Standard history of Pittsburg, Pennsylvania, Part 94

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 94

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The sheriff, however, very not bring the pardon of Barker, as was expected. properly permitted the mayor-elect to leave jail and be inaugurated. The cere- mony was performed in the presence of councils, the oath being administered by Judge Patton, who so lately sentenced Barker to a year's imprisonment in the county jail. . Whilst we regard the election of Barker with keen disappointment and chagrin, as the result of one of those popular vagaries which, springing from error all round, is as madly wrong as ever 1,800 voters out of 4,400 can be, we yet recognize it as the legal expression of a majority, which every good citizen is bound to obey. Some who voted for lim were prompted by religious prejudice, some by a decided belief that Barker was wrongfully convicted, some by the feeling that he was excessively punished; and ultimately some Whigs went to his support as a choice of evils, fearing the consequences of a triumph of the Democratic party in the election of Mr. Guthrie" (z).

In May, 1850, a petition signed by nearly 600 Whigs and Anti-Masons was presented to Thomas M. Howe, requesting him to become a candidate for Congress. This action was taken, owing to the well-known views of Mr. Howe on all public questions affecting Pittsburg, besides which the citizens had

(y) Commercial Journal, January 9, 1850.

(z) Commercial Journal, January 12, 1850.

Testy Der Ritcarry

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implieit confidenee in his integrity and ability. At this time the Democrats adopted the sueeessful artifiee of refraining from nominating any candidate for mayor, but of simply recommending one, whom they ealled the eitizens' candidate. The Whigs nominated Robert MeCuteheon, and for mayor of Allegheny, Hugh S. Fleming. Mr. Barker was also presented as a candidate for reelection. The Ledger was Mr. Barker's special organ, and to it he gave exclusively his inaugural address for publication. The vote for mayor in Alle- gheny in January, 1850, stood as follows: Mr. Fleming, Whig, 709; Mr. Karns, Independent, 502. At the October eleetion, 1850, the vote in Pittsburg stood as follows: Mr. Howe, Whig, 1,536; Mr. Salisbury, Democrat, 1,211; Mr. Cullen, Native, 168; Mr. Jeffrey, Protestant, 150. At the same elèetion the vote in Allegheny was as follows: Mr. Howe, 757; Mr. Salisbury, 376; Mr. Cullen, 190, and Mr. Jeffrey, 59. In January, 1850, many Whigs invited Charles B. Seully to become a candidate for mayor of Pittsburg, but he refused the honor. One of the measures of Mayor Barker was to oppose the police committee of the eouneils, and seek, through independent appointments, to gain absolute control of the police functions of the eity. This measure was vigorously opposed by the eouneils. In January, 1851, there were many tiekets in the field. Parties were greatly divided, among the faetions being Whigs, Demoerats, Natives, Masons, Odd Fellows, Protestants, Firemen, Workingmen and Barkerites, but what should be noticed is the fact that the Anti-Masons had almost wholly disappeared and had become Whigs, or members of the other parties. John J. Roggen, a self-made mechanic, was the Whig candidate for mayor in January, 1851. John B. Guthrie was the Democratie candidate, and Joseph Barker the Reform candidate. . It was soon found that the nomination of Mr. Roggen was a mistake. The election resulted as follows: John B. Guthrie, Democrat, 1,911; John J. Roggen, Whig, 1,026; Joseph Barker, Reformer, 924; Thomas Cullen, Native, 9; Jane G. Swisshelm, Independent, 3; scattering, 7. Late in 1850 and early in 1851 oeeurred the conspiracy ease of Mayor Barker and others, among whom were Luke H. Dwyer and John Lowe. Messrs. Blaek and Burke prosecuted, and Messrs, Magraw, Mahon, Snowden, Fetterman and Naylor defended. They were charged with the abduction of several children and with riot. This case attracted mueh attention at the time. It was diselosed during the election that Mr. Roggen had been irregularly nominated, or at least it was so alleged, which, in any event, gave the Whigs an excuse to cast many votes for the more popular candidate, Mr. Guthrie. It was asserted at this time that the Whig candidate for mayor of Allegheny, Hugh S. Fleming, who was renominated in January, 1851, but had served the previous year, was the best mayor that eity had ever had. He was a. good judge and an exeellent executive, and no united opposition was made to his eleetion, although two or three Independent candidates were nominated and voted for. Mr. Fleming received 914, Mr. Semple 457, and Mr. Seott 206.

