USA > Wisconsin > Buffalo County > History of Buffalo County, Wisconsin > Part 23
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Eighteenth Session-Convened January 11, 1865, and adjourned April 10, 1865, ninety days, one hundred and thirty-three mem- bers.
Nineteenth Session-Convened January 10, 1866, and adjourned April 12, 1866, ninety-three days, one hundred and thirty-three members.
Twentieth Session -- Convened January 9, 1867, and adjourned April 11, 1867, ninety-three days, one hundred and thirty-three members.
Twenty-first Session-Convened January 8, 1868, and adjourned March 6, 1868, fifty-nine days, one hundred and thirty-three mem- bers.
Twenty-second Session-Convened January 13 and adjourned March 11, 1869, fifty-eight days, one hundred and thirty-three members.
Twenty-third Session-Convened January 12, and adjourned March 17, 1870, sixty-five days, one hundred and thirty-three members ..
Twenty-fourth Session-Convened January 11, 1871, and ad- journed March 25, 1871, seventy-four days, one hundred and thirty- three members.
Twenty-fifth Session-Convened January 10, 1872, and adjourned March 26, 1872, seventy-seven days, one hundred and thirty-three members.
Twenty-sixth Session-Convened January 8, 1873, and adjourned March 20, 1873, seventy-two days, one hundred and thirty-three members.
Twenty-seventh Session-Convened January 14, 1874, and ad- journed March 12, 1874, fifty-eight days, one hundred and thirty- three members.
Twenty-eighth Session-Convened January 13, 1875, and ad- journed March 6, 1875, fifty-three days, one hundred and thirty- three members.
Twenty-ninth Session-Convened January 12, 1876, and ad- journed March 14, 1876, sixty-three days, one hundred and thirty- three members.
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POLITICAL HISTORY.
Thirtieth Session-Convened January 10, 1877, and adjourned March 8, 1877, fifty-eight days, one hundred and thirty-three members.
Thirty-first Session-Convened January 9, 1878, and adjourned March 21, 1878. Met in extra session June 4, 1878, for the pur- pose of completing the revision of statutes, and adjourned June 7, 1878. Officers same as at regular session. Seventy-six days, one hundred and thirty-three members.
Thirty-second Session-Convened January 8, 1879, and adjourned March 5, 1879, fifty-seven days, one hundred and thirty-three members.
Thirty-third Session-Convened January 14, 1880, and ad- journed March 17, 1880, sixty-four days, one hundred and thirty- three members.
Thirty-fourth Session-Convened January 12, 1881, and ad- journed April 4, 1881, eighty-three days, one hundred and thirty- three members.
Thirty-fifth Session-Convened January 11, 1882, and adjourned March 31, 1882, eighty days, one hundred and thirty-three members,
Thirty-sixth Session-Convened January 10, 1883, and adjourned April 4, 1883, eighty-five days, one hundred and thirty-three members.
Thirty-seventh Session-Convened January 14, 1885, and ad- journed April 13, 1885, eighty-nine days, one hundred and thirty- three members.
During the state organization the two houses of the legislature were called the Senate and the Assembly.
For the first five sessions, (1848 to 1852 incl.) there were 19 senators and 55 members of the Assembly.
For the next four years, (1853 -: 56 incl.) there were 25 sena- tors and 82 members of the Assembly .. - 2
For the next five years, (1857-62 incl.) there were 30 senators and 97 members of the Assembly.
Ever since, beginning with 1863 there were 33 senators and 100 members of the Assembly.
Redistricting for members of either house is done after the census taken every ten years by the United States, and every five years after that by the State of Wisconsin. As the sessions of the
260
POLITICAL HISTORY.
legislature are now biennial and fall upon the odd numbered years, redistricting will be performed in the first and the seventh year of every decade.
It now remains to be seen by whom this county has been represented in the two houses of the Legislature.
SENATE.
1848 2nd District D. G. Fenton of Prairie du Chien.
1849 do. do. James Fisher of Eastman.
