USA > New York > Westchester County > Westchester county in history; manual and civil list, past and present. County history: towns, hamlets, villages and cities, Volume II > Part 8
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The first United States Senator from this State was Gen. Philip Schuyler, a brave soldier and able man. He was father- in-law of Alexander Hamilton, recognized leader (or " Boss ") of the Federal party in this State. Though the General was a proper person for the office, " family influence " may have had something to do with bringing about his election.
President John Adams, who, it is asserted, at times, early in the game, assumed to be a political boss, was quite severely criticized for giving "the family " too much consideration when making political appointments.
Governor George Clinton was a clever politician, one of the best of his time. In the years he was Governor, 1801 to 1804, and subsequently, he was State leader of his party, the Republican-Democratic.
Chancellor Livingston was leader of the opposition party, and between them they owned the State, politically speaking, at the opening of the nineteenth century.
This condition of affairs continued most amicably for a con- siderable period. Even in those times opposing political bosses made " side deals " to accomplish an object both desired, as Aaron Burr, who desired to be " a political boss," on his own account, found out.
To illustrate " the family influence " which controlled, ref- erence may be made to the fact that Edward Livingston, a son, was Mayor of New York, and laid the corner-stone of the present City Hall in 1803; Dr. Tillotson, a brother-in-law of the Chancellor, was Secretary of State; Morgan Lewis, another brother-in-law, was Chief Justice of the State Supreme Court; John Armstrong, another brother-in-law, was made a United
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States Senator, which position he resigned to take another office in New York city; Brockholst Livingston and Smith Thomp- son, who married a Livingston, were Judges in the Supreme Court. The Clintons, representing the opposition party, as a family were considerately taken care of. De Witt Clinton, a nephew, was made United States Senator, and resigned in 1803 to become Mayor of New York city by appointment of his uncle; he was an able man, and it was through his efforts, assisted by Gen. Schuyler, that the great Erie Canal became a fact; also he did much to advance the progress of the city ; twice afterward he was made Mayor, but his terms were not consecutive; he was Governor of the State, elected in 1817, and again in 1824.
The Clinton and Livingston family influence did, it is charged, combine to combat the aspirations of Aaron Burr. Burr fought the dominant families with all his might. The " family influ- ence" started a newspaper in New York city, and Burr did like- wise. The " influence " succeeded in getting Burr and his friend Col Swartwout off the directorate of the Manhattan Bank. It looked like blood, so earnest were the combatants. De Witt Clinton and Col. Swartwout went up into Morrisania, Westchester County, and indulged in the favorite pastime of the period-a duel, each firing five bullets; Swartwout was shot twice, Clinton fortunately escaped. This duel later involved Swartwout's brother and Recorder Riker in a duel; Riker was shot and ever after was lame. Later Gen. Hamilton's eldest son was killed in a duel defending the political principles of his father and himself. The culmination of this old-fashioned electioneering came shortly in the duel in which Burr unjustly entangled Gen. Hamilton, resulting in the death of the latter and the political annihilation of Burr.
Dating from 1809 " the family influence " began to loose its hold on politics, and party " leaders," regardless of family connections, began to assert themselves.
In 1819 the old Federalist party, the party of Washington and Hamilton, was no longer anything but a name. As a party organization of National scope and influence it had all but ceased to exist. The Republican (later Democratic) party had no organized opposition; for that reason it had split into factions. One of these factions took its name from De Witt Clinton, its leader, and was known as the " Clintonians;" the other faction, known as the " Bucktails," had for its leader a
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native of Westchester County, Daniel D. Tompkins, late Gov- ernor, who had just been elected Vice-President of the United States; Martin Van Buren, then Attorney-General of the State, and later President of the United States, was an aid to Tomp- kins among the " Bucktails."
From then on we have had " political leaders," who are generally termed " Bosses."
PRESIDENTIAL VOTE IN COUNTY.
The vote given for the electoral ticket of the political parties, commencing the year electors were first chosen by popular vote, has been as follows in Westchester County :
Year.
Candidate for President.
Political Party.
Votes Cast.
