History of Marshall County 1907

HISTORY OF MARSHALL COUNTY 367

of Marshall county with a handsome majority, he was defeated in the other two counties. The two candidates for senator were both from St. Joseph County. At that time party lines were drawn between the Whigs and Democrats, but at this first election while Whigs and democrats were on the ticket, party lines were mostly ignored on account of local interests. But this pacific state of political affairs did not last long. The political leaders on both sides began at once to line up their forces for future aggressive operations.

At the time of the organization of the county elections were provided for in April for township officers, in August for county, congressional and state officers, and in November as now, for presidential electors. For several years there were only a few hundred votes polled, and in some of the townships the number was frequently only twenty-five, and sometimes less than that number, The reason for this was that voters anywhere in the county were permitted under the law to vote in any precinct where t4ey happened to be on the day of election.

Election day was set apart for a big time in those days, It brought the newly settled population together and enabled them to become better acquainted and to talk over the prospects for the future in the new country. A great many voters from every part of the county took advantage of

Election Day to visit the county seat, deposit their ballots and have a good time generally,

Society at that time had not become settled. There were no churches or schoolhouses to speak of, and the population consisted of elements hard to control, such as are found in all frontier towns even in this enlightened age of the world. Fistfights were col11mon in those days, and pugilistic encounters were always looked for on Saturdays and holidays, and especially on election days. There were several men that called early that had a sort of notion that they were monarchs of all they surveyed in the country round about. For the purpose of getting into a regular "knockdown" to enable them to show their muscular powers, they would pick a quarrel with one they had never seen about the most trivial thing, if by so doing they could bring on a fight. These word encounters generally took place after the participants had imbibed pretty freely of what was then called "red eye." After the lie had been freely passed, accompanied with bitter oaths and blackguard speech, and calling each other cowards and every mean thing that could be thought of, coats and "jackets" were hastily removed and the primitive pugilists began to maul each other with their naked fists with all the power they possessed. It was no child's play. They meant business, and the blood generally flowed in every direction the very first lick. It was general amusement for the entire population of the town who congregated in a circle around the belligerents to witness the fun. N o effort was made to stop the quarrel or prevent the "clash of arms." They came to see the fun and the fellow who attempted to stop it was himself very likely to get 'into a fight for his impertinence in interfering with that which did not concern him.

These personal encounters seldom resulted in anything serious, or in making enemies of the belligerents. Each fighter had his friends who stood up manfully for their favorite, and it sometimes happened that several quarrels and knockdowns resulted from a single exhibition of the manly art.

368 HISTORY OF MARSHALL CO'UNTY

After the fracas was over all hands generally made a beeline for the saloon, where all differences were drowned in "a right good willie-waught" from the flowing bowl.

Politics Seventy Years Ago.

The following document, which shows the manner of conducting political campaigns seventy years ago, has been preserved among other historical matter to the present time. It is a circular letter written in "a good round hand," on foolscap paper, with the historic goose quill, arid as there were no printing presses in this section of the state at that time it was undoubtedly intended to be circulated in the various neighborhoods in the representative district from one to another until the "facts" therein stated had been fully understood by the voters:

Warsaw, Kosciusko County, Indiana, July 12, 1837.

To the Citizens of the Counties of Marshall and Stark:

Fellow Citizens: We the undersigned citizens of the town of Warsaw and vicinity, in the county of Kosciusko and state of Indiana, would beg leave to represent to you that, viewing with much anxiety and feeling the importance of the coming election, and the course that has been and now is pursued by some designing men in this county to insure the election of their favorite candidate, whose views, interests and feelings are hostile and in direct opposition to what we conceive to be the true interest of the people of the western and southern portions of the representative district. In Support of the expression we have made in relation to the unfriendly feelings manifested by the friends of some of the candidates, we would represent that all the internal improvements made on the north part of this county, and those that shall be hereafter constructed, would, as a matter of course, be supported by a man whose residence and interests are in the northern part of the county, to the, entire exclusion of and benefit of the middle', southern and western portions of the county: An attempt, no doubt, will be made to cut off a portion from the south end of the county, and, should that be effected, it will be to the manifest injury of Marshall and Kosciusko counties.

