Standard history of Pittsburg, Pennsylvania, Part 90

Author: Wilson, Erasmus, 1842-1922; Goodspeed, Weston Arthur, 1852-1926. cn
Publication date: 1898
Publisher: Chicago : H.R. Cornell & Co.
Number of Pages: 1192

USA > Pennsylvania > Allegheny County > Pittsburgh > Standard history of Pittsburg, Pennsylvania > Part 90

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773

HISTORY OF PITTSBURG.

over 300 persons, among whom were Thomas Fairnian, Louis Peterson, four of the Irwins, four of the Arthurs, Isaac Lightner, John Herron, Hilary Brunot, Allen Kramer, Samuel P. Darlington and James Park. This split in the ranks of Jacksonism was not caused by the intrigues of the Anti-Masons, but was due solely to Jackson's hostility to what the citizens here believed to be interests which vitally affected the welfare of local manufacturers. It was a genuine division of party on the question of political policy. At a large meeting of former Jackson men, of which John Irwin was chairman, held July 20, 1832, the action of General Jackson in returning the United States Bank bill without his signature was denounced; and it was declared that such an institution was necessary in business interests; that General Jackson's reasons for his course were novel and destructive; and that the thanks of the meeting should be extended to George M. Dallas, William Wilkins, Harmar Denny and John Gilmore for their steady support of the question of rechartering the Bank. At this meet- ing Samuel Church, John Irwin, Hugh Robertson, Henry Coulter, William Carlisle, Allen Kramer and Isaac Lightner were appointed a committee of vigilance to prepare an address to the citizens on the subject. Resolutions of a severe character concerning the attitude of President Jackson were passed at this meeting. Soon afterward 120 men of Pittsburg and Allegheny issued an address approving of the course of this meeting. Among other things the address said: "We again call upon you to say whether the enemies of the tariff shall be permitted to destroy indirectly the system which has triumphed over their open attacks-whether the American manufacturer with small means shall be deprived of that opportunity of competing with foreign capital and foreign labor which the present facilities of collecting his debts afford him- whether the face of the poor shall be ground by brokers and stock jobbers as in 1817 and 1818 and the succeeding years of general distress, when worthless paper money had usurped the place of specie and when the sound of industry was unheard in our shops, when wheat sold for twenty cents a bushel and flour at one dollar per barrel, while all the foreign articles of comfort and neces- sity were far higher than they now are" (c). This address was signed by the following committee: Thomas Bakewell, S. P. Darlington, John Arthurs, William Mackey, Thomas Fairman, Louis Peterson, Jacob Forsyth, Samuel Church, John Irwin, Hugh Robertson, Henry Coulter, William M. Carlisle, Allen Kramer and Isaac Lightner. In August, 1832, at an immense meeting of the seceding Jackson men, it was finally resolved to support the Anti-Masonic electoral ticket. In 1832 Allegheny County became the Twenty-second Con- gressional district; its vote for governor and congressmen was as follows:

Governor.

Ritner. Wolf.

Congress. Denny. Robinson.

East Ward.

162

183

189

I45

South Ward. .

297

334

333

295

West Ward.

I22

II7

139

North Ward.

289

198

303

II7

Allegheny Borough .

323

248

252

314

In 1832 the vote for Jackson was 3,321, and for the opposition 2,985.

In 1832 the question of a dissolution of the Union was called prominently to the attention of the people of this community by the action of the Southern members of Congress, particularly from South Carolina, on the questions of nullification and secession. The questions were new then, comparatively, and elicited all shades of opinion. Many here openly avowed their belief that a

774

HISTORY OF PITTSBURG.

