Norwich bulletin., 1909-07-07

representative type OF TINS people ~
striking measure.
The year 1854, TO go no fart1er PACK
had witnessed the repeal OF the Mis-
souri, compromise. In 1855 began the
long and bitter struggle over bleeding |
Kansas. and in May of that year
Brooks made his attack upon Sumner
In 1857 came the bred Scott decision
and the fierce controversy between the
forces of freedom and slavery over the
Lecompton constitution. In 1858 Lin
coin and Douglass met in their MEM
orable debate with all the country
looking on. While the preparations
for the bicentennial celebration here
in 1859 We're in progress John Brown
was busy with his for the invasion OF
the slave states, and in october his
abortive attempt was made.
One of the most striking and at
tractive personalities among the menu
bers OF Browns devoted band was born
within the limits ON ancient Norwich, |
and lived hereuntil his enlistment for
the Mexican war. and his family we're
parishioners OF the Uptown church at
the time of his death He was Aaron
ID Stevens. He is pictured as a man
of Herculean proportions--gracely and
comedy. He had played a leading part
in the Kansas struggle, and there had
come into intimate relations with
Brown. He walked to the scaffold at
Churletcwn in March, 1860. with as
uniaunted courage as he had on many
another occasion faced death for the
cause which lay nearest to his heart.
Community Wrought Up.
These events and others coming. as
they did, in rapid and overwhelming
succession, had wrought the mind OF
the north and of this community into
a fever heat, The call of the anti
slavery agitators to a redress OF the
wrongs of an oppressed people had
reached the hearts of some. That 10
stay the aggressions of the slave pow
er. and to save a vast expanse OF var
gin soil to freedom was earnestly heed
ed by others The contest was on, and
it was being waged with all the in
tensity and bitterness which chal-
lenge of the righteousness of "a great
and hong established social institution
can engender. These calls had been
heard here and hereabouts. and the
response had been no uncertain one.
And there were not lacking effective
local agencies to reinforce the grow
ing opinion. which mad drought the re-
Gently formed republican party into
being, and a local leadership to give
1t shape and effectiveness. The Morn
ing Bulletin< had been established in
December. 1858. Isaac Fl. Bromley was
its editor. In that place Of vantage
he brought to the service OF the cause
of freedom all the enthusiasm OF
youth, and those rare abilities which
later won for him golden laurels in the
fields of metropolitan journalism. Sen
ator Foster resided here. He had TAX
en- his seat i'm the United States SEN
ate in March, 1885, and remained a
member of that body until 1867, and
to become its president pro tempore,
and after the death of Lincoln its pre-
siding officer. He earnestly espoused
the cause of the new party. and was
influential in it's councils. Gov. Buck-
ingham resided here. He had been
twice mayor and twice governor. The
influence of his strong hand and per-
sonaI popularity was of great service
to the cause to which he attached him.
self heart and soul. Amos w. Prem
tice, whose contributions to the well
fare OF this town during a long and
busy life were manifold and untiring.
was mayor and he was always to be
found in the forefront of the advanc-
ing battle line. Here was Henry II.
Starlxwe Gather, then young man at
the bar, with the promise of bright
future in his profession. His tastes
soon afterwari drew him aside into
public service in which ne remained
until his death in 1876. while serving
this district DIN his fifth term in con-
gress. He attached himself to the
fortunes of the new party with all the
ardor of his nature. and was ceaseless
in his labors in its behalf DR.. John
P. CULVER occupied the pulpit Of the
Broadway church. He was man OF
marvellous power in the moulding OF
public orfnion. and rare in his ca
pacfty for leadership. This town has
seen few of his equals in that respect
He was the uncompromising Zoe OF
,..I fet ant
in his denunciation of its evils. There
was gathered in his congregation an
unusual group of public leaders.
Through them, and through his own
forceful personality he reached out
into this community in way that
made a deep impress upon It, BUT
these men who held. or later came to
hold, public or quasi-public places
were not the only leaders in the move
ment Of public opinion, or in effective
propaganda and organization. The
ranks of the professions and business
furnished many others The list in
Ncludes such men as the brilliant Ed
mund Perkins, William p Greene, Hen
ry 3 Norton, Moses Pierce, John
Breed, David Smith. John F. Slater.
Hugh II. Osgood. John It. Adams, Dea-
con Horace Cotton and many others.
These were all men of wide influence,
AMI they were as firm i'm their faith,
as unfaltering in their allegiance and
as unsparing in their efforts as any
others.
Gov. Buokingham's Campaign.
At the April election in 1860 Gov
ernor Buckingham was a candidate for
reelection. Great importance was at
tached to the result by reason Of its
bearing upon the greater presidential
contest soon to follow. The opposing
candidate was the magnetic Thomas
H. Seymour. The democracy had not
then suffered the division which soon
befell it. All of its members. what
ever their. differing shades OF opinion.
Joined in the most energetic efforts to
stay the progress of the principles
which the republican party had es-
poused. The contest was desperately
waged. The democratic leadership
h6reabouts was In no mean or mex
perienced hands II included John T.
Wait, James A. Hovey, James S. Ca
rev. John w. Stedman, William l..
Brewer. William NJ. Converse. Chris
topher c. Brand and others. Wait was
by the war, which at Antletam cost
him his only son. carried into republic
can leadership. and for ten years he
was the representative of this district
in congress, succeeding Starkweather.
Hovey was a lawyer of high abilities
who in 1876 became a Judge Of the SUI
perior court. Carew was mayor DUR
ing the stirring years of 1860 and 1861.
Stedman was the proprietor and editor
(COntinued on mage stix1