Judge Perine is decidedly a northern man and will use his influence and interests to advance the improvements and promote the interests of all that may be considered hostile and in opposition to the middle, western and southern feelings and interests and spirit that we cherish and maintain toward this and our fellow counties if we give our support to a man entertaining such interests and feelings. A man from the central part of the county would be most likely to advocate and promote the interests and policy that would contribute to the advancement of these-Marshall and Stark-counties. Esquire Runyan, living in Leesburg, may with propriety be classed in the same range of politics with Perine, and is to all intents and purposes a northern man. We have been credibly informed that Peter Warner has declined, and is not in the race,

Now, gentlemen, let us suggest to you the propriety and advantage in supporting Col. Ludlow Nye. He is a central man and will use his industry, time and talents in advancing and bringing forward such measures as will conduce to the rise and progress of a system of internal improvements that shall benefit the representative district and forward the agricultural and commercial interests of the counties" of Kosciusko, Mar- shall and Stark and redound to the honor of himself and his fellow citizens. These, gentlemen, are the sentiments we entertain in relation to the matters set forth in this circular, and in support of this candidate and in these measures we ardently ask your aid and hearty co-operation, and we pledge our united and undivided interest and exertions to promote and forward his election, and to support the measures by all honorable means in our power.

We are, respectfully, your fellow citizens,

James Comstock, C. B. Simpson, Samuel Porenger, Philip Nash,

G. D. A. Royce, M. F. Davis, Henry Sapp, James C. Yarnell,

A. L. Fairbrother, Jacob Larue, William Williams, Abm Fransberger,

Jacob Baker, Edward R. Parks, John Leighty, Lorenzo Pope.

I do certify that the above is a true copy of the original, and the signers are men of responsibility - sixteen in number.

JACOB BAKER.

HISTORY OF MARSHALL COUNTY 369

The document got into the hands of Mr. Perine, who let the cat out of the political meal sack in the following unceremonious manner :

“I do hereby certify that the statements made. in the within circular unfounded, and that I have not heard the subject mentioned in the county of Kosciusko until the last five days and only by Jacob Baker, who has subscribed to the written certificates.

"July 28,1837. AARON M. PERINE."

A few days later the following endorsement appears over the signature of Mr. Runyan:

“I Peter L. Runyan, a candidate for the state legislature in this district, do hereby certify that the written statement, as it regards myself: is wholly unfounded, as I hold an interest in the county seat of Kosciusko county worth $500, and It would be to the manifest injury of myself if it was moved from its present location. I therefore declare to all those who may be favored with the opportunity of perusing the within that it is unfounded and false and a plan laid by a few to insure the election of their favorite candidate”

Union Township, August 1, 1837. PETER L. RUNYAN.”

Notwithstanding the efforts made by those who issued the circular Mr. Runyan was elected.

Stump Speaking.

Stump speaking was not as common then as now, although in the absence of newspapers there was a great deal more need of speeches to explain the issues before the people than there is now, when every voter is furnished with more reading matter than he can possibly peruse during the pendency of a campaign. At that time there were never any political meetings held outside of the county seat, and even then there was not more than one meeting by each party during a presidential campaign, and that was at the conclusion of "a grand rally."

Sometimes in later campaigns there would be a "barbecue," at which various kinds of meat, frequently wild deer, which were plentiful in those days, would be roasted, and, with plenty of seasoning and an abundance of "corn dodgers" a banquet that makes one's mouth water now to think of it would be served under the shade of the forest trees.

