USA > New York > Schoharie County > History of Schoharie County, New York : with illusustrations and biographical sketches of some of its prominent men and pioneers > Part 11
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Many of the soldiers from Schoharie died by the epidemic that prevailed in 1813 and 1814, especially while in camp at Plattsburgh and Sackett's Harbor. At one time the ranks of Efner's regiment were nearly broken by sickness and had it not been for the vigor of the men, the disease would have made a tnost lamentable havoc in their numbers. But few were killed, al- though they participated in several engagements.
When peace was proclaimed, quiet was restored and the people settled down to labor and enterprise, knowing that their strength made them invincible from any source their enemies might direct against them. Experi- ence soon taught them of many defects, which their good, honest judgments led theni to aright. The Constitution of the State made and adopt- ed in 1777, proved to be defective, and on the 28th of August, 1821, the "Second Constitu- tional Convention " met in Albany and framed a new instrument, known as the "Second Constitution." Judge Olney Briggs of Esper- ance, Jacob Sutherland of Blenheim, and Asa Starkweather of Broome, were chosen by the people of the County as delegates. 'They were three men of marked abilities, as their debates before the convention show, and who performed their duties with honesty and faithfulness.
62
HISTORY OF SCHOHARIE COUNTY.
A free government, giving each an equal opportunity to aspire to prominent positions and allowing free thought and expression upon all subjects and occasions, naturally leads the ambition of many to mingle in the political arena, from which are brought official honors that are extremely tempting to the majority of the people. Contrary opinions are entertained by different individuals as to the manner certain results may be brought about. Each opinion becomes a " Platform" so called, with numer- ous advocates according to its practicability or the shrewdness and ingenuity of the leaders and thus forming "parties." While the American heart is upon the perpetuity of our political institutions, there are opposite ideas in regard to the means of so doing.
When the question of the disfranchisement of the Tory element which was so firmly and persistently advocated by George Clinton, who had safely engineered the province of New York through the Revolutionary struggle, be- came the leading topic in political circles and passed the Assembly in 1784, the people (or' a majority of them) of Schoharie were Clinton's staunch adherents, and they in their excitement and hatred of the Tories, accused those who advocated their cause, of being such. Even Hamilton, whose magnanimity in Freedom's cause was inferior to none, had the epithet cast upon him beside others, whose course through the war condemned such charges. The dis- franchisement act was repealed in 1787 through the indefatigable labors of Hamilton and Schuy- ler, and we believe after a more careful reflec- tion upon the privileges our government in- tended to accord to her citizens, Clinton with- drew his objection to it.
But still, the people of Schoharie branded many of the advocates of franchisement that had been unswerving patriots as Tories, and the odium is occasionally breathed afresh and kept in circulation, without the slightest degree of truth to substantiate it. Such is one of the evils our existing political periods fan into life to bring disgrace and defeat to political op- ponents, without weighing, by calm reflection, their untruthfulness, or considering the im- practical theory the sentiment is likely to trans- mit to posterity, and in fostering a hatred that
is detrimental to our political happiness as a people.
Being supporters of Clinton when the County was formed, her people adhered to the party, and Schoharie became a Democratic * County giving only an occasional opposite majority in individual cases.
When Andrew Jackson stepped upon the po- litical stage, and with his unflinching ambition caused the political firmament to rumble with his thunderings, Wm. C. Bouck and Colonel Wm. Dietz, were the leaders of the Democrats in the County. They were two men that pos- sessed the unbounded confidence of the people, as in all positions in which they had been placed, (and they were many,) they proved themselves honest and true. Politics ran to fever heat dur- ing the years of the twenties and thirties in the the County, and culminated in the election of Wm. C. Bouck, as Governor, in the fall of 1842. Two years before he was nominated against Wm. H. Seward, but was defeated. At the time of Bouck's election, there were three candidates in the field, Seward and Alvan Stew- art, over whom was obtained a majority of 14,- 718. In justice to our only Gubernatorial offi- cial, and also to recall an article that created considerable political gossip and curiosity, we here insert the chief points of the Governor's first niessage, hoping it may be pleasing to his old friends and admirers, as well as exhibit the acme of progression that the "Empire State " had reached thirty-eight years ago :--
" To the Legislature of the State of New York :--- " FELLOW CITIZENS: The Constitution niakes it the duty of the Governor to communicate by message to the legislature, at every session, the condition of the State, and recommend such matter as he shall judge expedient, and take care that the laws are faithfully executed.