1828
Andrew Jackson,
Democrat,
3,788
John Quincy Adams,
Whig,
3,153
1832
Andrew Jackson,
Democrat,
3,133
Henry Clay,
Whig,
2,293
1836
Martin Van Buren,
Democrat,
3,009
William H. Harrison,
Whig,
1,749
1840
Martin Van Buren,
Democrat,
4,354
William H. Harrison,
Whig,
4,083
1844
James K. Polk,
Democrat,
4,412
Henry Clay,
Whig,
4,258
1848
Lewis Cass,
Democrat,
2,146
Zachary Taylor,
Whig,
4,312
Martin Van Buren,
Free Soil,
1,312
1852
Franklin Pierce,
Democrat,
5,283
Winfield Scott,
Whig,
4,033
1856
James Buchanan,
Democrat,
4,600
Millard Fillmore,
Whig,
4,450
John C. Fremont,
Republican,
3,641
1860
Stephen A. Douglas, John Bell and John C. Breckenridge, Abraham Lincoln,
Union
8,100
Republican,
6,771
1864
George B. McClellan,
Democrat,
9,353
Abraham Lincoln,
Republican,
7,593
1868
Horatio Seymour,
Democrat,
11,667
Ulysses S. Grant,
Republican,
9,641
1872
Horace Greeley,
Democrat and Lib-
eral Republican, 11,112
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MANUAL AND CIVIL LIST.
Year.
Candidate for President.
Political Party.
Votes Cast.
1872
Ulysses S. Grant,
Republican,
10,223
1876
Samuel J. Tilden,
Democrat,
12,050
Rutherford B. Hayes,
Republican,
9,547
1880
Winfield S. Hancock, James A. Garfield,
Republican,
11,367
1884
Grover Cleveland,
Democrat,
12,524
James G. Blaine,
Republican,
11,286
1888
Grover Cleveland,
Democrat,
14,948
Benjamin Harrison,
Republican,
13,456
1892
Grover Cleveland,
Democrat,
16,091
Benjamin Harrison,
Republican,
13,456
1896
William McKinley,
Republican,
19,357
William J. Bryan,
Democrat,
11,770
John M. Palmer,
Gold Democrat,
650
1900
William J. Mckinley,
Republican,
21,250
William J. Bryan,
Democrat,
16,436
John G. Woolley,
Prohibition,
418
Eugene V. Debs,
Social Democrat,
384
Joseph F. Maloney,
Social Labor,
229
Theodore Roosevelt,
Republican,
25,101
Alton B. Parker,
Democrat,
18,093
Silas C. Swallow,
Prohibition,
309
Eugene V. Debs,
Social Democrat,
808
Charles H. Corrigan,
Social Labor,
306
Thomas E. Watson,
People's Party,
263
William H. Taft,
Republican,
29,438
William J. Bryan,
Democrat,
18,346
Thomas L. Hisgen,
Independent,
1,237
Eugene V. Debs,
Social Democrat,
923
Eugene W. Chafin,
Prohibition, 376
August Gillhaus,
Social Labor,
102
PRESIDENTIAL ELECTION OF 1884.
One of the most exciting periods in the political history of Westchester County was that connected with the election of 1884, when Grover Cleveland, Democrat, ran against James G. Blaine, Republican, for the Presidency.
As the Republican nominee was an intimate as well as a political friend of Collector of the Port William H. Robertson, who was also the Republican leader of this County, and as said
1904
1908
Democrat,
11,858
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MANUAL AND CIVIL LIST.
nominee had been mainly instrumental, while Secretary of State in President Garfield's Cabinet, in securing Robertson's ap- pointment as Collector of the Port, the latter was specially anxious that Mr. Blaine be elected and particularly that he carry Westchester County by a good majority. He strained every effort, by personal appeal, even among old Democratic friends, to aid him in doing a favor to one who had done him great favors in the past, and many Democrats were willing to oblige.
Mr. Cleveland had obtained certain prestige through being elected, two years previously, as Governor of this State by a majority of nearly 200,000, over Folger the Republican candi- date, and as Governor he had earned the confidence of many Republicans with independent tendencies.
