History of Montgomery County, Pennsylvania, Part 119

Author: Bean, Theodore Weber, 1833-1891, [from old catalog] ed; Buck, William J. (William Joseph), 1825-1901
Publication date: 1884
Publisher: Philadelphia, Everts & Peck
Number of Pages: 1534

USA > Pennsylvania > Montgomery County > History of Montgomery County, Pennsylvania > Part 119

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The following conclusion of the editor is certainly frank, and illustrates the unsettled condition of the public mind at that date :

"When we sat down to pen the above paragraph we had intended it to be quite different from what it turns out to be. It is not an nucom- mon thing for us editors to frequently commence an editorial paragraph with very great reluctance. Yet, as many of our patrons are in the common practice of first turning to the 'Norristown' head to see what comes from the editor, whether it he good, bad or indifferent, we are not willing that our readers shall always be disappointed. We wish once more to inforon our readers who may be Jacksonites, Crawfordites, Ad- amites, Clayites, or whatever other kind of 'ites' they may choose to be, that we are as yet the advocate of none of them. We hold ourselves 'free, sovereign and independent,' and we intend so to be until we can take a better choice. But our columns shall be open to any well-writ- ten article on the subject of the Presidential canvass, believing it to be right that the merits and demerits of each should be fully canvassed, that the people may be better able to judge of the most suitable person, and then make their choice accordingly."

Subsequently the same paper sums up the result of the October election, 1824, as follows :

" Perhaps there never was so much political indifference and apathy among the people as was evinced at the last election. We have already mentioned that there was no opposition to the Democratic ticket in this county."

The following ticket was elected : Congress, Philip S. Markley ; Assembly, Jonathan Roberts, John B. Steri- gere, Michael Cope, Robert E. Hobart ; Commissioner, James Sands ; Director, Peter Fritz; Auditor, Samuel E. Leech.

The highest vote polled at this election was for Michael Cope, being 1873. In the Presidential elec- tion of the same year the following votes were polled in Montgomery County for the several candidates in the field, all of whom were designated by writers and public speakers of that campaign as "Democrats " or " Democratic Republicans:" Andrew Jackson, 1497 ; John Quincy Adams, 28; William H. Crawford, 445; Henry Clay, 27,-total, 1997.

The population being at this date 35,793, as shown by the census of 1820, and the estimated or possible

had acquired control of all State affairs in Pennsylvania. The Repub- lican canal board was obnoxious to the predominant Jackson junto in the Legislature, and the members of the former hody were legislated out of office, they having refused to resign the discharge of their duties, and a new Jackson board was legislated into office, as they would not trust Governor Schultz to make other appointment

From this time forward Mr. Roberte was active in his opposition to . Jacksonism, and kept the defenders of the hero of New Orleans engaged in an animated public discussion of the claims of that impetuons and ar- bitrary man to the confidence of the American people. This drew down upon him the displeasure of those who were carried away hy the military renown of Jackson. Mr. Roberts was a warm and able defender of Mr. Adams, who was made the target for the bitter assaults of men like Samuel D. Jngham and Timothy Pickering, who sought to advance Jackson's interest by creating popular prejudice against l'resident Adams, who, as well as .Jackson and ( 'lay, had been Democrats up to the time of his election. In this purpose these adversaries of Mr. Adams were suc- cessful, and in 1828, Jackson was elevated to the Presidency by the popu- lar vote. In his opposition to General Jackson, Mr. Roberts was gov- erned solely by patriotic and impersonal motives. He felt and knew he was engaged in an unpopular cause, and the public controversy was most distasteful to bim ; but he fearlessly breasted the storm and looked for- ward to the time when it was to spend its force. That time came with the expiration of President Jackson'e last term. It is true Van Buren succeededl him, but the unnatural coalition which had constituted the Jackson party melted away under the administration of his more politic but less willful predecessor.

