USA > New York > Oneida County > History of Oneida County, New York : from 1700 to the present time, Volume I > Part 16
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FRASER
THE ROBERT FRASER STORE
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HISTORY OF ONEIDA COUNTY
bly, first district, Francis Kernan; second district, Garrit I. Bronson; third district, Marquis Kenyon; fourth district, Daniel J. Drummond. This cam- paign was a notable one in the history of the country. During the fall, business was almost suspended, and every one was giving attention to the political can- vass. Men were organized into what was known as Wide Awakes-which were uniformed marching clubs composed of Republicans. Upon the Democratic side similar organizations existed known as Little Giants, in honor of Stephen A. Douglass, who was known as the "Little Giant." A general canvass was made throughout the state, and particularly in Oneida county, and public meetings were held in substantially every town and hamlet. The great demon- stration on the Republican side was on October 15th in Utica, when an immense mass meeting was held, and was attended very largely by the inhabitants of Central New York. Two great tents were erected between State, Hart and William streets, that property being void of any buildings at that time. The speakers were Carl Schurz, ex-Lieutenant Governor Noble of Wisconsin, and William A. Howard, who had been chairman of the committee to investigate the outrages in Kansas. The tents, which it was claimed would hold eight or ten thousand people, were entirely inadequate to hold the crowd, and an outside meeting was organized, and it was to this meeting that ex-Lieutenant Governor Noble delivered his address. In this campaign Roscoe Conkling spoke exten- sively and most effectively. The Democrats also held great mass meetings in Utica and in Rome during the campaign. On the night of election the ex- citement was so great that scarcely any one in the city of Utica slept, and the streets were filled with men awaiting the news. Before morning the news was of such character that it was reasonably certain Lincoln had been elected, and enthusiasm of the Republicans was unbounded. It appeared afterwards that Lincoln had carried the state by 50,136, and Morgan had been elected governor by 63,460. The result in the county was that the Lincoln electors received over 3,000 majority; Morgan for governor, 3,400; Conkling for representative in Congress, 3,563; Parry for county treasurer, 3,384; the following were elected members of assembly ; first district, Kernan, Democrat, 436 majority; second district, Marshall, Republican, 1,389 majority; third district, Kenyon, Demo- crat, 249 majority ; fourth district, Lewis, Republican, 883 majority.
1861-The enthusiasm and rejoicing over the election of Lincoln had scarcely subsided when the war cloud appeared in the South. Buchanan's vacillation and timidity was severely condemned by the Republicans and many Democrats, but what seemed evil at the time probably worked out the greatest good in the end. As soon as it was certain that war would come and the president called for volunteers, there was a hearty response, and war meetings were held throughout the country. The support of the president during the year 1861 was most cordial. The Democratic state convention assembled at Syracuse; Francis Kernan of Utica, was temporary chairman, and in his speech he fa- vored the prosecution of the war. The platform, however, was not satisfactory and the candidates nominated at this convention virtually repudiated the plat- form before election day. A convention called the People's convention, which consisted of Republicans and Democrats favorable to the national administra- tion, nominated a Union ticket headed by Daniel S. Dickinson for attorney gen-
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eral, also William B. Taylor of Oneida county, for state engineer. A great Democratic meeting was held in Utica, October 28th, and was addressed by Governor Seymour. His speech could not be said to have been patriotic under the existing circumstances, and the state gave a majority for the Union ticket of 100,000. The local Union ticket consisted of Alexander H. Bailey for sen- ator, Hugh Crocker for sheriff, and Dan P. Buckingham for county clerk; for members of assembly, first district, Charles N. Scholefield; second district, Eli Avery ; third district, Thomas D. Penfield. There was also a People's candi- date for member of assembly in the third district, Rensselaer Lament, nomi- nated by those who were dissatisfied with the nomination of Mr. Penfield; Fourth district, Jeremiah Sweet. The Democratic ticket was made up of John F. Seymour for senator; Giles Hawley for sheriff; James J. Hanchett for county clerk; and for members of assembly, first district, Abram B. Weaver; second district, Bradford C. Montgomery; third district, Rensselaer Lament, the can- didate of the People's party, who was adopted by the Democrats; fourth dis- trict, John F. Thomas. The result of the election was that Bailey, Union, re- ceived a majority of 3,069 for senator ; Crocker, Union, 2,845 majority for sheriff; Buckingham, Union, 3,198 majority for county clerk; for members of assem- bly, first district, Scholefield, Union, 5 majority; second district, Avery, Union, 1,325 majority ; third district, Penfield, Union, 604 majority; fourth district, Sweet, Union, 782 majority.