"I have entered upon the discharge of the responsible duties of the Executive department of the government, with a proper regard, as I trust, for the important obligations imposed up- on me.
" For the first time since the organization of
* After peace, in 1783, the political parties were Republicans and Federalists, later Democrats and Whigs ; at present Democrats and Republicans-the Democrats of to- day being the Republicans of 1800.
63
GOVERNOR BOUCK'S MESSAGE.
the government, the chief magistrate has been selected from the agricultural portion of the community.
" Whatever distrust I may feel in taking up- on myself an untried station of so much im- portance and difficulty, I repose with confidence on the guidance of the Almighty ! on the co- operation of every department of the govern- ment, and on the indulgence of a generous peo- ple, who are always ready to overlook uninten- tional errors.
"'To you as the immediate representatives of the people, belongs the duty of making ample provision to enforce a strict compliance with the constitution and laws ; to simplify, expedite, and cheapen all the proceedings of the courts of law and equity ; to place every department of the Government under a rigid accountability upon principles of economy ; to see that the public faith is sacredly maintained, and the credit of the State kept unimpaired; to lessen as far as practicable the burdens of taxation in all its ramifications ; to give the greatest possi- ble efficiency to our system of internal improve- ments, having reference to principles of public utility, and a careful regard for the interest of every portion of the State ; to facilitate the use of the roads and canals already constructed ; to see that our penitentiary system answers the great ends of preventing crimes and punishing and reclaiming offenders, against the laws, upon principles of humanity; to see that all our charitable and benevolent institutions of a public character, are made to accomplish the object for which they were designed; to see that the banking institutions are placed upon a basis that will enable them with an honest adminis- tration of their affairs to command public con- fidence and subserve the legitimate objects of their creation ; to give the utmost efficiency to the several departments of education; to pro- tect and promote the interest of the agricultural, mechanical and laboring portion of the com- munity ; to restrain corporate bodies from all abuses of power ; to take care of the public health, and to maintain the elective franchise in its purity.
* * *
*
"Were it not for the great excesses previous to 1837 when agriculture was neglected, when
extravagance and an inordinate desire for wealth prevailed, and the whole nation was deluded by a fictitious prosperity, the people would now be comparatively happy in the full enjoyment of ease and plenty.
" Although the country is in possession of an uncommon surplus of the products of labor, yet business is depressed and the people are em- barrassed in all their monied transactions.
"This should doubtless be charged to the fact that fictitious prices and an inordinate de- sire for wealth have led to the contracting of debts which the products of the country at the present low prices do not furnish the means of paying.
" But I am confident that this state of things is gradually undergoing a salutary change. The people doubtless see the necessity of more economy in all their affairs and the evil con- sequences of a systein of credit altogether too much extended, I am also confident that they will not again be so easily misled by the fallacy of artificial means to make them prosperous, and that they have become con- vinced that substantial wealth can only be derived from productive labor.
"There is no nation so highly favored as the people of the United States; and if they pro- perly improve the advantages they possess, time will show that in point of greatness they are, as yet, in their infancy.
"There have been repeated instances in the history of the administration of the Federal government when powers of legislation have been assumed derogatory to State rights.
" While the States should yield a ready obe- dience to the rightful authority of the Federal government, they cannot be too watchful of their sovereignty, and no encroachment should be perinitted to pass unnoticed.
"Within the last two years, there have, in my judgment, been several unwarrantable as- sumptions of power on the part of the Federal government. The right to collect money from the people in any form, for the purpose of dis- tributing the same among the States, has not been delegated to the General Government.