511

THE PAST AND PRESENT POLITICS.

vote about 7000, the want of general interest seems unprecedented, and the number of "stay-at-homes" nowhere finds a parallel in the political annals of the county. There was no popular choice for President, and the election devolved upon the national House of Representatives. The contest was animated and bit- ter among the leaders, and provoked a much more general interest in the result than had been previously manifested in the canvass of the several candidates. The following was the electoral vote in the United States, certified to in the official count : Jackson, 99; Adams, 84; Crawford, 41; Clay, 37,-total, 261.

A choice of Mr. Adams by the House of Represen- tatives was commented on as follows by the editor of the Herald, under date of February 16, 1825 :

"Contrary to the wishes and expectations of a very large portion of the citizens of the United States, John Quincy Adams has been elected by the House of Representatives on the first ballot. We have nothing to offer in congratulation to those who have so long wished for this result. They have gained a victory, it is true, over the caucus junto, but we frar over the majority of the American people alsu. To those who bave been, after all their threats and boastings, so suddenly disappointed we tender the following pleasing consolation : Mr. Adams is perhaps the ahlest diplomat and greatest statesman in America. He is possessed of all the talents and experience necessary for the good government of our national affairs, and, if reports be true, he has had the management of the most mportant business for several years, from which we may hope, judging from the very prosperous situation of the nation, that he will make a good President."

It is a matter of history that the administration of James Monroe closed an era of good-will in national politics, and while the methods of the ruling party, especially the caucus system, were unsatisfactory, the general apathy of the period hastened the work of dis- organization, as shown in the several factions and four rival candidates for Presidential honors. The following circumstance connected with our county af- fairs is confirmatory of the even temper of the political mind of 1824. There was a grand Fourth of July celebration at " Hatborongh " the year named. The celebration took place on Saturday, the 3d, the 4th oc- curring on Sunday that year. It was held in " Bean's Woods." The report of the affair, which appears to be published "by particular request " in the Norris- town Herald, says :

"At twelve o'clock the proression formed in the following order : Dr. John H. Hill, marshal, and (. II. Pauling, Esq., aid ; Robbart's Troop of Cavalry ; Montary's and Hill's Infantry ; Standard : Colonel Chris- tian Snyder, president ; Orator, Rev. T. B. Montanye ; Fiehl Officers Larzalere and Steel ; Hathorough Band ; M. V. Booskirk, vice-president ; citizens, two-and-two. After marching through the village, the organi- zations and people: collected in the woods named, where the Declaration of Independence was read and orations were delivered. These exercise's were followed by a banquet, after which thirteen regular toasts were proposed and duly responded to by guns and cheers, as was the custom in those days. Twenty-six volunteer toasts were proposed, all of which were reported in full."

Bearing in mind that four Presidential candidates were running at the time, each of them having friends and able champions in the county, the sentiments proposed indicate the general good-will that must have characterized the occasion. The first toast was by the Rev. T. B. Montanye,-

" The United States, without a King, abounding with materials to grace the Presidential chair.

" The finished statesman, William H. Crawford, after the most rigid scrutiny, found faithful in all the departments he has filled.

"John Quincy Adams, the father of our navy and defender of our commerce, the first diplomatic character in the world in whom is con- Becrated wisdom and prudence.

" Ilenry Clay, the undeviating Republican.

" Andrew Jackson, the hero of New Orleans, the enemy of spies and firm defender of his country's honor. May the voice of the people ren- der the interference of Congress unnecessary by srlreting from such a con- stellation of worthies one to sit at the head of the most distinguished nation on earth !''