Southern State had the right to nullify an act of Congress, and to secede from the Union in case her best interests were believed to lie in such a course. The American Manufacturer of this city, immediately after the second election of Andrew Jackson to the Presidency, stated in an editorial that in its opinion it was best to abandon the protective tariff system rather than incur the ill-will of the South and their withdrawal from the Union. The Manufacturer used the following language: "It is not too late to reason on this matter, and if by an abandonment of the protective policy the South can be tranquilized, their attachment to the Constitution restored and the Union preserved, let the sacrifice be made." But those of this vicinity who favored these views were comparatively few, and were opposed by the earnest remonstrances of the great body of citizens.

Among the first supporters of Andrew Jackson for the Presidency were Ephraim Pentland, John B. Butler, Robert Burke and David Lynch. These men opposed the protective tariff of 1824, and in a short time came, with others, to idolize Jackson. In 1824 the supporters of Mr. Jackson were divided in this community on the question of the tariff. The above-named men opposed such measure, while Hugh Davis, William McCandless, Mr. Scully and many others favored it. At this time there was no serious opposition to the Bank of the United States; Jacksonians, as well as Independent Republicans, were either neutral on the subject, or at least offered no opposition to it. It remained for a later date, under the stimulus of Jackson's opposition to the bank, to develop the antagonism here.

In 1832 Anti-Masonry reached the zenith of its prosperity. The Gazette, edited by Neville B. Craig, and the Times, edited by Alfred Sutton, supported this party and contended for the honor of its championship. The Pennsylvania Advocate was commenced here by Judge Wilson, of Steubenville, for the avowed purpose of defeating the reelection of General Jackson and of breaking down the Anti-Masonic journals here. Mr. Wilson failed signally in both under- takings.

At a large meeting held here in January, 1833, resolutions were adopted endorsing the proclamation of President Jackson. against the nullification pro- ceedings of South Carolina. The resolutions, which were presented by A. W. Foster, declarcd that no State had the right to secede from the Union; that the act of South Carolina was unconstitutional and revolutionary, and other resolutions, endorsed by Walter Forward, declared it unwise to sacrifice tariff principles to conciliate South Carolina. Samuel Pettigrew, mayor of Pittsburg, presided at this meeting. A resolution was introduced by W. W. Fetterman to instruct the Western representatives in Congress to oppose the Verplanck Bill, then pending, or any other that would reduce the protective duty. The prin- cipal speakers at this meeting were Messrs. Foster, Brackenridge and Fetter- man

In 1832 the National Republicans, or Jacksonians, supported in a large measure the Anti-Masonic ticket, but in 1833 they again united in support of the Administration candidates. In January, 1833, Samuel Pettigrew was reelected mayor of Pittsburg. In 1833 great division in the political parties occurred. There were Federalists, Democrats, Clay men, Jackson men, Van Buren men, Cass men, Bank men, Anti-Bank men, Reformers, Anti-Reform- ers, Anti-Masons, or, as the latter were sometimes called, Anti-goat men.

: In June, 1833, the passage of the Irish coercion bill by the English Par- liament was the occasion of a large public meeting, where resolutions were adopted expressing profound regret and horror at the extinguishment of the last vestiges of Irish liberty.

Daniel Webster visited Pittsburg in July, 1833, and was royally entertained

775

HISTORY OF PITTSBURG.