1862-During the year 1862 the war had been disastrous to the Union side, and a great depression existed throughout the country. The Democratic news- papers and public speakers severely condemned the administration, criticised Mr. Lincoln and ridiculed him in every conceivable way. His proclamation, declaring that in the future if the South did not lay down its arms he should issue another proclamation declaring the slaves free, had caused intense feel- ing, and many who had supported him up to that time abandoned him and went over to the Democrats, upon the theory that the war was being prosecuted to free the slaves, and that it might cease if the government would compromise with the South upon the basis of union as it had existed prior to the secession of the states. This, however, was not the case, for Mr. Lincoln communicated with the president of the Southern Confederacy, and the confederate states declined to even negotiate upon any basis except their independence. Horatio Seymour was nominated for governor by the Democratic state convention, and David R. Floyd Jones lieutenant governor. The Republican candidate for gov- ernor was James S. Wadsworth, who, at the time, was a general at his post in the army, with Lyman Tremaine as lieutenant governor. The contest was so bitter that it was proposed at one time to have both candidates withdraw, and to agree upon John A Dix. Dix, however, declined to be considered, as he was at his post doing most effective duty in the army. The discouraging condition at the seat of war, the feeling against the proclamation of the president on the slavery question, and general dissatisfaction with the administration caused the defeat of the Republican ticket, and Seymour was elected by a majority of 11,571, although Wadsworth carried Oneida county by about 481. Great in- terest centered in the election of the representative in Congress. Roscoe Conk- ling had served four years, and, as is the case, had disappointed many in not
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procuring their appointment to office. This militated against him, and his very prominent antagonist justly took advantage of all fair means to accom- plish his own election. Francis Kernan had been nominated by the Democrats, and the two went into the canvass with great vigor, but Mr. Conkling's health was very poor, and it was necessary for him to harbor his strength late in the campaign, and much of the time he was not able to be out of the house. The writer has heard him state that as the cause of his defeat in this election. The candidates for the assembly upon the Republican ticket were-first district, Charles H. Doolittle; second district, Daniel M. Prescott; third district, Samuel P. Lewis ; fourth district, Isaac McDougall. The Democratic candidates for the assembly were-first district, Abram Weaver; second district, Barzilla Budlong ; third district, Asa Sherman; fourth district, Thomas Bamber, Jr. The majority for Mr. Kernan for representative in Congress was 98, Weaver, Democrat, was elected to the assembly from the first district by a majority of 128; Prescott, Republican, second district, by 1,154 majority; Sherman, Democrat, third dis- trict, by 604 majority ; McDougall, Republican, fourth district, by 469 majority.
1863-The most extraordinary condition of affairs existed in the legislature in the winter of 1863. The parties were so evenly divided and party ties so weak that it was impossible for weeks to elect a speaker. Chauncey M. Depew was in the legislature and a prominent candidate for speaker, but, after weeks of controversy, the Republicans united upon an Independent Democrat known as Timothy C. Callicot, and he was duly elected speaker amidst an unprecedented scene in the legislature. Threats of personal violence and substantially a riot existed during the proceeding. A prominent candidate for U. S. senator this year was Ward Hunt, of Oneida county, but, by the combination of opposing elements, Edwin D. Morgan was selected. At this time the sentiment of a por- tion of the Democratic party was so strongly in favor of the South that they were denominated as Copperheads, the significance of which was that they were likened to a snake called copperhead, which is said to attack its enemy in the rear. Governor Seymour vetoed a bill, which had been passed by the legislature, per- mitting soldiers to vote in the field under proper restrictions, and on the 4th of July he delivered an oration