One would naturally suppose that the reverend pa- triot had covered the ground completely, but he seems to have been repeated by several of those surrounding the festive board, viz.,-by Major James Quinton : "General Andrew Jackson, the hero of New Orleans. May he ever conquer his American enemies; " by Captain John T. Neeley : "The Honorable Henry Clay. So long as office shall be considered a reward for distinguished merit, may he never be without public employment ; " by C. Snyder, Jr. : " William Hl. Crawford. May he, on the 4th of March next, be conducted to the Presidential chair of the United States." Andrew Jackson was in favor with the "onts," as the toast of Dr. John Grigg fully illustrates: " Washington ('ity constipated ; Hickory oil a purge." The last of the highly-wrought sentiments proposed upon this occasion was offered " by a lady," but whose name unfortunately does not appear in the report : " May the American eagle, standing on tip-toe on the watch-tower of Liberty, gall the red lion with nine cheers, crying ' All's well.'" The good mothers of those days were not wanting in public spirit, and the reporter who suppressed the name of this charac- teristic " lady " has denied to the historian the means and pleasure of preserving it among those whose excel- lency of speech and unquestionable patriotism have contributed in making the day memorable.

The next decade in the political history of the county carries us forward to the second term of President Jackson. The administration of John Quincy Adams passed into history with satisfaction to the people, during which time Andrew Jackson became a prominent candidate for the succession. It was in his canvass that he gathered up the broken fragments of the National Republican party, and crystalized them in name and practice the Demo- cratie party. He had made a distinguished record for himself as an officer in the war of 1812, and the signal victory over the British at New Orleans gave him a world-wide and deserving fame. He had a strong personal following in Montgomery County, having in his first run polled three times as many votes as his most popular competitor. He was elected President in 1828, over John Quincy Adams, by 178 to 83 electoral votes, and re-elected in 1832, by 219 electoral votes to 49 for Henry Clay. The great issue of President Jackson's administrations turned upon the financial policy of the country. The United States Bank was chartered by Congress and sanctioned by

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HISTORY OF MONTGOMERY COUNTY.

President Washington, February, 1791, and the char- tered powers were renewed by President Madison, 1816.

The financial operations were largely conducted through this bank, and the capital used, thirty-five million dollars, was thought by many to be too cen- tralizing, and therefore dangerous in the hands of a political and partisan administration. President Jackson antagonized the bank, alienated the money- power of the country, refused to recharter the bank in 1832, and removed the government deposits in 1833, producing a crisis in the agitation that had been somewhat violent for a year or more preceding this event. All the political elements descending from the Federalists, and many of the National Republi- eans who had supported the financial policy of the country from the days of Washington to John Quincy Adams, now arrayed themselves against Jackson, who, willing to part with whatever power the great bank gave to his administration, went to the people, declaring the United States Bank to be a dangerous monopoly of privileges that should be better dis- tributed throughout the States. The political divi- sions of men became marked in every community in the country. Montgomery County shared fully in the fierce debate and partisan activity of the period. There are many persons still living who recall the campaign of 1834 in Montgomery County. The meet- ing of Democratie delegates was held at the public- house of Arnold Baker, in Norriton township, on the 13th of September of that year. Dr. Jones Anderson was chosen chairman, and Dr. John R. Grigg and William W. Moore secretaries. John B. Sterigere offered the resolutions, among which we find the fol- lowing :

" Resolved, That our confidence in the political integrity, patrotism and wisdom of our present chief magistrate remains unimpaired ; that his firmness in supporting measures deemed essential to the preservation of the liberties of the people and his dignified conduct under the persecu- tions and slandersof the bank advocates and his political enemies in the Senate of the United States are calculated to endear him still more to his fellow-citizens."

Mr. Sterigere was then in the vigor of youth, and the seventh of the series of resolutions shows the zealous partisanship of the day :

" That we consider the present contest as involving the dearest and most important rights of the people, -a contest between the aristocracy and Democracy, which imperiously demands that the friends of the Con- stitution and the laws and of Democratic principles and equal rights should rally around the standard of Democracy in opposition to modern Whigism (the ghost of Revolutionary Toryist), under which standard are arrayed the descendants of the Tories of '76, advocates of Alien and Sedi- tion Laws of '98, Hartford Conventionists, Aristocrats, Bankites, Anti- Masons, National Republicans and Nullifiers."

