Grant County herald. [volume] (Lancaster, Wis.) 1850-1968, 1889-01-24

nomination. He invested his money
in Madison real estate, believing that
the city was destined to become as
great place as Chicago. The boom
collapsed and in 1861 he was again
poor man. He secured an appoint
ment at Washington as an examiner in
the Patent Office, and remained there
till about 1870.
One of the leading New York lawyers
of the present day is Edward Solomon,
Wisconsin's seventh governor. lie
was elected lieutenant. governor in 1861
with Harvey. Immediately after his
election Governor Harvey went TO Pitts
burg Landing to look after Wisconsin's
wounded soldiers, and there fell off a
steamer and was drowned. Solomon
therefore served nearly two years as
governor. 1t was during the darkest
period of the war and he made an ex-
cellent record He called special
session of the legislature to pass a law
authorizing soldiers to vote. At that
time this was considered startling
proposition, but other states fell into
limo. Governor Solomon was not re-
nominated, though it is said fraud was
employed to defeat him. He received
a majority of the votes, but it was
claimed by his opponents that toe many
ballots had been cast. The latter
thereupon effected an adjournment and
in the interim worked about his defeat.
Upon removing to New York Governor
Solomon took the place of the we'll
known German lawyer FREDERICK Kapp
who subsequently went to the father
land and become member of the
Reichstag.
A combination elected James L.
Lewis governor in 1868. He was a
Democrat then. The war Democrats
held convention in GAINESVILLE, at which
Matt. IL. Carpenter, Judge Macarthur
and other well-known war Democrats
made speeches favorable to Lewis
nomination. Subsequently a so-called
Union convention was called and Lewis
was placed on the ticket as Democrat
ic representative. Lucius Fairchild,
who was also war Democrat ran on
this ticket for secretary of state. When
nominated Lewis declared that he
would seek but one term, and-unlike
Grover Cleveland-did not forget this
declaration when the time for conven-
tons came around again. Mr.. Lewis
is reputed to be man of some wealth.
Previous to his election as governor he
had served as acknowledgement and
secretary of state.
Up to the time of the war, Lucius
Fairchild was democrat. He had
been Dane county politician and was
elected on the Democratic ticket as
clerk of the courts. When nominated
for that position he was defeated at the
polls. In the Union convention of 1868,
Senator Doolittle, who was then Re-
publican, nominated him as war
Democrat for secretary of state. He
was then almost unknown outside of
Dane county, but this brought him to
the front, and two years later he ran
for governor as Republican and was
elected. He was twice reelected. The
first time he ran against General II. G.
Hobart, who now lives in Milwaukee.
The granger movement against rail
roads resulted in Farmer Taylor's cleo
ton in 1873, after the Republicans had
been in power sixteen years without q
break. He defeated G.. G.. Washburn,
who had been renominated for governor
Taylor was a local politician in Dane
county and had never been specially
prominent, but he happened to be presi-
dent of the state Agricultural society.
A so-called Peoples convention-in
reality Democratic-was held, and
Farmer Taylor headed the ticket. He
had over $4,000 votes to spare.
Two years later the farmer governor
came to grief. He was renominated
and Harrison Ludington, of Milwaukee
was put up against him. Ludington
made phenomenal run in Milwaukee,
and was elected by S41 majority, al
though the rest of the Republican ticket
was swamped. There was cloud
attached to Farmer Taylor's outgoing.
1t was claimed that he distracted pos
tage stamps and other property belong
ing TO the state and an investigation
resulted. The testimony is said to
have been very amusing. Taylor still
resides in Dane county and occasionally
can be seen riding on load Of hay to
Madison. His successor, Ludington,
although we'll advanced in years, is a
familiar figure in Milwaukee. Of late
years he has become somewhat infirm
physically.
The story of Governor Rusk's life is
well-known from the time he drove a
stage in Vernon county, through his
long service in the army, in congress
and in Wisconsin's gubernatorial
chair.
Governor Hoard and Governor Levi g
are the only governors of Wisconsin
whose majority exceeded 10000 Gov
ernor Lewis had 23,664. Governor
Rusk had nearly 10000 in 1884. Far.
well had but 507 majority; Barstow,
whose certificate was subsequently set
aside by the supreme court, claimed to
have but l57, and Ludingtun considered
himself lucky to get SAL; Randall, in
1857. had but 454 majority, SO that -four
of Wisconsin's governors have received
their certificates on majority OF less
than 1000.