There was plenty of "liquor" then, as at present, but the name has been modernized and it is now called "whiskey." It was also at that time called "red eye," for the reason that those who partook of the deceptive fluid to excess and for a long period of time were sure to inflame their eyelids, making them red, and hence the spirits frumenti was commonly called "red eye." Everybody that cared to do so drank spirituous liquors ill those days, and nobody cared anything about it. Nearly everybody kept a decanter or little brown jug about the house, and during the malarial season, when the chills and fever were a universal thing in almost every family, a dram of whiskey mixed with tansey and called "tansey" bitters was considered indispensable to keep off the "ager." It was also considered a specific ill case of snake bites.

At woodchoppings, house and barn raisings, logrolling, and other neighborhood gatherings, which were common then, whiskey was considered indispensable. At political meetings, sometimes fellows would get too much, when a fistfight would result, but seldom nothing more serious would come of it.

370 HISTORY OF MARSHALL COUNTY.

At the time of this election there were but five townships in the county, Union Center, Green, Bourbon and North, and but 304 votes were polled in all of them of which Van Buren received a majority of thirty-six. There were no railroads or telegraphs in those days, and It was more than a month after the election before the news reached here that Harrison had been elected, and as the excitement of the campaign had died away, there were no jubilating pow wows by the victorious party, as is the case in these latter days.

Gen. Harrison was inaugurated as president March 4, 1841, and died a month later, it was supposed from nervous excitement occasioned by the inaugurating ceremonies and the mental strain of the long campaign through which he had gone. John Tyler, the vice-president, succeeded to the presidency, and on doing so requested the cabinet officers appointed by Harrison to remain. He had previously been a member of the United States senate, and while a member of that body had voted to censure President Jackson for removing- the deposits from the United States bank. The legislature of his state afterwards passed a resolution asking him to vote to expunge the resolution from the records of the senate. As he could not do that without stultifying himself, he resigned and went home. After this he was elected vice-president on the ticket with Harrison, and on the death of Harrison became president. During his term as president, congress, which was supposed to be in harmony with his views on the bank question, passed a bill that was called the "Fiscal Bank of the United States." He vetoed it on the ground that some of its provisions were unconstitutional. After consultation with him, congress again passed the bill, amended to suit his views, but for some reason unknown he vetoed it again. This action incensed the leaders of his party, and immediately his cabinet, except Daniel Webster, secretary of state, before whom important matters were pending making it necessary for him to remain, resigned. Shortly after- wards his party in congress passed a resolution severing political relations with him, and thus he found himself without a party. He served out his term of office and retired to private life. He took his place in the political history of the country cordially despised by the party that elected him to the highest office that any human being can occupy.

Incidents of Later Politics.

In the early history of politics in Marshall County, as stated, the political battles were fought between the Democratic Party and the Whig party. There was also a free soil party in the course of formation at that time, but it had but few adherents and no county organization. In the presidential campaign of 1848 there were twenty-two votes cast in the county for Van Buren. Six of these were in Union township, eleven in Tippecanoe Township, two in German, and three in Polk. Although there were no free soil votes cast in Center Township, there were at least two men who believed in the doctrines of that party, viz., Rev. Austin Fuller and Dr. Lyman Griffin. These men were among the most prominent citizens of the county at that time. Mr. Fuller was engaged in the milling business and put in his spare time preaching the gospel according. to the Wesleyan faith, and performing the marriage ceremony for such as wanted to be united for better or worse. Up to the time of his death it is said that he had married about

HISTORY OF MARSHALL COUNTY. 371

500 couples. He was a companionable sort of man, and while he had opinions of his own as to politics and religion he was careful to express himself in such a way as to give no offense.

Dr. Griffin was quite prominent in his time. He was an enterprising, industrious citizen in every way. He was radical in his views on all the important question~ of the day, and did not hesitate to express himself on all proper occasions. He was an enthusiastic temperance advocate and belonged to about all the temperance organizations in existence here at that time.

A county temperance convention was held in Plymouth, in 1853, at which Dr. Griffin was a conspicuous figure. That was about the time Indiana had adopted "local option" and county agents to deal out spiritous liquors on physicians' prescriptions that the desired fluid was for medicinal purposes only. At the meeting referred to a resolution was adopted requesting the several townships to send delegates to a county convention to be called for the purpose of nominating a county ticket. The convention was not called and the scheme fell through.