"So long as the whole revenue of the United States is required for the purpose of carrying on the operations of the Government, it matters
64
HISTORY OF SCHOHARIE COUNTY.
not what particular monies are taken from the Treasury for the purpose of distribution.
" Whether it be the proceeds of the sale of the public lands, or the same amount of money collected from imports or by direct taxation, it is nothing less than collecting money from the people for the purpose of returning a portion of it to them in another form. And as it must come back diminished in amount by the ex- penses and losses incident to the collection and redistribution, the project is highly objectiona- ble when viewed as a mere question of finance.
" But as an assumption of power which the States have not delegated to the General Gov- ernment, it is of dangerous tendency, and like all other encroachments of power ought to be promptly met and firmly resisted.
"The Union can only be maintained and our free institutions transmitted unimpaired to pos- terity, by upholding the sovereignty of the States in all the Rights which they have not yielded to the Federal Government.
" Under a power to ' make or alter' regula- tions in relation to the times, places and manner of holding elections for representatives in Con- gress, the present Congress has passed a law which in effect requires the several states to legislate in a particular manner in relation to the choice of representatives.
" However unlimited may be the power of the National Legislature to 'alter' the existing reg- ulations of the States, or to 'make' those which are entirely new, it is impossible upon any fair construction to maintain that the power to 'make or alter' includes the power to act upon the State Legislatures and compel them to make any particular law on the subject.
" As a question of mere expediency this ques- tion was not called for. No State has ever omitted to make the necessary regulations for the choice of representatives in Congress. But as an unauthorized exercise of power it was, like all other encroachments by the General Government highly dangerous to the stability of the Union.
*
" It cannot be denied that there has always been a class of men in the United States who have been disposed to give to the Government a strong tendency towards consolidation.
" While I would not impugn their motives, I cannot withhold the expression of my deliberate opinion that they labor under a great and dan- gerous error.
" Nothing can be gained to the Federal Gov- ernment by exercising powers which have not been plainly delegated to it. On the contrary, I am firmly persuaded that nothing short of the complete sovereignty of the States in all matters where they have not clearly surrendered their rights to the General Government can give strength and stability to the Union and secure in perpetuity the blessings which we so richly enjoy, and as I love the Union, I would firmly resist every usurpation of power on the part of the National Government.
" While we are thus careful to watch and de- fend our own rights, we are bound honestly and faithfully to discharge our obligations to the General Government and to the several States with whom we are associated. By the compact under which the Union exists, the States have made themselves a name among the nations of the earth! they have reared a bulwark for the defense of free institutions and secured to the people advantages of the highest value, which could not have been maintained by separate, and perhaps rival States.
" As we cherish the Union, we ought care- fully to abstain from all encroachments upon the legitimate powers of the Federal Govern- ment, and scrupulously fulfill our obligations to the other States. So long as we remain in and reap the advantages of the Union, we are bound by every consideration of honor and good faith to yield to others what we demand for our- selves, an honest fulfillment of the compact by which for many purposes we are made one people.
* * * *
" I will not discuss the question of Slavery. The abstract right to hold any man in bondage is a question upon which, in this State, there is no diversity of opinion.
" We have happily relieved ourselves from the evil of Slavery. But we have no right to interfere with that institution as it exists in other States. We have virtually agreed that it shall not be done, and until we are prepared to break up the national compact, and take the
65
GOVERNOR BOUCK'S MESSAGE.
hazard of a civil war, our obligations to the other States should be faithfully discharged. * *
" A public debt is under all circumstances objectionable and should never be incurred except upon the most weighty considerations. And in every instance where a debt is author- ized, adequate means and resources should be provided to pay the interest, and the power to liquidate the debt should be placed beyond the reach of contingency. As long as the rule is observed, the credit of the State will be pre- Served, and the public faith maintained. Ex- penditures for roads and canals should not be based on revenue to be derived from indis- criminate taxation. Such a system I regard as liable to very serious objections.
