USA > New York > Oneida County > History of Oneida County, New York : from 1700 to the present time, Volume I > Part 18
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1871-The year 1871 was an off year, and there was no particular issue before the people except as to who should hold office. The Republicans nomi- nated for senator, Samuel S. Lowery, for district attorney, David C. Stod- dard, and for members of assembly, first district, Martin T. Hungerford; second district, Eleazer Beckwith; third district, William Jackson; fourth dis- trict, Albert L. Hayes. The Democrats nominated for senator, George H. San- ford; for district attorney, Lewis H. Babcock, for members of assembly, first district, William H. Barnett; second district, Joseph Benedict; third district, George K. Carroll; fourth district, Harry Weed. At this time Senator Lowery had become a potential factor in the Republican party of the county, and he carried the election by a majority of 1,457, while Stoddard, the Republican candidate for district attorney, carried the county by 845. The members of assembly elected were, first district, Hungerford, Rep., by 540 majority ; second district, Beckwith, Rep., 715; third district, Carroll, Dem., 152; fourth dis- trict, Hayes, Rep., 658 majority.
1872-A presidential election was to be held in 1872, and a large number
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of Republicans, who had been disappointed generally in not getting office or controlling patronage, were displeased with the administration of General Grant. They formed themselves into an organization known as the Liberal Republican party, and their chief object was to prevent the renomination of General Grant in this year. The foremost Republican to take this position was Horace Greeley, editor of the New York Tribune. Greeley had become an old man, and had been greatly disappointed repeatedly in not obtaining that which he desired from the Republican party. His ability as a newspaper writer has been acknowledged throughout the entire country, and it is probably safe to say that he has never had his equal as a clear, forcible writer upon polit- ical subjects. The power of the Tribune had been so great, that in all locali- ties of the state there were dovout followers of Horace Greeley, and this had the effect of drawing quite a percentage of Republicans into the Liberal Republi- can movement. The popularity of General Grant, however, was so great, that he was unanimously nominated by acclamation in the Republican national con- vention held in Philadelphia, and Henry Wilson was nominated for vice presi- dent. The Liberal Republican party had held a convention at Baltimore, and had nominated for president, Horace Greeley, and for vice president, B. Gratz Brown. This ticket was adopted by the Democrats, and the canvass was, there- fore, between Grant, Republican, and Greeley, Liberal Republican, and in some respects it was quite peculiar. In 1864 the New York Tribune had been a pow- erful element in the canvass supporting General Grant, and among other things Mr. Greeley had said in his paper, "General Grant, the man who was never beaten and never will be." Little did he think at that time that in four years he was to be the candidate against General Grant, and that his prophecy should be so eminently true. The Republican state convention was held in Utica, August 22, and when it assembled it seemed to be conceded that William H. Robertson was to be the candidate for governor. He was present until the evening before the convention assembled, but returned home with the under- standing that he was to be nominated. A number of candidates were presented to the convention, and the chairman arose and announced that the vote would be taken. Just at that instant Henry Clews advanced upon the platform and addressed the chair. The chairman, still standing, recognized the speaker, who stepped forward and in an eloquent speech presented the name of General John A. Dix as the candidate for governor. It was a thunderbolt in the convention. A delegate from Monroe arose and withdrew the name of Freeman Clark. Other delegates arose to second the nomination of Dix, and amid the greatest entbu- siasm all other names were forgotten and General John A. Dix was unanimously nominated. It has been claimed that this dramatic event was planned by Roscoe Conkling; also that it was planned by Thurlow Weed; but, whoever planned it, it was a master stroke of political engineering. John C. Robinsou was nominated by the convention for lieutenant governor. The local ticket consisted of, Ellis H. Roberts, for representative in Congress; for county treas- urer, William McPherson; for members of assembly, first district, Nicholas A. White; second district, Henry J. Coggeshall; third district, Patrick H. Cos- tello; fourth district, Daniel Walker. The Democrats and Liberal Republi- cans nominated for governor, Francis Kernan; for lieutenant governor, Chaun-
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cey M. Depew; for representative in Congress, Richard U. Sherman; for county treasurer, Charles S. Griffin; for members of assembly, first district, Lewis H. Babcock; second district, Reuben S. Bingham; third district, George K. Car- roll; fourth district, Charles B. Coventry. This campaign was as enthusiastic on the Republican side as any that has ever occurred within the county since that of 1840. Greeley was ridiculed because he had so often and so bitterly assailed the Democratic party, and now to be its candidate, the situation was peculiar. During the campaign he said, "I have been assailed so bitterly that I hardly know whether I am running for president or for the penitentiary." The result in the county was 3,248 for the Grant electors; 2,156 for Dix, Rep., for governor; 2,803 for Roberts, Rep., for representative in Congress; 2,609 for McPherson for county treasurer; the Republicans elected their members of assembly by the following majorities : first district, White, 135; second district, Coggeshall, 426; third district, Costello, 789; fourth district, Walker, 1,000.