At the county convention, in June, 1851, the Whigs nominated for dis- trie judge Walter Forward, over Moses Hampton, by a vote of sixty to fifty. The Commercial Journal of June 10, 1851, said: "The popularity of Hon. Walter Forward is not confined to this eounty alone, but throughout the whole Union is he held in the highest estimation. Even before he was nominated by the Whig party of Allegheny our exchanges began to congratulate us on the prospeet of having him eleeted judge." In April, 1851, General Winfield Seott was formally received by the entire population with extensive, interesting and impos- ing ceremonies.

In June, 1851, the friends of Joseph Barker, who was still confined in the county jail, assembled and passed resolutions disapproving the course pursued by the authorities in ineareerating him for executing what he believed to be his

4 ::

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duty as mayor of Pittsburg. The resolutions declared that the hostility to Mr. Barker seemed to result from the disposition on the part of certain officials to obstruct him in the discharge of his duties, and further declared that there was reason to believe that a clique of aristocrats and demagogues had misrep- resented the feelings of the people of this community to the Governor. Two of the resolutions were as follows: "Resolved, That, as citizens, we believe if the law has been broken in this case, it has been fully vindicated and satisfied, and we think, from the mitigating circumstances attending the matter, any further confinement of Mr. Barker unnecessary. Resolved, That we have every confidence that our chief magistrate, William F. Johnston, when he is acquainted with the facts in this matter and given them that consideration which they deserve, his conclusions will be to restore Mr. Barker to his family and fellow citizens" (a).

In July, 1851, the Native American convention of Allegheny County assembled and nominated a ticket for the Legislature and for the county offices. Joseph H. Lowrie was president of the convention. What made this conven- tion notable were the limited attendance and an utter absence of enthusiasm.

In August, 1851, what was called a Scott mass meeting was held on a large lot in the rear of the American House. General Joseph Markle was president of the meeting. A letter from General Scott, recounting his views on various public questions, was read to the assemblage. Resolutions were adopted recommending the nomination of General Scott for the Presidency, and the renomination of William F. Johnston for governor. Protection to American manufactures was endorsed. On this occasion Governor Johnston himself was present and delivered an interesting address. About this time the Democratic county convention was held, and a full ticket was nominated. Wilson McCand- less was chairman of the convention. Resolutions were passed recommending the nomination of Mr. Buchanan for President and Mr. Bigler for governor. This convention was well attended, and many interesting speeches were made.

On August 27, 1851, an immense meeting was held in Wilkins' Hall to express the sentiments of this community on the act of Spain in murdering fifty Americans in Cuba. W. W. Irwin was chosen chairman of the meeting, and J. P. Glass, James Watson, William Moorhead, W. W. Dallas and T. Scott vice-presidents, Lloyd Elliot, John Mellon and Joseph Snowden secre- taries. Upon the election of these officers intense opposition to the progress of the meeting was manifested. It was called to the attention of those present that every officer thus elected or appointed was a Democrat, and it was asserted that the meeting was packed for the purpose of espousing the cause of the South .in its desire to secure the acquisition of Cuba to the United States. Whether this was true or not is not certain, and subsequent events spoke for themselves. Messrs. Dunlop, Egan, Rose, Rippey and Pettigrew were appointed a committee on resolutions. While they were preparing their report Colonel Samuel W. Black delivered a speech, denouncing in the severest terms the action of Spain, and declaring it to be the duty of the United States to at once demand redress. The resolutions expressed sympathy for the insurgents in Cuba, and offered prayers for their success; asserted that the time had come when the voice of this nation should be heard and the vigor of her arm felt in the cause of liberty; that the action of the Spanish Government in its course toward Cuba was fraught with peril to the United States; and demanded that the authorities at Washington should at once seek redress and reparation. When these resolutions were presented to the meeting for their yotes, great confusion ensued. The Democrats solidly voted against them, while the Whigs

(a) Commercial Journal, June, 1851.

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supported them. The Democrats were in favor of all the resolutions except one, and this the Whigs supported with great energy and unanimity. It read as follows: "Resolved, That this meeting commend the conduct of our national administration in preserving their faith to the treaties with Spain, in their earnest' effort to intercept and suppress expeditions against the government of Cuba, however odious." Several votes were taken upon the resolutions, but so much confusion ensued that it was difficult to tell the result. As a matter of fact, both parties were endeavoring to make political capital out of this meeting. The killing of the fifty men referred to was due to the filibustering expedition under Lopez, on which occasion William Niemann and John Stubbs, both of Alle- gheny County, were shot. The vote in the county for governor in 1851 was as follows: Johnston, 8,797; Bigler, 5,983.

