Ohio History Journal

OHIO

Archaeological and Historical

PUBLICATIONS.

HISTORY

OF THE

DEMOCRATIC PARTY ORAGNIZATION IN THE

NORTHWEST.

1824-1840.

BY

HOMER J. WEBSTER, PH. D.,

Department of History,

University of Pittsburgh.

NOTE.

In the preparation of this work the writer has received very

helpful suggestions from Professor Frederic L. Paxson of the

University of Wisconsin; while in every part of the work he

has received invaluable assistance from his wife-Edith Fran-

cisco Webster. To both of these he desires to express here his

hearty appreciation and gratitude.

PITTSBURG, PA., January, 1915.

(1)

BIBLIOGRAPHY.

The material for this work has been gathered almost entirely

from the files of contemporary newspapers where alone it was to

be found. These have been used in the following libraries:

Wisconsin Historical Society, Madison.

Ohio State Library, Columbus.

Young Men's Mercantile Library, Cincinnati.

Cincinnati Public Library.

Indiana State Library, Indianapolis.

Indianapolis Public Library.

Illinois Historical Society, Springfield.

Chicago Historical Society.

Detroit Public Library.

The C. M. Burton Historical Collection, Detroit.

The best national paper on this subject was the United States

Telegraph until the defection of the editor, Duff Green, in favor

of Calhoun about the middle of 1831. Then the Globe was es-

tablished and continued as the orthodox Administration paper.

In Ohio, the best papers were the National Republican and Cin-

cinnati Gazette at Cincinnati, the St. Clairsville Gazette in the east-

ern part of the state, and later the Western Hemisphere, which

continued as the Ohio Statesman, at Columbus. These papers,

too, represented three important centres of Democratic activity.

In Indiana the situation in this respect was very similar to that

in Ohio. There were first two active Democratic centres on op-

posite sides of the state, each of which had a good local paper,

the Indiana Palladium at Lawrenceburgh and the Western Sun

at Vincennes. Then later, August, 1830, came the establishment

at Indianapolis of the Indiana Democrat, one of the leading Dem-

ocratic papers in the Northwest. In Illinois, the best sources

of information were found in the Illinois State Register published

at Vandalia, and later at Springfield, the Sangamo Journal at

Springfield, and the Chicago Democrat, established in 1833. The

best Michigan papers were the Detroit Daily Free Press, the

(3)

4          Ohio Arch. and Hist. Society Publications.

Niles Gazette and Advertiser, and the Niles Intelligencer. Sev-

eral of the editors of these Michigan papers had previously

edited papers in New York state, the training school for Demo-

cratic organization.

Although most of the material has come from Democratic

papers, the Whig papers have often been found a valuable check

upon these sources. Much of the material used, however, has

been of such a character as not to encourage flagrant misrepresen-

tation and much of it could be found only in papers of the Demo-

cratic party.

The following list contains the papers and miscellaneous

works used. Democratic papers are indicated by a star.

NEWSPAPERS.

NATIONAL.

*Globe. Washington, Daily, 1831-33, 1836-37.

National Intelligencer. Washington, passim.

Niles' Register, Baltimore, 1828-40.

*United States Telegraph. Washington, triweekly, 1827-30, 1832; daily,

1827, 1829-32.

OHIO.

Cincinnati Daily Gazette. Cincinnati, 1827-28.

Cincinnati Emporium. Cincinnati, 1824-25.

*Columbus Sentinel. Columbus, 1831-34.

*Hamilton Advertiser. Hamilton, 1827.

*National Republican and Ohio Political Register. Cincinnati, 1823-33.

*Ohio Monitor and Patron of Industry. Columbus, 1823-24, 1827-33.

*Ohio State Bulletin. Columbus, 1829-31.

Ohio State Gazette. Delaware, 1830.

Ohio State Journal. Columbus, passim.

*Ohio Statesman (continuing Western Hemisphere). Columbus, 1837-40.

*St. Clairsville Gazette. St. Clairsville, 1826-29.

Western Aegis. Georgetown, 1827.

*Western Hemisphere. Columbus, 1834-37.

*Western Star and Lebanon Gazette. Lebanon, 1828.

Western Times. Portsmouth, 1827-30.

INDIANA.

*Indiana Democrat. Indianapolis, 1830-37.

*Indiana Palladium. Lawrenceburgh, 1827-36.

Democratic Party Organization in the Northwest.             5

Indianapolis Gazette. Indianapolis, 1827-29.

*Madison Courier. Madison, 1839-40.

St. Joseph's Beacon and Indiana and Michigan Intelligencer. South Bend,

1832-33.

*Western Sun and General Advertiser. Vincennes, 1826-32, 1834-40.

ILLINOIS.

Alton Telegraph. Alton, 1838.

*Chicago Democrat. Chicago, 1833-40.

*Illinois Advocate. Edwardsville, 1831-32-continued as

Illinois Advocate. Vandalia, Jan.-Apr., 1833.

Illinois Advocate and State Register. Vandalia, 1833-35.

Illinois Advocate. Vandalia, 1835-Mar., 1836.

Illinois State Register and Illinois Advocate. Vandalia, Mar.-June,

1836.

Illinois State Register and Peoples Advocate. Vandalia, June, 1836-

Aug., 1839.

Illinois State Register. Springfield, Aug., 1839-40.

Peoria Register and Northwestern Gazetteer. Peoria, 1837-38.

Sangamo Journal. Springfield, 1831-36.

MICHIGAN.

Detroit Daily Advertiser. Detroit, 1836, 1840.

*Detroit Daily Free Press. Detroit, 1835-40.

*Niles Gazette and Advertiser. Niles, 1835-36.

*Niles Intelligencer. Niles, 1838-40.

MISCELLANEOUS.

Whig Almanac. New York, 1838, 1843.

American Annual Register. Vol. III. New York, 1835.

Selections from the papers of Gov. Allen Trimble, Old Northwest Genea-

logical Quarterly. Vol. XI. Columbus, 1908.

Ford, Thomas, History of Illinois. Chicago, 1854.

Reynolds, John, History of Illinois. Chicago, 1879.

Sheahan, James W., The Life of Stephen A. Douglas. New York, 1860.

Johnson, Allen, Stephen A. Douglas: A     Study in American Politics.

New York, 1908.

Laws of Illinois.