in New York, dwelt largely upon the subject of war, condemning the administration, and, in his adroit manner, intensified the feeling against the administration and against the prosecution of the war. About this time a pamphlet appeared, known as the New Gospel of Peace, which was a satire upon what were known as the Copperheads, in which Seymour was included. This pamphlet, among other things, said: "He is sometimes called Seemer, because he seems to be what he is not. Others call him Saymore, be- cause he can say more and mean less than any other man in the country." In Mr. Seymour's New York speech, he said: "When I accepted the invitation to speak, with others, at his meeting, we were promised the downfall of Vicksburg, the probable capture of the confederate capitol, and the exhaustion of the re- bellion. By common consent, all parties had fixed upon this day when the re- sults of the campaign should be known, to mark out that line of policy which they felt that our country should pursue. But, in the moment of expected vic- tory, there came the midnight cry for help from Pennsylvania to save its de- spoiled fields from the invading foe; and within sight of this great commercial
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metropolis, the ships of your merchants were burned to the water's edge." It is a remarkable fact that on the morning on which Governor Seymour delivered this speech Pemberton surrendered, with more than 27,000 men and great quan- tities of munitions of war, the city of Vicksburg to the commander of the union forces, Ulysses S. Grant. More than that, Meade, on the afternoon of the 3d day of July, had driven Lee from Pennsylvania and won the great battle of the war-Gettysburg. It is still more notable that Governor Seymour's speech said that such things were promised upon that day, but little did he think that they had actually been accomplished. It was claimed afterwards by Seymour's op- ponents that the famous riots in New York city occurred in consequence of his Fourth of July speech, and he was severely criticised for addressing the mob as his "friends." We do not think that this criticism is well founded, for the writer has heard Governor Seymour many times deliver political speeches, and he never heard him use a harsh term. It was his custom, in speaking of the Republican party, to refer to them as "our friends." As no governor was to be elected this year the Democratic state ticket was made up of David B. St. John, comptroller, Sanford E. Church, attorney general, and other minor offices. The Republicans nominated Chauncey M. Depew for comptroller, Will- iam B. Taylor of Oneida, for state engineer, and the state was carried by Depew by a majority of 29,405. The Republicans were not idle during this year in Oneida county. At their convention, which was called the Republican Union convention, held on September 25th, they had nominated Alexander H. Bailey for senator, George W. Smith for county judge, John J. Parry for county treas- urer, and for members of assembly, first district, Benjamin Shaw; second dis- trict, Levi Blakeslee; third district, Aaron W. Kellogg; fourth district, John W. Douglass. The fifth judicial district had also nominated Henry A. Foster, of Rome, for justice of the Supreme Court, and at the time of his nomination it was understood that if elected he would remove to Oswego. This he did after his election, and on the expiration of his term he returned to his old home in Rome, and died there at an advanced age. A sketch of his life is found in another chapter of this work. The Anti-Administration party, as it was styled at this time, nominated for senator, Othneil S. Williams; Griffith M. Jones, for county treasurer; and for members of assembly, first district, Abram Weaver; second district, Edmund Terry; third district, Chauncey Brodock; fourth dis- trict, William W. Hallock. Substantially the only issue in the campaign was the question of the war, the Republican Union party supporting the admin- istration, and the other party opposing substantially everything done by the administration. The result in the county was as follows: For senator, Bailey, Rep .- Union, 963 majority ; for treasurer, Parry, Rep .- Union, 1,093 majority ; members of assembly, first district, Weaver, Democrat, 212 majority ; second district, Blakeslee, Rep .- Union, 1,005 majority; third district, Brodock, Demo- crat, 313 majority; fourth district, Douglass, Republican, 393 majority.