At that time when spirituous liquors were so hard to get, Lager beer began to make its appearance. Up to that time none of the "foaming Lager" had been shipped to Plymouth. So important was this innovation that the editor of the local paper deemed it necessary to explain the ingredients composing the new comer, and therefore he went on to say:

"Lager beer is a malt liquor only made in Bavaria. It is similar to ale, which it clearly resembles in appearance. I t is weaker than ale and retains foam for a short time. Its taste is sub-acid, and leaves in the mouth a peculiar flavor caused by a coating of pitch which the interior of the barrel receives before being filled."

What a change has taken place in this one article since the foregoing was written! Millions of money are invested in its manufacture, and in almost every city of importance in this and every other country, there is one or more breweries where lager beer is manufactured.

Up to the presidential campaign of 1852 there had not been a great deal of political excitement in Marshall county, for the reason the county was new, and the comparatively few settlers here then had other matters of more importance to attend to than to dabble in politics. In 1852 the population of the county was about 6,000 and the total vote 879 not nearly so many voters as there are now in Plymouth alone. The presidential campaign of that year before the election was held had grown to be exceedingly hot. The democrats had nominated Franklin Pierce, and the Whigs had; pitted against him Gen. Winfield Scott. But very few newspapers found their way here then, and there was a vast amount of ignorance among the voters as to what the real issues of the campaign were. The voters generally knew enough about it to know that they were either democrats or Whigs, as the case might be, and that was enough. r\ good deal of ill feeling grew out of the contest, and for a time society felt its effects in the estrangement that resulted.

But this campaign was not a "patchen" to the Buchanan- Fremont campaign of 1856. The "know-nothing" party had been fully organized; the Republican Party had just come into existence, and the two having joined forces on the presidential ticket, the issue being "Squatter Sovereignty,"

HISTORY OF MARSHALL COUNTY. 372

The “Missouri Compromise,” “Americanism,” etc.; before the close of the campaign it was about as hot in Plymouth as it has ever been in any of the exciting campaigns since that time. The bitterness that grew out of the asperities of the campaign found its way into all phases of society; into churches and benevolent organizations, and even into the business relations of life. The “Fremonters,” thoroughly believing that they were sure to succeed, even the young people of the town went so far as to organize themselves into a Fremont party for social purposes, discarding their former democratic associates both boys and girls.

It is proper for historical purposes to say that the bitterness that showed itself in the way indicated after the election speedily passed away “like the baseless fabric of a dream” and that at least three of the Fremont girls repented, as all good girls do, when they find they are in the wrong, married as many democrat boys, and ever after lived happily and contented together as man and wife.

Political Riot

It was during this campaign that a political “riot,” as it was called, occurred in Bourbon. Colfax and Stewart were opposing candidates for congress in the old “Bloody Ninth Congressional District” and were pitted for a joint discussion at Bourbon on the occasion named. There was a “grand rally” by both parties. Plymouth sent a large delegation, and the two contending parties vied with each other as to which should send the larger delegation. There were great big wagons with tall hickory and ashpoles in the center, from which flags and banners proudly floated, and there were “Goddesses of Liberty” dressed in, red, white and blue, with paper crowns, ornamented with imitation golden stars, representing the States of the Union; and as many little girls dressed in white, carrying tiny little flags in their tiny little hands, also representing the states. All these wagons were drawn by as many horses. Or oxen, as the case might be, as could be conveniently handled, and were fixed up so as to represent log cabins, blacksmith and carpenter shops, and other industrial pursuits, with banners, caricatures and devices, having reference to the issues of the campaign; and there were horsemen with red sashes around their waists, and little flags in the horses’ bridles; and there were people on foot and in wagons; and there were fife and drum bands; and before the procession composed of both parties reached its destination it must have been two miles long; and such yelling and screaming as issued from the throats of the discordant political elements making up the procession was never heard before or since. As the great long, unwieldy procession moved slowly along the oxen and horses’ feet stirred up a cloud of dust that could be seen for miles away.