Journals of the House of Representatives and of the Senate of Illinois.

Peck, Hon. Edward W., Disputed Questions in the Early History of

Michigan. Michigan Pioneer and Historical Collections. Vol. XI.

Lansing, 1908.

Cooley, T. M., Michigan (American Commonwealths). Boston, 1886.

Farmer, Silas. History of Detroit and Michigan. Detroit, 1889.

CHAPTER I.

BEGINNINGS OF PARTY ORGANIZATION (OHIO AND INDIANA).

The year 1824 was a turning point in the history of Amer-

ican political parties. The all absorbing party, if all the people

may be said to constitute a party, which had unanimously sup-

ported Monroe in 1820, was then dividing into several groups,

each of which supported its favorite candidate for the presidency

on purely personal grounds. The congressional caucus also made

its last appearance that year in nominating William H. Crawford

for president. The next few years formed a transitional period

from the felicitous days of the single, great, harmonious party

of 1820 to the struggle between two rival descendants of that

party. This division was based on personal grounds in 1824

and also in 1828. But as party lines became more clearly drawn,

as in 1832 and 1836, and as the members of the two parties were

called upon to give reasons for the faith or lack of faith that

was in them, the divisions came to be based, or at least were sup-

posed to be based, upon political principles. In order that these

personal preferences and political principles might be effective it

was necessary that the party which held them should be in power.

This meant that it should win the elections and this in turn that it

must be organized. In the old Northwest, Ohio, Indiana, Illi-

nois, and Michigan, the Democratic or Jacksonian party led the

way in this party organization by introducing the delegate and

convention system. In 1824 the supporters of Jackson began to

organize and by 1840 they became a well organized and unified

party. It was largely by means of their organization that they

gained control in 1828 and retained it until 1840. It is the pur-

pose of this work to trace the early stages and the development

of this Democratic party organization in the Northwest during

this period, from its very beginning to the completely developed

convention system, with its network of township, county, district,

(6)

Democratic Party Organization in the Northwest.    7

and state meetings, and its various committees of vigilance and

correspondence.

Ohio and Indiana first developed political party organiza-

tion in the Northwest. Ohio, the older and more populous state,

showed more political organization in local centres and preceded

Indiana in this activity by a few months, yet by 1836 Indiana

had developed a distinctly better centralized system. Illinois

adopted less readily the delegate and convention system and was

later in the development of its party organization, but from 1835

to 1840, it made rapid advancement along these lines, and by the

latter date compared favorably with the older states. Michigan,

although not admitted to statehood until shortly after the election

of 1836, participated in that campaign just as the other states,

and had developed a good party organization at that time.

Early Steps Toward Organization, 1824.

In Ohio, in the winter of 1823-24, there was much uncer-

tainty and confusion concerning the choice of a presidential can-

didate. As a result of this, Jackson's name was presented in

different connections as a candidate for vice-president as well as

for president. Thus at a meeting of the citizens of Jefferson

County, December 2, 1823, resolutions were adopted favoring

De Witt Clinton for president and Andrew Jackson for vice-

president.¹ Two weeks later a meeting of the citizens of Ham-

ilton County adopted these same resolutions.²  This meeting was

divided in opinion, however, as to whether Jackson should not

be its candidate for president instead of Clinton, but upon put-

ting it to a vote, Clinton was supported by 450 to 330. These

same nominations were made by the citizens of Geauga County in

January, 1824.3 By April, news was received which was consid-

ered unfavorable to the candidacy of Clinton and in conse-

quence of this, the movement to promote his election was aban-

doned.⁴ Another combination called the "People's Ticket," pub-

1National Republican and Ohio Political Register (Cincinnati), Dec.

16, 1823; Ohio Monitor and Patron of Industry (Columbus), Jan. 3, 1824.

2National Republican, Dec. 19, 1823.

3Ibid, Feb. 13, 1824.

4Ibid, Apr. 1, 1824.

8         Ohio Arch. and Hist. Society Publications.

lished in a Cincinnati paper, proposed Adams for president and

Jackson for vice-president.⁵ This ticket was supported as late

as June by a meeting in Washington County.⁶

The first meetings in Ohio which nominated Jackson for

president appear to have been those held in Wayne and Adams

Counties in March, 1824.⁷ That the followers of Adams and

Jackson were at that time just finding themselves is evident from

the proceedings of the Adams County meeting.⁸ Jackson and

Adams were both considered for president but the majority fa-

vored Jackson and he was recommended; also an elector for him

for that congressional district. County meetings were recom-

mended throughout the state to take similar action. There was

some discussion on the resolution to have the proceedings pub-

lished as the voice of the county, but the majority favored it and

prevailed, although the chairman and secretary were in the mi-

nority. The editor of the local paper, a Jackson man, suggested

that the friends of Adams had the liberty to call counter meet-

ings, and that he would cheerfully publish their proceedings.

This plan whereby a county meeting nominated the presi-

dential elector for the congressional district was followed in a

number of instances at this time. Meetings were held in Ham-

ilton County in April⁹ and in Washington County in May,l⁰ both

of which pursued this method; both appointed committees of

correspondence for their respective counties; and both recom-

mended similar meetings throughout the state to nominate elec-

tors for Jackson. The Hamilton and Adams County meetings

adopted in substance the preamble of a recent Philadelphia meet-

ing which showed that they were somewhat in touch with polit-

ical activities east of the Alleghanies.

A decided step toward united action was taken when a meet-

ing of the Jackson committee of correspondence for Hamilton

5 Cincinnati Emporium, Apr. 1, 1824.

6Ibid, July 1, 1824.

7National Republican, Apr. 6, 1824.

8Ibid, Apr. 6, 1824.

⁹Ibid, Apr. 20, 1824; Cincinnati Emporium, Apr. 22, 1824.

¹⁰National Republican, May 28, 1824.

Democratic Party Organization in the Northwest.     9

County on May 29, adopted the following preamble and resolu-

tions :11

"Whereas, It has been suggested and recommended by sev-

eral of the Jackson committees of correspondence in this state

* * * therefore,

"Resolved, That the friends and supporters of General Jack-

son in the several counties in the state of Ohio be requested to

send delegates to a convention to be held at the town of Colum-

bus, July 14 next, for the purpose of agreeing on two candidates

at large for electors of president and vice-president; to fill all

vacancies which may then exist in the general ticket for the state;

and to adopt such other measures as may be necessary and proper

to promote the election of the Jackson electoral ticket of Ohio.