In June, 1852, when the news was received here of the nomination of General Scott for the Presidency, the Whigs fired 159 guns from Metcalf's Hill to celebrate the event.

In August, 1852, the first of the many notable events of the decade of the fifties occurred when the National Free Soil convention was held in Pittsburg. Many of the most prominent Abolitionists of the United States were present on that occasion, among whom were Joshua R. Giddings, of Ohio; Gerrett Smith, of New York; Frederick Douglas, Charles F. Adams, of Massachusetts; Judge Spalding, of Ohio; Owen Lovejoy, of Illinois; Mr. Tappan, of New York; Mr. Payne, of Wisconsin; Mr. Wiley, of Maine; Mr. Booth, of Wisconsin, and Mr. Chase and Mr. Finney, of Ohio. Speeches of great fire and eloquence were deliv- ered by these eminent Free Soil advocates. The following is an extract from the reporter's account of the speech of Mr. Giddings: "He had stood by and had advised a fleeing slave, in the presence of pursuers, to shoot the pursuer if he attempted to retake him. The pursuer had asked him what he should do; he advised him to go on, if he thought proper. He inquired what he supposed the fugitive would do if he was pursued; why, he supposed he would shoot him-if he was any part of a man he would. The slave-catcher went home, and he hadn't seen him since." Gerrett Smith met with a magnificent welcome and delivered one of the most telling speeches of the convention. He feared for the safety of the country, but Mr. Giddings did not. Mr. Payne, of Wis- consin, also feared that the Union might be dissolved. It was declared, and made clear, during the speeches, that in the opinion of those present the slave power was making steady inroads upon the free territory, and every speaker urged that some step to prevent this should be taken. A notable advancement was the position assumed by Gerrett Smith on the subject of the inalienable rights of woman, as well as the inalienable rights of man. John P. Hale was nomi- nated for President, and George W. Julien for Vice-President. The vote of the county in 1852 for President was as follows: Scott, 9,615; Pierce, 7,226; Hale, 965.

From 1851 to 1855 the leading parties here were the Democrats on one side, the Whigs and the remnants of the Anti-Masons united on the other, with the Native American and the Free Soil parties, both small, struggling in the rear for a share of the suffrages. The Whigs and Anti-Masons united were strongest at first, having a varying majority in the county of from 1,500 to 3,500. The Whigs and Anti-Masons opposed at every step the aggressions of slavery, the Compromise of 1850 and the enactment of the Fugitive Slave Law. The Democratic party took an opposite course on all these important questions, and in the campaign of 1852 almost completely annihilated the Whig party of Allegheny County. Torn to fragments, with varying views on all public questions, with little hope of becoming reunited, and with decreas- ing faith in the ability of any party to resist the encroachments of the slave

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power, the Whigs and Anti-Masons struggled through the years until 1855. The Know-nothing party, or faction of a party, sprang into existence during this period to annoy the Democrats and disappoint the expectations of the Whigs. In 1854 the Whigs nominated Mr. Pollock for governor, but they soon discovered that the Know-nothing party, secret and oathbound, was an obstruc- tion to their success. In fact, the Whig candidate for governor himself became a member of the Know-nothing organization. The opposition to the Democ- racy may be said during these years to have been utterly demoralized in Alle- gheny County. At the election in 1854 the Whigs showed a strength of 4,627, the Democrats 5,115, and the Know-nothings 5,705. Many of the Whigs would not accept the Know-nothing principles, owing to their secret char- acter, which was a reassertion of Anti-Masonic principles; and it is notable that at this time the Whig newspapers of Pittsburg recommended the formation of all the factions opposed to the aggressions of slavery into a National Repub- lican party.

In January, 1854, the vote for mayor in Pittsburg stood as follows: Volz, Whig and Anti-Masonic, 2,172; Pettigrew, Democrat, 1,132; Barker, Reformer, 359; Craig, Free Soil, 156. The principal issue in municipal politics at this time was the suppression of crime, which had become so frequent as to alarm the best citizens. "Mr. Pettigrew was a Catholic and Mr. Volz a Protestant. Mr. Barker was induced to run in order to divide the strength of the Whig can- cidate. The vote for mayor of Allegheny in January, 1852, was as follows: Adams, Whig, 863; Benney, Free Soil and Temperance, 763; Sawyer, Demo- crat, 299; Wadlow, Independent, 273.

