The Findlay Jeffersonian. [volume] (Findlay, Hancock County, Ohio) 1870-1881, 1872-01-12
SI(4lisfellalleons.
From the Ohio Statesman.
RANDOM RECOLLECTIONS.

\ \ From the Ohio Statesman.
3 RANDOM RECOLLECTIONS.
Rem. Evans and DOwty Utter-COIon,
Sam. Spangler-SOmethin Heroic.
The practice of the dominant part
in the United States Senate of caucus
ing all measures offs party character
and then holding all present in dut
bound 10 carry out its behests, rt
minds me, IS the slate lamented.
used to say, Of the bitter things th
leaders OF the Wing party used t,
say and print against the practice
when Democratic members of th
Ohio Legislature used to meet il
caucus to consult. Caucusing wa
then held to be an utter subversiol
of all that was valuable in Legislation
and the registering of the edic,s o
the Democratic caucus, or "Irn
pGn,' as it was called, was as utterly
reprobated in the days OF which
speak, as high treason would b,
now.
ORIGIN OF THE TERM, TIN PAN eau.
CUs.'
The origin of the term, "Ifa pan .
as spilled to Democratic Leeisla
tive caucus, which in 1910 was as fa
miliar as household words TO the
people of Ohio, has been explained
many times, but never, think, cor.
rectly.
AT the southeast corner of State
street End Fair alley, directly oppo
site the southwest corner of the
American Hotel 1.-THE building is still
standiDg) was the Tontine Coffee
House, kept by a man named Pike,
afterwards the parier of Kelsy in the
American. 10 a large room in the
second story, the Democratic mem.
bers always held their caucus. Oys.
ters about that time, brought from Bal
iimore in cans on the top of Neil,
Moore d Co.'S line Of stages, became
common article OF refreshments
They were served in tin chatting dish.
es, and Pixies Tontine Coffee House
was the great place of resort to those
fond Of the bivalves. Caucuses at
that time were always secret. On
caucus night, under the pretense OF
getting oysters, the Democratic
members would flock there, and
when not observed, would steal to
the upper rooms, there to meet in
consultation. or course, these meet.
iugs could not be kept entirely secret.
And one night Democratic member,
who was neither wide awake to the
necessity OF keeping the secret, nor
as duly sober as he ought TO have
been, let it out, but not remembering 10
the word "Tontine," or supposing
the name to be derived from the tin
chafing dishes, in which the oysters
were cooked, designated the place as
the "Tin-pan Coffee House,
The name took, and for years q
Democratic caucus was called Tin.
pan, and when its edicts were not
wholly carried out the Wings used
derisively to say that they ha knock
ed the bottom out OF the Tin panl
Since then tie csucuses of politi-
cal party are openly advertised,
although their deliberations, so lar
as their political enemies are con-
cerned, are secret.
THE RULE OF THE CAUCUS.
Devotion to party and TO the be
hests of a legislative caucus was
never better exemplified than in the
case of Benjamin Evans, who, for a
single term OF two years, represented
the counties of Clermont and Brown
in the Senate. lie was among the
most quiet and unassuming OF mem
bers-a farmer, who had never be-
fore been in public life, esteemed by
all for his quiet, unobtrusive manner
and manly virtues. In theory and
in practice he was Democrat, and
to the full, held that all men had tue
same political rights-except the ne
gro. To him this was o white mans
government, and only white men
had rights. The negro race in the
free States were interlopers.
While Mr.. Evans was a Senator,
the repeal OF the so-called Black
Laws, which had stood upon the stat.
ute books for years, was agitated
These laws prohibited the negro
race frcm settling in Ohio, without
giving security that they would not
become paupers; denied the negro
the right to testify in any case
against white man, no matter how
good the character of the colored
man, or bow bad that of the white
that had wronged hin. Born in the
South, with prejudices against the
African race, Mr.. Evans dislike OF
giving 10 the negro any rights above
those epjoyed by brutes, formed a
striking contrast 10 his otherwise
benevolent feelings and matured
judgment.
In a legislative caucus of the Dem
ocratic members, the question OF
wiping out one of these laws was
discussed, and after heightened de-
bate, was declared carried by a large
majority. During the debate, Mr..
Evans showed much feeling sgalns,
the proposition, and made many
speeches. he was diffident to a re
markable degree, and before he spoke
sixty secont would have to sit down
When the vote was taken, and the
resolution of the caucus to vote to
repeal these laws was adopted, 6
member in the majority said that a:
from the vote just taken it was evi.
dent that it would be carried by 6
large majority, as many Wings
especially those from the Western
Reserve, would vote for the repeal
he thought it right to allow those
Democratic meetings, where consti
tuents like those of the Senator from
Brown Mr.. Evans) were opposed te
the proposition, to vote their owr
sentiments and those OF their constit
uents against it. In an instant Mr.
Evans was on his feet, end in reply
he made his longest speech, thus
"Mr. Chairman. I am a Democrat
The Democratic caucus has decided
the matter. / don't like it. 1t vii
ruin us ell, but the caucus has de
cided. / won't desert tie party, Mr.
Chairman l will vote with them
and. Mr.. Chairman, ace wiQ all 90 4
he'll together!"
L. And be did vote for the repeal