1850 do. do: James Fisher of Prairie du Chien.
1851 ·do. do. Hiram A. Wright of Prairie du Chien.
1852 do. do. Hiram A. Wright of do.
1853 19th District Benjamin Allen of Pepin:
1854 do. do. Benjamin Allen of Hudson.
1855 do. do. Wm. J. Gibson of Black River Falls.
1856 do. do. Wm. J. Gibson of do.
1857 30th District Wm. T. Price of Black River Falls.
1858 do. do. Wm. H. Tucker of La Crosse,
1859 do. do. Wm. H. Tucker of do.
1860 do. do. B. E. Hutchinson of Prairie du Chien.
1861 do. do. B. E. Hutchinson of do.
1862 31st District Edwin Flint of La Crosse.
1863 do. do. Angus Cameron of La Crosse.
1864 32d District Carl C. Pope of Black River Falls.
1865 do. do. Carl C. Pope of do.
1866 do. . do. J. G. Thorp of Eau Claire.
1867 do do. J. G. Thorp of do
1868 do. do. A. W. Newman of Trempealeau.
1869 do. do. A. W. Newman of do.
1870 do. do. Wm. T. Price of Black River Falls.
1871 do. do. Wm. T. Price of do.
1872 do.
do. Orlando Brown of Modena.
1873 do.
do. Orlando Brown of do.
1874 do. do. R. C. Field of Osseo.
1875 do. do. R. C. Field of do.
1876 do. do. Mark Douglas of Melrose.
1877 do. do. Mark Douglas of do.
1878 do.
do. Wm. T. Price of Black River Falls.
1879 29th District H. E. Houghton of Durand
1880 do. do. H. E. Houghton of do,
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POLITICAL HISTORY.
1881 do. do. Augustus Finkelnburg of Fountain City.
1882 do. do. Augustus Finkelnburg of do.
1883 do. do. N. D. Comstock of Arcadia.
1885 do. do. N. D. Comstock of do.
1887 do. do. John W. DeGroff of Alma.
Senators were formerly elected for two years, but are now elected for four years or two sessions.
ASSEMBLY :
District consisting of the counties of Chippewa and Crawford.
1848 Wm. T. Sterling of Mt. Sterling.
1849, James O'Neill of Black River Falls.
1850, Wm. T. Sterling of Mt. Sterling:
1851, Wm. T. Price of Black River Falls.
District consisting of the counties of Bad Ax, Chippewa, Crawford and La · Crosse:
1852, Andrew Briggs of Bad Ax.
District consisting of the counties of Chippewa and La Crosse: 1853, Albert La Duc of La Crosse.
District consisting of the counties of Buffalo, Chippewa, Clark, Jackson and La Crosse:
1854, Wm. J. Gibson of Black River Falls.
District, consisting of the counties. of Buffalo, Chippewa and La Crosse: 1855. Chase A. Stevens of La Crosse.
1856, Dugald D. Cameron of La Crosse.
District consisting of the counties of Buffalo, Jackson and Trempealeau: 1857, Samuel D. Hastings of Trempealeau.
1858, Harlow E. Prickett of Black River Falls.
1859, Jesse Bennett of Fountain City.
1860, Romanzo Bunn of Galesville.
1861, Calvin R. Johnson of Black River Falls.
District consisting of the counties of Buffalo, Pepin and Trempealeau:
1862, Orlando Brown of Gilmanton.
1863, Alfred W. Newman, of Trempealeau.
1864, Fayette Allen of Durand.
1865, John Burgess of Nelson.
1866. Wm. H. Thomas of Sumner. District consisting of the county of Buffalo:
1867, Conrad Moser Jr. of Alma. 1868, Conrad Moser Jr. of Alma.
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POLITICAL HISTORY.
1869, Robert Henry of Anchorage.
1870, James L. Hallock of Burnside.
1871, Ahaz F. Allen of Gilmanton.
1872, George Cowie of Glencoe.
1873, Robert Lees of Gilmanton.
: 1874, A. Finkelnburg of Fountain City.
