USA > Tennessee > History of Tennessee, from its earliest discoveries and settlements to the end of the year 1894 > Part 7
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9. In 1829. in the election of Governor, William Carroll was a candidate, and was elected, serving till 1835, when Newton Cannon was elected, defeating William Carroll and West H. Humphreys. Cannon served till 1839. In those days there were no strong issues to agitate the people as there are now. The masses were ignorant and did not know the real issues, hence party favoritism was a strong incentive in the elections. the voters thinking little of qualification.
Io. Hugh L. White was born in North Carolina. October 30, 1773, and removed to Knox county, Tennessee, in 1786. In 1796. he began the practice of law, and was Judge of the Supreme Court of Tennessee from 1801 to 1815, except from 18o7 to 1809. during which period he was State Senator. In 1815, he became President of the old State Bank of Tennessee. In 1825, he was elected to the United States Senate, and was acting Vice-President of that body in 1832. He was re-elected to the United States Senate in 1835. Jackson and his friends opposed his re-election. White was a Presidential candidate in 1836, receiving only the votes of Georgia and Tennessee. The Legislature instructed him to support the leading measures of Van Buren's administra-
GREAT HEROES ELEVATED.
tion, but this he disliked, and on January 27, 1840, he re- signed. He was an elector for the State-at-large, in 1840, 011 the Harrison ticket. but died April 10, 1840.
II. David Crockett was born in East Tennessee, August 1 ;. 1786. Hewas in the Creek war, after which he located in Giles county, where he was elected Colonel of militia and to the Legislature. Soon after he removed to Obion county and was again, in 1823, elected to the Legislature. He was a Congres- sional candidate in 1825, but was defeated. Two years later he was successful. Not admiring Jackson, COL. DAVID CROCKETT. he opposed his leading measures, which led to his defeat for re- election. He emigrated to Texas and took part in the siege of the Alamo. After its downfall. Crockett was taken prisoner and killed by the Mexicaus, March 6, 1836.
12. Newton Cannon was born in North Carolina, in 1781, but re- moved to Williamson county, Ten- nessee. In ISII, he was elected to the Legislature. He entered the Creek war as a private, but was soon elected Captain, and then Colonel, of the Tennessee Mounted Rifles. In 1814, Felix Grundy re- signed his seat in Congress and was succeeded by Cannon, who was in Congress, one term excepted. until 1823: during that intermis- GOV. NEWTON CANNON. sion he was negotiating a treaty with the Chickasaws. Cannon.
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THE HISTORY OF TENNESSEE.
Crockett and Bell opposed Jackson, and voted for Hugh L. White. They were Democrat-Republicans.
13. John Bell was born near Nashville. February 15, 179 ;. He located at Franklin, and was elected, in i817, to the State Senate, after which he devoted him- self to law and literature. In 1827. he opposed Felix Grundy for Congress and was overwhelmingly elected. Bell hated Jackson, and went to Con- gress eager to manifest his opposi- tion. In 1834, he was elected Speaker of the House of Representatives, but Polk defeated him for it in 1835. Bell remained in Congress till 1837. He
HON. JOHN BELL.
had no opposition in 1835. He was Secretary of War in President Harrison's Cabinet in (841. He and Tyler had an altercation, on account of which he retired and declined an election to the United States Senate. He was elected to the State Legislature in 1817, and then to the United State Senate, where he remained till 1857. He was nominated. in 1860, for the Presidency by the Constitutional Union party. and carried Virginia, Kentucky and Tennessee. He opposed secession, but went with his State. He died September 10, 1869.
14. John H. Eaton was born in Tennessee in 1790. He began the practice of the law at Nashville. In 1818, he succeeded George W. Campbell in the United States Senate, where he remained till 1829. when he became Secretary of War in Jack- son's first Cabinet. He was Governor of Florida Territory from 1834 to 1836, and Minister to Spain from 1836 to IN40. When he returned to Tennessee he supported Harrison, which made him unpopular with his old friends. He completed the "Life of Jackson," begun by Reed, which was published in 1834, and died in Washington City in 1856.
GREAT HEROES ELEVATED).
15. Cave Johnson was born in Robertson county, Tennessee. January 11, 1,93. He practiced law till 1820, when he became Circuit Judge. In 1829, he was elected to Congress, where he rentained till 1837. He was Postmaster-General in Polk's Cabi . net, and was President of the State Bank of Tennessee from 1850 to 1859. In 1863, he was was elected to the State Senate as a Unionist, but being feeble in health, he declined to serve, and died at Clarksville, January 23, 1866.