"Resolved, That the editors and printers of Ohio be requested

to publish the above for the information of the people."

In pursuance of this call, in the next six weeks there was a

series of county meetings which appointed committees of cor-

respondence, recommended electors for their respective congres-

sional districts, and appointed delegates to the state convention.12

This convention met July 14 and agreed upon the sixteen

electors for Jackson.13  The delegates had been instructed in

most cases whom to name for their respective congressional dis-

tricts, so that the work of the convention was merely to confirm

the nominations, supply any vacancy, and nominate the two sena-

torial electors. A committee of correspondence of three was ap-

pointed with power to fill any vacancies which might occur in the

electoral ticket.  This committee was requested to prepare and

publish an address to the people of Ohio on the approaching

election.  There is evidence that this committee solicited and

opened correspondence with similar committees in other states.l⁴

During the summer and fall of 1824, the Jackson committee

of correspondence of Hamilton County was very active. At a

meeting on July 24, it was resolved that their stated meetings

should be held at 3 P. M. on the first and third Saturdays of each

11 National Republican, June 1, 1824.

12Ibid, June, July, 1824; Ohio Monitor, July, 1824.

13National Republican, July 27, 1824; Ohio Monitor, July 31, 1824.

14National Republican, Oct. 1, 1824.

10        Ohio Arch. and Hist. Society Publications.

month until after the election.¹⁵ This committee was repeatedly

increased in number during that time. Beginning with fifteen mem-

bers, it was gradually increased to one hundred and ninety-eight

by the twenty-fourth of September, of which one hundred and

twenty-one were from Cincinnati.¹⁶ That the interests of the

committee were not confined to Hamilton County is evidenced

by their resolution passed on August 21, which read: "that it is

the opinion of this committee that the persons appointed to pub-

lish the address of the convention at Columbus should imme-

diately proceed to the publication thereof."¹⁷ The secretary of

the Hamilton County committee was Elijah Hayward, editor of

the National Republican in Cincinnati, who was also chairman of

the state committee of correspondence appointed at the state

convention. This secured a close connection between the organi-

zations of Cincinnati, Hamilton County, and the state. For a few

weeks preceding the fall election the Jackson committees for each

of the four wards of Cincinnati met "every Thursday evening at

early candle-light,"¹⁸ and several of the townships of the county

were active in their support of Jackson, each having its com-

mittee of correspondence.¹⁹

The friends of Jackson in Franklin County were also taking

steps to promote his election and had appointed a committee of

forty-six for that purpose. The chairman called a meeting of

this committee on October 25, just preceding the election, and

recommended the township committees of the county each to ap-

point a delegate to represent them in this meeting and thus co-

operate with the general committee of the county.20 Electoral

tickets favorable to Jackson were provided by the committee.

Viewing the situation generally at this time, while there was

much activity in some local centres, it did not extend widely over

the state. There were county meetings to elect delegates to the

state convention and these also often nominated electors; but ex-

15National Republican, Aug. 6, 1824.

16Ibid, Sept. 24, 1824.

17 Ibid, Aug. 27, 1824.

18 Ibid, Oct. 12, 1824.

19Ibid, June 11, 1824.

20 Ohio Monitor, Oct. 9, 1824.

Democratic Party Organization in the Northwest.  11

cept in preparation for the state convention, the delegate and

nominating convention system had not yet appeared and there

was little development in party organization. The committees of

correspondence and the state convention for forming the elec-

toral ticket were the chief contributions to party organization

for the year 1824 in Ohio.

In Indiana there was also an organized effort to secure the

election of Jackson in 1824. A meeting in Switzerland County

in January, adopted the resolutions supporting Clinton and Jack-

son, passed by the citizens of Jefferson County, Ohio, already

mentioned, and appointed a committee of nine to promote their

election.21 But in Indiana, as in Ohio, Clinton's name for the

presidency was soon superseded by that of Jackson. During the

first half of the year several county meetings were held to pro-

mote the candidacy of the latter, but each followed its own course

and there was no concerted or general movement. A meeting in

Clark County in May nominated a Jackson elector for the second

judicial circuit and requested the friends of Jackson in the other

four circuits of the state to do the same.²²  The citizens of

Orange County held a meeting in July and nominated five Jack-

son electors for the state.²³

By the last of July, however, advanced ground was taken by

the editor of the Vincennes paper and by the Democrats of

Franklin County. The editorial advocated a state convention

for the choice of presidential electors.²⁴ "In Wayne, Dearborn,

and Ripley Counties," wrote the editor, "candidates are continu-

ally coming forward. *   *  *  A general convention, county

committees of correspondence, and township committees of vigi-

lance will secure to us such a ticket as will produce unanimity

* * * and render success certain. I therefore seriously call

on the friends of Andrew Jackson throughout the state to exert

themselves in their respective counties to procure county meet-

ings sometime in the month of August, and at such meetings to

appoint delegates in proportion to their county representation in

21 National Republican, March 1-2, 1824.

22 Ibid, June 11, 1824. quoting Indiana Farmer.

23National Republican, Aug. 10, 1824.

24 Western Sun (Vincennes, Indiana), July 31, 1824.

12        Ohio Arch. and Hist. Society Publications.

the legislature, who shall meet in general convention at Salem

* * * in September, to nominate an electoral ticket in favor

of Andrew Jackson and to make such other arrangements as the

good of the cause may require." He also urged that the county

meetings appoint county committees of correspondence of five,

and township committees of vigilance of three members each.

The previous day a meeting in Franklin County on the opposite

side of the state, had resolved "that for the purpose of fixing upon

a regular electoral ticket, the friends of General Jackson through-

out the state are requested to call meetings, appoint committees

or correspondence, and also delegates in the different counties to

meet in convention at Salem, September 16, for the purpose of

agreeing upon an electoral ticket."²⁵ This meeting appointed a

committee of correspondence of three for the county and a dele-

gate to this state convention, and nominated a state electoral

ticket which it recommended for adoption. Similar meetings fol-

owed in other counties²6, and on September 16, delegates from

fourteen of them met in convention at Salem.²⁷ An electoral

ticket was adopted and a state corresponding committee of three

members appointed with power to fill vacancies in the ticket.