1875, Edward Lees of Cross.
1876, Edward Lees of Cross.
District Consisting of Buffalo County in part :
1877, J. J. Senn.of Fountain City. .
1878, J. J. Senn of Fountain City.
1879, John W. DeGroff of Alma.
1880, Franklin Gilman of Gilmanton.
1881, Richard R. Kempter of Alma.
1882, M. W. McDonnell of Alma.
1883, John A. Tester of Alma.
1885, S. D. Hubard of Mondovi.
1887, Joseph V. Jones of Canton.
Members of the Assembly are elected for one session, formi erly for one year, now for two years.
The assembly district consists again of the whole county of Buffalo since 1882 ; the towns of Maxville, Canton and Mondovi (now Naples and Mondovi) belonged for some years' to the Pepin County Assembly district. According to the apportionment or redistriction performed by the last legislature Buffalo County remains a separate assembly district and forms the 29th senatorial district in conjunction with Pepin and Trempealeau, according to the
..
" Act to apportion the state into senate and. assembly dis- tricts, Chapter 461 General Laws of 1887,"
where we read:
"The counties of Buffalo Pepin and Trempealeau shall constitute the twenty-ninth senate district; " and again:
" The county of Buffalo shall constitute an assembly district."
Which settles the present position of our county as to elec- tions for the state legislature.
Looking over the list of the members of the Assembly one i
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POLITICAL HISTORY.
must be struck by the continual changes of the district. Much of this is however only apparent, depending upon the organization of new counties from territory formerly included in the large old counties.
To the State Organization belong not only. Senate and Assem- bly but also, the whole state government. Considering that our county, like every other one, is an organic part of the state, I thought proper to introduce a list of all such state offices as are now recognized, and in faet were created by the constitution, giv- ing names of incumbents and their time of service. Offices created by subsequent legislation, and by the same abolished, were Bank Comptroller. Created 1852, abolished 1868. . .
State Prison Commissioner. Created 1853, abolished 1873.
State Commissioner of Immigration. Created 1871, abolished 1874.
Besides these three there are still two offices of the same nature:
Railroad Commissioner. Created 1873, made elective 1881.
Insurance Commissioner. Created 1867, elective since 1881.
These offices may be continued or not; the present incumbents are:
Railroad Commissioner: Atley Peterson.
Insurance Commissioner: Phillip Cheek, Jr ..
This concludes the roll of State officers. Though the others follow after these two, the force of what has been said above will by this accident not be diminished.
GOVERNORS:
Nelson Dewey,. June 1845 to Jan. I852
Leonard J. Farwell
Jan. 1852 to ¥ 1854
Wm. A. Barstow
Jan. 1854 to March 1856 :
Arthur McArthur March 1856 to March 1856
Coles Bashford .March 1856 to Jan. 1858
Alex. W. Randall
1858 to 1862
Louis P. Harvey
Jan. 1862 to April 1862
Edward Solomon April 1862 to Jan. 1864
James T. Lewis
1864 to. 1866
Lucius Fairchild
1866 to . 1 1872
C. C. Washburn
1872 to
1874
William R. Taylor
1874 to
1876
Harrison Ludington
1876 to
1878
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POLITICAL HISTORY.
Wm. E. Smith
1878 to
1882
Jeremiah M: Rusk
1882 to
1889
LIEUTENANT GOVERNORS.
John E. Homes
June
1848 to Jan.
1850
Samuel W. Beall
1850 to
1852
Timothy Burns
1852 to
I854
James T. Lewis
1854 to
1856
Arthur McArthur
1856 to
1858
E. D. Campbell
1858 to
1860
Butler G. Noble
1860 to
1862
Edward Solomon
Jan.
1862 to April 1862
Gerry W. Hazelton
Sept.
1862 to Sept. 1862
Wyman Spooner
1863 to
1870
Thaddeus C. Pound
1870 to
1872
Milton H. Pettit.
Jan.
