1895-97. J. P. Victory.


1897. A. B. Fall. *Died October 19, 1904.


1906.


W. C. Reid.


Auditors.


1846-51.


Eugenio Leitendorfer.


1865-67. Epifanio Vigil.


1851. James W. Richardson.


1867.


Anastacio Sandoval.


1851. Robert T. Brent.


1867-69.


Epifanio Vigil.


1852.


Louis Sheets.


1869-72.


Anastacio Sandoval.


1853. J. W. Richardson.


1872-91. Trinidad Alarid.


1853-56. Horace L. Dickinson.


1891-95.


Demetrio Perez.


1856-61. Augustine De Marle.


1895-99. Marcelino Garcia.


1861-63.


Demetrio Perez.


1899-0I.


Luis M. Ortiz.


1863-65.


Miguel E. Pino.


190I.


W. G. Sargent.


Treasurers.


1846-54.


Charles Blumner.


1869.


Felipe Delgado.


1854-57. Charles L. Spencer.


1869-72.


Pablo Delgado.


1857. Hezekiah S. Johnson.


1872-80.


Antonio Ortiz y Salazar.


1857-63. Charles Blumner.


I 880-82.


Juan Delgado.


1863. William Osterton.


1882-86.


Antonio Ortiz y Salazar.


1863-65. Anastacio Sandoval.


1886-91.


Bernard Seligman.


1865.


Felipe Delgado.


1891-95.


Rufus J. Palen.


I865-66.


Jose Manuel Gallegos.


1895-0I.


Samuel Eldodt.


1866-69.


Simon Delgado.


1901-


J. H. Vaughn.


Adjutants General.


1861-65.


Charles P. Cleaver.


1880-81.


J. Howe Watts.


1865-67. John Gwyn.


1881-83.


Max. Frost.


1867-68.


Charles P. Cleaver.


1883-89.


1868. John T. Russell.


1889-90.


E. W. Wyncoop.


1868. George W. Cook.


1890-93.


Winfield S. Fletcher.


1868-70. James M. Wilson.


1893-97.


G. W. Knaebel.


1870-71. William L. Rynerson.


1897-98.


H. B. Hersey.


1871.


Anastacio Sandoval.


1898-05.


William H. Whiteman.


1873-80.


Thomas S. Tucker.


Librarians.


1852-54. John Ward.


1854-57. Juan Climaco Tapia.


(No librarian from 1857 to 1869.)


1869-71. Ira M. Bond.


1889-91. Jose Segura.


1871-78. James McKenzie.


1891-95. Facundo F. Pino.


1878-80. Aniceto Abeytia.


1895-99. Jose Segura.


1880-89.


Samuel Ellison.


1899-


Lafayette Emmett.


Superintendents of the Penitentiary.


1889-91. Henry C. Burnett.


1895-99. E. H. Bergmann.


1891-93. J. Francisco Chaves.


1899-06. H. O. Bursum.


1893-95. John R. DeMier.


1906- Captain Arthur Trelford.


Superintendents of Public Instruction.


1891-97. Amado Chaves.


1901-04. J. Francisco Chaves.


1897-99. Placido Sandoval.


1904-05. Amado Chaves.


1899-01. Manuel C. de Baca.


1905- Hiram Hadley.


Commissioner of Public Lands.


1899. A. A. Keen.


1905-


A. P. Tarkington.


1871-73.


W. M. Giddings.


Edward L. Bartlett.


268


HISTORY OF NEW MEXICO


Traveling Auditor and Bank Examiner.


1903. C. V. Safford.


1903-06. P. B. Otero.


Game and Fish Warden. 1906- W. E. Griffin.


Coal Oil Inspectors.


1895-97. M. S. Hart.


1897-99. W. E. Martin.


Office of Coal. Oil Inspector abolished February, 1903 : re-established, 1905.


1905- Benigno Romero.


Public Printers.


1899-03. James D. Hughes. 1903- J. S. Duncan.