1873-Nothing of importance occurred in the political arena of Oneida county during the year 1873. The usual excitement over candidates was not sufficient to arouse the county to enthusiasm, but the Republicans were gen- erally successful at the polls. Their ticket consisted of Samuel S. Lowery for senator, George Benedict for sheriff, and James B. Paddon for county clerk; for members of assembly, first district, George W. Chadwick; second district, Arthur F. Brown; third district, John J. Parry; fourth district, Griffith O. Jones. The Democratic county convention met in Rome, October 8, and nomi- nated for senator Enoch B. Armstrong; for sheriff, James C. Bronson; for county clerk, Egbert Bagg; for members of assembly, first district, Harvey D. Talcott; second district, George W. Cleveland; third district, Harvey S. Bedell; fourth district, John M. Whipple. The result of the election was that Lowery, Rep., for senator received 2,829 majority; Benedict, Rep., for sheriff, 948; Paddon, Rep., for county clerk, 2,006; and Republican assemblymen were elected by the following majorities: first district, Chadwick, 764; second district, Brown, 17; third district, Parry, 244; fourth district, Jones, 635.
1874-In 1874 there entered prominently into the politics of the state of New York a man who was destined to be a very important element, not only in state but in national politics-Samuel J. Tilden. He was nominated for governor by the Democratic state convention, September 18, and William Dorsheimer, for lieutenant governor. The Democrats named for supreme court judge, fifth judicial district, Albertus Perry; for representative in Congress, Scott Lord; for district attorney, Henry T. Utley; for members of assembly, first district, Richard U. Sherman; second district, Silas T. Ives; third district, Edward Lewis; fourth district, Harry Weed. The Republican state convention met in Utica and renominated Governor John A. Dix, and John C. Robinson for lieutenant governor; Milton H. Merwin was nominated for Supreme Court judge, fifth judicial district; for representative in Congress, Ellis H. Roberts; for district attorney, M. D. Barnett; for members of assembly, first district, George Chadwick; second district, John W. Boyle; third district, Stephen Cromwell; fourth district, Harrison Lillibridge. There was also an independ- ent State ticket in the field, which was Myron H. Clark for governor, and James L. Bagg for lieutenant governor. For representative in Congress, Richard
UTICA POSTOFFICE
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E. Sutton; for district attorney, Dean F. Currie; for members of assembly, first district, Harlow Skeels; second district, Silas Purdy; third district, James C. Longland; fourth district, William E. Clark. It has always been claimed by the friends of General Dix that many of his supporters in 1872, who de- sired to control him while he was governor but failed, turned against him in the election of 1874, and that this resulted in his defeat at this election. He carried the county of Oneida by a plurarity of 747. The local canvass cen- tered upon the candidates for representative in Congress. Ellis H. Roberts and Roscoe Conkling had had political and personal differences, each accusing the other of acts that were unfriendly, and Scott Lord, the candidate of the Demo- cratic party in this election was the law partner of Mr. Conkling. It is scarcely susceptible to argument that had Mr. Conkling and his friends supported Mr. Roberts there would have been no doubt about his election, but they found it a convenient time to punish him for what they deemed ingratitude, and, therefore, supported Judge Lord, who was elected by a plurality of 1,426; Merwin was elected to the Supreme Court bench, carrying Oneida county by a majority of 416; Barnett, Rep., for district attorney, was elected by a plurality of 167; and members of assembly, first district, Sherman, Dem., 255 plurality ; second district, Ives, Dem., 175 plurality; third district, Lewis, Dem., 446; fourth district, Lillibridge, Rep., 525.