1872 to March 1873
Charles D. Parker
1874 to
1878
James M. Bingham
1878 to
1882
Sam. S. Fifield
1882 to
1887
Geo. W. Ryland
1887 to
1889
SECRETARIES OF STATE.
Thos. McHugh
June
1848 to Jan.
1850
Wm. A. Barstow
1850 to
1852
C. D. Robinson.
1852 to
1854
Alex. T. Gray
1854 to .
1.856
David W. Jones
1856 to
1860
Louis P. Harvey
1860 to
1862
James T. Lewis.
1862 to
1864
Lucius Fairchild
1864 to
1866
Thomas S. Allen
1866 to
1870
Lly welyn Breese
1870 to
1874
Peter Doyle
1874 to
1878
Hans. B. Warner
1878 to
1882
Ernst G. Timme
1882 to
1889
STATE TREASURERS.
Jarius C. Fairchild,
Jan. 1848 to Jan. 1852
Edward H. Janssen,
1852 to
1856
Charles Kuehn,
1856 to
1858
Samuel D. Hastings,
1858 to
1866
William E. Smith,
1866 to
1870
265
POLITICAL HISTORY.
Henry Baetz,
1870 to
1874
Ferdinand Kuehn,
1874 to
1878
Richard Guenther,
1878 to
1882
Edward C. McFetridge
1882 to
1887
Henry B. Harshaw
1887 to
1889
ATTORNEYS GENERAL.
James S. Brown
June 1848 to Jan. 1850
S. Park Coon
1850 to
1852
Experience Estabrook
1852 to
1854
George B. Smith
1854 to
1856
William R. Smith.
1856 to
1858
Gabriel Bouck
1858 to
1860
James H. Howe
Jan. 1860 to Oct. 1862
Winfield Smith
Oct. 1862 to Jan. 1866
Charles R. Gill
1866 to
1870
Stephen S. Barlow
1870 to
1874
A. Scott Sloan
1874 to
1878
Alexander Wilson
1878 to
1882
Leander F. Frisby
1882 to
1887
Charles E. Estabrook.
1887 to
1889
STATE SUPERINTENDENTS.
Eleazer Root.
Jan.
1849 to Jan.
1852
Azel P. Ladd
1852 to
1854
Hiram A Wright
Jan. 1854 to May
1855
A. Constantine Barry
June
1855 to Jan. 1858
Lyman C. Draper
1858 to
1860
Josiah L. Pickard
Jan.
1860 to Sept.
1864
John G. McMynn
Oct.
1864 to Jan.
1868
Alexander J. Craig
1868 to
1870
Samuel Fallows ..
1870 to
1874
Edward Searing
1874 to
1878
William C. Whitford
1878 to
1882
Robert Graham
1882 to
1887
Jesse B. Thayel
1887 to
1889
Among the powers necessary in every well regulated state, and hence provided for in the constitution of the state of Wiscon- sin, is the Judiciary, co-ordinate to the Legislature and the Execu- tive. It consists, as far as the state is concerned, in the Supreme
266
POLITICAL HISTORY.
Court and the different Circuit Courts, the number of the latter being changed according to the respective increase in the popula- tion of the different districts.
SUPREME COURT:
Name.
Title. Term expires.
Orsamus Cole. Chief Justice. 1st Monday of Jan. 1892. Wm. P. Lyon Associate Justice 1st Monday of Jan. 1894
do 1st Monday of Jan. 1896. David Taylor
Harlow S. Orton do 1st Monday of Jan. 1888.
John B. Cassoday. .... do 1st Monday of Jan. 1890.
Judge Orton has been reelected last spring. (1887.) The Su- preme Court was organized as a separate court in 1853, until which time the Judges of the Circuit Courts were ex-officio Justices of the Supreme Court.
CIRCUIT COURT:
1, Judge George Gale of Galesville.
2. Edwin Flint of La Crosse.
3. Romanzo Bunn of Galesville.
4. Alfred W. Newman of Trempealeau.
5. Egbert B. Bundy of Menomonie.
Our Circuit at present is the " Eighth" consisting of the coun- ties of Buffalo, Dunn, Eau Claire, Pepin, Pierce and St. Croix.
