The Stark County Democrat. [volume] (Canton, Ohio) 1833-1912, 1880-01-22
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OLD,TlME POLITICS.
THE CONTESTED RIGHT OF FORD
AND WELLER TO BE Cow
ERNOR IN 1s4S.
How the Facts Are MISrepreseHted for Political
Eject, to be Uaed In the Next Presidential
Election, and to Cover the Infamy
Of the Last

WOW Oub w pOOh 1Ap pOLhO OaAp
since, Northern Ohio was invaded by q
STRIPPING lawyer, writing his own name
James S. Briggs. In "ye olden times"
wise men came from the East; and the
young lawyer, thinking himself wise
he was wise, but it was only in his con-
ceit--came West also. After q time,
failing in numerous efforts to go to Con-
gress, he went back, and finally settled
in Brooklyn, New York. He has writ,
ten a letter to the Cleveland Herald
about "Old.Time Politics." which is a
marvel for its want of fact. The fellow,
however, is hardly to blame, for all his
life he was fond Of drawing on his ina
agination for his history, on his money
for his wit, or, doubtless, on dime nov.
els for his Sunday reading and his flights
Of rhetoric. The scene is the counting in
Of Seabury Ford as Governor of Ohio in
184S-49 by the Ohio Legislature. The
contest was between John B. Weller of
Butler county, the Democratic nominee,
and Seabury Ford, the Whig candidate
1t was the year of the Presidential cleo
ton. General Taylor was the Wing and
General Cass the Democratic nominee.
The Free.Solers refused to support Tay-
lor because he was slaveholder-owu.
ing more human chattels than any man
ever before candidate for President
and they supported Martin Van Buren,,
who lent himself to the trick 10 defeat
Cass and elect Taylor Ford kept mum;
no man could tell whether he was for
Taylor or for Van Buren,, and this he
did to get the Free Soil vote, and he did
get it. The election for Governor was
Close-no man Could tell who was elect
ed until the vote was Canvassed. Mr..
James S. Briggs says he was advised to,
and Went to Columbus to prevent Free
Soiler from being nominated for Cover
nor against Ford, and of course he sue
Ceeded, for, let him tell the tale, he was
success personihed.
The joint Convention of the two
Houses of the Legislature was held, Mr..
Briggs says Of the Convention thus:
COLLECTIONS, motions, distractions of
various kinds we're made by the Demo-
Crats in the joint Convention. Matters
looked cloudy; there was chance for
muss. The Democrats were pressing
and anxious for an adjournment TO an
otter day. Rumors were in the air that
if an adjournment could be had before
the Convention met on to morrow Mr..
Weller would be in Columbus and the
oath of Office as Governor would be
taken by him, and then there would be
a big chance for row. was standing
by the seat of our then Representative,
the late Mr.. LeVerett, of Dover, Cuya-
hoga county. | was fearful that Presi-
dent Randall would allow the joint Con-
ventiOn to adjourn without having de
Cared Mr.. Ford to be Governor. of
Ohio. Senator Frank Corwin (Who late
ly died in Illinois, and William Ienni
bOLy dAAOl Whiu OONEIuOI anu L ObbLudbLbI |
General, and worthy now of any place |
in the gift of the State or Of the nation,
were standing by me, and l took my
pencil and wrote on Mr.. Johnson's desk,
President Randall, for Gods sake de. |
clare Sesbury Ford TO be Governor of |
Ohio. Do it at once, and l will stand by |
you in he true Democrat l was then |
editor OF that paper. read this note to
Corwin and Dennison, with the remark: |
This is cool impudence for an outsider"
Mr.. Dennison took it, raped on the |
desk of Mr. ]. for page, handed it to
him and said: Hand this to President
Randall, Quick, quick 7 The note was
given to President R; he read it, and
Immediately rose from his chair and
said, as he had the right and authority
to do, i declare Seabury Ford to be-
Governor elect of the State of Ohio
and then came the scenes that President
Hayes referred to in the Evening Post of
to-day. 1t was beautiful sight Dem
ocrats were rampant and defeated
President Randall declared the Joint
Convention of the two Houses adjourned
and caught his cloak and the hat of an.
other member for start up stairs.
Senator Archbold with laundering
tones cried out to the President, You
are damned peEjured sCoundrel.' Rep
resentative Montfoot from the hoop.pole
regions Of the Northwest territory, with
swinging arms and belligerent voice,
exclaimed, Tap his veins, God damn
him. These we're q few of the classic
and elegant declarations of the disap-
pointed Democrats on the floor. They
were mad because they were sorely dis.
appointed and defeated"
More fancy and less fact could not well
have been strung together. The Demoe-
racy believed Weller elected the Wings
thought the reverse. Many of the re.
turns we're in bad shape; but both par.
ties appeared anxious to ascertain the
correct result. The joint Convention
met in the hall of the House on the 9Th
of January, l840. after an adjournment
from Saturday the 9th. The Speaker of
the Senate, on taking the chair, said he
had appointed Committee of four
members of the Senate and eight mem
bers of the House to aid him in counting
the votes. The Committee was divided
between the two parties. When the
count, in alphabetical order, reached
Crawford county, there being an appar.
ent error, on motion Of Mr., DeDnison the
abstract was referred to the Committee
lin order to correct any error that might
appear therein" which was agreed to-
The abstract from Defiance county, which
did not show for whom the votes we're