The daily Cairo bulletin. (Cairo, Ill.) 1878-1???, 1878-05-02
MIR. d. 7. LINEGAR.
SOMETHING ABOUT HIS NEWSPAPER AND P0-
LITlCN. EXPERIENCES.

LTlCN EXPERIENCES
From the RockioAl Ind.) Gazette, Aprlo,l
The contest of 1866 was raging rather
dcrccy, politically speaking, over county
officers in Spencer county, it being what is
termed I'M off year. The Democrats had
nominated Richmond L. Crosslcy for Audi
tor and John Wollcn for Commission, and
the opposition, termed the peoples party
had selected General James c. Ncatch tol
reelection to the Auditors office and Hon
Wilson Huff for Commissioner. The bulk
of the Peoples party was made up Of PEG.
pie styling themselves "nativc Americans,
and they were supposed to have the major
ity OF the voters of the county on their side
The Democrat had GOT fairly settled down
to its work in favor of the Democratic nom
inees, and the Planter took the other side
vigorously, and the war of newspaper words
was waxing warm and interesting, when,
in June or July, 1855, Thomas j, Langdon,
EsQr., sold out the Planter to David 7, Lin
cgar and Felix NJ. Ninson Il couple of
young and vigorous writers, who immcdi-
ately made arrangements and started u new
paper which they called the Republican.
Mr.. Langdon, soon after selling out NOV
ed to Elizabcthtown, Illinois. and started
the Advocate, the last paper with which he
was known to have been connected, and
where he died. as stated in chapter |. As
soon as the Republican got fairly in harness
It's editors gave the Democrat all it cared
for in the way OF editorial combat, and du-
ring the entire campaign the red hot shot Of
political warfare was banded back and
forth by the opposing papers with II free
dom that astonshcd ana delighted the
friends Of each of the two political parties
but during the whole contest the editors
were governed by the rules of propricty
and honorable warfare, and remained at all
times on the platform of personal friend
ship with each other. The campaign
throughout the whole county was wagcd
with pertinacity and vim seldom ever wit
messed in II county election. The available
speaking force OF the county, including the
editors canyasscd every school district in the
county and made speeches in almost every
school-housc therein. 1t was n desperate
struggle for the political mastery of the
county. and the final victory was ON the side
Of the Democrats. Mr., Crosscy Was elected
Auditor over Gen. Ncatch by bare five
votes; Hon. Wilson Huff beat John WolIen
for commissioner few votes. The great
interest in the race, however. conferred in
the Auditor and the Democrats were more
than .jubilant in securing the prize for their
man. The result broke the backbone. 50 70
speak. of the Fusion" or Peoples party in
Spencer county. The year 1886 came on.
and the contest for the mastery in the
county had to be fought over again. Mcssrs.
Linegar and Ninson hoistcd the name of
Hon. Willard Fillmore for President 50 long
as their paper remained in Rockport, and it
is'hut just to say Of them that they worked
faithfully and zeaorSl v for their candidate
and carried the bulk of the "Pcoplc', party
with them. but owing to the fact that there
was large and respectable element OF the
voters of Spencer county who conscien-
tiously espouScd the cause OF Free Soil"
and Gen. John c. Fremont. the editors of
the Republican found they could make no
Roadway against the Democrat. backed by
united and Sanguinc Democracy. they
concluded to abandon the field of journal
ism in Spencer county, and on or about the
middle of July, 1856, they moved their
press, type and fixtures to Princeton, and
the Republican was no more. AT Princeton
MessrS linegar Il Ninson started the Prince
ton Courier, hosting at their masthead the
name OF Gen Fremont for President and
they continued the publication OF that
paper until the year 1857. when John L.
Phillips. Esq, bought out the interest Of
Mr.. Linegar, and ultimately controlled the
whole paper, having purchased the remain
inc interest Of Mr. Ninson.
David II. Lincgar. Esq. was raised in
Spencer county, and was selfmadc man,
having in II measure schoolcd himself at odd
times. when he could be spared from active
duties on his fathers farm. He became II
successful teacher in the public schools, and
in the business of journalism. He was "A
vigorous and ready writer, Il pungent para
graphist. and an average good speaker.
After retiring from the Courier he went TO
Cairo. His, studied law, became a success
full practitioner at the bar there, famed for
excellent legal talent. During the war ne
was appointed postmaster at Cairo by Presi-
dent Lincoln, took an active part in politics,
canvasscd his congressional district for Lin
coin, and afterwards received the Rcpubli-
can nomination for Congress. hut was de-
teatcd by small majority. He is still
practicing his profession as an attorney at
Cairo, and is regarded as an able and good
man by the people of Southern Illinois.