The Cecil Whig. [volume] (Elkton, Md.) 1841-current, 1891-05-30
A RELIC OF ~.
A Portion OF an old Henry Clay Flagstaff
Eyhumed

a Portion of an old Henry Clay FiagstaR
Exhumed
While the rorkmen were eXcavatiug
for the foundation of Mr.. F. II. Prices
store ON the corner of Main and Bow
streets this week, they dug up the STUMP
of the old Henry Clay pole which stood
on that corner during the Clay and Polk
campaign of 1874 The iron band was
still around the lower end of it, although
century had eaten it nearly away. The
old pole was planted on Thursday the
Goth Of June 1914, and had its stump re-
manned but few days longer it would
have completed its forty seventh year.
| Tue eXhuming Of this relic of that
memorable campaign, recalls stirring
! brings fresh to the memories Of many
persons yet living in this town, the
| familiar faces of the active participants
in it. The pole which the Wings planted
on the Gottier corner was 105 feet high
and it was their boast that "it out
| topped any of the Polk stalks or hickory
poles planted by the locoiocos in this
region" From its top waved IA streamer
sixtythree feet long and under the
streamer the glorious stars and stripes.
During that campaign which commenced
early in the year, the Elkton Wings up
to Saturday night VI ~ is, 1914 had been
meeting at Miller's Hotel, which stood Oh
the corner of Main and North streets,
the site of the present Howard House.
This hotel was then and had been for
years known as the Washington House.
Samuel Miller kept it in 1874, aud it had
been for years the Wing Headquarters,
the old Fountain Hotel afterwards the
old Exchange Hotel higher up Main
street being the Democratic head
quarters. Roland Ellis, father of the
late F. A. Ellis and grandfather of DR..
G. NJ. Ellis, Ford Cazier, George II.
Joyce, Josiah Foard, Smiley King, and
Gebhart had been its successive
proprietors previous to 1S44. Ia this old
house ON the evening of May IS, 1874,
Alexander Evans, David Alexander and
William Jones were appointed COM
mit.ee to procure permanent place of
meeting for the Central Clay Club, under
which name the EIkton Wings had
organized themselves. Among those
prominent at this meeting were F. A.
Ellis, p. G. Ricketts,, Alexander Evans,
Edward Wilson, Euoch Crouch, William
Jones, Benjamin F. May, Richard F.
May, Abram Chandler, Reuben d. lamar,
James Ii. lamar, Edward L. Foard,
George X. Howard, Henry Bennett, Johu
d. McCauley, John Cantwell, and others.
The following week the old frame build
ing on the Gottier lot was secured, and
on the following Saturday night May 25,
the club held its first meeting there,
Edward Wilson, Sr., being president,
Henry Bennett and George R. Howard
being vice presidents, F. A Ellis, secre
tary and treasurer, aud James Henry
lamar, corresponding secretary. About
month later the memorable Wing pole
was planted, aud around which many an
ardent Wing shouted the praises OF the
great Wing chief.
"a song for the Chief the brave Wing chief
Who hath reigned in our hearts so long,
Let the welkin ring as his name we sing
And around his banner thrOng."
The shouts of the Wings that year were
the PRELUDE to victory in Maryland at the
State election held on the 81 of October,
(although the Democrats carried Cecil
county except three County Commits
sioners) electing Thomas G. Pratt, Gov
ernor, with Wing majority of 40 on
joint ballot in the Legislature, James l..
Craig, Francis A Ellis, William H. Will
son and James Hogg being defeated for
the Legislature in Cecil on the Wing
ticket, VIM. r Matfitt, Charles Harris,
Richard G. Hollyday, and John Bou-
chelle being their successful opponents.
George r. Howard a WING was then in
the Senate, whose term expired in 1916,
and was succeeded in the Senate by
Hiram Mccullough, who defeated George
Ross Neazey the Wing candidate in 1916,
at the same election Benjamin Sergeant
being elected Sheriff over Reuben ID.
lamar, the Wing candidate.
Although as stated, the Wings lost
Cecil county at the State election held
Oh October 2. 1874 they carried the county
for Clay a month later by majority of
"a, a gain of 81 over the Governors cleo
ton when Carroll the Democratic candi-
date for Governor had 60 majority, the
result in the State being a majority of
over 5000 for Clay for President.