272 - HISTORY OF ERIE COUNTY. (RETURN TO THE TITLE PAGE) CHAPTER XIX. SOME EVENTS OF ERIE COUNTY'S POLITICAL HISTORY. ERIE county has never achieved a standing of any special importance in the political history, of the nation or of the State of Ohio; but to the county itself its political history has been as important as that of any county in the State to itself. In the year 1838, at the time the county by Legislative enactment was created, there existed but two recognized political parties, the Whig and the Democratic; but there did exist at that time a strong anti-slavery feeling in the hearts of a few, and but a few men, whose chosen, fearless and out-spoken champion was Francis D. Parish, who had then had a residence in Sandusky of some sixteen years. At the time of which we speak the cause of the Democracy was championed by Colonel Hanies, at one time collector of the port; William H. Hunter, at one time member of Congress ; William B. Smith, Horace Alpin, H. W. Conklin, Zenas W. Barker, John S. Campbell, and others, who, though less active, were none the less zealous in their labors. The Whig principles were advocated by Elentheros Cooke, Oran Follett, Colonel John N. Sloane, Colonel Abner Root, William Townsend, Joseph M. Root, John Weeden, John Wheeler, Philip R. Hopkins, Judge Caldwell, Judge Farwell, Major Camp, David Campbell, and perhaps others equally prominent whose names cannot now be recalled. The political complexion of the county at that time was Democratic, and nearly, if not quite all, of the first officers were of that party. Horace Alpin was recorder, H. W. Conklin was auditor, William B. Smith was treasurer, Zenas W. Barker was clerk of the courts, Harvey Long was sheriff, and John S. Campbell was prosecuting attorney, and each was elected on the Democratic ticket. At the next election, however, there seems to have been a decided change in affairs, brought about in part by the increase in the Whig ranks, and in part by the fact that General Harrison was upon the ticket as a candidate for the presidency, and his personal popularity rallied to his support the entire Whig strength and drew largely from the opposition party. In that year the Whigs elected C. B. Squires for recorder, William Neill for auditor, Zalumna Phillips for sheriff, and Francis D. Parish for prosecuting attorney. Mr. Parish affrliated somewhat with the Whigs, that party coming nearer to his principles than any other. But during the first ten years of the county's political history the majority for the successful party, which ever it may have been, was very slight and liable easily to be overthrown by the unpopularity of a nominee. General Harrison, as is well known, died soon after entering upon the discharge of his duties as president and John Tyler succeeded him. His administration was POLITICAL HISTORY - 273 hardly in accord with true Whig doctrines, and resulted disastrously to the party. James K. Polk succeeded by the election in 1844, as the candidate of the Democracy. In the county Ebenezer Merry, Whig, was elected recorder; Orlando McKnight, Democrat, for auditor ; Rice Harper, Whig, for clerk ; Ebenezer Warner, Democrat, for sheriff, and S. F. Taylor, Whig, for prosecuting attorney. In 1848 the Free-Soil party took shape, and in the campaign of that year Mr. Parish and other anti-slavery men supported the nomination of its candidate, Martin Van Buren, while Zack. Taylor appeared as the Whig nominee, and General Lewis Cass as the choice of the Democracy. General Taylor, better known as old " Rough and Ready," carried the day, and with it came a majority of the local offices into the hands of Whigs. In the fifties the old Whig party gradually merged into the Republican party, except a few who could not adopt the full platform of the latter party, but this decade saw a majority of the county offices in the control of the Whigs and Republicans. The Know-Nothing party also became developed sufficiently in the county to put a candidate in the local field for the several offices, although in part it fused with the Republicans. A. H. Striker became their nominee for the probate judgeship and was elected, but he had also the Democratic support. They also supported Horace N. Bill for clerk, although he was also the Republican candidate. During this same decade, in 1852, the Democratic and States' Rights parties nominated and elected Franklin Pierce; . and again, in 1856, they triumphed by the candidacy of James Buchanan In this latter campaign the Northern, Free-Soil, and Abolition parties supported John C. Freemont, while the Know-Nothings found a candidate in Millard Fillmore. From 1850 to 1860 the office of recorder was held by Charles Wilbur and James W. Cooke, both Republicans ; the office of auditor, Foster M, Follett and Charles H. Botsford, both Republicans ; the