When the caravan reached the suburbs of the town, the anvils, for want of canons, belched forth a welcome; the martial bands played; the people yelled themselves hoarse, and it was not long until “the village in the woods” was crowded with the most people that had ever been there at one time. Bourbon was a small place then. It had not yet been organized under the law for incorporation of villages, and it did not contain a population

HIISTORY OF MARSHALL COUNTY. 373

all told beyond two or three hundred, if indeed there were that many. It was a primitive village tucked away in the woods, where few ever went unless special business called them there. There were two or three country stores there, a blacksmith and wagon repair shop, a small hotel and a few notion shops, but beyond these evidences of coming greatness there was very little to indicate that it would grow to be the large, thriving and substantial town it now is.

The joint discussion between Judge Stewart, the democratic candidate for congress, and Schuyler Colfax, the American (know-nothing, as that party was called) republican candidate, took place in a grove in the south- west part of town. It was a beautiful grove of forest trees The under growth had been cut down; a stand had been erected and covered with bushes and leaves, and decorated with flags and banners and various emblems representing the two political parties. There were plenty of seats under the umbrageous trees, and the woods were literally full of people, all of whom were intensely interested in the outcome of the political battle that was about to be fought. The rules of the discussion had been agreed upon and the meeting was called to order and the program announced. The first thing in order was music by the old "Plymouth Sax Horn Band," one of the best musical organizations of its kind in this part of the state at the time.

Then came the glee clubs, with campaign songs composed for the occasion by the political poets of the time. If these compositions could be reproduced they would undoubtedly cause a broad smile to radiate the countenance of the "poets" yet living, who imagined at the time that they were destined to become immortal and eventually take their places in the gallery of distinguished American authors.

Mr. Colfax opened the debate. He was a charming campaign speaker, one of the best Indiana has ever produced. He captured the audience from the first, and carried with him to the end those who did not care much about politics one way or the other. He was a most affable and agreeable man, always having a kind word and a smile for everyone. He became so noted for these characteristics that he was known throughout the district as "Schuyler the Smiler." Judge W. Z. Stewart was a resident of Logansport, and was at that time judge of the Supreme Court. He was lame, having but little use of one of his legs. He was a methodical man, and, although a man of learning and ability, was not cut out for a politician, and was not the campaigner that Mr. Colfax was. The Ft. Wayne & Chicago railroad was just then being graded through the town, and there were a large number of railroad laborers there, mostly foreigners. The rally was the occasion for these workmen to take a day off, and most of them were present on the grounds where the speaking was in progress. On the platform the republicans had placed a banner with an inscription which was taken to be a reflection on the "foreigners." In his opening speech Judge Stewart referred to the banner in somewhat excited language, and denounced the party that would be guilty of offering any portion of their fellow citizens so gross an insult as to flaunt that banner before their faces. By this time the excitement was at its highest pitch, and the firing of a pistol by some indiscreet person not far from the speakers' stand was the signal for a general riot. There were a number of fights going on at the same time, and for a while it seemed as though nearly everybody would

374 HISTORY OF MARSHALL COUNTY

be involved in the fracas. For a time it was an indiscriminate, go-as-you- please, knockdown and drag-out fist fight. There were a great many black eyes and skinned faces, and it was reported at the time that several were severely cut with knives and beaten with clubs, but if any deaths resulted from the melee they were kept so quiet that the fact did not become generally known. An attempt was made to restore order and continue the discussion, but so nervous and excited were the people that the meeting broke up by common consent, and the big processions that had gone into town in the morning with such a great flourish of trumpets, hurried home badly broken up and demoralized. That was the deathblow to political joint debates in connection with grand rallies, very few having taken place since that time.

First Congressional Convention.