by the bar in a body and by the citizens generally. He delivered an eloquent speech on the public issues of the day, particularly on those of State's rights, nullification, protection to American industries, and internal improvements. He arrived here in the evening of the 4th of July, and was met on the outskirts of the city by a large cavalcade of citizens, who accompanied him through the streets. He was immediately waited upon by a committee of the citizens and given a formal welcome, and at this time a request was preferred, asking per- mission to give a public dinner in his honor. This committee consisted of the following gentlemen: James Ross, Benjamin Bakewell, Charles Avery, William Wade, Samuel Pettigrew, George Miltenberger, Isaac Lightner, Syl- vanus Lothrop, John Arthurs, Alexander Brackenridge, William Robinson, Jr., George A. Cook, W. W. Fetterman, Samuel Roseburg, William Mackey, James Johnston, Richard Biddle, Samuel P. Darlington, Michael . Tiernan, Samuel Fahnestock, Thomas Bakewell, Walter H. Lowrie, William W. Irwin, Robert S. Cassat, Cornelius Darragh, Benjamin Darlington, Neville B. Craig, Wilson McCandless, Owen Ashton, Charles Shaler, Thomas Scott and Charles H. Israel. Mr. Webster expressed his thanks for the cordial welcome, but begged leave to decline the dinner, though he publicly received those citizens who wished to meet him. While here he visited the principal manufacturing establishments, and listened to a public address in his praise, to which he made a long, suitable and patriotic reply (d). In 1833 Martin Van Buren began to attract the attention of local politicians as a possible candidate of Democracy for the Presidency. The Jacksonians at this time were disrupted over the questions of banking, protection, Anti-Masonry, nullification, etc., and began to prepare for the nominations of 1836.

In December, 1833, a strong effort was made to repeal the new election law in so far as it affected Pittsburg. This effort was headed by what was then called "the Courthouse clique." The attempt, it was claimed, was made by men who expected to reap some advantage in the confusion that was certain to ensue at elections where all the citizens of the city assembled at the Courthouse to poll their votes. At the meeting of the Anti-Masonic party in December, 1833, Cornelius Darragh received the nomination for mayor. A committee was appointed to recommend suitable men for members of the councils. This committee consisted of Christopher Magee, John Leech, James Marshall, Andrew Watson, John F. Greer, Alfred Sutton, Thomas Liggett, Samuel Stackhouse, James H. McClelland, Samuel Roseburg, John McFad- den, William Irwin, David McKee and John Roseburg. The Jackson and Clay adherents, in a stormy meeting, united and placed in nomination for mayor Mr. Pettigrew. Matthew B. Lowrie was announced as a volunteer candidate. In January, 1834, after a canvass of violent recriminations, Mr. Pettigrew received 844 votes, Mr. Darragh 485, and Mr. Lowrie 96; total votes polled, 1,425.

It was charged by the Democracy in 1832-4 that the manufacturers of Pittsburg compelled their employés to vote as they directed, upon pain of dismissal. The Mercury of February, 1834, said: "Thanks be to General Jack- son, and thanks be to the House of Congress, and doubly thanks to the states- men in the Senate, they will not so estimate the petitions of the hard-working men. They will know that in the Birmingham of America there are now employed over 2,000 families by about twenty of these overgrown manufac- tories; and dare the fathers of these families refuse signing the petitions of their employers? If they do, it is at the risk of being dismissed. Wise bank monopolists well know, at this season of alarms, a father's fears for his family outweigh his other considerations, and he tamely submits to their mandates."

(d) Niles Register. October 12, 1833.

776

HISTORY OF PITTSBURG.

Early in 1834, among those who favored the act of President Jackson in removing the Government deposits from the Bank of the United States were John M. Snowden, Thomas Hazleton, Francis Bailey, John S. Blakely, Thomas Wynne, Thomas Flood, James C. Cummins, John Andre, Luke Fortune, E. J. Roberts, A. Morris, J. R. McClintock, John O. Marsh, Joseph Snowden, Archi- bald Shaw, Robert Paul, M. Harrington, William B. Conway, William Alex- ander, William McCandless, Jr., Leonard S. Johns, Hugh Toner, R. Phillips, Thomas Hamilton, P. Doran, H. N. Swartz, James Taylor, James May, George Hatfield and James Armstrong. The county and the city of Pittsburg were bitterly divided over the question of the removal, a full account of which will be found in one of the chapters on banking.