In 1879 Cornell, the Republican candidate for Governor, was elected by a considerable majority.
In 1880 the Republicans carried the State for Garfield. In 1882 Republicans in large numbers bolted their ticket owing to a claim that their party's nomination for Governor had been given in accordance with the wishes of the administration in Washington, and Republican electors in this State were not permitted to make their own selection of a Gubernatorial can- didate; as a consequence the Democratic candidate for Gov- ernor, Mr. Cleveland, rolled up the unprecedented majority of nearly 200,000.
When Mr. Blaine became the Republican nominee in 1884 the antagonistic feeling that had existed between the "Stalwarts" and the "Half Breeds" factions within the Republican party had not fully died out. Mr. Blaine was remembered as the principal foe of "Stalwarts," as the political advisor of Presi- dent Garfield, and as the one who engineered the defeat of other Presidential aspirants at the Republican National Convention and brought about Garfield's nomination, when he found that he himself could not get the nomination ; that he had influenced the President to name William H. Robertson for Collector of the Port-these little remembrances, together with that fearful mis- take made by the prominent clergyman who, in an attempt to aid Mr. Blaine's election, referred to "the three Rs," as stand- ing for "Rum, Romanism and Rebellion," did not materially help Mr. Blaine's chances in this State.
No person knew better than Collector Robertson the general political situation; he and a few others were being depended
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MANUAL AND CIVIL LIST.
upon to swing the State in the right direction. Robertson worked as he never had worked before. He first was confi- dent that his fences in this County were up and strong, and then devoted himself to "saving the State."
The Democrats in the County had a fair organization in those days, and same found plenty of work to do, and every effort was made to accomplish results.
The political fight in the County that followed that year cer- tainly proved spirited.
Election night news came from Albany to the effect that the result was in doubt, that the vote was so close that no idea of who had carried the State could be given; a single vote might decide the result. Later came the information, "an official statement of the vote cast in Westchester County is needed; on that depends the result."
As may be imagined, excitement in the County ran high; the tension of the public political pulse was away above the normal. The politicians of both parties got busy. The morning after the election the Democrats sent representatives into every elec- tion district of the twenty-two towns of the County; evidently they remembered the Tilden-Hayes election, and feared that figures might get juggled between the election district and the County-seat. Two or more towns had not made complete returns the night before, and no explanations followed. It had been said that even one vote might decide, therefore both parties were determined to chase the elusive vote and permit none to get away.
It was a time when Republicans were more than ever sus- picious of Democrats, and vice versa.
It proved true, the report that the result in the State depended upon the official returns from Westchester County. The eyes of the Nation were turned upon us, and the County was expected to do its whole duty, honestly and fearlessly.
On the day set when the Supervisors would convene as a Board of Canvassers, the County-seat entertained many hundred guests brought there by the intense interest manifested in the result on which rested the election of a President of the United States, for it was admitted that as the County decided, the State would go, and as the carrying of the State of New York was necessary to the election of either candidate, the whole summed up amounted to this-the electors of the County of Westchester would elect the President.
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MANUAL AND CIVIL LIST.
Distinguished men from all parts of the Union were present to witness the canvassing of the votes. Prominent lawyers rep- resented the National Committees of both political parties ; every step was fought, each contesting for the advantage.
No man fought better for a friend than did William H. Rob- ertson for his friend James G. Blaine, but the fates were against him. Westchester County, by the votes of its electors, had decided in favor of Mr. Cleveland, by a majority of 1,238; the vote in detail being, Cleveland, 12,524, Blaine, 11,286. As Cleveland carried the State by about 1,400, including West- chester County vote, it can readily be seen how important West- chester's majority was.
PRESIDENTIAL ELECTORS.