The first congressional convention held in Plymouth was on July 20, 1858. The district embraced a large territory and was composed of the following counties: Marshall, La Porte, St. Joseph, Lake, Porter, Fulton, Miami, Cass, Pulaski, White, Benton and Stark. The following names were attached to the call : John A. Graham, W. C. Barnett, Joseph Jackson, John H. Scott, H. F. Howard, S. A. Hall, W. H. Draper, J. L. Rock, John C. Walker, Banner Law head, Charles S. Tebbetts and Daniel McDonald. Only the writer of this history is certainly known to be living.

The convention was held according to announcement and was described as "the largest and most enthusiastic convention ever held in the ninth congressional district." Early in the morning about twenty-five horsemen proceeded down the Michigan road, and met the "unverified" of Fulton county, about fifty in number, and escorted them into town, where they were received with a hearty welcome by the democracy of Marshall county. Delegates from Bloomingburg, Tippecanoe, Bourbon, Wolf Creek and Starke county came in at an early hour, and by the time the train was expected from the west the town was thronged with "good and true democrats." This train brought a host of democrats from the western portion of the district, who were accompanied by the La Forte brass band, the Kakapo and Westville Union brass bands. Hon. Norman Eddy, of St. Joseph, was chosen president of the convention, and S. A. Hall and John A. Graham, of Miami, secretaries. The first ballot for a: candidate for congress resulted as follows: John C. Walker, 61; James Bradley, 33; C. H. Reeve, 10. The nomination of Mr. Walker was made unanimous. All these candidates are dead.

The district was republican at that time, and Mr. Walker was defeated by Schuyler Colfax. Four new districts have been added since that time, and the old "bloody ninth" has been pushed on up to No.13, and instead of thirteen counties it is now composed of only six.

Colfax and Tripe Debates.

Marshall County has always been considered the most important political factor in the congressional district in which it has always been one of the counties. For thirteen congressional campaigns it was in the Ninth district, and from the hard fought battles in each of these campaigns it gained the distinction of being known all over the country as the "bloody ninth." In all these campaigns, without a single exception, Marshall County gave substantial majorities for the democratic candidates, and after the republicans

HISTORY OF MARSHALL COUNTY. 375

gained the ascendancy in the district for several years Marshall county stood alone as the single democratic county In the district. Marshall County being in the central part of the district, the conventions of both parties were frequently held here, and in all the joint debates between the opposing candidates Plymouth was always considered one of the, best points in the district.

Among the joint debates that occurred In the old bloody ninth undoubtedly the most interesting and Important political discussions ever heard In the United States, excepting only the joint debates of Lincoln and Douglas in Illinois in 1858, were those between Schuyler Colfax and David Tripe in 1862-64-66.

Mr. Colfax had been elected to congress in 1856, 1858 and 1860. The slavery question in that campaign. was the paramount issue and he was serving his third term when Mr. Turpie was pitted against him. In his fourth campaign. The war of the rebellion was then being carried on in all its fury and the political excitement but tended to increase the intensity of the feelings of the people, and as a consequence the debates were largely attended and the deepest interest was manifested throughout. The district at that time was reliably republican.

Mr. Turpie was unanimously nominated by the democratic convention for congress against Mr. Colfax. Arrangements were made for a series of joint debates between the candidates. The district was very large, comprising fourteen counties, and the field to be traversed in the canvass comprised a very large territory. The meetings were held at all the county seats and at many other places in the more populous counties, the time occupied being about six weeks of successive speech days, omitting Sundays.

At each of these meetings there were two timekeepers and two moderators, chosen by the respective parties. The order was that no one was to be admitted to the stand except these four and the two speakers, but in the tumultuous excitement of those days this rule was sometimes violated and the crowd around the speakers became so dense as to be oppressive. The whole time of the joint discussion was three hours. The first speaker was entitled to an hour in opening and half an hour to close; the other spoke continuously an hour and a half in the interval, and this order alternated from day to day. The meetings were well attended, 2,000 or 3,000 not being an unusual audience. In such assemblages were found the best men of both parties. The people were anxious to hear the debates and did not often tolerate interruption or disorder. Such was the intense and eager political feeling of the time that no account was taken of the weather. On many occasions the speakers addressed large crowds of men and women that stood in the rain; some of them had umbrellas, others were without shelter, but none left the ground; all tarried to hear even the last words of the closing reply.