1903- George A. Fleming.


FEDERAL OFFICERS.


United States Surveyors General.


1854-60. William Pelham.


1884-85. Clarence Pullen.


1860-65. Alexander P. Wilbar.


1885-89. George W. Julian.


I865-68. John A. Clark.


1889-93. Edward W. Hobart.


1868-69. Benjamin C. Cutter.


1893-97. Charles F. Easley.


1869-72. T. Rush Spencer.


1897-02. Quinby' Vance.


1872-76. James K. Proudfit.


1902- Morgan O. Llewellyn.


1876-84. Henry M. Atkinson.


U. S. Collectors of Internal Revenue.


I862-69. Charles Blummer.


1890-93. Levi A. Hughes.


1869-70. Alex. P. Sullivan.


1893-97. Charles M. Shannon.


1870-83. Gustavus A. Smith.


1897-05. Alexander L. Morrison.


1883-86. Silas W. Fisher.


1905- Henry P. Bardshar.


NEW MEXICO LAND DISTRICTS.


The first land district in New Mexico was created by Act of Congress, approved May 24, 1857 (see U. S. Statutes, Vol. X, p. 292), and the land office was opened for business on November 25, 1858, at Santa Fé, New Mexico.


Registers of the Santa Fe Land Office.


1858-60. William A. Davidson. 1878-81. John C. Davis.


1860-61. Oliver P. Richardson.


1881-85. Max. Frost.


I861-67. Joab Houghton.


1885-87. Charles F. Easley.


1867-69. Edward D. Thompson.


1887-89. James H. Walker.


1869-70. Henry Witten.


1889-93. Alex. L. Morrison.


1870-72. Eben Everett.


1893-97. James H. Walker.


1874-78. Joseph D. Sena.


1897- Manuel R. Otero.


Receivers of Public Money, Santa Fe Land Office.


1858-61. William A. Street.


1878-81. Elias Brevoort.


1861-65. John Greiner.


1881-85. William H. Bailhache.


1865. . James L. Collins.


1885-89. Leigh O. Knapp.


I865-66. John Greiner.


I889. Joseph A. Spradling.


I866-73. James L. Collins.


1889-93. William M. Berger.


1873-74. Eldridge W. Little.


1893-97. Pedro Delgado.


1874-77. Abram G. Hoyt.


1897-02. Edward E. Hobart.


IS77. George R. Smith.


1902 -. Frederick Muller.


1877-78. Charles Howard.


1899-03. John S. Clark.


Assistant Secretary.


1886-90. Joseph P. McGrorty.


269


CIVIL RECORDS


LA MESILLA LAND DISTRICT.


Act of March 3, 1874. Opened August 9, 1875. Removed to Las Cruces April 25, 1883.


Registers of the La Mesilla Land Office.


1874-80. Lawrence La Point. 1894-96. John D. Bryan.


1880-84. George D. Bowman.


1884-85. John R. McFie.


1885-89. Edmund G. Shields.


1902-06. Nicholas Galles.


1889-94. Samuel P. McCrea.


1906- Eugene Van Patten.


Receivers of the La Mesilla Land Office.


1874. William L. Rynerson.


1889-90. James J. Dolan.


1874-80. Mariano Barela.


1890-94. Quinby Vance.


1880-86. Samuel W. Sherfy.


1894-97. James P. Ascarate.


1886-89. James Browne.


1897-


Henry D. Bowman.


FOLSOM LAND DISTRICT.


Act December 18, 1888. Opened August 12, 1889. Removed to Clayton April 14, 1892.


Registers of the Folsom Land Office.


1889-91. Thomas B. Baldwin.


1894-97. John C. Slack.


I891. George K. Anderson.


1897- Edward W. Fox.


1891-94. William W. Bayle.


Receivers of the Folsom Land Office.


1889-94. Henry C. Prikles.


1898- Albert W. Thompson.


1894-98. Joseph S. Holland.