The eleventh and last of the resolutions leaves no open ground for the "kicker," if such a character were known to the Jackson Democracy of old Montgomery :

" That every person whose name may be presented for nomination shall be required to pledge himself to support the ticket which may be formed hy this meeting, and that he will not be a candidate for any office at the ensuing election unless he shall be nominuted by this meeting, and no votes

shall be received far any person who shall refuse to pledge himself as aforesail."

The language used in the pledge referred to does not appear on record. We are unable to say whether it was written and subscribed to or only verbal. The idea of pledging the disappointed candidates not to permit the use of their names for office during the same campaign seems to have been Jacksonian, and appears to have become obsolete in the usages of modern Democracy. The following ticket was placed in nom- ination at the meeting referred to: Congress, Jacob Fry, Jr. ; Assembly, John M. Jones, Joseph Fornance, Esq., Henry Schnieder ; Sheriff, John Todd; Con- missioner, Francis C. Burnside ; Directors of the Poor, John Getty, Frederick R. Smith (the latter in place of George Hillegas, deceased) ; Auditor, Jacob H. Geyer ; Coroner, Thomas W. Potts.

Adam Slemmer, James Wells, John Scheetz, Colonel William Powel, Enos Benner and David Jacoby were appointed a committee to have tickets printed and distributed to the several committees designated to receive them for use on election day.

The Federal or Anti-Jackson county ticket for the same year was as follows: Congress, Joseph Royer ; Assembly, James Paul, Nathaniel 1. Hobart, Benja- min Frick ; Directors of the Poor, Anthony Vander- slice, Samuel H. Bartolet (the latter in place of George Hillegas, deceased); Auditor, Alan W. Corson ; Cor- oner, Stephen Rush. No nomination was made for sheriff by the Whigs or Federalists. Mr. Walter W. Paxon, a hotel-keeper of Norristown, ran as an inde- pendent candidate, polling the party vote, as shown in the official report, aggregating 6813 votes.

OFFICIAL RETURNS.

CONGRESS.

COMMISSIONER.

Jacob Fry, Jr. . 3766

Joseph Royer .3047

Robert Stinson . . 3007

ASSEMBLY.

DIRECTOR.

John M. Jones 3542

Joseph Fornance 3532

Henry Schneider .3582

N. P. Hobart . 3133

James Paul 3173

Benjamin Frick

3186

Jacob H. Geyer 3640

Alan W. Corson . 3043

SHERIFF.

CORONER.

Jolm Todd

. 3799

Jumes W. Potts 3718

Walter W. Paxon .3011

Stephen Rush 2730

The names of the Democratic Republican candidates are in italics .-- Norristown Register, October 22, 1834.

No reference is made in this official report of the candidacy of John Getty (Democrat) and Anthony Vanderslice (Whig), both of whom were nominated by their respective parties, and whose names appear on the tickets as published in the papers of that cam- paign. The campaign of 1835 was one of unusual interest in the county, resulting from the divisions in the Democratic party. George Wolf was then Gov- ernor of the State, and desired to be elected for the third term. He was warmly supported by personal friends and partisans, and opposed by a strong fac- tion, who placed in nomination against him Henry A.

Francis C. Burnside . 374]

Frederick R. Smith . 3543

Samnel H. Bartolet . . 3154

AUDITOR.

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THE PAST AND PRESENT POLITICS.

Muhlenberg. Joseph Ritner was nominated by the Whigs and so called Anti-Masons of that period. The result was the election of Ritner and the entire Whig and Anti-Mason ticket in Montgomery County. The following is an extract of the official vote of the county :

GOVERNOR.

Joseph Ritner 3014

George Wolf 1747

Henry A. Muhlenberg . . 1599

SENATE.

James Paul (Whig) . , 2848 John B. Sterigere ( Wolf Dem.) 1731

T. Sellers (MInhl. Dem.) . . . 1710

ASSEMBLY.

