Litchfield enquirer., 1868-06-11
FIFTY YEARS IN SHARON.-NO 4.

In :1S17, the government of the State came into the hands of party which as- sumed the name of the 1dlerotion Party. This party had elected Governor Wolcott, and had come into power in the State. The Congregationalists as body, sustained the ancient regime; the other denominations favored the change. The larger denomi- nation was called the &anding Order, and the argument that the laws gave special privileges to this sect, was potent with the masses of the other sects, and brought | them, with very few exceptions, to the sup port of the Federation ticket. Sharon had been strong Federal town, and in the election of 1917, had given it's favorite son, the Hon. John Cotton Smith, more than one hundred majority for Governor. There were about thirty Democrats, who mostly resided in the east part of the town, whose favorite leader was Horatio Smith, who were always on hand at elections, and yo- ted their ticket; but, with this exception, the vote was nearly unanimous for the Fed eral party.
 In 1918, the toleration principle began to show itself in the elections in Sharon, the Episcopalians, Methodists and Baptists nearly all supporting that party, so that in the April elections of that year, the Fede- ralists elected their candidates, Hezekiah Goodwin and Thomas St. John, after a hard struggle, and by close majorities. The Legislature of that year called the Conven- tion to frame Constitution, and made a very great extension of the right of suf- frage. Instead of restricting the privilege to freeholders, it was extended to all who paid taxes. The fourth day of July was appointed for the election of delegates to the Convention. On that occasion, the party lines were strictly drawn ill Sharon. Nearly one hundred new voters were sworn in, and several gentlemen who had been open and decided Federalists, came out with equal decision for the toleration par ty. Among those were Oliver Kellogg, Ansel Sterling, Samuel R. Gager, Stephen Deming, and Samuel Roberts. All these at- forwards received political favor from their new associates, and were, except MT. Dem ing, members of the Legislature. MT. Deming's share was lease of the County House at Litchfeld for long torm of years, at moderate rent. Oliver Kellogg was the strong man of the party, and was thelr loading c;sudidnto for the Legislature as long as their ascendancy in the town was doubtful. He had been. 8 member of the Legislature for many years under the old government, and had weight of char acter aud influence which few of his party possessed.
 At the delegate election, Cyrus Swan and Samuel E. Everitt were the Federal Candi- dates, and Oliver Kellogg and Ansel Ster- ling for the Tolerationists. This was the first election in the town when the parties were able to concentrate their votes on their candidates at the first ballot. No caucus had been held by either party, and
 
 years afterwards, no such meetings had been called in the town. At this time, such was the pressure of circumstances and the importance of the crisis, that near ly all the votes of each party were given for their respective candidates on the first ballot, and Mess1s. Swan and Everitt were elected by a small majority over all other candidates.
 The Constitution was framed by the Convention and submitted to the people for their ratification. Tine meeting in Sharon to act on the question of it's adop- tion was tho largest meeting of the voters ever held in the town, and was attended with an uncommon degiee of excitement. Governor Smith, after his retirement from office, had abstained from all political ac- tion, except to give his votes at the free mems meetings; but he now felt called up- on to put forth his strength to defeat what he called the most defective instrument of the kind which had ever come under bis observation. His speech was a perfect model of popular eloquence both in the manner of it's delivery and it's line of ar gument, and the result of the vote showed the power of the Governor over the minds of his fellow -townsmen. Ansel Sterling, Esq. came forward as the champion of the new Constitution and of the party whose principles he had lately espoused, and some of his remarks were deemed insult ing to the Governor. The towa gave 8 decided vote against the Constitution. From that time, for several years, the elections in the town went in favor of the toleration party. MT. Kellogg, having had his name used by his party as candidate as long as it was necessary to its triumph, was dropped, and MT. Sterling took his place as standing candidate. The latter gentleman was member of the Legisla- ture every year till his election to Congress ! in 1922.
 | The first break in the chain of toleration arrangements was made in 1925. That party had made its nomination of Samuel