This procedure was similar to that in the Ohio convention two

months before. In both cases the electoral ticket was chosen

chiefly from nominations previously made by county meetings

and the state committees were alike in number and duties. The

Indiana convention further requested the friends of Jackson to

hold meetings and appoint committees of correspondence in those

counties where this had not been done, and it resolved "that five

hundred copies of the address to the people of Indiana, adopted

by this convention, and three thousand of the electoral tickets

be printed for immediate distribution."

The counties represented were well distributed over the

southern, the settled portion of the state. Franklin and Dear-

born Counties, which had both been very active in advocating the

25National Republican, Aug. 24, 1824, quoting Brookville (Indiana)

Enquirer.

26 Western Sun, Aug. 21, 28, Sept. 4, nad 11, 1824; National Republi-

can, Aug. 27, 1824.

27 Western Sun, Sept. 25, 1824; National Republican, Oct. 5, 1824.

Democratic Party Organization in the Northwest.  13

state convention and had appointed delegates to it, were not repre-

sented. This might easily have been due to the difficulty of travel

before the days of railroads. The same reason might explain the

fact that the state convention was held at Salem in south central

Indiana, instead of at the state capital, Indianapolis, which was

then on the northern frontier of the settled portion of the state.

While there was less political organizing activity in Indiana

than in Ohio in 1824, this was chiefly because of its smaller pop-

ulation. The main difference in procedure in the beginning seems

to have been that in Indiana the county meetings in some cases

recommended a complete ticket of electors for the state, while

in Ohio these meetings confined their recommendations to the

electors for their own congressional districts. By the end of

the campaign the two states arrived at practically the same po-

sition as to their Democratic party organization and both were

in the initial stages. As to the results of the campaign of 1824,

Ohio gave Jackson eighteen thousand votes,²⁸ Adams twelve thou-

sand, and Clay nineteen thousand, so that its sixteen electoral

votes were given for Clay; Indiana gave Jackson seven thousand,

Adams three thousand, and Clay five thousand, thus giving its

five electoral votes for Jackson. In the house of representatives

the vote of Indiana was still cast for Jackson, but that of Ohio

was turned to Adams.

Development from 1825 to 1828.

In the summer and fall of 1825 there were township and

ward meetings in Hamilton County, Ohio, preparatory to a county

convention to nominate a ticket for the fall election. A meeting

in Sycamore township in August recommended that a delegation

of three from each township of the county and each ward of

Cincinnati meet in convention on September 1O. 29 In pursuance

of this recommendation delegates from five townships and one

ward assembled and formed a county ticket. 30 They expressed

approval of the delegate system as the best method to "prevent

28Returns given in round numbers in this and succeeding chapters.

²⁹National Republican, Aug. 23, 1825.

³⁰Ibid, Sept. 13, 1825.

14        Ohio Arch. and Hist. Society Publications.

the few from imposing on the public by holding secret meetings

to get themselves or friends into office." This county convention

differed from the county meetings of the previous year in both

Ohio and Indiana, in that it was composed of delegates chosen by

township and ward meetings, and also in that its purpose was to

nominate state and county officers rather than to prepare for a

presidential election.

Individual nominations continued to appear in the columns

of the press,3¹ and a township meeting in Whitewater township,

September 3, nominated another set of candidates for state and

county offices. 32

The year 1826 witnessed some further development in

political party organization in Ohio. As early as February there

appeared the following editorial on the "Delegate System" in

the St. Clairsville Gazette, 33 which shows the situation in Bel-

mont County at that time: "It is deemed proper to give public

information that a large number of the citizens of most, if not

all the townships have agreed to adopt the delegate system in

nominating candidates for important public places. They have

placed their names to an instrument which sets forth the advan-

tages of that mode over the one generally used in this county, of

individuals assuming the authority of nominating persons under

the influence of private consideration. *  *   It is recom-

mended that the citizens of each township elect at the approaching

spring elections, two delegates with instructions to meet in St.

Clairsville on the first Saturday of September to make nomina-

tions for the ensuing general election, appoint a committee of

vigilance for the following year, etc."

In pursuance of this recommendation, some townships elected

delegates at the spring election, 34 and these met, upon call, May

22, to nominate a ticket for the fall election. 35 As only ten dele-

gates attended, representing five townships, they adjourned and

called a second meeting for June 20, at which six townships were

31National Republican, Sept. 20, 1825.

32 Ibid, Sept. 16, 1825.

33St. Clairsville (Ohio), Gazette, Feb. 25, 1826.

34Ibid, May 13, 1826.

³⁵Ibid, June 10, 1826.

Democratic Party Organization in the Northwest.    15

represented. 36 The meeting being duly organized and "giving

all the weight possible to the instructions of the people by whom

they were elected," selected a ticket for state and county officers

to be supported at the October election.

Thus far since 1824, there had been no mention of national

motives in this local political organization although it had been

developing in almost diametrically opposite centres in the state

of Ohio. But in a Cincinnati paper of August 1826, there ap-

peared the following:

"Jackson Notice."³⁷

"Those members of the late Jackson committee of cor-

respondence for the county of Hamilton who reside in Cincin-

nati, and those who may be in town from the country, are re-

quested to meet at Colonel Mac Farland's Hotel near the Court

House on Thursday evening, the twenty-fourth, at 7 o'clock, on

business of importance.

Elijah Hayward,

Cincinnati, August 21, 1826.  Late secretary to said committee.

"P. S. The above notice is given at the request of several

members of said committee."

No record of this meeting appears but there is an account of

a meeting of this committee, on August 31,38 which called a meet-

ing of those citizens of Hamilton County friendly to the election

of Andrew Jackson to the next presidency, for September 12,

for the purpose of adopting such measures as would promote that

object. A committee of five was appointed to prepare and report

to that meeting such resolutions as they might consider proper.

This meeting was held at the appointed time and the resolu-

tions reported were adopted.39 It appointed a committee of

twenty members called the "Jackson Committee of Cincinnati,"

giving them power "to add to their number, to appoint subcom-

mittees, to correspond with other Jackson committees throughout

the Union and to do anything fitting to promote the cause of the

36 St. Clairsville Gazette, July 1, 1826.

37 National Republican, Aug. 22, 1826.

38Ibid, Sept. 5, 1826.