The Congressional District, of which Westchester County was and is a part, or a whole, has been represented in the Electoral College, from time to time, by the following named :
Stephen Ward, Eastchester. 1792
Lewis Morris, 3d, Westchester. 1796
Pierre Van Cortlandt, Jr., Cortlandt. 1800
John Herring, Rockland County 1804
Ebenezer White, Yorktown. 1808
Philip Van Cortlandt, Cortlandt. 1812
Peter S. Van Orden, Rockland County 1816
Jacob Odell, Tarrytown 1820, 1828
James Drake, Peekskill. 1824
Abraham Miller, Westchester
1832
Jeremiah Anderson, Harrison 1836
Pierre Van Cortlandt, Cortlandt. 1840
Daniel Johnson, Rockland County 1844
George Benson, Rockland County 1848
Edward Suffern, Rockland County 1852
Jared V. Peck, Rye. 1856
William H. Robertson, Bedford. 1860
Alexander Davidson, Rockland County 1864
George B. Pentz, Yonkers. 1868
David D. Smith, Rockland County. 1872
Jordan L. Mott, Morrisania 1876
John B. Trevor, Yonkers. 1880
John Hunter, Westchester 1884
J. Thomas Stearns, Morrisania. 1888
MANUAL AND CIVIL LIST.
87
Martin J. Keogh, New Rochelle 1892
William L. Ward, Port Chester 1896
Frank V. Millard, Tarrytown.
1900
James Wood, Mount Kisco
1904
Franklin Q. Brown, Dobbs Ferry
1908
VOTE FOR GOVERNOR AND LIEUTENANT-GOVERNOR.
The vote cast in the County for the respective candidates for Governor, in various years since 1896, was as follows:
1898 Theodore Roosevelt,
Republican, 16,653
Augustus Van Wyck,
Democrat, 15,012
Benjamin Hanford,
Socialist, 637
John Kline,
Prohibition, 254
Theodore Bacon,
Social Labor,
54
1900
Benjamin B. Odell, Jr., Republican,
20,806
John B. Stanchfield,
Democrat, 16,890
William T. Wardell,
Prohibition,
393
Charles H. Corregan,
Social Democrat, 446
Benjamin Hanford,
Socialist,
258
1902
Benjamin B. Odell, Jr., Republican,
18,459
Bird S. Coler,
Democrat,
16,754
1904
Frank W. Higgins,
Republican,
23,846
D. Cady Herrick,
Democrat,
19,340
Thomas Pendergast,
Social Democrat,
815
John McKee,
Prohibition,
303
Daniel De Lon,
Social Labor,
311
Alfred J. Boulton,
People's Party,
192
1906
Charles E. Hughes,
Republican,
24,233
William R. Hearst,
Democrat,
18,748
John R. Chase,
Social Democrat,
532
Henry M. Randall,
Prohibition,
216
Thomas H. Jackson,
Social Labor,
151
1908
Charles E. Hughes,
Republican,
27,894
Lewis S. Chandler,
Democrat,
20,027
Clarence J. Shearn,
Ind. League,
1,361
Joshua Wanhope,
Social Democrat, .
843
George E. Stockwell,
Prohibition,
304
Leander A. Armstrong,
Social Labor,
90
1910
Henry L. Stimson,
Republican,
22,331
John A. Dix,
Democrat,
21,981
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MANUAL AND CIVIL LIST.
1910
John J. Hopper, Ind. League, 1,247
Chas. E. Russell, Social Democrat, 950
T. Alex. MacNicholl, Prohibition, 283
Frank E. Passamio,
Soc. League, 113
The vote cast for Lieutenant-Governor in the following named years was distributed among the several candidates as follows:
1898 Timothy L. Woodruff, Republican,
16,162
Elliott Danforth,
Democrat,
15,012
Leander A. Armstrong,
Social Democrat, 660
John A. Sayles,
Prohibition,
300
Thomas M. Osborn,
Social Labor,
115
1900
Timothy L. Woodruff,
Republican,
20,888
Leander A. Armstrong,
Social Democrat,
449
Albert J. Rumsey,
Prohibition,
388
William Butscher,
Social Labor,
245
1902
Frank W. Higgins,
Republican,
18,401
Charles N. Bulger,
Democrat,
16,665
1904
Matthew Linn Bruce,
Republican,
24,072
Francis B. Harrison,
Democrat,
19,340
Charles R. Bach,
Social Democrat,
812
Alden W. Young,
Prohibition,
303
Boris Remstein,
Social Labor,
306
Charles Spaulding,
People's Party,
196
1906
Matthew Linn Bruce,
Republican,
23,539
Lewis S. Chandler,
Democrat,
19,184
Gustave A. Strebel,
Social Democrat,
554
Freeman H. Bettys,
Prohibition,
228
Frank E. Passamio,
Social Labor,
160
1908
Horace White,
Republican,
28,216
John A. Dix,
Democrat,
19,597
Daniel W. Finnimore,
Ind. League,
1,272
Gustave A. Strebel,
Social Democrat,
889
Marshall A. Hudson,
Prohibition,
377
Frank E. Passamio,
Social Labor,
98
1910
Edward Schoeneck,
Republican,
23,028
Thomas P. Conway,
Democrat,
20,728
William R. Hearst,
Ind. League,
1,541
Gustave A. Strebel,
Social Democrat,
958
Calvin McCarthy,
Prohibition, 319
James T. Hunter,
Social Labor, 125
William F. Mackey,
Democrat,
16,830
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MANUAL AND CIVIL LIST.