" Few if any public works can now be under- taken and constructed, that are not local in their advantages. A tax imposed directly upon the people for such an object, would operate unequally and be contrary to the genius of our government, which recognizes no such principle. In all our legislation we cannot too frequently recur to those first principles which lie at the foundation of our institutions, the adherence to which constitutes our surest hope for their stability. The State has constructed and put in operation about seven hundred miles of canal, and have in progress the enlargement of the Erie ; the construction of the Black river and Genesee Valley canal ; the improvement of the Oneida river, and has purchased the Oneida Lake canal.
" In addition to this, the State has loaned its credit to the following incorporated companies : Delaware & Hudson Canal Co ... .. $ 800,000 New York & Erie Railroad Co .. 3,000,000 Ithaca & Oswego Railroad Co. .. 315,700 Catskill & Canajoharie Railroad Co. 200,000
Auburn & Syracuse Railroad Co ... 200,000 Auburn & Rochester Railroad Co ... 200,000 Hudson & Berkshire Railroad Co ... 150,000 Tonawanda Railroad Co 100,000
Long Island Railroad Co. 100,000 Schenectady Railroad Co. 100,000
Tioga Coal & Iron Mining and Manu- facturing Co
70,000
Total
$5,235,700
" The New York & Erie, the Ithaca & Os- wego, and the Catskill & Canajoharie Railroad Companies have failed to pay the interest on their loans from the State, and the two latter roads have been sold at auction, and the sale of the former is postponed until the first 'T'ues- day in May next.
" The New York & Erie Railroad Company has completed forty-five miles of its road from the Hudson river to Goshen in Orange county. Between this point and Binghamton there has comparatively but little work been done.
" From the latter place to Lake Erie, almost the entire line of the road is under contract, and it is understood that upon portions of it a large amount of labor has been expended.
. * .
"It is, I think, very much to be regretted that the company did not confine its expendi- tures to sections of the road and between points promising the largest accommodations by its use.
" It is hoped that the friends of this improve- ment will see in the exhibit of our financial con- dition, that there are no means that would justify new engagements on the part of the State.
" I recommend a further sale of this road and the enactment of a law yielding the prior lien of the State mortgage to such encumbrance as may hereafter be created by the company for the purpose of completing the roads or sections of it. The lien of the State mortgage should not be discharged until the Canal Board shall certify that the entire road, or such parts of it as may be designated in the act be completed. To enable the canal board to act understandingly, they should be authorized to appoint an agent at the expense of the company to examine the work as it progresses. * *
"The Catskill & Canajoharie Railroad Com- pany have in operation twenty-six miles and a half of road. If about eleven miles were added to this distance, which it is estimated can be constructed for about the sum of $110,000, the road would be extended to the Vly Summit, a few miles from the rich valley of the Schoharie creek. I cannot but hope that this entire road, from Catskill to Canajoharie, will eventually be completed.
66
HISTORY OF SCHOHARIE COUNTY.
" In granting acts of Incorporation for the construction of roads or other purposes, the Leg- islature should reserve such control over the operation of the company, as will ensure to the public the benefit proposed to be realized.
*
*
"The work under contract for the enlarge- ment and improvement of the Erie canal, in- cluding that which has been completed as esti- mated at contract price amounts to
$13,026,919.92
The work under contract for the construction of the Gene- see Valley canal including that which has been complet- ed as estimated at contract price is
4,223,305.68
Work completed and under contract etc., upon the Black River canal amounts to
1,760,046.12
On Oneida River * *
*
*
" The policy of arresting large expenditures and providing for the prompt payment of the interest, and a gradual diminution of the State debt, has exerted a salutary influence in reviv- ing our credit. * * * *
"On the first day of July last there were in this State 10,785 school districts; and the num- ber of children taught the past year was 598,901. The number of volumes in the district libraries on the first of January, 1842, was 811,461, and at this time probably exceeds 1,000,000.
"The amount of disbursements for common schools during the last year is as follows :--- To teachers from the public
money
$588,466.54
To teachers from contributions
on rate bills 468,727.27
Payment for libraries
Total $1,155,419.90
" The subject of education in all its depart- ments merits your most attentive consideration. It is in my opinion quite proper that in relation to a subject of so much importance, the Legis- lature should annually satisfy themselves that the common school and literature funds are safely invested, and rendered as productive as practicable.