39Ibid, Sept. 15, 1826; Hamilton (Ohio) Advertiser, Sept. 22, 1826

16       Ohio Arch. and Hist. Society Publications.

people in choosing their first executive officer. "On September

19, this committee was enlarged to the number of sixty-three,

the members residing in Cincinnati and in the surrounding

vicinity.40 Five of them resided in the adjoining county of Cler-

mont. Meetings of this committee were held every few weeks

at the Marine Coffee House in Cincinnati. The next one was

called for September 27, and at this meeting the committee ex-

pressed regret that more than one Jackson candidate should be

supported for congress in this district and said that all efforts

to unite the friends of Jackson on this subject had been unavail-

ing; and believing that a considerable plurality of votes would

be given to James Findlay for that office, and having full confi-

dence in his abilities and his firm friendship for Andrew Jackson,

they resolved to recommend the friends of Jackson to unite in

support of James Findlay as the Jackson candidate for congress.⁴1

They also resolved that "to support any other Jacksonian as a

congressional candidate for this district is calculated to injure

the Jackson cause." A committee of five was appointed to pre-

pare and publish an address containing the principles which in-

duced this committee to support Mr. Findlay.

Warren County showed some political activity in support

of Jackson in 1826. At a meeting of the citizens of Lebanon and

vicinity, favorable to Jackson on September 16, a "Warren

Jackson Committee" of ten was appointed, whose duty it was

"to correspond with other committees or individuals on the sub-

ject of the presidential election, to draft and cause to be published

an address to the people, and to take any other proper measures

for the advancement of the Hero." 42

In the spring of 1827 the field of political activity again

widened in Ohio and there are records of about ten county meet-

ings, in which steps were taken toward organizing the Jackson

party by appointing correspondence committees for the counties

and, in some cases, vigilance committees for the townships.

These meetings were called together by notices in the local papers,

often published at the request of some of the citizens, and some-

40National Republican, Sept. 22, 1826.

41 Ibid, Sept. 29, 1826.

42Ibid, Sept. 29, 1826.

Democratic Party Organization in the Northwest.  17

times supplemented by circulars. It is fair to suppose that sev-

eral of this series of meetings were stimulated by a circular

issued March 29, by a select committee appointed by the Jackson

committee of correspondence for Hamilton County.⁴³ This

circular read as follows :44

"At a meeting of the Jackson Committee of Correspondence

for the county of Hamilton on the twenty-first instant, the un-

dersigned were appointed a select committee to open and con-

tinue a correspondence with similar committees and with friends

of General Jackson in this and other states of the Union with

a view to promote the elevation of that illustrious citizen to the

next presidency. At the same meeting it was resolved to request

the friends of General Jackson in the several counties of this

state to hold meetings in their respective counties and organize

committees of correspondence to promote the same object.

* * * Nothing now appears to be wanting to secure to him

the electoral votes of Ohio but a proper organization of his

friends in the several counties and                        * *  *  active exertions.

With this prospect before us *   *                        * we earnestly request

you to cause a meeting to be held in your county at an early

period for the purpose of appointing a committee of correspond-

ence and adopting such other measures as may promote the cause

of the people. *   *  *  Should a meeting be held in your

county we would recommend that the proceedings be published in

some newspaper in your vicinity, and one copy of the paper con-

taining such proceedings forwarded to the National Republican

and to the Cincinnati Advertiser."

The supporters of Jackson were quite active in Belmont

County at this time, and in pursuance of a call published in the

local paper, about one hundred assembled in St. Clairsville, May

2, 1827.45 After passing resolutions in support of Jackson,

fifteen persons were appointed as a county committee of cor-

respondence, and it was resolved that a copy of the proceedings

of the meeting be forwarded to the friends of Jackson in Guern-

⁴³National Republican, March 20, 1827.

44Cincinnati Daily Gazette, Sept. 24, 1827.

45 United States Telegraph (Washington, D. C.), May 17, 1827; Na-

tional Republican, May 18, 1827.

Vol. XXIV-2.

18        Ohio Arch. and Hist. Society Publications.

sey County with a request that they hold a similar meeting. It

would seem, however, that this suggestion was not very warmly

welcomed by the Jackson men in Guernsey, for at their meeting,

which was held in the town of Washington just ten days later,

it was resolved, "that as this meeting has been called by the

result of a voluntary and deliberate consultation of the citizens

of this county, and that public notice was given previous to

the meeting in Belmont, it has therefore been held * * *

independent of the instructions or solicitations of any man or

set of men, and accordingly we will pursue an independent course,

having no regard for the instructions of friends further than a

mutual correspondence and an exchange of sentiment." 46 This

Guernsey County meeting appointed a committee of correspond-

ence of nine members.

In Montgomery County in the spring of 1827 there was some

political activity and organization among the Jackson men, al-

though unity and concert throughout the county seemed to be

lacking and each meeting seemed to stand alone. Some of the

townships led the way and the county followed. A meeting in

Jefferson Township, April 11, appointed two members as a com-

mittee of correspondence "to cooperate and act in concert with

similar committees in this state and throughout the United

States." 47 Another meeting was held in German Township, May

48 On May 11 , the Jackson men of the county held a meeting

at Dayton and prepared an address and appointed seven persons

as a committee of correspondence.⁴⁹

During the summer of 1827 there were a few meetings of

the Jackson committee of Hamilton County, in Cincinnati, one

of which on July 16, called a meeting of the citizens for the fol-

lowing day to discuss the tariff, which was attended by about one

thousand persons.⁵⁰ In the fall the meetings of the committee

became more frequent and there were meetings of the Jackson

46 U. S. Telegraph, June 19, 1827; National Republican, June 5, 1827.

47 U. S. Telegraph, May 5, 1827; National Republican, May 4, 1827.

48 U. S. Telegraph, May 5, 1827; National Republican, May 15, 1827.

49U. S. Telegraph, May 26, 1827.