ROSWELL LAND DISTRICT.


Act March 1, 1889. Opened December 16, 1889.


Registers of Roswell Land Office.


I 889-90. John H. Mills.


1893-97. George R. Young.


1890-93. Winfield S. Cobean.


1897- Howard Leland.


Receivers of Roswell Land Office.


1889-93. Frank Lisnet. 1893-97. William H. Cosgrove.


1897- David L. Geyer.


JUDGES AND OFFICERS OF THE SUPREME AND DISTRICT COURTS OF NEW MEXICO. The Supreme Court is composed of the judges of the six judicial districts. Chief Justices.


Appointed.


Appointed.


Joab Houghton


.1846


John S. Watts. 1868


Grafton Baker


I851


Joseph G. Palen. 1860


J. J. Davenport. 1853


Henry L. Waldo. 1876


Kirby Benedict 1858


Charles McCandless 1878


John P. Slough 1866


L. Bradford Prince.


1879


Samuel B. Axtell. I882


James O'Brien 1889


William A. Vincent. :885


Thomas J. Smith 1893


William J. Mills. 1898


Elisha V. Long. 1885


1896-97. Edwin E. Sluder.


1898-02. Emil Solignac.


270


HISTORY OF NEW MEXICO


Judges, First District. Headquarters at Santa Fé. Counties : Santa Fé, San Juan, Rio Arriba and Taos. Appointed.


Appointed.


Joab Houghton


1846


Charles McCandless I878


Grafton Baker


1851


L. Bradford Prince.


1879


J. J. Davenport.


1853


Samuel B. Axtell. 1882


Kirby Benedict


1858


Reuben A. Reeves.


1887


John P. Slough.


1866


William H. Whiteman


1889


John S. Watts


868


Edward P. Seeds


1890


Joseph G. Palen.


I86g


Napoleon B. Laughlin 1894


Henry L. Waldo.


1876


John R. McFie.


1898


Judges, Second District. Headquarters at Albuquerque.


Counties : Bernalillo, Mckinley, Sandoval and Valencia. Appointed.


Appointed.


Antonio J. Otero


.1846


Samuel C. Parks. . 1878


John S. Watts. .


1851


Joseph Bell


1882


Perry E. Brochhus.


1857


William H. Brinker


1885


W. F. Boon.


1859


William D. Lee. .


1889


Sydney A. Hubbell.


1861


Needham C. Collier.


.1893


Perry E. Brochhus.


1867


Jonathan W. Crumpacker 1898


Hezekiah S. Johnson 1870


John I. Reddick.


.1876


Ira A. Abbott.


1904


Samuel B. McLin.


1877


Judges, Third District. Headquarters at Las Cruces. Counties : Doña Ana, Grant, Luna, Sierra and Socorro. Appointed.


Appointed.


Charles Beaubien


1846


Daniel B. Johnson. 1871


Horace Mower


1851


Warren Bristol


.1872


Kirby Benedict


1853


Stephen F. Wilson.


.1884


William G. Blackwood.


1858


William F. Henderson.


1885


Joseph G. Knapp


1861


John R. McFie.


1889


Joab Houghton


1865 Albert B. Fall


1893


Abraham Berger


I86g


Gideon D. Bantz. 1895


Benjamin J. Waters.


1870


Frank W. Parker.


1898


Judges, Fourth District.


Headquarters at Las Vegas.


Counties : San Miguel, Colfax, Mora and Union.


Appointed.


Appointed.


Elisha V. Long


.188g Thomas J. Smith


.1893


James O'Brien .1893


William J. Mills. 1898


Judges, Fifth District. Headquarters at Roswell. Counties : Chaves, Eddy and Roosevelt.


Appointed. Appointed.


Alfred A. Freeman.


1890 Dan'1 H. McMillan


. 1900


Humphrey B. Hamilton .1895


W. H. Pope.


. 1903


Charles A. Leland. 1898


Judges, Sixth District. Headquarters at Alamogordo. Counties : Otero, Lincoln, Leonard Wood, Torrance and Quay. Appointed.