CASTING THE ELECTORAL VOTE.
The electoral vote of New York State has not always gone to one political party, as the following will show :
In 1868, when Seymour, Democrat, ran against Grant, Repub- lican, the Democrat secured the 33 votes of the State.
In 1872, when Grant, Republican, opposed Greeley,* the Repub- lican took the 35 votes.
In 1876, Tilden, Democrat, carried the State over Hayes, Re- publican, and took the 35 votes.
In 1880, Garfield, Republican, won over Hancock, Democrat, and secured the State's 35 votes.
In 1884, Cleveland, Democrat, outran Blaine, Republican, and was given the 36 votes, and, as a consequence, the election.
In 1888, Harrison, Republican, took the 36 votes from Cleve- land, Democrat, and the election.
In 1892, Cleveland, Democrat, recovered lost ground, won over Harrison, Republican, and received New York's 36 votes, that secured him the election.
In 1896, Mckinley, Republican, won easily over Bryan, Demo- crat, and took the State's prize of 36 votes.
In 1900, Mckinley, Republican, repeated his victory over Bryan, Democrat, and secured the 36 votes.
In 1904, Roosevelt, Republican, won the 39 votes of the State, from Parker, Democrat.
In 1908, Bryan, Democrat, had his old luck " in the enemy's country," and Taft, Republican, went to the Elec- toral College with New York's 39 votes.
* Horace Greeley, the Democratic and Liberal Republican candidate for President, died before the electoral vote was cast, and the Greeley electors of five States voted for Thomas A. Hendricks of Indiana.
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MANUAL AND CIVIL LIST.
THE OLD, OLD WAY.
Notwithstanding what has been said relative to a change in the mode of conducting political party national conventions, it is likely that the old way will prevail for some time to come.
It will be pretty well known in advance who the fortunate nominee is to be, though many candidates will be presented before the convention.
It becomes the nominee-to-be to appear modest, and as not seeking the nomination; a case where the nomination seeks the man, after having received detailed information as to where he can be found.
In the convention it will be the same old story. After Ala- bama has yielded to the silver-tongued orator from Indiana who presents the name of a favorite son, and Colorado has yielded to the silver-tongued orator from Pennsylvania, who names a favor- ite son of that State, then the real silver-tongued orator of the convention will accompany Freedom from her mountain height, while she unfurls her standard to the air and tears the azure robe of night and sets the stars of glory there and in the name of the goddess of that particular political party, in the name of triumphant Americanism, present the name of the man who is to get the nomination, while the convention goes wild, the band plays "A Hot Time in the Old Town To-night," and the hys- terical delegates grab the State standards and march around the convention hall, and the stampede has begun.
United States military posts in the County are Fort Slocum, at New Rochelle, and Fort Schuyler, opposite Westchester. Both on Long Island Sound.
Town Boards in this County, in 1911, agreed to pay Inspec- tors of Election from $12 to $15 per day for services as such inspectors during the four days of registration and elections, for general election of that year. The new election law requiring longer hours of service. The previous allowance was from $8 to $10 per day.