office of treasurer by John B. Wilber, Democrat ; John W. Sprague, Thomas S. Fuller, Holly Skinner, Whigs and Republicans, and Thomas S. Fernald, Democrat; the office of clerk by Rice Harper and Horace N. Bill, both Whigs ; the office of sheriff by George W. Smith, G. B. Gerrard and Fred, F. Smith, Democrats ; the office of prosecuting attorney by A. W. Hendry, John Mackey and O. C. MoLouth, Whigs and Republicans. In 1860 Mr. Lincoln became the candidate of the Republicans, or united Whig and Abolition parties; Stephen A. Douglass and John C. Breckenridge of the divided factions of the Democracy, and John Bell of the old American or Union party. Mr. Lincoln was triumphantly elected, carrying every Northern State except New Jersey. After this came the secession of the Southern States, followed by four years of civil war. The Union must be maintained and the Republican president and his cabinet must be supported, both in Federal, State and county politics ; therefore it is not surprising that the ranks of 274 - HISTORY OF ERIE COUNTY. the Democracy became decimated and those of the Republican party largely increased. The office of prosecuting attorney between the years 1860 and 1870, was held by F. W. Cogswell, a Republican ; sheriff by D. S. Worthington and Jesse Davis, both Republicans ; clerk by John J. Penfield, George W. Penfield and George 0. Selkirk, all Republicans ; probate judge by George Morton and A. W. Hendry, both Republicans ; recorder by James W. Cook, John W. Reed and William A. Till, all Republicans ; auditor by George W. Smith and Ebenezer Merry, Republicans, and the office of treasurer, W. H. McFall and James D. Chamberlain, both Republicans. After the close of the war there became a desire to reward with office those who had been in the service. To this end nearly all of the local offices were filled with soldiers, who had no difficulty in obtaining a nomination in the convention, and who had to make but little effort to secure an election, as the Republican majority in the county reached, on certain occasions, something like seven, eight or nine hundred. But after a number of years many people became tired of this and began to realize the fact that a person that had not a soldier record had no chance for a position. ' This drove many to support the candidates of other parties. Then, again, after the Republicans had been in power, both in general and local politics, there became a growing dissatisfaction with the party and a desire for a change. These things resulted in a gradual diminution of the Republican vote and a corresponding increase of the Democratic, until the parties were again nearly equally divided, and not infrequently would the minority party of the county elect a candidate to an important office. The floating vote, as a rule, inclines to a growing party, and as a result of this and other causes, the Democracy succeeding in capturing, not only most of the fat offices, but in a few years had a decided majority. And it is a fact that during the last six or eight years that party has been in the ascendancy in the county, although it is evident that the majority is becoming less with each succeeding year. Of the present officers of the county nearly all are Democrats. Elsewhere in this chapter reference has been made to the anti-slavery principles, so strongly advocated by Francis D. Parish. This idea with him was. by no means a desire to become conspicuous among his fellow men, but rather the result of deep conviction. The early history of his connection with the antislavery party and its few adherents in this county, became an important feature of the political history of the county, insomuch that in compliance with a general request, we feel constrained to enter somewhat into the detail of that history ; and from the further fact that but little, if anything, has heretofore been written upon that subject. For the facts following upon this matter the writer depends upon the autobiography of Mr. Parish, written some years prior to the time of his death,. and never appearing in print heretofore, although the case at law, growing 0ut POLITICAL HISTORY - 275 of Mr. Parish's efforts at securing the liberation of fugitive slaves, has been fully stated in the United States law reports. There were but two suits brought to recover the value of escaping slaves, which arose from transactions in this county. One of these was brought against Mr. Parish and the other against Hon. Rush R. Sloane, and these it is proposed particularly to notice. From the Parish autobiography the following is taken. " The question arose as to the relative merits and the tendency of the colonization and the anti-slavery societies, the latter of which was being organized in different localities in the free States. I had hitherto supported the colonization society, upon