The State Institutions of Wisconsin are the following:
EDUCATIONAL INSTITUTIONS:
The University of Wisconsin at Madison. State Normal School at Platteville.
do. do at Whitewater. do. do. at Oshkosh. do. do. at River Falls.
do. do. at Milwaukee.
Farmers Institutes, at different places.
CHARITABLE, REFORMATORY AND PENAL INSTITUTIONS:
State' Board of Charity and Reform.
It has charge of the following:
1. Private Institutions for the Insane.
2. Prisons.
3. Reformatories.
4. Institutions for the Poor.
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POLITICAL HISTORY.
سحـ
5. Institutions- for Defectives.
6. Private Benevolent Institutions. State Board of Supervision.
Institutions under its charge:
State Hospital for the Insane at Mendota.
Northern Hospital for the Insane at Winnebago.
State Public School at Sparta.
School for the Deaf at Delavan.
School for the Blind at Janesville.
Industrial School for Boys at Waukesha. State Prison at Waupun.
After enumerating these state institutions, we come to the representation of the state itself, and our district in particular, in the National Legislature commonly called Congress. The state as such is represented in the Senate, each district in the House of Representatives.
UNITED STATES SENATORS, SINCE THE ORGANIZATION OF THE STATE GOVERNMENT.
NAMES. WHEN ELECTED.
Isaac P. Walker June 8, 1848.
Henry Dodge. June 8, 1848.
Isaac P. Walker
Jan. 17, 1849.
Henry Dodge .Jan. 20, 1851.
Charles Durkee Feb. 1, 1855.
Jas. R. Doolittle. Jan. 23, 1857.
Timothy O. Howe Jan. 23, 1861.
Jas, R. Doolittle. Jan. 22, 1863.
Timothy O. Howe Jan. 24, 1867.
Math. H. Carpenter Jan. 26, 1869.
Timothy O. Howe
Jan. 21, 1873.
Angus Cameron. Feb. 3, 1875.
Math. H. Carpenter Jan. 22, 1879.
Philetus Sawyer Jan. 26, 1881.
Angus Cameron
March 10, 1881.
John C. Spooner.
Jan. 28, 1885.
Philetus Sawyer Jan. 26, 1887.
The county of Buffalo entered into political life in 1854, pur- suant to an act of the legislature, Before that it belonged to Craw-
268
POLITICAL HISTORY.
ford, then to Crawford and Chippewa, then to La Crosse and Chippewa, but it belonged during that time always to the sec- ond Congressional District,
REPRESENTATIVES. Second District:
30th Congress 1847-49 Mason C. Darling.
31st do. 1849-51 Orsamus Cole. 32d do. 1851-53 Ben. C. Eastman.
33d
do. 1853-55 Ben. C. Eastman.
34th do. 1855-57 Cadwallader C. Washburn.
35th do. 1857-59 Cadwallader C. Washburn.
36th do. 1859-61 Cadwallader C. Washburn.
37th do. 1861-63 Luther Hanchett (Died 1862) Succeeded by Walter D. McIndoe. Sixth District:
38th Congress 1863-65
Walter D. McIndoe.
39th do. 1865-67 Walter D. McIndoe.
40th do. 1867-69 Cadwallader C. Washburn.
41st do. 1869-71 Cadwallader C. Washburn.
42d do. 1871-73 Jeremiah M. Rusk.
Seventh District:
43d Congress 1873-75 Jeremiah M. Rusk.
44th do. 1875-77 Jeremiah M. Rusk.
45th do. 1877-79 Herman L. Humphrey.
46th do. 1879-81 Herman L. Humphrey.
47th do. 1881-83 Herman L. Humphrey.
Eighth District:
48th Congress 1883-85 William T. Price.
49th · do. 1885-87 William T. Price (Died Dec. 1886). Succeeded by his son Hugh H. Price. 50th Congress 1887-89 .Nils P. Haugen.