16. Felix Grundy was born. September 11, 1,77, in what is now West Virginia. In 1779. he removed with his parents to Pennsylvania and, in 178o. to Ken- tucky. He was. in 1799, a member of the Kentucky Constitutional Con- vention. and subsequently a member of the Kentucky Legislature. He was appointed, in 1806, to the Si- preme Bench. and became. in 1807. Chiet Justice of Kentucky. Resign- ing. he went to Nashville, Tennessee, where he made the reputation of being the ablest criminal lawyer in the Southwest. . In 181 and 1813, he was HON. FELIX GRUNDY. elected to Congress. but resigned in 1813. He was an active factor in the State Legislature till 1827. That year, John Bell defeated him for Congress. but, in 1829, he was elected United States Senator. He became Attorney-General in Van Buren's Cabinet in 1838, but soon resigned to succeed E. H. Foster, whom the Legislature forced to resign for disloyalty. Grundy had ability. energy and magnetism. He died at Nashville. December 19. 1840.
17. The number of great men which Tennessee has produced is legion. Suffice it to say that not even a creditable notice can be given in a volume like this, and only a few of the most con- spicubus can be reviewed. Later the student will study the his-
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THE HISTORY OF TENNESSEE.
tory of the United States, in which he will find much epitomized in connection with what he has already studied, as these men have participated in national issues from the first.
QUESTIONS .- 1. What is said of Jackson? Clay? 2. What did Adams do? 3. What of Jackson's services? Ability? 4. What did he do in 1834? Result? 5. Give his personal char acteristics. Why? 6. What did he oppose? Why? ;. What of his Cabinets? S. Name the principal events in his adminis. tration. 9. Who was elected Governor? When? to. Sketch Hugh L. White's life. tr. What can you say of David Crockett? 12. Outline the life of Newton Cannon. 13. Give the substance of this section. 14. What of John H. Eaton? 15. Give prin- cipal events in the life of Cave Johnson. 16. Tell what you know of Felix Grundy. r7. What of the great men of Ten- nessee? 18. What will you find later?
CHAPTER XVI.
THE RISE OF PARTIES.
1. In the early days in Tennessee there seems to have been but one party, and that was Jackson's party. He had settled in the Mero District, which is now Middle Tennessee, when it was covered in primeval canebrakes, and was one of its first Representatives in Congress, both in the House and Senate, and had really little or no opposition for any place in the manage- ment of public affairs that he sought.
2. In 1824, his State went almost solidly for him for the Presi- dency, and, in 1828, not more than one thousand votes were cast against him. When his last term was closing, and he declined to be a candidate again, his friends desiring to retain the Presi- dential hold on the United States urged him to support Hugh L. White. This he declined, believing the candidates should be
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THE RISE OF PARTIES.
nominated in convention. Jackson favored Martin Van Buren, of New York, who had been his Vice-President.
3. This arrayed White's friends against Jackson, and seem- ingly they were going to succeed in White's election, but at this juncture journalism was thoroughly organized all over the State, with the most brilliant contributors. These held up in bright panoramic view and review the many great things that had charac- . terized the eventful life of Jackson, who had nominated Van Buren to the Court of St. James, but whose nomination the Senate refused to confirm. When it was publicly known that Jackson preferred Van Buren, it excited the ire of the leading politicians in Tennessee, who organized a party for Judge White. denounced Van Buren's nomination, and accused Jackson of deserting them for the purpose of naming his successor. This party went in a body against the Democratic nominee and Jack- son, giving the vote of the State to White.
4. In 1837. almost the entire press, and all the politicians but Polk aud Grundy, were for White. For a time they endeav- ored to show Jackson disloyal to his State, and the election went for the partisans of White. This made Jackson, who was then in retirement at the Hermitage, unpleasant, after leading such an active life. In 1838, an organization was made by Jackson's friends to carry the election in 1839. The ablest jour- nalists were put at the helin of the most influential papers. and with untiring energy and zeal worked for Jackson's issue.
5. In the meantime, James K. Polk's term as Speaker ended. and he came home from Congress to do battle for Democracy. The campaign waxed hotter and hotter, until in May. Jane and July, up to the day of the election in August, it became the goist ardent political contest that had ever occurred in the State. Colonel Polk rode on horseback from Carter to Shelby. making speeches in every county, and wherever the people would meet to hear him. Governor Cannon, his competitor, met him every- where. Candidates were addressing the people every day.
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THE HISTORY OF TENNESSEE.
and the newspapers were filled with crimination and recrimina- tion.