In 1864 Mr. Colfax and Mr. Turpie were again opposing candidates for congress, the campaign being conducted on the same mode and to the same extent of time and travel, as it had been two years before Mr. Colfax was again elected, but not by so large a majority as he had sometimes formerly received. In 1866 Mr. Turpie was again nominated by his party by acclamation to make the race against Mr. Colfax, who was then speaker of the House of Representatives. This campaign was made in the same manner as the two former. Mr. Colfax was again elected and served two years as

376 HISTORY OF MARSHALL COUNTY.

speaker of the house, and at the close of his term, in 1869, was inaugurated vice-president of the United States.

The last joint discussion between these two political giants, and the last that either of them was ever engaged in, was held in Knox, in Starke county, on Saturday preceding the election in October, 1866. As they left the stand Mr. Colfax turned to Mr. Turpie and said that he did not know what the result of the election might be, but that he knew one thing to a certainty- he would never make another race for congress in that district; the labor was too great, too exacting. He kept his word; in fact, neither of them ever made another race for congress.

These three successive campaigns, with their accompanying joint discussions covering a period of six years, made between the same competitors, with the same result, are perhaps without a parallel in the history of the state. The notable distinctive feature in them was the unchanging stability of both parties to their choice of candidates. That the party uniformly successful should have retained in its service the, same candidate is not so singular, but that the minority party, under these circumstances, should have steadily adhered to its defeated candidate is somewhat uncommon.

These joint debates resulted in making Mr. Colfax twice speaker of the national house of representatives, and vice president of the United States, and electing Mr. Turpie three times to the senate of the United States, in which both of these distinguished statesmen left honorable records, of which every Indianian is justly proud.

Not until Marshall County was "gerrymandered" from the "bloody ninth" to the Thirteenth district was it honored with a candidate for congress. Since then it has had the following candidates for congress: Henry G. Thayer, republican; Charles Kellison, democrat; Daniel McDonald, democrat. None of these was elected.

In other higher positions Marshall County has been honored by nominations and appointments as follows:

C. H. Reeve, delegate to democratic national convention, New York, 1868.

Horace Corbin, delegate to democratic national convention, Baltimore, 1872.

Daniel McDonald, delegate to democratic national convention, St. Louis, 1876, and to Chicago, 1884.

John S. Bender, delegate to greenback national convention, Chicago, 1878, and member committee on resolutions, also delegate to national green- back convention, 1880.

M. A. 0. Packard was democratic candidate for reporter supreme court, 1868.

Charles P. Drummond was democratic candidate for attorney general, 189 ---.

Election Days.

Election days in the county have usually been quiet and peaceable, but two or three disturbances worth naming having ever occurred-the one above named being the most notable. At the presidential election in Green Township, in 1860, a civil disturbance occurred between the two political parties, occasioned by the democrats challenging the vote of a young man

HISTORY OF MARSHALL COUNTY. 377

who had been attending commercial college at Pittsburgh. This was the signal for challenges on the part of the republicans, and from that out almost every man's vote was challenged whether he was known to be a legal vote: or not, and much bitterness of feeling was engendered, but beyond a unanimous "mad" all round nothing serious resulted from this exhibition of political malice. The old Whig party, the American party, and later the republican party, have always made their nominations on the "mass convention" plan-that is, those in attendance decided the number of votes each township should be entitled to in voting for the nomination of candidates, etc. The democracy have uniformly held their conventions on the delegate plan-that is, the county central committee usually apportioned the delegates each township should be entitled to, on the basis of so many votes for each 100 democratic votes cast at a general election held immediately prior. Of late years they adopted the plan of instructing the delegates in what proportion to cast their votes for candidates in the county convention on the first ballot. This was called giving- each candidate his "relative strength." It was thought by many if relative strength was the proper way of nominating candidates it should be by the primary election system, and so at the county convention in 1878 the writer of this history formulated the following resolution, which was introduced and its passage secured by the late Judge Capron, who was a delegate to the convention:

Resolved, That it is the sense of this convention that future nominations for county offices shall be made by the primary election system, and that the period having the highest number of votes shall be declared the nominee for the office for which he is a candidate, and the county central committee is hereby authorized and required to arrange the details necessary to successfully carry into effect the provisions of this resolution."