William Schall (Whig) . . . 2959 W. A. Bringhurst (Whig) . . 3056 Robert Stinson (Whig) . . . 2892 W. Hamil (Wolf Dem.) .. , 1504 Jacob S. Yost (Wolf Dem.) . 1651 Charles Kugler (Wolf Dem.) 1613 J. M. Jones (MInhl. Dem.) . . 1779

ASSEMBLY.

J. Fornance (Muhl. Dem.) . . 1823 HI. Schneider (Muhl. Dem.) . 1742

COMMISSIONER.

Jacob Fretz (Whig) . . . 2882

Daniel Davis (Wolf Dem.) . . 1625 Samuel Leech (Muhl. Dem.) . 1767

DIRECTOR.

Jonathan Adamson (Whig) . 2877 1'. Hoxworth (Wolf Dem.) . . 1655 HI. Scheetz, Jr. (Muhl. Dem.). 1740

AUDITOR.

Alan W. Corson (Whig) . . . 2892 W. Fronfield ( Wolf Dem.) . . 1637 B. Conrad (Muhl. Deni.) . . 1740

The Norristown Register supported the candidacy of Henry A. Muhlenberg throughout the canvass, and in its issue of October 21, 1835, comments as follows :

"We this day present the official returns of the general election held in this county on the 13th inst., by which it will be observed that the unfortunate misunderstanding which existed in the Democratic party has been the cause of our defeat and the election of the entire Anti- Masonic and Whig ticket. Our friends will also perceive that the entire Democratic vote exceeds the Anti-Masonic by a considerable majority. The vote polled this year was 453 less than that of last year, several of the Democratic townships in the upper end of the county not poll- ing much more than two-thirds of their strength, and several towu- ships below did not attain to their vote of last year."

Joseph Ritner was duly inaugurated Governor, and among the first appointments to public office in Montgomery County were the following : John Bean, prothonotary ; Benjamin Johnson, clerk of the courts ; Nathaniel B. Boileau, register of wills; Robert Iredell, recorder of deeds. The last-named appointee still survives and is the present postmaster at Norristown. Daniel H. Mulvany, Esq., was appointed deputy- attorney-general for Montgomery County about the same time as the nomination of Governor Ritner's attorney-general, January, 1836. The appointments of Governor Ritner quickened the sense of loss of political power in "Old Montgomery," then deemed a Demo- cratic stronghold, and, in the exercise of a sagacity that was creditable to partisan leaders, the Democrats promptly took steps to recover their control of public affairs in the county. The young men stepped to the front, and as early as April 23, 1836, a "Demo- cratic Young Men's meeting " was held at the public- house of Henry Kerr, in Norristown. William B. Thomas, of Lower Merion, presided. Benjamin Hill, and Isaiah Davis were appointed secretaries. B. Powell J. M. Pawling, John H. Scheetz, J. H. Hobart, John D. Apple, Charles W. Brook and Enos C. Fry were selected to draft resolutions expressive of the sense of the meeting. It was resolved to unite with the young

men of the State in holding a convention on the 4th of July, 1836, and that the following delegates be anthorized to represent the county in the proposed convention : James H. Webb, John D. Apple, Charles Kugler, Thomas J. Gross, Joseph Fornance, Esq., William B. Thomas, Charles W. Brook, Esq., Benjamin Hill, Charles D. Jones, Henry Magee, Benjamin Powell, Esq., Colonel James Bush, Isaiah W. Davis, Enoch C. Fry, John H. Hobart, William Z. Matheys, Benjamin Conrad, Thomas J. Weber, Daniel Fry, William Sellers, Jonas Smith, William Snyder, John S. Wiler, George S. Mann, James M. Moore, George B. Reiff, Mehelm MeGlathery, Solomon Steltz, Enos L. Reiff, Jacob S. Yost, George L. Williams, Jacob Hillegas, James Scheetz, Samuel Ashenfelter and John Highley. It was declared, as the sense of the meeting,

" That we consider the primary objects of the convention to be the restoration of harmony in the Democratic party of Pennsylvania and the promotion of the election of Martin Van Buren to the Presidency of the United States."