1864-There was much fault found with the national administration in 1863-4, and Mr. Lincoln was criticised severely by the Radicals as being too con- servative, and a like criticism was made by the Conservatives because he was too radical. The Radicals called a national convention at Cleveland, Ohio, for May 31st, and John C. Fremont was nominated for president and John Cochran
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for vice president. Many prominent Republicans were opposed to the re- nomination of Lincoln, and General Grant was talked of by many as the proper candidate to lead the Republican party in this campaign. The Republican convention held at Baltimore, however, unanimously nominated Lincoln for president and Andrew Johnson for vice president. An attempt was made after that to induce Lincoln to withdraw, and it was proposed to hold another con- vention to agree upon somebody who would unite the party. The convention, however, was not held, Mr. Lincoln stood, and almost from the time of his nomination he grew in popularity with his party, and finally the Fremont ticket was withdrawn, and his supporters fell into the ranks of the regular Republi- can organization. The Republican platform declared for a vigorous prosecution of the war, and sustained Lincoln in his proclamation freeing the slaves. The Democratic convention was held in Chicago, and the prominent figure was Ho- ratio Seymour. He presided in the convention, but declined to be a candidate for the presidency. His sincerity in declining was questioned by some of the orators of the day. Francis Kernan was also a delegate in the convention, and it can be said without qualification that they were two of the leading spirits in shaping the policy of that convention. The platform condemned the national administration and demanded a cessation of hostilities "with a view to an ulti- mate convention of all the states or other peaceful means to the end that, at the earliest practical moment, peace may be restored on the basis of the federal union of the states." The convention then proceeded to nominate General George B. McClellan for president, and George H. Pendleton vice president. The Republicans nominated for governor Reuben E. Fenton, and Thomas G. Alvord for lieutenant governor. The Democrats nominated John T. Hoffman for governor, and David R. Floyd Jones for lieutenant governor. The cam- paign in Oneida county was intensely interesting. Roscoe Conkling made a thorough canvass of the county, and he had such able assistants upon the stump as Ellis H. Roberts, Alexander H. Bailey and Henry A. Foster. The Democratic party was represented upon the stump by Horatio Seymour, Francis Kernan, J. Thomas Spriggs, and other able and eloquent speakers. The feel- ing was intense, and the chief subject discussed was the "war," the Republi- cans arguing that no quarter should be given to traitors and that the war should be prosecuted with the utmost possible vigor, the Democrats arguing for recon- ciliation with the South and a suspension of all hostilities until negotiations could be carried on to the end that peace might be established between the con- tending forces. The Republican county convention was held under unusual circumstances. A fierce attack had been made upon Roscoe Conkling by mem- bers of the Republican party led by George W. Smith, county judge, and they endeavored in every possible way to prevent his nomination. Mr. Kernan had defeated him two years before, and as a last resort Conkling's opponents cir- culated diligently the report that the president did not wish him nominated, and this was having great effect in the canvass. The convention assembled at Rome, September 23d. Roscoe Conkling was put in nomination, and Judge Smith, who was a remarkable talker, made a bitter speech opposing his nomination, and stated in substance that it would be displeasing to the president to have Conkling nominated. This move had been anticipated and Ward Hunt, being
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a delegate in the convention, replied to Judge Smith, and, as a part of his reply, read the following letter from Mr. Lincoln : "Executive Mansion, August 16, 1864. Hon. Ward Hunt, my dear Sir-Yours of the 9th inst., was duly re- ceived, and submitted to Secretary Seward. He makes a response which I here- with enclose to you. I add for myself, that I am for the regular nominee in all cases, and that no one could be more satisfactory to me as the nominee in that district, than Mr. Conkling. I do not mean to say there are not others as good.as he in the district; but I think I know him, to be at least good enough. Yours truly, A. Lincoln." This letter produced the desired effect, and Mr. Conkling was readily nominated. The Republican local ticket, in addition to member of Congress, consisted of Daniel B. Danforth, for sheriff; Orson Car- penter, for county clerk; and for members of assembly, first district, Samuel R. Campbell; second district, Lorenzo Rouse; third district, Hezekiah L. Wilcox; fourth district, George W. Cole. The local Democratic ticket consisted of Fran- cis Kernan, for representative in Congress; Giles Hawley, for sheriff; James C. Bronson, for county clerk; and for members of assembly, first district, Abram B. Weaver; second district, Isaac T. Doolittle; third district, Thomas D. Pen- field; fourth district, Simeon Fuller. There was great excitement on election day, and the returns were received in Utica and read to crowds on the streets and around newspaper offices; in fact, the city was kept all night in a state of excitement over the result, but before morning it was reasonably certain that Lincoln had been elected, although he lost the state of New York. There were crowds in the streets shouting and singing and rejoicing over what was deemed to be a great victory for the union cause. A humorous song was sung hundreds of times during the night, one verse of which was as follows:
"Come, come, come, Jeff, come, Come with your old Beauregard; Your niggers and your cotton will soon be forgotten, You can't go back on Abe so very hard."
It is said that many men were moved to tears when it was determined that Lincoln had been re-elected. Fenton carried the county for governor by 1,152 majority; Conkling received 1,150 majority for representative in Congress; Danforth for sheriff, 1,041 majority; Carpenter for county clerk, 1,070 ma- jority; for members of assembly, first district, Weaver, Dem., 113 majority ; second district, Rouse, Rep., 1,055 majority ; third district, Penfield, Dem., 675 majority; fourth district, Cole, Rep., 635 majority.