Edw. A. Mann. .1904


Benjamin S. Baker. 1902


271


CIVIL RECORDS


United States Attorneys.


Appointed.


Appointed.


Frank P. Blair.


.1846


Thomas B. Catron


. 1872


Hugh N. Smith


1847


Sidney M. Barnes.


1878


Elias P. West.


1851


George W. Prichard.


1883


William H. H. Davis.


1853


Joseph Bell


.1884


William Claude Jones


1855


Thomas Smith


1885


Richard H. Tompkins. 1858


Eugene A. Fiske. 1889


Theodore D. Wheaton. 1860


J. B. H. Hemingway 1893


Stephen B. Elkins


867


W. H. H. Llewellyn


1904


S. M. Ashenfelter 1871


Clerks of the Supreme Court.


Appointed by the Court. Appointed.


Appointed.


James M. Giddings


.1852


John H. Thompson.


1877


Louis D. Sheets.


1854


Frank W. Clancy.


1880


Augustine de Marle


1856


Charles M. Phillips 188,3


Samuel Ellison


1859


Enel M. Johnson


1886


William M. Gwynne.


1866


Robert M. Foree.


1887


Peter Connelly 1867


1868


Harry S. Clancy 1891


William Breeden


I869


Page B. Otero.


.1893


Marshall A. Breeden 1872


George I. Wyllys


1894


Rufus J. Palen


I873


Jose D. Sena.


898


United States Marshals.


Appointed.


Appointed.


Richard Dallan


.1846


John Pratt


1866


John L. Jones. ..


1851


John Sherman, Jr .. 1876


Charles L. Rumley


1853


A. L. Morrison .. 1881


Charles H. Merritt.


1854


Romulo Martinez


1885


Charles Blumner


1856


Trinidad Romero


1889


Charles P. Cleaver


1858


Edwin L. Hall. 1893


Abram Cutler 1861


C. M. Foraker


1898


Delegates in Congress.


3Ist Congress, 1849-51.


William S. Messervy


32d Congress, 1851-53. .R. H. Weightman


33d Congress, 1853-55. .Jose M. Gallegos


34th, 35th and 36th Congresses, 1855-61 Miguel A. Otero


37th Congress, 1861-63. John S. Watts


38th Congress, 1863-65. Francisco Perea


39th and 40th Congresses, 1865-69. J. Franco. Chaves


4Ist Congress, 1869-71. .


Charles P. Cleaver (Contested by J. F. Chaves, and at the end of session Chaves was seated.)


42d Congress, 1871-73. .


Jose M. Gallegos


43d. and 44th Congresses, 1873-77.


Stephen B. Elkins


45th Congress, 1877-79


Trinidad Romero


46th Congress, 1879-81


Mariano S. Otero


47th Congress, 1881-83. Tranquilino Luna


48th Congress, 1883-85. .F. A. Manzanares (Luna's election to the 48th Congress was contested by Manzanares, and the latter was seated.)


49th, 50th, 5Ist, 52d and 53d Congresses, 1885-95. Antonio Joseph


54th Congress, 1895-97.


.T. B. Catron


55th Congress, 1897-99. H. B. Ferguson


56th Congress. 1899-1901. . Pedro Perea


57th and 58th Congresses, 1901-05. Bernard S. Rodey


59th Congress. W. H. Andrews


Summers Burkhart 1889


Samuel Ellison


Merrill Ashurst .1861


W. B. Childers. 1896


272


HISTORY OF NEW MEXICO


LEGISLATIVE ASSEMBLY UNDER THE MILITARY GOVERNMENT, CONVENED DECEMBER 6TH, 1847.


Members of the Council.


President-Antonio Sandoval, Bernalillo County.


Clerk-Henry Henrie.


Doorkeeper-James Hubble.