6. Personal conflicts between partisans occurred almost daily and it seemed as if difference of political opinions could not be tolerated in Tennessee and personal friendship preserved and maintained, but the result was the election of Polk Governor by an immense majority. The Legislature had a Democratic ma- jority in both houses, by which Felix Grundy was elected to the United States Senate. It was a joyous day to Jackson.
7. Jackson loved to tell how much he was gratified when his own dear Tennessee came back to him; how he knew it would do so, when the people should be made to see the mere partisan management by which they had been estranged from him; and what unbounded confidence he had in their virtue and intelli- gence. This grand political achievement brought Governor Polk before the country as a man of mark in his party, and con- tributed to give him, more than any other event of his life, that prominence which led to his nomination and election to the Presidency in 1844.
8. The animosity of this contest grew out of a faction led by Henry Clay, of Kentucky, who was a powerful and famous Whig. Clay never liked Jackson, of whom he never lost an opportunity to speak discreditably. In 1840, the census showed this population in Tennessee: Whites, six hundred and forty thousand six hun- dred and twenty-seven: free negroes, five thousand five hundred and twenty-four; slaves, one hundred and eighty-eight thousand five hundred and eighty-three. Ex-Governor William Carroll died at Nashville, March 22, 1844.
9. In the session of 1839-40, the Legislature enacted a law to establish a system of public schools. Laws had before been enacted. but education had never received the attention it deserved. Many appropriations had been made to the support of common schools, but the system adopted had proved inefficient and by no means equal to the expectation of those who first
"
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THE RISE OF PARTIES.
established them, and a prejudice existed against academies and colleges.
ro. A common school convention met at Knoxville, April 19, 1847. It recommended the appointment of a board of education for each county, whose duty would be to examine applicants and grant licenses to teachers, with various other duties connected with the schools. They reported, in 1840, fifty-eight thousand five hundred and thirty-one whites over twenty years of age who could neither read nor write. This was very mortifying to the people, who were anxious for the education of their friends and children.
11. The State had for a long time been terrorized by John A. Murrell and his gang but, in 1835, it was broken up by hanging five of the leaders at Vicksburg, Mississippi, and appointing vigilance committees throughout the Southwest. Nothing was too wicked for Murrell, who had killed many inoffensive people and stolen much valuable property. He was born in Middle Tennessee, where his history is yet familiar.
12. The Presidential vote of the State was: Harrison, Whig. sixty thousand three hundred and ninety-one; Van Buren, Dem- ocrat, forty-eight thousand two hundred and eighty-nine. The Constitution of 1834 favored internal improvements by the State subscribing one-half of the stock in all railroad and turnpike companies, provided the amount of stock taken by the State had not reached four million dollars. This was soon found to be un- wise and, in 1840, the law was repealed.
13. At this period many railroads were being built, and the systems, after having undergone many changes, exist in modified and improved forms. They have done so much for the develop- ment of the great resources of our country that progressive people will always look with interest to the construction of railroads. turnpikes, and the improvement of rivers, for they bear away the commerce of the world, facilitate transportation, and bring com- molities to our doors.
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THE HISTORY OF TENNESSEE.
14. Henry Clay, the real founder of the Whig party, was present at the great Nashville Whig convention which met August 17, 1840. Clay was one of the greatest men of his day. and when it was known that he would be present at that conven- tion it added intensely to the already great interest which was developing throughout the country. Delegates were present from all over the Union, and Clay made an imposing speech, in which he displayed great intelligence, and it created such en- thusiasm, that the Democrats became dejected over their pros pects, and the Whig candidates, Harrison and Tyler, were elected to the Presidency and Vice- Presidency. After the inauguration. Harrison lived only one month. and was succeeded by Tyler.
15. Polk was a fascinating and successful stump-speaker. In 1841. the Whigs were much encouraged over the election of Harrison, and they nominated James C. Jones for Governor. They sought a man whom they could put against Polk, who was now very distinguished. but Jones' reputation as an eloquent speaker was unbounded. The campaign elicited strong demon- strations of party fealty, but resulted in the election of Jones. Governor.
16. James C. Jones was born April 20, 1809. in Davidson county. Ten- nessee. In 1837 and 1839, he was elected to the Legislature from Wilson county. He was an elector on the Harrison ticket in 1840, was Gov- ernor from 1841 to 1845, and in 1848. was a delegate to the National Whig Convention. He removed to Memphis in 1850, and became the first Presi- dent of the Memphis and Charleston GOV. JAMES C. JONES. Railroad. In 1851. he was elected United States Senator, after which he was a Democrat, and died at Memphis, October 29, 1859.