In 1832 Leonard S. Johns was the most influential Jacksonian editor of the county. He supported the election of Governor Wolf. E. Burke Fisher was also connected with the Democratic press of the city, and was a sup- porter of both Wolf and Jackson. William Leckey was likewise a strong Wolf man, and, as a member of the Democratic party, was twice elected high sheriff of Allegheny County. In all of the elections-from 1829 to 1839-it was rarely the case that handbills of a scurrilous and libelous character were not issued the night before an election. They came to be regarded as one of the invariable accompaniments of election day, and were usually carefully anticipated on the morning of the election by long editorials advising voters to beware of traps set to catch them and of libelous statements concerning the candidates. One of the features of the elections during the presidency of Andrew Jackson was the constant reference to Mr. Jackson's previous record in the army and as a civilian. H. M. Brackenridge afterward declared that he wrote two of Andrew Jackson's farewell addresses, one on the occasion of his fare- well to the army, and the other upon his departure from Florida. Mr. Brack- enridge stated that, in the former, General Jackson made only one suggestion and that of an ungentlemanly character, and that he did not even read the latter (f).

In March, 1834, the remnants of several parties assembled to form a new political association to maintain the following principles: I, Constitution and laws; 2, sound currency; 3, protective tariff; 4, a general system of internal improvements; 5, a system of general education. The object of the meeting was to merge, so far as possible, all insignificant parties into one organization based upon this code of principles. Among those who took part in this meeting were Louis Peterson, George R. White, Thomas Bakewell, William Howard, A. W. Foster, Benjamin Bakewell, Robert Burke, Thomas Fairman, Thomas Williams, Manning Hull, Jesse Lippincott, John Morrison, William Eichbaum, Isaac Lightner and John Irwin.

This was the preliminary meeting for the organization of the Whig party. Immediately succeeding it a call, signed by 13I citizens, was issued for a public meeting to be held for the purpose of forming the new party. The language of the call was as follows: "The citizens of Pittsburg and of the county of Allegheny who disapprove of the lawless and arbitrary measures which distinguish the administration of Andrew Jackson, and who are disposed to lay aside for the present those party distinctions which have heretofore existed among us, and to unite under the general and inspiring name of Whigs in an effort to restore the prosperity and rescue the Constitu- tion of the country, are requested to meet," etc.

The triumph of the Whigs in New York was the occasion of a general public celebration held in Allegheny on May 6, 1834. General William Marks was president of the day. Twenty-four vice-presidents were appointed, among

(f) Gazette, June 18, 1834.

777

HISTORY OF PITTSBURG.

whom were H. M. Brackenridge, Walter Forward, John Irwin, Isaac Lightner, Thomas Fairman, John Arthurs, A. W. Foster, Sr., George Miltenberger and N. B. Craig. On the occasion of this celebration a bountiful collation was spread for the benefit of those present. The committee of arrangements con- sisted of Robert Burke, S. P. Darlington, Alfred W. Marks, James Arthurs, P. J. Maitland, M. B. Miltenberger, S. B. Mckenzie, J. B. McFadden, G. R. White, R. M. Riddle, John Morrison, Louis Peterson, John Irwin, George W. Jackson, J. D. Davis, F. Fahnestock and Thomas Williams. At this meeting resolu- tions were introduced by Thomas Williams to the following effect: That the resolution recently passed, concerning the Bank of the United States, by the United States Senate, be reaffirmed; that the President had assumed authority not conferred by the Constitution and laws, but in derogation of both; that the executive protest was an attack upon the members of the Senate; that the Senate should resist all assumption of power not delegated to the Presi- dent by the Constitution; that the thanks of this meeting were due the refrac- tory senators for their bold and eloquent vindication of their official privileges and of the rights of the American people. Eloquent speeches were made in support of this resolution by Messrs. Brackenridge, Fetterman, Burke, Fairman, McCandless and others. This meeting was afterward called "the Whig Jubilee Celebration," and was one of the largest held in the county up to that time. Among the toasts drunk on that occasion was the following: "The Senate of the United States-The sheet anchor which has thus far preserved the ark of our liberty in the present storm. If this goes she must founder." The following ticket was placed in nomination: For Congress, Harmar Denny; for the Assembly, Robert Hilands, John Grahanı, William McCrea and Hezekiah Douthett. This ticket was prepared in secret previous to the meet- ing and was not known to Mr. Craig of the Gazette and many others not likely to join the movement. The leaders did not expect the cooperation of Mr. Craig, who had previously espoused with all the force of his character the principles of the Anti-Masonic party. Mr. Craig himself had supported General Jackson during a period of about one year in 1824-5, but had then transferred his allegiance to Mr. Adams. The meeting of May 6th was thus instrumental in forming the Whig party, but the county convention of that party was not held until June IIth, although previously another meeting was held on May 3Ist to still further unite and cement the fragments composing the new organ- ization. At the convention of June IIth the following ticket was formally placed in the field: For Congress, Harmar Denny; for the Assembly, Robert Hi- lands, John Graham, Samuel Frew and Andrew Bayne; for sheriff, Hugh Davis. During the months of May and June the entire county was kept in a state of uproar by the committees and friends of the new party.