the assumed ground that it would lead ultimately to the abolition of slavery. But the discussion worked an entire revolution in my mind. I became thoroughly convinced that the tendency of the colonization scheme was only to add value to slave property by the removal of free laborers to foreign lands, and thereby strengthen and perpetuate the slave system in the United States. Consequently I changed to an open and zealous hostility to that society, and became an advocate of the anti-slavery sooiety. " As the agitation of the question became general, violent opposition developed itself in all quarters. The abolitiontists were not only opposed, but persecuted with great violence, both in church and state. The press, religious as well as secular, and literary institutions of the country, were so entangled and involved in the interests of the slave power of the land, that they at once combined in a general onslaught upon all abolitionists. All heartily joined in a common effort to overwhelm them, and if possible, to silence and suppress all discussion of the subject in compliance with the arrogant demands of the slave holders. Men of the highest respectability in the country were repeatedly subjected to mob violence, stimulated and encouraged by men of property and standing in the cities and in the country generally. " Elisha Parish Lovejoy, publisher and editor of a religious paper, moderately advocating anti-slavery principles, first in St. Louis, then in Alton, Ill., was driven from place to place and finally murdered, and his press destroyed at the latter place. Not the least notice in law was taken of the outrage. " William Lloyd Garrison, publisher and editor of the Liberator, was at one time dragged through the streets of Boston with a rope around his neck or body, by a furious mob composed ( as was announced in the papers ) of ' men of property and standing' of that city. Examples might be multiplied of similar mobs in other cities and towns. " The press of the Philanthropist, early published in Cincinnati, O., was three times destroyed, to replace which I had the pleasure to as often contribute. For some time I stood alone in Sandusky as a known abolitionist, and for a time my person and residence were exposed to and threatened with mob violence. " Abolitionists and some others helped along fugitive slaves in their flight 276 - HISTORY OF ERIE COUNTY. through the free States to Canada, where alone they could find peace and safety. On reaching the southern borders of the free States, by the aid of the north star, they found some one ready to point out the right way, and some often conveyed in wagons and carriages from place to place, till they reached the waters of Lake Erie or the rivers. Sandusky was the general point of shipment of such articles for Canada. Here I was in readiness to see them safely on board a reliable craft. Hence I was often designated as the keeper of the depot or warehouse of the Underground Railroad.' I have helped along hundreds and perhaps thousands. Often the fugitive was hotly pursued, and there were those in and about Sandusky eager to seize him at the beck of the hounds in pursuit. Haste and skill were therefore required to insure the deliverance of the panting victims. It was known to the general public that it was my business and practice to send forward, by water or otherwise, all such as were fortunate enough to reach Sandusky ; yet I was never molested but once. In that case I was sued in the Circuit Court of the United States for the district of Ohio, under the fugitive slave law of Congress, of 1793, and was finally mulcted in the sum of $1,000 and costs, which 'were taxed at $500." The Driscoll Case.—" In the fall of 1844 there came to my house a fugitive slave woman with six children. The oldest was a son of seventeen or eighteen, and the youngest, also a son, about six years old ; one daughter, about fifteen, and three other sons, aged respectively, about sixteen, fourteen, and twelve. As they arrived the steamboat for Detroit had just left the dock. It proved to be the last trip as the bay was that night frozen over. It thus appeared probable that they must pass the winter in Sandusky. The two older boys, however, soon made their way to Canada by land and ice. I gave the mother and youngest boy a place in my family, the mother doing work at $1 per week and board of self and little boy. Places were found for the girl and other two boys to work for their board. These boys were sent on errands through the streets, and one of them was often sent for water to a pump in the street near the Townsend House. It so happened that a Kentucky traveler, stopping at that hotel, saw and recognized this boy, and so informed the man who claimed to be the owner, Peter Driscoll, of Mason county, Ky. The other boy, who was called Doc,' was