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THE MEXICAN WAR.
QUESTIONS. -- 1. What of parties? Jackson? 2. What occurred in 1824? 3. What effect did this have? What did the Demo- crats do? 4. What was the condition of affairs in 1837? 5. What of James Knox Polk? The campaign? 6. Who was elected Governor? United States Senator? 7. Give the sub- stance of this section. 8. From what did this animosity grow ? 9. What of the public school system? 10. What did the con- vention recommend? 11. What of John A. Murrell? 12. What did the Constitution favor? 13. What of railroads? Turnpikes? 14. Give the substance of this section. 15. Who were the can- didates for Governor? Result? 16. Sketch the life of James C. Jones.
CHAPTER XVII.
THE MEXICAN WAR.
1. The agitation of slavery from 1840 to 1850 became more violent than ever before. The Abolitionists, avowing a law of conscience higher than the civil law, had grown to be an organ- ized and active minority, who declared an unqualified war on slavery in the South. By using money and systematic agencies, they fearlessly entered the South and aided many slaves to escape from their masters. In 1845. Aaron V. Brown, Democrat, was elected Governorover Eph- raim H. Foster. Whig. Brown was frequently a member of the Legislature. In 1839, he was elected to Congress, where he served three successive terms, GOV. AAARON V. BROWN. and was a delegate to the Southern Convention at Nashville in I850, and also to the Baltimore Convention in 1852. He drafted
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THE HISTORY OF TENNESSEE.
the platform upon which Pierce was elected. In 1856, the N tional Democratic Convention gave him twenty-nine votes the Vice-Presidency. He was Postmaster-General in Buchanan Cabinet, and died in Washington City, March 8, 1859.
2. The Republicans composed the law-abiding element of th anti-slavery party. They organized into a third national ja". and opposed the extension of slavery beyond the boundaries the States in which it then existed, and insisted that every ne State admitted into the Union should be, in the future. Rs soil. In Tennessee there were many citizens dissatisfied wit slavery.
3. In the Legislature of r$41-2, the Whigs had a majority the Lower House. With the Speaker. Samuel Turney, the v .: in it was thirteen Democrats to twelve Whigs. White at Foster, United States Senators, had resigned becaused they coul not conscientiously obey and vote their Legislative instruction- about the United States Bank, etc. With that session. Ande- son's and Nicholson's appointments to the United States Se: :: expired. The Democrats in the Senate refused to elect Ugi States Senators, and Governor Jones appointing none, Tens -- was unrepresented in the United States Senate from Ist! : 1843. In ISpr. President Harrison appointed John Bell, Secre tary of War. John D. Kelly was appointed Superintendent the Insane Asylum.
4. At Baltimore, in 1844. James Knox Polk was nominas: by the Democrats, and in November elected to the Pre- dency of the United States, making the second President :: : Tennessee. Van Buren was the most popular candidate :: by thoughtless expressions he impaired his popularity, there bringing forward Polk, who had been prominent in pul affairs for several years, during which time he held many ;- tions of usefulness.
5. James K. Polk was born November 2, 1793, in Meckis burg county, North Carolina. With his father, he came
THE MEXICAN WAR.
Tennessee in 1806. was clerk of the Tennessee Senate in 1820, and in 1823, was a member of the Leg- islature. In 1825. he was elected to Congress, serving continuously until 1839. From 1835 to 1839, he was Speaker of the House. Com- ing home, in 1839, he defeated Newton Cannon for Governor, but in 1841 and 1843, James C. Jones defeated him for the same office. The Tennessee Legislature nomi- nated him for Vice-President, in PRES. JAMES K. POLK. IS40. Four years later, the Democrats nominated him for the Presidency and he was elected, but Clay, his competitor, car- ried this State, the first instance in which a President was elected and failed to carry his State. He died at Nashville. June 15, 1849.
6. The country had not witnessed a brighter administration than Polk's. In 1846, a treaty was made with Great Britain by which the northwest boundary was determined. James Buchanan succeeded in securing an agreement by both nations to Webster's old line, the forty-ninth parallel. All was determined but the extreme northwest corner. The treaty of Washington, in Is;I. completed this. Polk's Cabinet was: James Buchanan, Pent- sylvania, Secretary of State: R. J. Walker, Massachusetts. Sec- retary of the Treasury; W. L. Marcy. New York, Secretary of War: George Bancroft, Massachusetts. Secretary of the Navy: Cave Johnson, Tennessee, Postmaster-General: John V. Mason Virginia, Attorney-General.