The Anti-Masonic convention was held on June 4, 1834, at the Court- house. That party placed in the field the following ticket: For Congress, Harmar Denny; for the Assembly, W. W. Irwin, Andrew Bayne, John Scott and Samuel Riddle; for sheriff, John Walsh. Resolutions condemning in the severest terms Masonry and all other secret societies, as well as Jacksonism, were introduced, discussed and adopted. On June 6th the city Anti-Masonic convention met and affirmed the proceedings of the county Anti-Masonic con- vention. The convention of the Jacksonians was held June IIth, and was char- acterized by great enthusiasm over the name and public acts of President Jackson, and the following ticket was placed in the field: For Congress, John M. Snowden; for the Assembly, William Kerr, James Scott, Robert Anderson and William B. Foster; for sheriff, Elijah Trovillo.

In December, 1834, a petition from Allegheny County, numerously signed, was presented to the Legislature by Mr. Stephens, praying for an investiga-

778

HISTORY OF PITTSBURG.

tion of Freemasonry and for the passage of a law to prohibit Masonic oaths. A bill was introduced which was extremely severe in its requirements and stirred up a tempest in the Legislature. It failed to become a law at that time. In January and February, 1836, the Legislature, having passed a bill to investigate Masonry, appointed a committee to conduct the investigation. The proceedings were bitterly opposed by the Masons of this vicinity, as well as by those through- out the State, and the acts of this committee were derisively called by the Masons "Star-chamber proceedings." It was asserted at this time by the Gazette that information of the murder of William Morgan in 1826 had been conveyed previous to its occurrence to at least one of the Masonic lodges in Pittsburg. Many prominent Masons throughout the State were called upon to testify before the inquisitorial committee, but in all instances they refused to answer questions concerning their lodges. At this time the hostility to Masonry was at its height. What purported to be all the secrets of the order were published by the press throughout the State, including the Anti-Masonic papers of Pittsburg. The results of the inquisition were far from satisfactory. About twenty Masons, who were brought to the bar of the House to testify, were permitted to go without having answered, as a matter of expediency.

At the State Whig convention, which met in Harrisburg on May 27, 1834, Thomas Bakewell, Joseph Patterson, George Darsie, Thomas Williams, Neville B. Craig and Samuel Church were chosen delegates to represent Allegheny County. Mr. Craig was appointed one of the two temporary secretaries, and was named as one of the permanent vice-presidents. Joseph Patterson was a member of the committee to prepare a memorial to Congress for a redress of grievances.

"We have three parties and three tickets contending in the field in Alle- gheny County. The first and best is the Whig party, which appeals to the patriotism of the people and invokes their aid in the cause of the country and in behalf of the Constitution. The second is the Jackson party, which sustains Jackson, 'right or wrong,' and 'right or wrong' denounced the United States Bank. The third and last and least is the Anti-Masonic party, which leaves meas- ures and principles and policy out of view and goes for proscription" (g). The Gasette took great offense at this attempt to belittle the party whose cause it had espoused with such vigor since that party had had an existence. "It is greatly to be regretted that a man with such prejudices as govern Mr. Butler should be among us. We would ask the intelligent and unprejudiced men of the Whig party, How can you expect Anti-Masons to cooperate with you when your oracle thus calumniates and stigmatizes them" (h).