1875-It is doubtful whether an event more imposing ever occurred in Utica than that which occurred in 1875-the reunion of the Army of the Cum- berland. This was an immense gathering of the veterans of the civil war. There were present President Grant, Generals Sherman, Hooker, Slocum, Ful- lerton, and many others who had won fame during the great war, and the city received them with open arms. The decorations were profuse, and at night the city was illuminated as it never had been before, and has never been since. The meetings were most impressive, and among the prominent civilians who took part were Horatio Seymour, Roscoe Conkling, Judge Doolittle, Francis Kernan and many others. Notable addresses were made by Governor Sey- mour and Roscoe Conkling, and a remarkable speech was made hy General Sher- man. Again an off year came in politics, and there was little excitement attend- ing the conventions, and few candidates were anxious to be selected as the standard bearers. The Republican convention at Rome, September 22, nomi- nated for senator, Theodore S. Sayre; for county treasurer, William McPher- son; for members of assembly, first district, Arthur B. Johnson; second dis- trict, Sylvester Gridley ; third district, Curtis J. Wright; fourth district, George B. Anderson. The Democrats on September 25, nominated for senator Josiah K. Brown; for treasurer Thomas B. Slingerland; for members of assembly, first district, Richard U. Sherman; second district, Silas T. Ives; third district, James H. Flanagan; fourth district, Walter Ballou. There was also an inde- pendent or Prohibition ticket which nominated for senator, Charles Avery ; country treasurer, George B. Law; for members of assembly, first district, Timothy Parker; second district, Silas Purdy; third district, James Longland; fourth district, Otis P. White. The election returns showed that Mr. Sayre, Rep., for senator had received a plurality of 355; McPherson, Rep., for county treasurer, 493 plurality ; for members of assembly, first district, Sherman, Dem.,
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365 plurality ; second district, Gridley, Rep., 1,065 plurality; third district, Flanagan, Dem., 123 plurality; fourth district, Ballou, Dem., 221 plurality.
1876-The Republican national convention assembled at Cincinnati, and after an earnest canvass for candidates Rutherford B. Hayes was nominated for president and William A. Wheeler for vice president; while the national Demo- cratic convention at St. Louis nominated Samuel J. Tilden for president and Thomas A. Hendricks for vice president. At the state convention the Repub- licans nominated Edwin B. Morgan for governor, and Sherman S. Rogers for lieutenant governor. The Republican local ticket was nominated August 31 at a convention held at Rome, and consisted of William J. Bacon, for repre- sentative in Congress; Frederick G. Weaver for sheriff; Taliesin Evans for county clerk; and for members of assembly, first district, James Corbett; second district, Everett Case; third district, Benjamin D. Stone; fourth district, J. Robert Moore. The Democrats again nominated for governor Horatio Sey- mour. He was not at the convention, and when he was waited upon and the nomination tendered him he peremptorily declined. Lucius Robinson was named in his place for governor, and William Dorsheimer for lieutenant gov- ernor. Scott Lord was nominated for representative in Congress; for sheriff, James G. Preston; for county clerk, Thomas J. Griffiths, and for members of assembly, first district, Grove W. Bagg; second district, Joseph B. Cushman, 2d; third district, Spencer J. Upson; fourth district, Walter Ballou. Mr. Til- den made an excellent canvass of the state, and his great ability was manifested in the remarkable detail of his work. This was a very eventful campaign, in that both parties claimed the election of their candidate for the presidency, and it all turned upon certain electoral votes from southern states. It will be re- membered that this was decided by a board consisting of certain senators and representatives in Congress, and this board, having decided by a vote of 8 to 7 that Mr. Hayes was elected, he became president, and Mr. Tilden ceased to be very active in politics from that time onward. The Republican presidential electors received a majority in Oneida county of 1,175. Morgan, Rep., for governor received 1,071 majority; Bacon, Rep., representative in Congress, 719; Weaver, Rep., for sheriff, 795; Evans, Rep., for county clerk, 1,435; and the Republican assemblymen were elected by the following majorities: first district, Corbett, 208; second district, Case, 247; third district, Stone, 638; fourth district, Moore, 424.
1877-The divisions in the Republican party that had been somewhat healed broke out anew in the campaign of 1877. The Republicans assembled at Rome in convention, October 3, and nominated for senator Sylvester Gridley; for district attorney, Milton D. Barnett; and the Republican candidates for mem- bers of assembly were, first district, William Jones; second district, Seth W. Peck; third district, Cyrus D. Prescott; fourth district, Seymour Jones. The Democrats nominated Alexander T. Goodwin for senator; James L. Bennett for district attorney ; and for members of assembly, first district, James V. H. Scoville; second district, A. De Verney Townsley; third district, James D. Cor- coran; fourth district, Robert H. Roberts. The Republican nominee for sena- tor was supposed to be a friend of Roscoe Conkling, but the division in the party was so bitter at this time that there were a large number of Republicans
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who would not vote for any candidate supposed to be a warm friend of Conk- ling. The Democrats, therefore, elected their candidate for senator, Mr. Good- win, by a plurality of 1,145; while Mr. Barnett, Rep., carried the county by a plurality of 2,189 for district attorney. The result on members of assembly was as follows: first district, Jones, Rep., 188 plurality; second district, Towns- ley, Dem., 192 plurality; third district, Prescott, Rep., 148 plurality; fourth district, Roberts, Dem., 174 plurality.