In February, 1854, the Whigs met at Pittsburg to nominate delegates to the State convention, on which occasion they passed resolutions denouncing the repeal of the Missouri Compromise, favoring a specific duty on iron, supporting Congressional land grants to a railway to the Pacific, opposing the construc- tion of any railway in this State without lawful authority, advocating the imme- diate sale of the public works, recommending a liberal system of public educa- tion, and instructing the delegates to vote in the convention for General William Larimer for governor. About this time, also, the Democrats held a meeting to nominate delegates to the State convention. Major Lynch, Judge P. C. Shannon, Dr. George, L. McCook, Jr., John Coyle, Captain Ward, Mr. Calmont and Mr. McClowry werc the principal speakers. The speech of Dr. McCook created a sensation in the convention, owing to its strength and elo- quence. The resolutions adopted regretted the introduction of the Kansas- Nebraska Bill in Congress, and deplored the fact that it would be a repeal of the Missouri Compromise. In this respect the Democrats entertained the same views as the other party members of Pittsburg. At the State convention of the Whigs in March, 1854, William Larimer, Jr., although supported by the Alle- gheny delegation, failed to receive the nomination, which went to James. Pol- lock. Of this convention, William F. Johnston, of Allegheny County, was president.

In May, 1854, the State Free Soil convention assembled in Wilkins' Hall, Pittsburg. George W. Jackson was temporary chairman. Resolutions were passed, declaring unceasing war on slavery, approving the platform of the Inde- pendent Democracy, adopted August 12, 1852 (except the tenth article), favor- ing prohibition and the redistricting of the State, denouncing the repeal of the Missouri Compromise and the course of the eleven representatives from Penn- sylvania in Congress who had voted for its repeal. In 1856 the vote of Alle- gheny County for President was as follows: Fremont (W.), 13,671; Buchanan (D.), 9,062; Fillmore (F. S.), 1,488.

At the election for mayor in January, 1856, Mr. Bingham, American,

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received 1,498 votes; Mr. Irwin, Democrat, 1,115; Mr. Volz, Fusion, 1,030; Mr. Long 192, and Mr. Steen 43. In Allegheny the mayoralty contest resulted as follows: Mr. Adams, 646; Mr. McDowell, 620; Mr. Otterson, 641, and Mr. Tyler, 115. In January, 1857, Henry A. Weaver, Republican candidate for mayor of Pittsburg, received 2,704 votes; Mr. White, Democrat, received 2,325, and Mr. McCurdy, American, received 242. In Allegheny Mr. Sawyer, Repub- lican candidate for mayor, received 750 votes; Mr. Haslett, Democrat, received 681; Mr. DeHaven, bolter, received 779, and Mr. Benney, Independent, 207.

In 1857 all parties were more or less broken up over the repudiation of the railway indebtedness. A convention was held, which nominated what was called the Repudiation ticket. Colonel James A. Gibson, son of Thomas Gibson, was chairman of this convention. At this time Pittsburg, as a whole, was willing to pay its railway indebtedness, but the county, as a whole, opposed such a course. Members from all parties united with the repudiators and endeavored to defeat the holders of railway bonds in the collection of their interest. Thomas Williams became known as the father of repudiation. It was necessary for the county to levy an eight-mill tax to pay the interest on the railway bonds and establish a sinking fund to retire the principal. Mr. Williams resorted to no evasion, but came squarely out for a repudiation of the railway obligations. He opposed any taxation for that purpose, and the convention was called to sustain that position. The members were greatly divided on the subject of repudiation, but the majority favored that course, although much opposition developed during the progress of the convention. Opposers declared at the time that this convention was a body without a constituency. The speech of Thomas Williams in this convention was one of the most important ever delivered in Allegheny County. It was shown by him that the county indebtedness amounted to $8,000,000, of which $5,500,000 was incurred in the construction of railways. It was shown that, by reason of the fact that the railways were unable to pay interest on the bonds, Allegheny County, under the law, was expected and required to do so. Mr. Williams declared that the subscription to the stock of more than one of the railways was fraudulently obtained. It was also shown by him that the railway bonds were, in some instances, disposed of for as low as 75 cents on the dollar. The law provided that they should not be sold for less than par, but the law was evaded by exchanging the bonds for so much iron or other equipment. This conven- tion became known to history as the County Tax Convention.