with a family near my own residence (No. 5 Washington Row). " On one of the last days of February, 1845, the woman of this family came hastily into my kitchen, exclaiming, Mr. Parish, what does this mean ? Two men came into our wood-house, where he was sawing wood, seized Doc, and carried him off, he screaming for his life.' " Understanding at once what was up, I passed hastily to my front door, on opening which I saw two men walking rapidly past my front gate and turn the corner of my lot, apparently to go to my wood-house, which was connected with the kitchen. On turning the -corner they saw me upon the plat- POLITICAL HISTORY - 277 form of my steps, and one of them exclaimed, Oh, here is Mr. Parish !' And both turned and walked back to my front gate. Mitchell (as I afterward 'learned) asked me if there was a colored woman at my house, called Jane Garrison. My prompt reply was, There is, sir.' He then said he was the agent of the owner of the woman and the family, and was authorized to take and return them to their master. Very well,' says I, ' if you have a right to take her, and pursue the legal course, I shall not resist, but you must pursue the course pointed out by law in such cases, and if you prove your right, very well. I shall, however, see that she has a fair trial.' Well,' says he, 'I also am a law abiding man, and ask nothing but what the law gives me.' He asked to see the woman, and I told him I had no objection, if the woman was willing to see him. I stepped into the house and asked Jane if she was willing to see the men. She said not, but on my advising her to do so, she went with me to the front door, and stood on the platform, while the men were outside the gate, ten feet from her. Mitchell spoke to her, calling her by name, but I do not remember that she made any reply. Mitchell asked the little boy, who stood by his mother, to come and shake hands with him, and I said, it is not necessary.' Mitchell then urged me to have the woman taken before a justice of the peace at Castalia. I objected, saying that there were competent officers in the city, after which they went away, not having been inside the gate. I then took out a writ of habeas corpus, to take the boys whom they held in confinement in their room at the hotel, and at the same time lodged a complaint against Mitchell and the other man for assault and battery upon the boys. The proceedings were before the late Judge Farwell, who, after hearing the whole evidence on both sides, discharged the boys, and they departed. Mitchell and his companion were bound over to court to answer the charge of assault and battery. " In August, 1845, I was served with two writs of summons from the United States Circuit Court of this State, at the suit of Peter Driscoll, in one case demanding the penalty, and in the other claiming the value of the slaves, under the law of Congress of 1793, for the alleged rescue of the slaves from their owner. The suits were instituted by Henry Stansbury, then of Columbus, but later of Covington, Ky., the same man who was attorney-general under Andrew Johnson. Salmon P. Chase, of Cincinnati, and John W. Andrews, of Columbus, were my attorneys, voluntary, that is, they made no charge for their services. The issue was duly made up, and I attended court from year to year, generally with several witnesses from Sandusky, until the final trial in 1849. The cases were twice tried; once the jury could not agree, and once a verdict against me was set aside and a new trial granted. At the term of 1848, at the solicitation of kind friends of the Ohio bar, the Hon. Thomas Ewing volunteered in the defense. In the fall of 1849 Mr. Ewing was called to the cabinet of President Taylor, and could not be present at the 278 - HISTORY OF ERIE COUNTY. term of that year ; but at the like solicitation, the Hon. Thomas Corwin volunteered assistance in the defense." Upon the third and final trial of the case, the details of which are deemed unimportant here, Mr. Parish was mulcted in damages to the extent of $2,000, besides costs, amounting to several hundred dollars more. But the judgment for damages was reduced to $1,000, and the costs were likewise reduced to $250. By the generous assistance of personal friends, and friends of the cause to which Mr. Parish was so earnestly devoted, the whole amount of judgment and costs, amounting to $1,250 was paid. This was the first case of this character brought against a citizen of Sandusky, upon a cause of action arising in Erie county, and becomes important from its very nature, and will prove doubly interesting to the thousands of friends that hold the victim of the prosecution in such kindly remembrance. The names of the slaves, the value of whom was sued for, were Jane Garrison and Harrison Garrison. The case has but one fellow, that is, an action brought