At the first primary election held under this resolution nearly the entire democratic vote of the county was polled. The system was kept up for a number of years, but was finally abandoned, and the party returned to the delegate system, but providing for double the number of delegates.

Presidential Elections.

The presidential elections in Marshall County from the first election down to .the present time have been the controlling influence, which has kept the dominant parties in line. Every four years as soon as the presidential nominations are made party lines are tightly drawn and the "battle royal" begins with two or three exceptions the democratic party has been successful in carrying the county for its nominee for president. The following are the names. of the presidential candidates, and the majority they received at each election since the organization of the county:

1840 - Van Buren, democrat………. 36

1844 - Polk, democrat……………… 58

1848 - Cass, democrat ……………..106

1852 - Pierce, democrat ……………168

1856 - Buchanan, democrat ……….111

1860 - Lincoln, republican ………….153

1864 - McClellan, democrat ………..383

1868 - Seymour, democrat …………460

1872 - Greeley, mugwump ………… 27

378 HISTORY OF MARSHALL COUNTY

1876-Tilden, democrat ………….570

1880-Hancock, democrat……… 542

1884-Cleveland, democrat…….. 761

1888-Cleveland, democrat ……..605

1892-Cleveland, democrat ……..555

1896-l3ryan, democrat ………….605

1900-Bryan, democrat ………….502

1904-Roosevelt, republican…….123

In 1860 the County went for Lincoln by a majority of 153. The war spirit for the preservation of the Union was abroad in the land, and the democratic national convention held at Charleston having divided on the doctrine of "squatter sovereignty" as advocated by Stephen A. Douglas, and the southern states having nominated John C. Breckinridge as their candidate for president, and the northern states later having nominated Douglas, the party in Marshall county became divided to such an extent that the new republican party had no trouble in carrying the county for Lincoln.

In 1872 the democrats made no nomination, but at the democratic national convention held at Baltimore committed the unspeakable folly of endorsing the nomination of Horace Greeley, who had previously been nominated by a convention of bolting republicans. Greeley had always been a bitter opponent of the democratic party, and a large number of the democrats all over the country, and especially of Marshall county, refused to vote for him, and hence the large reduction in the democratic vote in the county.

The reason the republican party was able to carry the county in the presidential election of 1904 was on account of a split which occurred in the democratic party in 1896 on the money question; and again in 1900, in both of which elections W. J. Bryan was the democratic candidate, but was defeated by the large number of democrats who refused to vote for him in both elections on the money issue, which was practically the same in both campaigns. In the campaign of 1904 the faction who opposed Bryan in both of the previous campaigns secured the nomination of a candidate for president who represented their views in the person of Alton B. Parker. The consequence was that about 500 democrats who had voted for Bryan in the previous campaigns refused to go to the polls on election day, and many others who went to the election voted for the republican candidate, President Roosevelt, thus enabling him to carry the county by 123 majority.

In many of these fifteen presidential campaigns that our people have taken part in since the organization of the county there have been more than the candidates of the two dominant parties, but none of them were able to carry enough votes to make any perceptible change in the result. The green- back party made the best showing in 1880, when it cast 536 votes for Weaver, its candidate for president.

First Presidential Election.

The writer's first recollection of a presidential campaign was the first election held for president in Marshall county known as the Harrison campaign of 1840, and further designated as the campaign of "Tippecanoe and Tyler, too"; "Coon skins," "log cabins," and "hard cider." He was a small boy then, but the excitement was so great and there being nothing else in those days to attract attention the occurrences easily made a vivid and lasting impression on his mind.