The Republican journal., 1912-10-10
haps should have said before that my
grandfather was a native Of Newbury-

haps l should have said before that my
grandfather was native Of Newbury-
port, Mass.
1t has nothing to do with the case, +"
but am tempted to mention here some,
to me, interesting condolences. In the
summer of 1858 was one of party
Of four at dinner in the tent of Captain
and Quartermaster Page of the second
division of the Utah army, at Fort
Laramie. The Mormons had rebelled
against the authority of the United
States and troops were sent out in the
fall of 1857 to deal with them, were
showed up in the Rocky mountains and
nearly persisted from cold and want of
food, having to subsist for a time on
mule meat. Another body of troops
was started across the plains in the
spring of 1858. Meanwhile President
Buchanan had sent a commission COM
posed of three members to Salt Lake
to treat with the Mormons, and they had
made satisfactory settlement and en-
their return to Washington had arrived
at Fort Laramie at the time the End
division of the Utah army reached there.
One of the commissioners, Major Ben
McCulloch, was guest of Capt. Page
at this dinner and in the course of con-
versation / learned that he had been a
near neighbor of my grandfather on the
Brazos river in Texas. Major McCul-
loch was later a General in the Confed-
crate army and was killed in the battle
of Pea Ridge. Arkansas. Many years
later. when in Washington, d. c., was
introduced to a Major Green, and on
hearing my name he said: 81 was clerk
for Congressman from Texas named
Pilsbury," and it was my grandfather.
1t is small world after all.
My father made at least one voyage
as mate with his father, then read law
with Hiram 0. Alden in this city and was
his assistant in the post Office, graduated
later from the Harvard law school, and
began practice in Calais about 1887, at
the time his father was candidate for
Congress, and edited a newspaper in his
interest. A few years later he moved
to Machias and was the clerk of courts
for many years. In 1853 he was nomi-
mated by the Democrats for governor.
Lot M. Morrill, LED bolt, running as
the Maine Law candidate, and my
mother, who shared my fathers cam
paigns, has told me that this bolt was be-
cause my father had refused to promise
Morrill, the office of land agent. The
vote that year was as follows:
Whole vote, S3,627
Albert Pilsbury, Democrat, 1886
VIM. G. Crosby, Wing, 27,G61
Arson P. Morrill,, Me. Law, 11,027
Ezekiel Holmes, Free Soil, 1896
Scattering 157
AS majority was required to elect
there was no election by the people, and
the legislature was called upon to act.
My fathers friends voted with the
Wings and elected Crosby, and my
father became member of his council.
1t will be noted that both my grand
father and my father were defeated by
members of their own party; and think
this has had much to do with my dstaste
for politics after reaching mans estate.
In boyhood days things were different.
At school we used to fight when the cam
paigns were on, and go home with black
eyes, bleeding noses and torn clothing;
but personally we bore each other no i'll
will, while ready to fight another day.
Before elections my father used to go
over part of Washington county with
his own team and call on people he knew
along the way, and usually accompanied
him. ] do not think that money or any
other consideration was used then to in
fuence voters. My father would explain
the situation and tell those he called up
on how to vote and they voted according
ly. One year he was absent from home
about election time on business, and the
town or county committee, knowing that
| had accompanied nv father on these
trips, furnished me with a team to 90
over the ground, and with one of my boy
chums l started out. l was about
dozen years old and naturally felt elated
over my mission. made several trips,
and when told the men called upon that
l was acting for my father they readily
accaDtad NV statements and No doI,ht
voted right.
Having led rowing life from boyhood
it was long before l became voter. In
1868 registered in New Orleans. That
city was then under military rule. with
Gen. Phil Sheridan in command, and the
military had charge of the registration.
B efore it came time to vote was resi-
dent of Baltimore, and registered there.