The Republican. [volume] (Oakland, Md.) 1877-current, 1936-04-02
The POLITICAL HISTORY OF GARRETT COUNTY
By CHARLES E. HOVE

Isl party disappeared ana Lne nlSS
became the opposition party. Allegany
favored the Wings under Henry Clay,
who advocated internal improvements.
He was the champion of the National
Road, which was built through the
town of Grantsville about 1916.
In 1928 almost every leading man in
the county was Clay adherent. Never
theless in 1926 Benjamin Tomlinson
and Roger Perry, Republicans, were
elected to the Legislature.
In the presidential election of 1928,
Jackson, Democrat, carried Allegany
with 856 votes against GAL for John
Quincy Adams, Wing.
General Jackson's popularity in our
county was due to his war record
and to his reputation as the champion
of the "plain people" However, our
people were much disappointed by
President Jackson's veto of funds for
internal improvements, including the
National Road.
In his message to Congress in 1880,
President Jackson said: "The success
full operation of the Federal system
can only be preserved by combining it
to the few and simple, but yet impor-
tant, objects for which it was de-
signed"
So in 1886 conservatives of both
parties are claiming Jackson as their
own.
Our first political convention was
held in Cumberland June &c, 1928, by
the friends of General jackson.
Democrats were elected to the Leg
islature, and, in a special election for
delegate, Robert Swan, Jackson sup
porter, received every vote cast in the
three "Glade" districts, now Garrett
county.
In 1910 the Wing party was again
favored in Allegany, General Harri-
son, candidate of the "plain people"
polling 1871 votes against 1898 for
President VanBuren, "aristocrat."
This was the clog cabin and hard
cider" campaign of the successful
Wings. A big clog cabin" parade
marched down the National Road to
Cumberland.
The Republican Party Appears
In the congressional campaign Of
1854 the new American ("Knownoth-
ing") party nominated Henry w.
Hoffman. He carried Allegany county
by 80 votes and was elected over
Hamilton, Democrat, by TAO major
ity.
The vote in Allegany county in
1856 for President was: Buchanan,
Democrat, 224S; Fillmore, Knownoth-
ing, 1888; Fremont, Republican, 0.
In it's early years the Republican
party was not popular in Allegany,
but when the Knownothing party
broke up most of it's members here
became Republicans.
Even in 1860, when Abraham Lin
coin was elected President, Allegany
rated him fourth, the vote being: Bell,
Constitutional Union, 1921; Doug
lass, Democrat, 1908; Breckenridge,
Southern Democrat, $50; Lincoln, Re-
publican, 522.
During the Civil War, Allegany
county was pro- Union, and its vote for
President in 1864 was: Lincoln, Re-
publican, 2455; General McClelland,
Democrat, 1890.
Well, better late than never!
We are glad that majority of our
citizens indicated their appreciation
of Lincoln-a man Of the "plain peo-
pie, "-before the assassin's bullet laid
him low.
Garrett County Elections
When Garrett county was separated
from Allegany county in 1872 the vot-
ing strength of the major parties in
the new county was about equal.
A bipartisan convention was held
at the Glades Hotel in Oakland on
December IA, 1872, for the purpose
of nominating the best men of both
parties to fill the new county Offices.
VIM. A. Brydon was chairman of the
meeting; Gilmor S. Hamill and Ralph
Thayer were secretaries. The follow
ing ticket was nominated and later
, elected:
Clerk of the Circuit Court, Richard
T. Browning, Democrat.
Register of Wills, Ralph Thayer,
Republican.
Sheriff, Solomon Turner, Democrat.
States Attorney, Gilmor S. Hamill,
Democrat.
Judges Of the Orphans Court, JOS
eph B. Davis, Republican; J. Mcclure
Mason, Democrat; D. Harrison Friend,
Republican.
County Commissioners, Daniel E.
Offutt, Democrat; Jacob Boyer, Re-