Central District-(Composed of Santa Fé, San Miguel del Bado, and Santa Ana Counties), Jose Francisco Baca y Torres, Jose Andres Sandoval, Juan Tullis.


North District-(Composed of Taos and Rio Arriba Counties), Nicolas Lucero, Pascual Martinez.


South District-(Composed of Bernalillo and Valencia Counties), Antonio Sandoval, Juan Otero y Chaves.


Members of the House.


Speaker-Wm. Z. Angey, of Santa Fé County.


Clerk-James Giddings.


Doorkeeper-E. J. Vaughn.


Santa Fé County-Miguel Alvarez, W. Z. Angey, Anto. Ma. Ortiz.


Santa Ana County-Tomas C. de Baca, Jesus Sandoval.


San Miguel del Bado County-Miguel Sanchez, Antonio Sais, Levi J. Keitlay. Rio Arriba County-Jose Roma Vigil. Jose Antonio Manzanares, Mariano Lucero. Taos County-Jose Martin, Geo. Gold, Antonio Jose Ortiz.


Bernalillo County-Juan Perea, Rafael Armijo y Mestas.


Valencia County-Wm. Skinner, Juan Cruz Baca, Juan Cristoval Chaves, Rafael Luna, Juan Sanches y Carillo.


FIRST LEGISLATIVE ASSEMBLY.


The first session convened at Santa Fe, the capital, on the second day of June, 1851; and the second session convened on the first day of December, 1851.


Council.


President (First Session)-Antonio Jose Martinez, of Taos County.


President (Second Session)-Juan Felipe Ortiz, of Santa Fé County.


Clerk-Fernando Pino.


Sergeant-at-Arms-Robert Cary.


Members .- First District-(Counties of Taos and Rio Arriba), Pablo Gallegos, George Gold, Anto. Jose Martinez, Vicente Martinez, Antonio Ortiz.


Second District-(Counties of Santa Fe and San Miguel), Jose Francisco Leyba, Juan Felipe Ortiz, Hugh N. Smith.


Third District-(Counties of Bernalillo and Santa Ana), Tomas Cabeza de Baca, Jose Manuel Gallegos.


Fourth District-Counties of Valencia and Socorro), Florencio Castillo, Juan C. Chaves, Francisco Anto. Otero.


House.


Speaker-Theodore Wheaton, of Taos County.


Clerk (First Session)-Robert N. Johnson.


Clerk (Second Session)-Thomas D. Russel.


Sergeant-at-Arms-John M. Clifford.


Members .- Taos County-Reymundo Cordova, Dionicio Gonzales, Pascual Marti- nez, Miguel Mascarena, Theodore Wheaton.


Rio Arriba County-Geronimo Jaramillo, Jose Antonio Manzanares, Diego Sala- zar, Celedonio Valdez, Ramon Vigil.


Santa Ana County-Jose Sandoval.


Santa Fé County-Candido Ortiz, Palmer J. Pilans, Merrill Ashurst, Robert T. Brent.


San Miguel County-Hilario Gonzales, M. Sena y Quintana, M. Sena y Romero. Bernalillo County-Juan Cristobal Armijo, Spruce M. Baird, Jose Leandro Perea. Valencia County-Juan Cruz Baca, Juan Jose Sanchez, Wm. C. Skinner. Socorro County-Juan Torres, Esquipula Vigil.


Edmund G. Ross


273


CIVIL RECORDS


An idea of the character of the legislative assemblies of the late sixties may be gleaned by a study of some of their memorials to Congress. In 1867 a long memorial reported from committee in which Robert B. Mitchell, who had entered upon the duties of his office in August, 1866, was accused of "immediately commencing to act the partisan"; of running away from his post of duty during the whole of the session of the legislature; upon his return, in the spring of 1867, of beginning the "unauthorized and illegal removal" of all the officers appointed by the former secretary and acting governor of the Territory; of ignoring the rights of the people of New Mexico and with an assumption of power wholly usurped and not delegated, and never before exercised by any executive in the United States, of appointing a delegate to the Fortieth Congress of the United States, during the pendency of a canvass in this Territory for delegate; of establishing new precincts in counties, taking upon himself to that end a prerogative belonging only to the legislature; of assuming to himself the prerogative of giving a certificate of election to one of the candidates for the Fortieth Congress, when such duties devolve upon the secretary of the Territory.


