The Telegraph-courier. [volume] (Kenosha, Wis.) 1888-1946, 1899-02-16


slave law was passed, perfectly consti-
tutional in its aim, but probably un-
constitutional in its methods, for it
gave United States Court Commission
ers power which nany claimed was,
under the constitution of the nation
and of the states, properly vested in
iuries. It is impossible for us to enter
into the tension of feeling of those days.
Webster had gathered to himself feel
ings of loving pride and almost adora-
ton from many men, but when the
word of his 7Gh of March speech in sup
port of the fugitive slave law went forth
over this country it seemed as if the
hopes and hearts of men were broken.
Mr.. Deming came home that day in a
state of excitement and absorption
that excluded everything else. At the
dinner table he proceeded to pile all
the potatoes upon one plate, muttering
with shaking hand and head "The old
dough face, the old dough facc," and
when his wife mildly suggested that
they wanted something besides pota-
toes he reused himself to say, ooh, will
you have some potatoes?" and pro-
.ceeded to pile more onto the plate,
jmuttering the while "The old dough
facet" It was in those days, when the
feeling of excitement ran high and men
became so engrossed in their discus
sions, that once and again as Mrs.
Deming would be sitting at the window
as the noon time approached she would
say to her daughter, Well, Kate, l
hear your father whispering down by
the church. Tell Maria to put the
dinner on" And sure enough there, a
block away, was this ardent man with
his penetrating, carrying voice in
earnest conversation with some friend
on the all engr0ssing subject.
In 1852, the epoch making story of
90 Uncle Toms Cabin" was published.
Many here may recall the eagerness
with which the installments were
awaited. and / have heard of homes in
which the children learned TO read up
side uOwn. so that as the paper was
spread on the table under the rays of
the candle light for the reading of
father or mother the children on the
opposite side of the table were reading
the column, which was to them upside
down.
In 1854 and 1856 came that wrench
ing upheaval in which one earnest man
after another at cost, and many times
at sacrifice which we cannot realize,
broke away from the political affilia-
tions of his life time. Mr.. Deming's
sympathy had been with the DemOc-
racy of those and earlier days. A few
extracts from some letters to his wife,
who was upon a visit in the east, give
us glimpses of his feelings and OF the
local situation. In July, 1854, he wrcte
Say to our friends that [ am neither
Wing nor a Democrat, but staunoh
and firm friend of the equal rights of
all. Our convention at Madison was
simply to form new party of freedom
for this state, 1t was largely attended
and was very harmonious and spirited.
The name assumed is Republican. One
more item of good news. Our Supreme
Court has reflected upon our young
state the high honor Ofpronouncing the
fugitive slave law of 1850 unconstitu-
tional"
After Fremont's nomination in 1856
he wrote to his wife, who was again in
the east for a summer visit: We are
to have ratification meeting of Ere
mont's nomination this evening. do
not wonder you half think the reign of
rum and slavery is destined to be
perpetual, but mark it, Mary, wife, the
latter gets heavy blow in November,
one from which it will never recover in
full strength. This will prove true if
the slave powers of the South and
North elect the time serving old Fed
eralist Buchanan. The Democracy of
our place are being reduced to a mere
corporars guard as relates to American
citizens"
And the next month he wrote again,
On Monday evening of this week we
had a grand ratification of the Repub-
lican nomination. 1t was the most
inspiring and imposing meeting ever
held in this county. We were address
ed by three seceders from old time
Democracy, Long John Wentworth
from Chicago, Lowell from our city and
a German from Milwaukee. Accessionf
to freedom are occurring daily. We
shall carry Wisconsin this fall" AND
they did, for the electoral vote of Wis
consin was cast for John G. Fremont
Republican candidate for the presi
dency.
By way of illustration of the intense
solicitude with which these liberty mer
watched the gradual conversion of theil
old time friends and political associ
ates, quote another letter written thai
same summer: :" On the Sabbath fore
noon and evening Brother Stebbinl
gave us two able discourses from the
text, i" Cry aloud! Spare Not! Lift uE