It was further resolved to issue an address to the young men of the county, and B. F. Hancock, J. M. Pawling, Charles W. Brook, John D. Apple and Charles Kugler were appointed a committee to prepare the same. The address was prepared, and appears in full in the Norristown Register of June 8, 1836, directed "To the Democratic Young Men of Mont- gomery County." The "Democratic Young Men " be- came a powerful factor in the politics of the county ; similar associations in other counties in the State were organized and the breach was healed over. They were further utilized in securing successive victories for the dominant party for many years afterward. As late as 1840, in the famous "Tippe- canoe and Tyler too" campaign, these " Democratic Young Men" of the State held a popular conven- tion at Lancaster City, to which were duly accred- ited four hundred and ninety-six Democratic young men, appointed to represent the several townships and boroughs of Montgomery County. The names of this famous delegation all appear in the Norristown Register published July 20, 1840. Among those who still survive we note Samuel Slemmer, William H. Holstein, Oliver B. Shearer, Nathaniel Jacoby and Jesse B. Davis. Among others identified with the or- ganization and still living are Mehelm McGlathery and Samuel Ashenfelter.

The Young Democrats were enthusiastic supporters of Andrew Jackson, alias "Old Hickory," many of them having cast their first vote for him, and were, as a matter of course, warmly attached to Martin Van Buren, who was the political residuary legatee of the hero of New Orleans. Few men in public life had more devoted followers than Andrew Jackson. Look- ing back through the lapse of half a century and more, it is interesting to see the estimation in which he was held by his contemporaries in political life. When President James Monroe asked Thomas Jeffer-

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HISTORY OF MONTGOMERY COUNTY.

son, in 1818, if it would not be well to give Jackson the embassy to Russia, Jefferson utterly disapproved it, and said in reply, " He would breed you a quarrel before he would be there three months." At a later period Jefferson said to Daniel Webster,-

"I feel much alarmed at the prospect of seeing General Jackson Pres- ident. He is one of the most unfit inen I know of for such a place. He has had very little respect for laws or constitution, and is, in fact, au ablo military chief. Ilis passions are terrible. When I was President of the Senate he was a Senator, and be could never speak on account of the rashness of his feelings. I have seen him attempt it repeatedly, and as often choke with rage. His passions are no doubt cooler now. He has been much tried since I knew him, but he is a dangerous man."

Daniel Webster, while in Philadelphia, in 1827, spoke as follows in reference to the possible P'residency of General Jackson :

" If he is elected, the government of our people will be overthrown, the judiciary will be destroyed, Mr. Justice Johnson will be made chief justice in the place of Mr. Marshall, who must soon retire, and then, in half an hour, Mr. Justice Washington and Mr. Justice Story will resign. A majority will be left with Mr. Johnson, and every constitutional de- cision hitherto made will be overthrown."

It is due to truth and history to say that none of Mr. Webster's predictions were verified by subsequent events, and but for the fact that his over-zealous proph- ecy was carefully preserved in the diary of Samuel Breck, it would have long since been forgotten as the frenzied utterance of a partisan orator.

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History of Montgomery County, Pennsylvania, Part 119

Author: Bean, Theodore Weber, 1833-1891, [from old catalog] ed; Buck, William J. (William Joseph), 1825-1901 Publication date: 1884 Publisher: Philadelphia, Everts & Peck Number of Pages: 1534

Author: Bean, Theodore Weber, 1833-1891, [from old catalog] ed; Buck, William J. (William Joseph), 1825-1901
Publication date: 1884
Publisher: Philadelphia, Everts & Peck
Number of Pages: 1534