"And finally Governor Mitchell has grossly undertaken to trample upon the rights guaranteed to the people of New Mexico through their legislature to memori- alize the Congress of the United States for the relief of their grievance, a right scarcely guaranteed to American citizens by the Constitution of the United States, disapproving such memorial and refusing his sanction thereto; and this tyranny has been more serious since the hand of the aforesaid governor was refused to a memo- rial, the object of which was to ask Congress to diminish a despotic power known only among tyrants, although very seldom excused by them, to-wit: To secure from Congress such an amendment of the organic act of this Territory as would deprive and take from Governor Mitchell the unqualified veto power, putting thereby the loyal and free people of this Territory on an equal footing with other territories of the United States, thereby restraining the governor from the exercise of power to overthrow the entire legislation of the country notwithstanding that the laws might be passed by a unanimous vote of the legislative assembly.


"No patriotic man, no man who is not cursed with a spirit of oppression or executive tyranny, can desire such power to rest in his hands, such a power as the legislature complains of in the said memorial asking its abolition. No man who respects the people of whom he is the executive would desire such power; where- fore we have come to the conclusion that he who desires to wield this power is neither fit nor capable of governing a free people."


The memorial concluded by asking, in emphatic terms, for the re- moval of Governor Mitchell.


In May, 1885, President Cleveland issued to Edmund G. Ross a com- mission as governor of New Mexico, to succeed Lionel A. Sheldon. The four years' administration of Governor Ross was as stormy a period as has ever characterized the Territory. For more than twenty years the Republicans had been in power, and the efforts of the preceding administra- tions to build up a powerful political machine in the Territory had suc- ceeded to the point where the people generally, regardless of their political predilections, hailed with delight the advent of an executive who would wage a relentless warfare against the now thoroughly established institu- tion known as the Santa Fe ring. It was at this critical period in the history of the Territory that Edmund G. Ross entered upon the arduous duties of chief executive.


Governor Ross was born in Ashland, Huron county, Ohio, December 7, Vol. I. 18


274


HISTORY OF NEW MEXICO


1826. At the age of ten he entered the printing office of H. C. Grey in Huron, Ohio, where he remained until the office was purchased by his older brother, Sylvester Ross, and removed to Sandusky, Ohio. Mr. Ross, then about seventeen years of age, accompanied his brother and spent the greater part of his school days in Sandusky. In 1847 he traveled through Indiana, Illinois and Wisconsin as a journeyman printer, but returned to Sandusky, where, in 1848, he was married to Fannie M. Lathrop, a native of New York state. Seven children were born of this marriage, six of whom reached middle age, with five still living, the grandchildren number- ing twenty-five. Mrs. Ross died in 1899, after fifty-one years of wedded life. From Sandusky, in 1851, with his wife and daughter, he went to Milwaukee, en route to Chicago, by way of the Great Lakes; but in the Wisconsin city changed his plans and decided to remain there. He was first employed on the Free Democrat, but soon after became foreman on the Milwaukee Sentinel, remaining on that paper until 1856, when he or- ganized a party of "Free-Staters" to travel overland to Kansas. Early in August of that year this party, three hundred strong, reached Topeka, where Mr. Ross's brother, William W., had been located for one year. That fall Mr. Ross went to Lawrence and purchased of John Speer his interest in the Lawrence Tribune, which he removed to Topeka, and with his brother published for three years under the name of the Topeka Tribune. About the same time he entered the Free State troops and with them engaged in the "border war" for several years. In 1859 he was elected a member and served in the Wyandotte Constitutional Convention, which framed the constitution under which the Territory of Kansas was admitted to statehood. In that vear, also, he founded the Kansas State Record (since merged with the Topeka Capital) in partnership with his brother, William W., and they erected a three-story concrete building, the first structure in Topeka devoted exclusively to newspaper purposes. In 1860 they began the issue of a daily edition of the Record, which they continued for nearly two years. Mr. Ross also urged the holding of and took a prominent part in the "Kansas Railroad Convention" of 1860.