1865-The year 1865 witnessed one of the most joyous events in the his- tory of the government, which was the termination of the great Civil War. It also witnessed one of the saddest days in the history of the country-the day on which Abraham Lincoln was assassinated, April 14th. When the news of the surrender of Lee reached Utica it was proposed to celebrate the event by a public demonstration. On Friday evening, April 14th, a meeting of citi- zens was held in the Common Council Chamber to make arrangements for the celebration, and a committee was appointed to consider the subject. At one o'clock that night the telegraph announced the sad news that President Lin-
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coln had been assassinated. The celebration was never had, but what occurred is described in one of the newspapers, which said: "Nowhere did the terrible national calamity fall with more depressing effect than in Utica. It came upon us in the midst of rejoicing for victories won. While we were assembled to devise means for a formal celebration, the assassins at Washington had formed a plan and waited an opportunity to bereave the nation of its great head. People read the telegrams and turned away from the horrid deed and sickening details with feeling well nigh bordering on despair. At 8 a. m., the wires flashed the last sad truth, that President Lincoln was dead. Our flags were not forbidden to float, but reasonably were lowered to half mast, while above their folds the black pennant of mourning symbolized the deep anguish of twice ten thousand hearts in Utica. Before the hour of noon Genesee street was robed in mourning. Heavy festoons of black drooped from window to window, and crape everywhere floated sorrowfully in the breeze. Neighbor met neighbor with a saddened look. The people crowded around the various bulletin boards, reading with the most intense anxiety the news dispatches, and many silent prayers ascended that God would spare that life, which although it had almost flickered to its socket, still seemed so essential to our nation's future." The following proclamation was issued by Mayor Butterfield :
"Public Sorrow. Mayor's Office, Utica, April 15, 1865: A great calam- ity has befallen the nation in the murder of its chief magistrate and the at- tempted murder of the chief officer of his cabinet. Citizens are requested to close their place of business and suspend their usual avocations from 12 noon till 2 p. m., of today, during which hours all the bells of the city will be tolled. John Butterfield, Mayor."
In accordance with their own feelings and sense of propriety not less than with the proclamation of the mayor, the business men closed their several offices and stores during the hours suggested. And for those two hours the bells of the city tolled slowly, sadly.
"And so Utica, in common with the nation, demonstrated by every outward and inward manifestation her grief at the event which now paralyzes the coun- try. But we still keep the flag flying. It is an act which Abraham Lincoln would commend were he living."
Sunday the churches were draped in black and the congregations were sorrowful. The texts of the discourses preached were expressions in which Christians of all ages have given utterance to the emotions of grief, and the discourses themselves reviewed the details of the awful event, the character of the illustrious deceased, and the greatness of our loss, expressing the foremost confidence in the future of the country and pledging the support of the peo- ple to the executive on whom the tremendous responsibilities of giving shape to the events of that future have so unexpectedly fallen. It was indeed a solemn day for Utica. No one remembers its like.
Wednesday of the following week the funeral was held, and there was in this city a demonstration taking the form of a memorial parade of all the so- cieties. The grand marshal was Col. James McQuade, and his assistants were Col. C. A. Johnson and Col. J. Palmer. The procession was headed by the
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military Brig. Gen. Dering and staff, the 21st Brigade, 45th, 53d and 101st regiments; a catafalque, officers of the army and navy; the colors of the 14th, 25th and 26th regiments borne by wounded soldiers; veteran officers and soldiers and wounded officers and soldiers in carriages; soldiers on furlough. The second division was commanded by Gen. Z. C. Priest, and it was made up of all the Masonic, Odd Fellow and Rechabite bodies of Utica, the Hibernians, St. Vincent de Paul Society, the police, mayor and Common Council. The third division was made up of the 12 companies of the fire department. The procession moved from Broad to John, Bagg's Square, Genesee, Lafayette, State, Court, Hopper, Rutger, Howard avenue, South, Park avenue, Genesee, Whitesboro, Washington to Columbia. All the societies wore badges of mourning and the apparatus was draped in black. A public meeting was held at the First Presbyterian church, at which there were present Dr. Campbell, Rev. P. H. Fowler, D. D., Rev. Ashbel G. Vermilye, D. D., Rev. D. C. Corey, D. D., and Rev. Mr. Whea- don. The pastor, Rev. Dr. Fowler, presided. There were addresses by Dr. Vermilye and Dr. Corey. Hon. C. H. Doolittle suggested that resolutions should be adopted, and Mayor Butterfield was called to preside. Judge William J. Bacon offered appropriate resolutions, which were adopted.
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