50 National Republican, July 17 and 20, 1827.

Democratic Party Organization in the Northwest.  19

citizens in the different wards of Cincinnati.51  Some of the

modes of procedure were not as democratic as they might have

been, for the Jackson committee of correspondence for Hamilton

County appointed delegates to meet and form a ticket of con-

didates for the fall election. These delegates met and nominated

a county ticket on September 1.52

At many of the county and township meetings amusing

sentiments were expressed reflecting the partisan spirit of the

time. In a Wayne County meeting which assembled in March

to effect county and township organization, Adams was referred

to as "a man whose political life has been too strongly marked

by a vacillating policy on all subjects but that of an aristocratic

opposition to the Rights of Man."⁵³ A resolution adopted by a

meeting in German township, Montgomery County, in May, read

thus: "Although General Jackson has not been educated at for-

eign courts and reared on sweetmeats from the tables of kings

and princes, we think him nevertheless much better qualified to

fill the dignified station of president of the United States than

Mr. Adams."54

An editorial in the Cincinnati Gazette of that time on the

fall election gives some interesting sidelights on party organiza-

tion and seems on the whole a fair statement of the case.⁵⁵ It

says in substance that, notwithstanding the attempts of the Jack-

sonians to mix up the presidential question with the local elec-

tions, this course has been taken in but a few counties. "In

Wayne, Columbiana, Jefferson, Hamilton, Knox, Ross, and Bel-

mont the presidential election, or Administration and opposition,

forms the line of division. I have observed no other counties in

which an avowed Jackson ticket is openly supported." The four

counties first named - Wayne, Columbiana, Jefferson, and Ham-

ilton - were active Jacksonian centres. The editorial continues:

"I have no doubt that an open Jackson ticket has been made

wherever it was thought prudent to make it;" that is, wherever

51 National Republican, Oct. 2, 1827.

52 Ibid, Sept. 4, 1827; Cincinnati Daily Gazette, Sept. 13, 1827.

53 U. S. Telegraph, Apr. 14, 1827, quoting National Republican.

54 U. S. Telegraph, May 5, 1827; National Republican, May 15, 1827.

55 Cincinnati Daily Gazette, Oct. 7, 1827.

20        Ohio Arch. and Hist. Society Publications.

success seemed probable. "In most of the counties there is a

large number of candidates and many will probably be elected

without receiving one-third of the votes actually given. It is

easy in such cases for a small minority of Jacksonians, by acting

in concert and keeping silent to elect their man."

The election in Hamilton County in the fall of 1827 illustrates

this, except that the Jackson men were here in the majority in

any case. The Administration party decided not to make a party

ticket.⁵⁶ Just before the election there were several candidates

for the assembly on the Administration side. "It is true", wrote

the editor of the Gazette, "as is stated in the National Republican,

that the unanimity which prevails among the friends of General

Jackson, secures to the party the utmost fidelity and the strictest

integrity. They have been disciplined into unanimity  *  *  *

and they deserve to reap the benefit of this concert."⁵⁷

As early as April 20, 1827, the citizens of Jefferson County

favorable to the election of Jackson held a meeting which seems

to have made the first suggestion of a state convention for 1828

to appoint electors for president and vice-president of the United

States.⁵⁸ They resolved to "recommend to the friends of Gen-

eral Jackson in this state, in imitation of his early and faithful

friends in Pennsylvania, the propriety of making arrangements

in due season for a delegate meeting at Columbus on the eighth

of January next, to be composed of so many from each county as

such county sends senators and representatives to the general

assembly." Organization was effected by appointing a corre-

sponding committee of eighteen for the county and a committee

not exceeding seven in each township.⁵⁹

Within the two months following, several meetings made

provision for sending delegates to the state convention. On May

10, a Jackson meeting in Columbiana County appointed five per-

sons as a committee of vigilance and correspondence for the

county and these in turn were required to appoint committees

56Cincinnati Daily Gazette, Sept. 13, 1827.

57 Ibid, Oct. 17, 1827.

58U. S. Telegraph, May 10, 1827; National Republican, May 11, 1827.

59 St. Clairsville Gazette, Apr. 21, 1827.

Democratic Party Organization in the Northwest.   21

of three in each township.⁶⁰ All these committees together were

to appoint four delegates to represent the county in the state con-

vention. A Jackson meeting was held in Bath township, Green

County, May 26, which appointed a corresponding committee of

five members.61 The meeting recommended and concurred in

sending delegates from the different counties to the state conven-

tion and appointed Thomas Gillespie, Esq., of Xenia in another

part of the county as a delegate to this convention. The fact that

he had offered himself for this office in 1824 prompted his nom-

ination. A Licking County Jackson meeting was held, June 11,

at Newark.⁶² A committee of vigilance and correspondence was

appointed, consisting of thirty-five members and two delegates

were chosen to the state convention.

During the fall preparatory to the state convention there are

records of at least thirty county conventions. These were as-

sembled by means of calls issued by Jacksonians in the local

papers. In Butler County the convention was called by a pre-

paratory meeting of the friends of Jackson.⁶³  In a few cases

where a county committee existed, as in Belmont⁶⁴ and Hamil-

ton,⁶⁵ this body called the convention. These county conventions

appointed delegates to the state convention and formed county

organizations, where such had not been formed, by appointing

committees of correspondence for the counties. At the same time

committees were often appointed by the county conventions for

the townships, or the latter were requested to appoint such

themselves. The committees both of county and township varied

greatly in number and organization. The county committee was

composed of three, five, seven, or more members, appointed with-

out regard to the townships; or again it was composed of one

or more members from each township of the county. When the

county committee was formed without regard to the townships,

60 U. S. Telegraph, June 16, 1827.

61 National Republican, June 15, 1827.

62 U. S. Telegraph, June 28, 1827, quoting Newark Advocate; Na-

tional Republican, July 6, 1827.

⁶³Hamilton Advertiser, Oct. 20, 1827.

64St. Clairsville Gazette, Sept. 29, 1827.

65 National Republican, Oct. 16, 1827.

22        Ohio Arch. and Hist. Society Publications.

committees were often appointed in the townships besides, or the

townships were requested to appoint such themselves.

In Monroe County the members of the county meeting

formed themselves into a society, called the "Monroe Jackson

committee of vigilance."66  In Belmont County the committee

which had been appointed on May 2, called a convention on Sep-

tember 22, and this body increased the committee from fifteen to

sixty and authorized it to appoint two delegates to the state con-

vention.⁶⁷ This committee met November 24, and appointed

three delegates to this convention,⁶⁸ and a central committee of

five from their number as a correspondence committee, which

was authorized and required to appoint township committees,

whose duty it should be to maintain a regular, friendly inter-

course with their fellow citizens, promote the success of Jack-

son, and communicate with the central committee.