Beyond this enumeration of our Senators and Representatives much else does not seem to belong to a local history except the division of our state into United States District Courts. There are two such courts in the state, one for the Eastern and one for the Western District. Buffalo County belonging to the latter, I will give its present organization :
WESTERN DISTRICT: Judge-Romanzo Bunn, Madison.
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POLITICAL HISTORY.
District Attorney-A. R. Bushnell, Lancaster.
Assistant District Attorney-W. H. Rogers, Madison. Marshal-D. C. Fulton, Hudson.
Deputy Marshal-T. Scott Ansley, Mineral Point. Terms of Court: At Madison-First Monday in June.
At La Crosse-Third Tuesday in September.
Special Term: At Madison-First Tuesday in December.
I think it would be rather tedious to enumerate the Presidents of the United States in order of succession, especially as the aver- age schoolma'm has had the habit, for the last fifty years, to make the urchins repeat the table ad infinitum, considering this " teach- ing elementary history." But we may, nevertheless, give a synopsis of the present government.
PRESIDENT:
Grover Cleveland of New York.
VICE-PRESIDENT:
Thomas A. Hendricks of Indiana. (Died 1886.)
The President pro temp. of the Senate is his constitutional suc- cessor.
THE CABINET.
Secretary of State-Thomas F. Bayard of Delaware.
" Treasury-Daniel Manning of New York. Re- signed; succeeded by Fairchild.
Secretary of War-Wm. C. Endicott, of Massachusetts. " Navy-Wm. C. Whitney of New York.
" Interior-Lucius Q. C. Lamar of Mississippi.
Postmaster General-Wm. F. Vilas of Wisconsin.
Attorney General-Augustus H. Garland of Arkansas.
Having now recited all of the important political events, ar- rangements and organizations with which our county was or is now connected as a part of the country at large, of Wisconsin Ter- ritory and of the State of Wisconsin, it will be proper to say some- thing of the history of politics. I have in the foregoing refrained from mentioning anything relating to the internal administration, government and judiciary organization of the county, considering, that such matters are more properly related under the head of "Organization," under which they will be fully discussed.
270
POLITICAL HISTORY:
The county of Buffalo was ushered into political existence at a time when party ties were extremely loose, and a complete revo- lution was effected, in which one old party; the Whigs, was left without a name, the other, the Democrats, very much diminished in numbers and influence, especially in the northern states, and a new party, the Republican, was formed, and marshalled its forces . for the first time in the presidential contest of 1856, in which Wis- consin gave Fremont, Republican, 66,090 votes against 52,843 for Buchanan, thus, for the first time in its history declaring its oppo- sition to the party which had become notorious for favoring the extension of the institution of slavery over all the remaining ter- ritories of the United States, making it legal in all the future states.
In the memorable struggle of 1860, which was followed by the War of the Rebellion, the stand of Wisconsin was still more de- cided as it cast 86, 110 votes for Lincoln against 65,021 for Douglas." The split in the Democratic party did not manifest itself greatly in this state, Breckinridge receiving only 888 votes, while that last shadow of the Whig-Knownothing-Union pretense, John Bell, re- ceived only 161. The vote, then, was a vigorous protest against Proslavery preponderance, as well as that vacillating policy, which at any moment might take a summersault in the same direction. We must in justice to the Democratic party, as it manifested itself in this state, assert, that the great majority of them were subse- quently war-democrats, and setting aside minor distinctions be- tween themselves and the Republicans, supported the government as counsellors and as soldiers. Of this we will have occasion to speak afterwards. The election of 1864 giving Lincoln 83,458 against McClellan 65,884 showed some reaction in favor of democ- racy, based, no doubt, on the mistaken notion, that " the war was a failure." Nevertheless Wisconsin was not willing to "swap. horses in the middle of the stream." The strength of the Repub- lican party was displayed in 1868 in the first election of Gen. Grant to the presidency, he receiving 108,587 votes, against 84,710 for Horatio Seymour. Nor was his majority very much dimin- ished in the second election, in spite of the opposition of the Lib- eral Republicans who voted for Greeley. The vote stood 104,992 for Grant against 86,477 for Greeley. The increased democratic vote, however, ought to go to the credit of the Democrats inas- much as it shows; that they were liberal enough to support a man,
271
POLITICAL HISTORY.