1878-In 1878 the Republicans presented Cyrus D. Prescott, candidate for for representative in Congress; for county treasurer, John Kohler; for mem- bers of assembly, first district, Benjamin Allen; second district, Frank Sang; third district, Henry R. Jones; fourth district, H. Dwight Grant. The Demo- crats nominated for representative in Congress, J. Thomas Spriggs; for county treasurer, John DeRyther; for members of assembly, first district, Richard U. Sherman; second district, R. Wilson Roberts; third district, Thomas D. Pen- field; fourth district, Robert Roberts. The canvass centered on members of assembly in the first district. It was conceded that the county would go Repub- lican, but the situation in the first assembly district was an unusual one. Mr. Conkling resided in the district, and Benjamin Allen was a very strong friend of Mr. Conkling. Mr. Sherman, the candidate of the Democratic party in that district, had been one of Mr. Conkling's warmest friends, and it was at Mr. Sherman's house that Mr. Conkling was brought forth as a candidate for Con- gress when he was yet under 25 years of age. Both sides were determined to win in this election. The influences were so strong for Mr. Conkling and his friends that the district gave a substantial Republican majority, and Mr. Allen was elected by 509 plurality. In the second district, Sang, Rep., received a plurality of 254; third district, Penfield, Dem., 393 plurality; fourth district, Grant, Rep., 649 plurality; and, as was expected, the county gave 1,068 plu- rality for Prescott, Rep., for representative in Congress, and 1,686 plurality for Kohler, Rep., for county treasurer.
1879-The Republican state convention met in Saratoga in 1879 and nomi- nated for governor, Alonzo B. Cornell, who was classed as a friend of Roscoe Conkling, which disappointed many Republicans, and they manifested no inter- est in the canvass. George G. Hoskins was nominated for lieutenant governor. The Democrats met in Syracuse, September 12, and nominated for governor, Lucius Robinson, and for lieutenant governor Clarkson N. Potter. The local Republican ticket was, for senator, George B. Anderson; for sheriff, Francis X. Meyers; for county clerk, Henry J. Coggeshall. The county ceased to have four members of assembly at this time, in consequence of a reapportionment giving Oneida county only three members, and the Republican candidates were : first district, Henry J. Cookinham; second district, James A. Douglass; third district, David Gray. The Democrats nominated for senator, James Stevens; for sheriff, Wilson Smith; for county clerk, Martin S. Gotry; and for mem- bers of assembly, first district, James V. H. Scoville; second district, Martin V. B. Warner; third district, Lewis R. Powell; Mr. Scoville also was supported by the Labor party. There was also a holting Democratic ticket for governor, which resulted in the election of Cornell, although the combined vote against him was greater than that cast for him. The rest of the Republican ticket in
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the state was elected. The result in the county was that Stevens, Dem., was de- clared to be elected by a plurality of 154. It was proposed by Mr. Anderson to contest the election, claiming that there had been fraud in the town of West- moreland and that he (Anderson) was elected by about 100 plurality. The writer was present when this matter was considered at a conference of legisla- tors held in Albany, and it was finally decided that the election should not be contested. The senator, who was chairman of the committee on privileges and elections, said in the hearing of the writer that there were too many Republi- cans in the senate already. Myers, Rep., for sheriff received a plurality of 2,996; Coggeshall, Rep., for county clerk, 1,002; and the Republican assembly- men were elected by the following majorities: first district, Cookinham, 137; second district, Douglass, 118; third district, Gray, 593.
CHAPTER XVI.
1880-1889.