In 1857 David Wilmot was nominated by the Republicans for governor of Pennsylvania, and W. F. Packer by the Democrats. Although the State went Democratic, yet Pittsburg and Allegheny County both went Republican. In the county Wilmot received 7,687 votes, Packer 6,610, and Hazlehurst 856. It is important to note that at this time the Repudiationists held the balance of power in the county, and were therefore able to name such officers as would best carry into effect their principles, and, accordingly, the railway commissioner named by them, who opposed paying interest on the railway bonds, was elected. On September 7, 1857, David Wilmot visited Pittsburg and delivered a speech on the Diamond, in Allegheny. On this occasion Henry Irwin presided. Nr. Wilmot was welcomed with three rousing cheers, and delivered a speech one and one-half hours in length. His remarks were particularly directed toward the aggressions of slavery, and were constantly interrupted with applause. Succeeding him, Thomas M. Marshall was called out, and delivered a speech "in his usual racy vein." John Covode followed Mr. Marshall as speaker.

In January, 1858, the Republican candidate for mayor, Mr. Weaver, received in the nine wards then constituting Pittsburg a total of 3,149 votes, and Mr. Magee, Democrat, received 1,915 votes. The Republicans carried every

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ward except the Third. It was contended at this time that the Republican party in Allegheny County was making steady gains, as shown by the fact that whereas, in 1856, Fremont's majority was but 974, Wcaver's majority in 1858 was 1,234. In 1858, for Supreme Judge, the county cast 10,057 votes for Read (W.), and 6,508 for Porter (D.).

Early in 1858 information was received here that the office of the St. Cloud (Minnesota) Visitor, of which paper Mrs. Swisshelm was editor, having lately removed to that State, had been totally demolished by an angry crowd of par- tisans, who opposed the position taken by Mrs. Swisshelm on the subject of slavery particularly, and the subject of reforms generally. It was later learned that her friends came to her rescue, repulsed and punished the perpetrators of the outrage and permitted her to continue the publication of her journal.

In February, 1859, an anti-tax convention of large proportions was held . in Pittsburg, on which occasion Thomas Farley presided. "It was by far the largest delegate convention ever held in the county." J. W. F. White, J. R. Large, Thomas Mellon, J. McConnell, S. H. Geyer, R. B. Carnahan and J. H. Bailey were appointed a committee on resolutions. Thomas Williams was invited unanimously to address the convention. He delivered a speech of great strength in opposition to taxation in aid of railways, and called the attention of the convention to the fact that throughout the country similar meetings and conventions were being held. It was stated at this time that the move- ment in opposition to railway taxation, which had been started by Mr. Williams, had spread to all parts of the Union. Mr. Williams declared that, so strong was railway influence, the legislators could be corrupted and the Supreme Court controlled; that he had himself appeared in the railway mandamus cases before the Supreme Court in obedience to writs issued on frivolous and unjust grounds; and declared that, no matter how groundless were the subjects pre- sented to the Supreme Court, they always received prompt attention when presented by Philadelphia lawyers. Owing to the importance of the subject of railway taxation at the time, and to the fact that large numbers of railways were in course of construction in the State, and many others were projected, this speech of Mr. Williams, delivered as it was to an immense concourse of citizens, was one of the most notable ever delivered in Allegheny County. The speech throughout was interrupted with great applause, and at its conclusion the speaker was given three rousing cheers. Mr. Williams was followed on the stand by Messrs. Patterson and Perkins. Resolutions were passed opposing the payment of either principal or interest of the county railway indebtedness; denouncing the decision of the Supreme Court in the mandamus cases as "star chamber proceedings," alike unjust and unwarranted; instructing the county commissioners and promising them the support of the convention not to levy a tax for the payment, principal or interest, of the railway bonds; and thanking Mr. Williams for his defense of the rights of the people. The convention, upon motion, favored the repudiation of the State canal debt, should the railways be permitted to escape the payment of the tonnage tax; and upon motion certain newspapers, which had opposed the principles of the Repudiationists, were denounced and their course opposed. This was said at the time, and on more than one occasion afterward, to have been the greatest convention in the history of the city. Writs of mandamus had been served on all members of the City Councils, forty-eight in number, to appear in Philadelphia to show cause why absolute mandamus should not be issued. The convention advised the councils not to obey the writs. The tonnage tax clause had been appended to the right-of-way bill in January, 1846, and had originated in Philadelphia in 1845. Discriminations under this bill had recently thoroughly aroused this community. In 1859 nine-tenths of the people of this community favored the

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Standard history of Pittsburg, Pennsylvania, Part 94

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