The famous meeting of June, 1834, at which the Whig party was formally organized, became known as the Whig jubilee convention. The meeting was declared by Mr. Craig to have been informal, but active participants on that occasion declared the formation of the party and the nomination of a ticket were premeditated, as was shown by the fact that cards of admission thereto read, "Whig Jubilee; admit the bearer." The Statesman from the start called the nominees the Whig Jubilee ticket, but the Advocate and the Gazette called them the Whig ticket. Harmar Denny was nominated to Congress, and Robert Hilands, John Graham, William McCrea and Hezekiah Douthett were nomi- nated to the Assembly. The Anti-Masons, headed by the Gazette, steadfastly refused to be reconciled to the Whig party, or to the jubilee nominees. They deprecated any division of the Anti-Masonic strength, and endeavored to cement all factions of the party under the doctrines of eternal hostility to Masonry and all other secret societies; support of a protective tariff; opposition to

(g) Statesman, June, 183.4.

(h) Gazette, June 18. 1834.

779

HISTORY OF PITTSBURG.

the nullification views of South Carolina, and friendship for the United States Bank. The Anti-Masons made great efforts to crush the Whig party at the outset, but such was not to be the case, for the party became strong and self- reliant from the start, and thus opposition to Jacksonism was hopelessly divided in Allegheny County. In June, 1834, William Wilkins was appointed by Presi- dent Jackson Minister to Russia, and accepted the appointment.

FOR CONGRESS, 1834.

Harmar Denny. Whig and Anti-Mason.

John M. Snowden. Democrat and Anti-Bank.

East Ward.

275

195

West Ward.

273

I35

North Ward.

279

III

South Ward.

165

132

Northern Liberties

I33

15I

Lawrenceville

Birmingham

I2I

Allegheny

354

261

Mr. Denny was thus elected, his total vote in Allegheny County being 3,428, while John M. Snowden's was 2,976. The Anti-Masonic ticket in 1834 was as follows: For Congress, Harmar Denny; for the Assembly, Andrew Bayne, W. W. Irwin, John Scott and Samuel Riddle. The Whig ticket was as follows: For Congress, Harmar Denny; for the Assembly, Andrew Bayne, Robert Hi- lands, John Graham and William Frew.

In January, 1835, Samuel Pettigrew, Democratic and Workingmen's can- didate for mayor, was elected by a majority of 46 over Matthew B. Lowrie, the Anti-Masonic candidate, the vote standing Lowrie 598 and Petti- grew 644. Mr. Pettigrew promised great reforms in the city administration. He advocated many public improvements, among which was that of plant- ing trees along the river front on Duquesne Way, and a reform in the management of the police department. His supporters secured the greater number of votes among workingmen by uniting the two tickets and no doubt promising favors to the working classes. At this election for mayor it was conceded that the Anti-Jackson majority in Pittsburg was between 400 and 500, but the Democratic party, by superior generalship, managed to elect their candidate. Many Whigs voted the Democratic ticket, owing to the hostility of Mr. Craig and his supporters to the Whig organization.

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Standard history of Pittsburg, Pennsylvania, Part 90

Author: Wilson, Erasmus, 1842-1922; Goodspeed, Weston Arthur, 1852-1926. cn Publication date: 1898 Publisher: Chicago : H.R. Cornell & Co. Number of Pages: 1192

Author: Wilson, Erasmus, 1842-1922; Goodspeed, Weston Arthur, 1852-1926. cn
Publication date: 1898
Publisher: Chicago : H.R. Cornell & Co.
Number of Pages: 1192