against a resident of Sandusky, and this was the case of Lewis F. Weimer against Rush R. Sloane, then a young and active practicing attorney of the city. But this differs in some respects from that just quoted, and was brought under a more recent act of Congress, procured to become a law through the great power of southern chivalry, and by which the value of a slave was fixed at $1,000, regardless of physical condition, age, or actual value. The names of the slaves that were aided in their escape were George Bracken, Emily Bracken, Ellen Bracken, Robert Pritt, Matilda Pritt, Eliza Pritt, and Thomas Pritt. The action. of Weimer against Sloane was brought to recover the value of three of these, and, for the evenst at the time that led to the suit we have recourse to the testimony of Major Foster M. Follett, one of the witnesses for the defendant, although the evidence offered by the plaintiff was somewhat different. " Mr. Follett, sworn : Was mayor of Sandusky city October 9, 1852 ; heard a noise in the street ; the crowd came into the office; was writing at the time ; knew there were slaves there ; negroes were seated in the room ; paid no attention but kept on writing, with back to negroes ; after some time, Rice (Oliver Rice the marshal at the time) came in and laid the papers on my desk; did not look at the papers. Mr. Bill asked what I was going to do. I replied that I had no jurisdiction; think he did not speak to Patton (the slave catcher), or Patton to him ; after some time Rice came to my desk and I handed the papers to him, but Rice asked if I had examined them, and I said I had not, after which I went towards the door. "'The defendant (Sloane) then came in, turned around and said, " By what authority are these persons held in custody? Are there any papers to show why they are held here ?" Think Patton said Rice had the papers. Defendant then said; " Colored citizens, I see no authority for detaining your colored POLITICAL HISTORY - 279 friends." The negroes and crowd then went out, after which Patton said to Sloane, "Here's the papers ; those slaves are mine and I will hold you responsible." There was not much noise or excitement.'" These slaves had arrived in Sandusky on the evening of October 9, 1852, the day on which these evenst occurred, and were immediately taken on board the steamboat Arrow, that lay at the wharf. The slave-catcher, Patton, saw them on the boat and at once called upon Oliver Rice and others to arrest and take them into custody, which was done. They were then taken before Mayor Follett that the ownership might be proved ; and it was during the early part of the proceedings in the mayor's office that some colored men had gone for Mr. Sloane to engage him to appear in their defense. To a person unacquainted with the arbitrary laws then in force regarding fugitive slaves, it would seem that the part taken by Mr. Sloane after his arrival, formed a very flimsy foundation upon which to base an action. But the reader must bear in mind that that law was enacted by Congress at a time when the Southern people held absolute sway in the legislative halls of Congress, and by their controlling strength could and did pass measures wholly in their favor, however tyrannical and oppressive they may have been to others. The section of the act under which the slaves were detained provided, " That where a person held to service or labor in any State or Territory of the United States, has heretofore, or shall hereafter escape into another State or Territory of the United States, the person or persons to whom such service or labor may be due, or his, her, or their agent or attorney, duly authorized by power of attorney in writing, acknowledged and certified under the seal of some legal officer or court, of the State or Territory in which the same may be executed, may pursue and reclaim such fugitive person, either by procuring a warrant from some one of the courts, judges or comMissioners aforesaid, of the proper circuit, district or county, for the apprehension of such fugitive ; or by seizing and arresting such fugitive, where the same can be done without pro.. cess ; and by taking or causing such person to be taken before such court, judge, or comMissioners," etc. It was by the authority of this act that these slaves were detained, and it was on account of the part taken by Mr. Sloane in the proceedings before Mayor Follett that he was summoned to answer in damages in the United States court. The trial resulted in a verdict against the defendant in the amount of three thousand dollars, one thousand dollars for each slave claimed to be owned by Weimer. This judgment and costs Mr. Sloane paid in full. Another suit growing out of the same transaction was brought against him by Charles M. Gibbons, but through a defect in the paper the action was dismissed.