In 1862 Mr. Ross raised a company of volunteers at Topeka for the support of the Union cause, and was elected its captain. This company was mustered into the service as Company E, Eleventh Kansas Infantry. In 1864 he was promoted major of his regiment. During the Price raid, which occurred in the summer of 1864, he served as colonel of battalion, and participated in a series of battles commencing at Lexington and ending about five miles south of Kansas City, Missouri, where the Federals were finally victorious, and Price retreated to the south. On the second day of this historic engagement three horses were shot from under him and his shoulder-straps were shot away. His service continued until the close of the war, being confined principally to the Kansas-Missouri border, and he left the army with the rank of major.


In the spring of 1864 the family of Mr. Ross had removed to Law- rence, and upon the termination of hostilities he entered the Kansas Tribune at that place in partnership with John Speer, publishing it about one year. In July, 1866, following the suicide of United States Senator James Lane, Governor Samuel J. Crawford appointed Mr. Ross to the vacant Kansas senatorship, and upon the convening of the state legislature in January, 1867, he was elected to the office for the term expiring in March, 1871.


275


CIVIL RECORDS


Mr. Ross had been a "Union" Democrat, and had voted for Lincoln in 1860-4, and was elected to the senate as a Republican in 1867. It was during his term in the senate that impeachment proceedings were brought against President Andrew Johnson, and it was his vote that prevented the removal of that president from office. This grave political event made the senator from Kansas one of the most conspicuous figures in the nation for the time being. How the seceded states could be expeditiously re- stored to their constitutional relations with the Union was the most im- portant question of the hour. The Republican party approached that work in the hot blood of war and the elation of victory, a state of mind hardly fitting it for perfect and sane political effort. Mr. Ross was fully aware of the fact that the Baltimore convention which nominated Lincoln and Johnson knew that both nominees opposed the idea advanced by some leaders of their party, that the states in rebellion were without political rights and not entitled to consideration in any proposition for their re- habilitation that might be adopted. Upon Johnson's accession to the presi- dency, the first thing he sought was the restoration of the Union by the return of the rebellious states to their allegiance to the constituion. In the first attempt to impeach the president, in 1867, the chief magistrate's method of reconstruction was the most conspicuous feature of the prosecu- tion. The extremists insisted that this policy was a radical departure from Lincoln's plan-an unwarranted assumption of authority by Johnson ; that its purport was the recognition of the people of the south as American citizens with the rights of such, an act not far removed from treason. The testimony adduced at the trial satisfied Senator Ross that Johnson was endeavoring faithfully to carry out Lincoln's methods of reconstruction. The controlling element of the Republican party had temporarily acqui- esced in the plan of reconstruction foreshadowed by Lincoln and adopted by Johnson ; but in 1865 some of the party leaders came to take the opposite ground-that the rebellious states had forfeited all the rights of statehood and were simply conquered provinces, subject to the will of the conqueror. The strife that followed, the history of which is known to all, continued to increase the bitterness against the president until it seemed that there could be no end to it as long as he occupied his office. Things had now reached that state where he was treated more as a clerk, whose sole duty it was to register, without suggestion, the decrees of Congress. "That Mr. Lincoln, had he lived, would have pursued much the same policy of recon- struction," wrote Mr. Ross in his history of the impeachment case, "is clearly indicated by the established fact that he had determined to adopt precisely the initial measures thereto which Mr. Johnson did inaugurate and carry out."




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