Some of the county meetings appointed very large commit-

tees. In Pickaway the committee of vigilance numbered seventy-

five.⁶⁹  The Franklin County convention appointed committees

in each township aggregating one hundred and three members.⁷⁰

The Clinton County convention appointed a committee of corre-

spondence of seventy-two members and a committee of vigilance

of nearly one hundred, residing in different parts of the county.⁷1

The Brown County convention recommended the citizens of each

township to meet and appoint committees of from three to twenty

each.⁷²

At the Franklin County convention it was resolved, "that we

hold the press to be the best avenue through which calumny and

misrepresentation can be refuted and correct information dissem-

inated; that we earnestly recommend to the friends of Andrew

Jackson in each and every township of this state to form a club

66 St. Clairsville Gazette, Oct. 6, 1827; National Republican, Nov. 13,

1827.

67St. Clairsville Gazette, Sept. 29, 1827.

68Ibid, Dec. 1, 1827; National Republican, Dec. 14, 1827.

69National Republican, Nov. 30, 1827.

70 U. S. Telegraph, Dec. 8, 1827.

71National Republican, Dec. 25, 1827.

72 Western Aegis (Georgetown, O.), Dec. 4, 1827.

Democratic Party Organization in the Northwest.     23

and to subscribe to at least three of the leading papers favorable

to his election to the presidency, which shall be deposited with

one or more persons for the benefit of all the inhabitants of the

townships without regard to their political sentiments;" also,

"that five hundred copies of the address and resolutions be pub-

lished and distributed throughout the state under the direction

of a committee of five members.^"73

The number of delegates chosen to the state convention

varied from one, as in the case of Scioto County,⁷⁴ to fifteen, as

in Fairfield.75 In several counties their appointment was left

to a committee with discretionary power as to the number. In

Ross County the township committees, together with the citizens

of the townships, were to appoint as many delegates as they

should deem advisable.⁷⁶ The delegates were regularly appointed

directly by the county convention but in Monroe County a dele-

gate was appointed by the committee of correspondence, as di-

rected by the county convention.⁷⁷  The same method was fol-

lowed in Belmont.⁷⁸  In Scioto County the joint committees of

correspondence for the county and of vigilance for the townships

were authorized to appoint one delegate,⁷9 and in Columbiana

County the four delegates were appointed by a joint meeting of

all the committees of the county and townships, together with the

citizens of the county.⁸⁰

The convention of delegates from the counties of Ohio, who

were friendly to the election of Jackson, assembled at the court

house at Columbus, January 8,81 1828. One hundred and sixty

delegates attended,⁸² representing fifty-four counties.⁸³  After

73 U. S. Telegraph, Dec. 8, 1827.

74 Western Times (Portsmouth, O.), Nov. 15, 1827.

75National Republican, Dec. 11, 1827.

76Ibid, Nov. 13, 1827.

77St. Clairsville Gazette, Oct. 6, Nov. 17, and Dec. 15, 1827.

78Ibid, Sept. 29, Nov. 3, and Dec. 1, 1827.

79 Western Times, Nov. 15, 1827.

80 National Republican, Dec. 21, 1827.

81January 8 was chosen as the date for Democratic conventions in

commemoration of Jackson's victory at New Orleans, Jan. 8, 1815.

82 U. S. Telegraph, Jan. 19, 1828.

83Ibid, Feb. 7, 1828.

24        Ohio Arch. and Hist. Society Publications.

organizing, a committee of fourteen, consisting of one member

from each congressional district, was appointed to consult with

delegates from their respective districts, and recommend to the

convention the names of sixteen persons for nomination as elec-

tors of president and vice-president of the United States at the

next election.⁸⁴ Another committee of fourteen members was

appointed to prepare an address to the people of the state, with

suitable resolutions on the subject of the next presidential elec-

tion and report the same to the convention. Pursuant to adjourn-

ment on the eighth, the convention reassembled January 9, and

accepted the reports of these committees. The address filled

nearly six columns of the newspaper and concluded with a col-

umn of a dozen resolutions,⁸⁵ one of which was:

"Resolved, That a committee of thirty-two be appointed by

the chairman of this convention, consisting of two members from

each congressional district and four at large, to act as a commit-

tee of observation and vigilance throughout the state until the

final result of the next presidential election is known; and that

such committee, or a majority of them, have power to appoint

select committees either from among themselves or otherwise;

and if considered expedient, to call a future convention like the

present; and that they be required to present to the people, such

information on the subject of the next presidential election as to

them shall seem advisable; and that said committee have power

to fill any vacancy that may occur in the electoral ticket or in their

own body."

This committee was appointed. It was further resolved

that one thousand copies of the proceedings, address, and resolu-

tions of the convention be published, and that two thousand copies

thereof be published in German. A committee of three was ap-

pointed on publication.

Following the adjournment of this convention, January 9,

another convention was held at Columbus to nominate a gov-

ernor.⁸⁶ This convention consisted of many of the delegates to

the first one, Jackson members of the legislature, and citizens of

84 St. Clairsville Gazette, Jan. 26, 1828.

85 Western Star and Lebanon (Ohio) Gazette, Feb. 9, 1828.

86Ibid, Feb. 2, 1828; U. S. Telegraph, Jan. 24, 1828.

Democratic Party Organization in the Northwest.    25

Columbus friendly to Jackson.⁸⁷  There were one hundred and

two present from fifty-two counties.⁸⁸ One of the secretaries of

the convention just held, Thomas R. Ross, was made chairman

of the second convention,⁸⁹ and J. W. Campbell was nominated

for governor. It would seem that this procedure was due to the

fact that the delegates to the regular convention had not been in-

structed to nominate a governor, as may be seen from the pro-

ceedings of the county meetings, and hence they resorted to this

second meeting.

