The Ottawa free trader. [volume] (Ottawa, Ill.) 1843-1916, 1848-08-18

the fire on so defuuct a carcass, yet there j
so effective and amhilaiing bioalsia
poured upon him by the Chicago Demucra
Of Monday, that we must be excused for gi
wing it at least a faint echo.
The Democrat sketches first his manqu
vres to beat Wentworth for congress at the
late election. Letters are given from diff
ferent parts of the district, showing that foI
more than year he had been using the
Influence oihis ollicc->hapins his decisions
{ and holding the rod overt the circuit clerks
/ to procure nomination 10y the democrats
congressional Notwithstanding. rather
from necessity than principle, for principle
/ he appears tc have none, as the anti proNiso
candidate. His success IN the convention
we all know-he managed 10 GET second
set of delegates from two counties. Sosis-
ually beaten in the convention. he is next
/ placed on the track as the candidate Of tie
anti pro,iSo boilers. Bltthc>e he soon dis
covers are too insignificant in Numbers to
make decent show Of clccting him; 50 he
goes 10 the wings aud asks their assistance.
They give him encouragement, but demand
as a preliminary 10 treating, that he shall
first cast OF his ani-provjSo friends and
pledge himself against slavery extension.
This he does without hesitation, aud a letter
apperS at once in the Chicago papers giving
the rcquired,pltdSes. But then the wings
tell him that he must bide the decision Of
their convention, and it happened unfor,u-
tunately tia; by the time the whig couven-
ton came OFT they had cot so well acuuaiut-
Ell with his eel skin nature, that they una
nimously rCpudiated him; and 50, making
a virtue Of necessity, he hauls vn the track
entirely.
This little piece Of history disposed of,
the Democrat gives briefa lively sketch
oil his political lie since he first came into the
state. Following are a few OF the facts si-
ven in this instructive little history:
Judge Thomas commenced his political
career in this state by peddlirg .coilin
hand1ilIS' against Gea. Jackson, at his
first election. He next became a jackson
man, aud was elected as suchin 1892 sec
rotary Of the senate Of this state by the de.
mocrats. After JackSon's second election,
he became an applicant to him for a mum
Der Of Offices, none of which, however, -
obtained, and he became dissatisfied, and
went over to the wings with 10 Duncan.
In 81 be called himself an ''indepe udent,"
and as such run against Robert Smith, and
beat him for the legislature, by sending n
lying message TO several distant precincts.
just as the polls opened. informing them
that Smith had hauled off ia his favor. lie
was then known as a Hugh l.. White man,
who was one of the candidates for presi-
dent against Mr.. Van Buren,. Before the
close of the session Of the legislature To-
which he had been elected, he had fianag-
ed enough to get himself elected attorney
general. This Office he held until lS36,
when he traded il eff aud was again elected
secretary Of the senate as democrat; and
before the legislature adjourned, by the help
of the banks, whose suspension about that
time he aided to get lcgalizcd, he was elec-
ted Judge Of this northern circuit, no sooner
than he had come to which, he began TO set
his stakes iUrcungreSs. But Douglass beat
him so bad in the convention thathe imne-
distely turned against him, and with other
dsaltectCd democrats succeeded in defeat.
lug him by five votes. lie next tried, on
the death Of Col. Stephenson, TO get the de-
mncrats to nominate him for governor, to
"brng back the conservatives" as he ar.
Sued. Bat the democrats wouldn't take,
and nominated Carlin, and thereupun
Thomas went again entirely over 10 the
wings, voted their entire ticket, and in 1928
he shines as one Of their orators at a great
wing barbecue in Springfield. The legis-
Iature meeting about this time, the only
wing Legislature that ever met in Illinois.
Judge T. traded Of his judgeship, and was
elected railroad commissioner, but at the
second session of this legislature his Office
was abolished, at which he became so dis.
satisfied that he again went over TO the de-
mocrats. In 1912, by the most unhallowed
means, he came near getting himself elect
ed judge Of the Cook circuit; aud finally, in
M, by the same kind ofmeans, he did sue
coed, by the aid Of the wings, in getting
hmselfelected Judge Of the Quincy crcuit,
but so hated was he by the people Of that re-
eion, that he was obliged to exchange circuits
with Judge Young, and thus he finally got
10 til congressional district.
This is brief and very imperfect, but, as
&, far US it goes. true outline Of the career Of
this notorious political ganestcr. Was
ever politician more corrupt, or guilty Of
more political regeneration more ground
and lofty tumbling? The character is be-
meath contempt-it is IN the extreme ludi.
, crOuS.
INDIASA ELECTION Returns irom n ma
joriiy of the counties indicate that the dem
ocrats viii again have a majority in both
houses Of the legislature.