7. A dispute arose over the Texas boundary, in which the Texans claimed west to the Rio Grande. Mexico claimed eust to the Nueces. By annexation, this dispute was transferred to the United States. General Gaines and his army had been sent
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THE HISTORY OF TENNESSEE.
long before this to the Sabine as an "army of observation. General Taylor, afterwards President, and his army now be- came an "army of occupation." to guard the disputed territory between the Nueces and the Rio Grande. General Taylor was ordered back under penalty of war by General Santa Anna. This hastened Taylor in fortifying. The Mexicans crossed the Rio Grande and captured a detachment of men, in which engage ment several Americans were killed. May 13, 1346, Congress declared war.
8. In 1846, Governor Brown issued a call for two thousand and eight hundred volunteers, to which thirty thousand re- sponded. In the first conflict at Palo Alto, Taylor defeated the Mexicans. The next day he defeated the Mexican army at Resaca de la Palma. These battles caused Congress to declare war. Taylor remained at Matamoras till the autumn of 1346. From Matamoras he marched to Monterey, and after a four days fight the city was captured. Taylor met the Mexican General, Santa Anna, who had twenty thousand men, at Buena Vista, on February 23. 1847, and again the Mexicans were repulsed. the meantime. General Winfield Scott was doing valiant service in Central Mexico. Santa Anna sent a demand to Taylor for an unconditional surrender. The reply was: "General Taylor never surrenders. "
9. General Scott landed his army near Vera Cruz, and after a severe bombardment captured the place March 20. IS4 ;. In April. Scott defeated the Mexicans at Cerro Gordo, and entered La Puebla in May, where he remained until August, awaiting re-enforcements. These having arrived. he pushed towards the City of Mexico. On Angust 20. Scott's forces fought and won five battles: they stormed Contreras: they captured San Antonio: they stormed the two fortified heights of Churubusco: and they routed Santa Anna's whole army that marched out of the city to oppose them. Scott then approached the city, and the defenses the Castle of Chapultepec, Molino del Rey, were stormed and
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THE MEXICAN WAR.
taken by General Worth. At the gates of the city, five days later, the battle raged with awful fury, when the strongest Mex- ican fort, the Castle of Chapultepec, was stormed and captured. The Mexican army, during the might. left the city, and the next morning the United States flag floated in triumph from the na- tional palace. This terminated the war with Mexico.
10. A treaty was made which ceded to the United States the country of California and New Mexico, and guaranteed the free navigation of the Gulf of California. The United States agreed to pay Mexico fifteen million dollars, and an additional sum of three million dollars to such citizens of the United States as were creditors of Mexico. This is called the "Treaty of Guadaloupe- Hidalgo." from the Mexican town in which it was arranged. By conquest and purchase we acquired Texas, New Mexico. California, Nevada, Utah and Colorado, in area a mighty empire of itself. the importance of which we cannot estimate. The mineral wealth. the agricultural and live-stock products. and other resources of these States and Territories, affect the markets of the world.
II. General Taylor's war record had made him so popular that he was nominated and elected to the Presidency by the Whig party in 1848. He died July 9. 1850, and was succeeded by Millard Fillmore, Vice-President.
QUESTIONS .- 1. What was the great theme now? Give a sketch of Governor Brown. 2. What did the Republicans com- pose? 3. How was the Legislature divided? 4. Whom did the Democrats nominate? Why? 5. Give a biographical sketch of him. 6. What of his administration ? 7. What occurred between Texas and Mexico? Why? S. Give the substance of this sec- tion. Q. What of Scott's forces? to. What did the treaty cede? For what? Il. What of General Taylor? Died when? Tell all you can of this war.
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THE HISTORY OF TENNESSEE.
CHAPTER XVIII.
THE FEUD STRENGTHENS.
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I. In 1847. Neil S. Brown, Whig. was elected Governor, defeating Aaron V. Brown. Neil S. Brown was born in Giles county, Tennessee, April 18. 1810. He entered the Florida cam- paign against the Seminoles, and was conspicuous in the Mud Creek battle. after which he was in the Legislature frequently. In 1836, he was on the electoral ticket for White and, in 1844. for Clay. He was Governor from 1847 to 1849, and. in 1850, was Min- GOV. NEIL S. BROWN. ister to Russia. He was returned to the Legislature in 1855, of which he became Speaker. He was prominent in the Constitutional Convention of ISto, and died at Nashville in 1886.
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