1880-The year 1880 presented the Democratic party divided into two fac- tions, the Regulars and the Kelly or Anti-Tilden party, and two conventions were held in Syracuse to elect delegates to the national convention. The Til- den element controlled, and the national convention nominated for the presi- dency General Winfield S. Hancock, and William H. English for vice president. The Republican national convention assembled in Chicago, and on the 36th bal- lot nominated for president James A. Garfield, and for vice president, Ches- ter A. Arthur. The Greenback party also had a ticket in the field consisting of James B. Weaver for president and E. J. Chambers for vice president. The Republicans nominated for representative in Congress Cyrus D. Prescott; for county judge, William B. Sutton; for district attorney, William A. Matteson; and for members of assembly, first district, James Armstrong; second district, David G. Evans; third district, Thomas D. Roberts. The Democrats nominated Richard E. Sutton for representative in Congress; Thomas E. Kinney for county judge; for district attorney, William Townsend; and for members of as- sembly, first district, Joseph Joeressen; second district, Edward D. Evans; third district, Charles E. Fraser. This canvass was made almost entirely upon the tariff question. The Democrats declared in favor of a tariff for revenue only, and the Republicans declared in favor of the protection of home indus- tries. There was also a violent attack made upon General Garfield, it being claimed that he had acted improperly in regard to money transactions while a member of Congress. This, however, produced little effect, and the tariff ques- tion was the all-absorbing theme during this exciting campaign. Immense meetings were held within the county, notably a Democratic meeting on Sep- tember 16, in Utica, which was addressed by Governor Seymour, Francis Ker- nan, and other distinguished speakers. There was also an immense Republi- can meeting and torchlight procession at night on October 25. At this meet- ing General Grant was present, presided and made a brief speech. The meet- ing was addressed by Senator Conkling and Governor Boutwell of Massachu- setts. In the evening the torchlight procession was made of up of uniformed Republican clubs, and Senator Conkling gave a public reception to General Grant. At the beginning of this campaign Mr. Conkling was lukewarm, and probably would not have taken an active part in it had it not been for the in- fluence of General Grant. Conkling had been a delegate in the national con- vention, had advocated the nomination of General Grant, and Grant had re- ceived 306 votes in the convention, but a speech made by Garfield in nominat- ing John Sherman produced a tremendous effect in the convention, and was the
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means of the nomination of Garfield. This disappointed Conkling, and he was always jealous of Garfield, and on his return from the convention he criticised Garfield severely. The result of the election was that Garfield carried the state, and carried the county by a majority of 2,053. Prescott, Rep., for repre- sentative in Congress had a majority of 2,052; Sutton for county judge, 2,213; Matteson for district attorney, 1,660; while the Republican members of as- sembly were elected as follows: First district, Armstrong, 214; second district, Evans, 534; third district, Roberts, 1,255.
1881-The assassination and death of President Garfield changed the whole situation politically in the state of New York. The President had refused to make certain appointments desired by Mr. Conkling. Thomas C. Platt had been elected to the senate, and took his seat trammeled by promises that he had made to certain prominent Republican legislators just prior to his election. Mr. Conkling had asked, prior to election, that he should be allowed to name the secretary of the treasury and the collector of the port of New York. Mr. Gar- field had declined to make that promise, but stated that he would accord such political favors as he was entitled to in consequence of his very prominent place in the party. At Albany during the canvass for U. S. Senator, the prominent candidates were friends of Mr. Conkling-Thomas C. Platt and Richard Crow- ley. Few, even, of Mr. Conkling's friends knew which of the two he favored, but the writer knows that he favored Mr. Platt, as he confided to some of his confidential friends. On the evening the caucus was to be held for the nomina- tion of senator, Mr. Platt was asked to attend a conference at the Delevan Hotel. He did attend, and this conference consisted of the prominent Repub- lican members of the senate. He was there told if he would support Senator William H. Robertson for any position for which the President should nominate him, they would nominate him, (Platt) for the United States Senate on the first ballot. Mr. Platt made this promise, and he was nominated on the first ballot. It was at that time supposed that Mr. Robertson would be nominated as Minister to France, but, instead of that, the President nominated him for Collector of the Port of New York. Mr. Conkling violently opposed the con- firmation of Mr. Robertson. Mr. Platt informed Mr. Conkling of the promise he had made, and said to him that he could not live in the state of New York and not keep his promise. It was then suggested by Mr. Platt that they should resign, that the legislature was favorable to them, that they could both go back to the legislature, be re-elected, and then come to the senate untrammeled by promises. This was finally consented to by Mr. Conkling, and resignations were forwarded to Governor Cornell, but they failed of reelection, after a desperate struggle. From this time onward Mr. Conkling took no active part in politics. President Arthur and Mr. Conkling did not agree, and the relations between them ceased to be friendly. Memorial services were held throughout the coun- try on the death of General Garfield, and a notable gathering assembled in the First Presbyterian Church in Utica, where addresses were made by Dr. Daniel G. Corey, Hon. William J. Bacon, Rev. Dr. Thomas Brown, and many others. The Republican party was rent in twain by this fight between the President and Mr. Conkling, and the Conkling party was known as the Stal- warts, while those who sided with the President were known as Halfbreeds. The
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