This County had County Commissioners of Excise from 1857 to 1870. See page 117, Vol 1.
Chau unge
ELECTING A UNITED STATES SENATOR.
When a mere lad, just entering his teens, the author of this book was privileged to attend, in 1863, the most exciting sessions ever held in the history of the Assembly of the State Legislature.
The Legislature of that year was to elect a United States Senator in place of Preston King, Republican. The Republi- cans had twelve majority in the Senate, while the Assembly was composed of 64 Republicans and 64 Democrats. As can be readily seen, this situation deadlocked the Assembly and jeopar- dized the Republican chances of electing King's successor in joint session, as under the law of the period the Legislature could not convene in joint session until some candidate had a majority in each branch. On the face of it either a Repub- lican or a Democrat must betray his party to break the dead- lock.
The Republican Assemblymen in caucus agreed to support for Speaker "Westchester's Favorite Son," Hon. Chauncey M. Depew, of Peekskill, who had the year previously begun his public career as an Assemblyman representing the Third Assembly District of this county. The choice of the Demo- cratic caucus was Gilbert Dean, of Kings County. Through many ballots the excitement ran high. Every man had to be in his place and voting. On one occasion, preceding a ballot, Thomas C. Fields, of New York (uncle of the late Andrew C. Fields, of Dobbs Ferry, this county), talked five hours con- tinuously to gain time necessary to permit Democratic Assem- blymen to get across the river on the ice from East Albany, as the river had suddenly frozen and prevented the ferry running.
When it came to a point where it was realized that neither of the party caucus nominees for Speaker could be elected, each receiving on the numerous ballots 64 votes, Theophilus C. Calli- cott, of Brooklyn, elected as a Democrat, with political ambi- tions, proposed to candidate Depew that if the Republicans would elect him Speaker he in return would vote for the Repub- lican candidate for United States Senator and break the dead-
91
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MANUAL AND CIVIL LIST.
lock. When Callicott's Democratic colleagues learned of his apostacy naturally the excitement increased; eight Democrats offered to vote for the Republican nominee, Mr. Depew, for Speaker. Mr. Depew submitted the two proposals to the Republican caucus, which decided in favor of Callicott's offer, as it not only secured his vote for the Republican candidate for Senator, but also gave considerable patronage to the Republi- cans, and was likely to bring the party even greater advantage. On the 19th day of balloting Callicott was elected by his own vote.
All this was but the preliminary to the contest among Republicans over the Senatorship which followed. William H. Seward, Secretary of State in President Lincoln's Cabinet, and Thurlow Weed, the recognized Republican State leader, favored the election of Edward D. Morgan, a rich merchant of New York city, who was chairman of the Republican National Committee. Horace Greeley, a former partner in the political firm of " Seward, Weed and Greeley," favored the re-election of King, or Daniel S. Dickinson. The opposition, who dis- trusted Morgan, however, were not united, and the first formal ballot in the Republican caucus gave Morgan 25 votes, King 16, Dickinson 15, Charles B. Sedgwick, a Syracuse lawyer, 11, David Dudley Field 7, Henry J. Raymond, editor of the New York Times, 6, and Ward Hunt, later a Justice of the United States Supreme Court, 4. The number necessary to a choice was 44. On the second ballot Morgan received 50 votes, Dick- inson 13, King 11, Raymond 9, and Field 2. Morgan became the caucus nominee. On joint ballot Morgan received 80 votes, to 70 votes cast for Erastus Corning, of Albany, the Demo- cratic nominee. Ugly rumors persisted for years that Morgan's election could not have been accomplished without the use of Morgan's money.
The Republicans, in 1868, elected a majority of the State Legislature, and at once a fierce contest ensued over the choice of a successor to Senator Morgan whose term was to expire on March 4, 1869. Several political acts of Morgan's while Senator had made for him enemies in the party. He had the support of Roscoe Conkling, his Senatorial colleague, but certain Repub- licans feared Conkling and did not favor his domination in State Republican politics. Reuben E. Fenton, who was just relinquishing the Governorship to John T. Hoffman, Democrat, was, in 1869, at the height of his influence and power. He was
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