who had fought the party in former times with all his force and power. . The contest between Hayes and Tilden was very much closer, and stood Hayes 130,068, Tilden 123,927. The scales were, however, turned the other way in 1880, when Garfield received 144,397, against Hancock 114,634. At the same election Weaver, the Greenback candidate, received 7980 votes. The last election showed a considerable falling off in the Republican majority, Blaine receiving 161,157, and Cleveland 146,477 votes, besides St. John, Prohibition candidate, 7,656, and Butler, People's Candidate 4,598. Of the votes cast outside of the regular parties we may ascribe the votes of Butler to a general dissatisfaction with the Republican nomination, to which, also, a considerable portion of the increase of the Democratic vote may be ascribed. Party feel- ings ran high in this county, as elsewhere, in some of the presi- dential elections, but we can not remember that they ever led to any serious excesses.
From this most important, and also most exciting phase of our elections we turn to the gubernatorial contests, which some- times, also, waxed rather hot. The list of Governors of this state shows a succession of Republicans, only once interrupted by the election of William, R. Taylor in 1873, from the election of Coles Bashford in 1855 to the present incumbent Gen. Rusk.
The Congressional District in which our county is situated, has been represented by a Republican at least since the 31st Con- gress, and will be so in the 50th. Most of the State Senators from this district were Republicans, with the exception of the first few, who were probably Democrats. The Members of the Assembly during the time, when Buffalo County formed an Assembly Dis- trict in conjunction with other counties were also Republicans, but since Buffalo County became in 1867, either as a whole, or in part, an Assembly District for itself there were quite a number of the. members Democrats. This shows that party lines in local con- tests were not always rigidly observed, and that personal prefer- ences very frequently overruled them entirely. The policy of mak- ing nominations for offices held in the county or for the county, dependent on party fidelity, or, as it is often the case, on obedience or submission to the dictates of party leaders, has been tried, and some times successfully, in this county as well as in almost every other place in the Union, but it can not be relied on at present.
-
272
POLITICAL HISTORY.
Of course, during war times political feelings were hot, and the battles fought down south found their microscopic counterparts in every corner of the land. The missile weapons were words, and some bitter denunciations from either side were bombshells ; the itinerant stump-speaker was on a raid, local committees were on skirmish lines, and it was impossible to prevent the irregular forces from discharging their pop-guns. But the people of this county were unquestionably patriotic, and in an overwhelming ma- jority Republicans, during that time, so that there was little chance for any serious encounters. Before the war some skirmishing was done on account of county-matters, the history of which will be given under the head of County Organization, as it would be a euphonistic exaggeration to call it politics, when the horizon of our perception of right and justice is limited by the view we take from our own threshold. This also applies to the little irritations caused by the contact of different nationalities, which, like every other contact, can not always be accomplished without more or less friction. These frictions were sometimes felt in the earlier years of our intercourse with each other, but have disappeared very largely, especially since the children of different nationalities have for years attended the same schools. We may now be in- clined to look upon the manifestations of patriotism, of the party stripe, or of a local description, or of the nature of national preju- dice, as upon something foolish or unjustifiable, yet it must be ad- mitted that it was never considered as a reproach, and if sincere , has its origin in generosity towards those, with whom nearer ties, accidental though they may be, have connected us from the time when impulses were stronger than reason, and we sometimes still use the reasoning faculty more for a weapon, than for a moderator. If, however, I admit, that prejudices of that kind have largely disappeared among our fellow-citizens, I am nevertheless aware of the fact, that they are occasionally stirred up by unprincipled politicians for their own selfish objects. Political education, though it has made great progress amongst us, is certainly not yet perfect, nor will it ever be.
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