"'The embarrassed state of the treasury and the severity of the times, demand that every department of the public service should be placed on the most rigid principle of economy. No expenditure should now be incurred that is not called for by the public necessity and good economy in reference to existing engagements.
" Every species of labor is depressed, the prices of all the agricultural productions are un- commonly low, and the necessaries of life cheap. Under such circumstances it is proper that there should be a corresponding reduction in the ex- penses of the Government. An effort should be made to encourage a return to the indus- trious and frugal habits of our forefathers. It would be quite appropriate that the Legislature should, by a prompt application to business, and a short session, set an example of public economy.
*
70,122.56 * "There have been 1,417 convictions for crimi- nal offences by the courts of record, since the first of January last, returned to the office of Secretary of State by the clerks of such courts ; of which 544 were convictions for felonies, in- cluding five cases of murder, to-wit : two in New York, one in Niagara, one in Sullivan and one in Tompkins. It is estimated that if the num- ber of convictions by courts of records, from which returns have not been received, are the same as last year, it would swell the aggregate to 1,585 ; of this number 602 were for felonies. The number of convictions by courts of Special Sessions is 2,278 which added to the number al- ยท ready stated will make 3,695, as the whole num- ber of convictions returned to the Secretary's office. Our fellow citizens who are engaged in various mechanical pursuits, have on several 98,226.09 occasions presented to the consideration of the Legislature, alleged grievances in consequence of State prison competition. The act of 1842 will, probably, in its operation, lessen to some extent, the cause of complaint. It is proper to encourage the industry and enterprise of the citizen mechanic, so as to direct the labor of con- victs as not to come in competition with them. But humanity requires that these unfortunate beings should be engaged in some exercisc con- ducive to health, and it is also essential that the labor should be rendered productive. * *
67
THE "SOUR KROUT" MESSAGE.
"The banking institutions should at all times be subject to the control of the Legislature, who cannot well be too watchful in checking their natural tendency to partiality and inflated issues. Every institution that diverts its means from the legitimate purposes of banking should be promptly deprived of its charter. Every institu- tion that faithfully fulfills its duties to the public, should be sustained and protected. * * ***
"The repudiation of a public debt is a heresy that I trust is no where seriously entertained. I am confident that the people of every State in the Union would reject the idea of such dis- honor and that they possess a partisan and pub- lic spirit that would induce them to submit to any burden rather than incur the approbation of such foul disgrace. *
"I indulge the cheerful hope that the time is not far distant when most if not all the States will find means to resuscitate their credit and finish their public works. The State of New York should cherish the hope that such expec- tations will be realized.
" Her natural position in reference to inland commerce, enables her to furnish the channels of communication for a trade that, in no very distant period of time, will be unsurpassed in magnitude.
* *
" A concurrent resolution was adopted at the last session of the Legislature, requesting our Senators and Representatives in Congress to make use of their best efforts to procure the passage of a law refunding from the public Treasury the fine inflicted upon, and paid by General Jackson.
"Since that time the President of the United States has in a just and magnanimous spirit, commended the subject to the attention of Congress.
" Although the sentiment of the people of the State was expressed through your predeces- sors, yet it will be highly proper that it should again be heard through you, until mingling with the voices of the people of the whole Union, the National Legislature shall feel constrained to consuminate this act of Justice.
WM. C. BOUCK."
Jan. 3d, 1843.
Great excitement prevailed during the two elections of 1840 and '42, and many humorous songs were composed and sung and many epi- thets cast upon each side. Those against Gov- ernor Bouck were the "Dutch Governor," " Krout Eater," "Cabbage head," etc. A hu- morous article appeared in the Albany Micro- scope, a paper in the interest of the Whig party, called the Sour Krout Message, which created no little merriment and was the best adapted to the occasion of any article that had appeared. We notice the author in Chapter XX, and will here insert a portion of his second effort, the first one being lost. It must be remembered that it is written in low Dutch brogue, and the English "e" whether long or short, should be pronounced as English " a."
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