On January 8, 1828, the supporters of Jackson in Indiana also

held a state convention at Indianapolis for forming an electoral

ticket for the state. As early as January 1, 1827, a Jackson meet-

ing was held at Vevay, Switzerland County, which appointed

a committee of correspondence for the county, provided that this

committee should appoint a committee of vigilance in each town-

ship and requested the friends of Jackson in the several counties

of the state to adopt similar measures.⁹⁰  But it was not until

November following that steps were taken toward the state con-

vention. On November 10, at a Clarke County Jackson meeting

it was resolved "that this meeting consider it essential that a con-

vention of the friends of General Jackson assemble at Indian-

apolis, January 8 next, for the purpose of nominating a Jackson.

ian electoral ticket and for other purposes; and that it is recom-

mended that meetings be held in every county in this state as

soon as possible and that delegates be appointed to act in concert.

whereby a perfect understanding may exist and the whole force

of the friends of the People's Favorite stand united and invin-

cible." Whereupon two delegates to the convention and also a

committee of correspondence for the county were chosen.⁹¹ Fol-

lowing this meeting notices were published in different papers,

calling for meetings to be held at the county seats on December

15, for the purpose of appointing committees of correspondence

87 U. S. Telegraph, Jan. 24, 1828.

88Lebanon Gazette, Feb. 2, 1828.

89Ibid, Feb. 2 and 9, 1828.

90 National Republican, Jan. 19, 1827.

Indiana Palladium (Lawrenceburgh), Nov. 24, 1827.

26        Ohio Arch. and Hist. Society Publications.

and delegates to the state convention.⁹² In Dearborn County a

preliminary meeting was held on December 3, which called a sec-

ond meeting for the fifteenth⁹³ at which a committee of corre-

spondence of thirty-nine members was appointed for the county

and six delegates were appointed to attend the state convention.⁹⁴

Similar meetings were held in various other counties such as

Orange, Switzerland, Knox, Rush, Hancock, Henry, and

Marion.⁹⁵

The state convention assembled on January 8, and held ses-

sions on the eighth, ninth, and tenth.⁹⁶ Thirty-seven delegates

were present from twenty counties.⁹⁷ It was "resolved that those

members of the legislature who have not been delegated to this

convention but who are friendly to the election of Jackson, be

admitted as members of this convention." Whereupon ten mem-

bers were added, making forty-seven from twenty-five coun-

ties.  A  committee composed of two from      each of the five

judicial circuits of the state was appointed which prepared an

electoral ticket of five members.⁹⁸  An address to the people of

Indiana was prepared by a committee of five.⁹⁹ A committee of

two delegates from each judicial district was appointed to ad-

vance the election of Jackson and to report to the convention the

names of proper persons to constitute a central committee of cor-

respondence and such other committees as might be deemed

necessary throughout the state.¹⁰⁰ In accordance with their re-

port a "committee of general superintendence" was appointed

consisting of fifteen members, any five of whom had authority

to act, whose duty it was to fill any vacancy which might occur

92Indiana Palladium, Nov. 17, 1827; Indianapolis Gazette, Nov. 27,

1827.

93 Indiana Palladium, Dec. 8, 1827.

94Ibid, Dec. 22, 1827.

95Western Sun, Dec. 8 and 29, 1827; Jan. 12, 18-28; Indianapolis

Gazette, Dec. 25, 1827; Jan. 1, 1828.

96Indianapolis Gazette, Jan. 9, 1828; National Republican, Jan. 25,

1828.

97Indianapolis Gazette, Jan. 15, 1828.

98Ibid, Jan. 15, 1828; U. S. Telegraph, Jan. 31, 1828.

99 Western Sun, Jan. 26, 1828; U. S. Telegraph, Jan. 31, 1828.

100 Western Sun, Jan. 26, 1828.

Democratic Party Organization in the Northwest.     27

in the electoral ticket, to insure the circulation of correct in-

telligence among their friends in every county and to provide the

funds necessary to defray such expenses as might be incurred;

and to adopt or recommend such measures as to them appeared

expedient.¹⁰¹ The members of this committee were requested

to hold their first meeting at Salem on February 22. The friends

of Jackson were requested to organize committees of correspond-

ence in their counties and as far as possible, committees of vig-

ilance in their townships and to transmit the names of the mem-

bers of such committees to the state committee at Salem. The

delegations in the state convention were to act in concert with

the committees of correspondence in their respective counties.¹⁰²

A committee of three was appointed on printing and was in-

structed to publish the address of the convention; also to con-

tract for five hundred copies and to raise the means for this

object.l⁰³

In both Ohio and Indiana the county meetings left the selec-

tion of the presidential electors to the state conventions of 1828

and made no recommendations) as in 1824. In both states in

1827 there was some development in township organization and

in a few of the stronger Jackson centres the presidential question

became influential in local politics.¹⁰⁴

The Campaign in 1828.

In considering the development of Democratic party or-

ganization in Ohio in 1828, two features are conspicuous, the

extension and prominence of township meetings and committees

and the congressional district convention. Throughout the year

there were township meetings which made organization in ac-

cordance with the suggestions of county meetings or county

committees. In Belmont County township committees had been

appointed by the central committee by March, 1828.105 During

the summer and fall of 1828 meetings were held in the different

101 U. S. Telegraph, Jan. 31, 1828; National Republican, Jan. 25, 1828.

102 Indiana Palladium, Jan. 26, 1828.

103Ibid, Jan. 26, 1828; Western Sun., Jan. 26, 1828.

104Indiana Palladium, July 21, 1827; Cincinnati Daily Gazette, Oct.

7, 1827.

105St. Clairsville Gazette, March 15, 1828.

28        Ohio Arch. and Hist. Society Publications.

townships and the size of the committees was much increased,

several numbering about two hundred, one nearly four hun-

dred,¹⁰⁶ and the committees of eleven townships aggregating one

thousand nine hundred and ninety-two. In the Smith township

meeting it was resolved that the vigilance committee should in-

clude every Jackson man in the township.¹⁰⁷ In two townships

of Hamilton County the organization extended to the school dis-

tricts, each one being represented in the vigilance committees of

the townships.¹⁰⁸ The plan of meeting at stated intervals was

adopted by the central committee in Hamilton109 and Franklin¹¹⁰

Counties. The former met biweekly with the vigilance commit-

tees of the townships; the latter held monthly meetings with

delegates appointed by the monthly meetings of the township

committees.

The regular county convention, consisting of delegates ap-

pointed by township meetings, occurred in several instances dur-

ing the year 1828. As already observed, Hamilton County had

introduced this method in 1825111 and Belmont had adopted it in

1826,112 but as yet the plan did not generally prevail. One of

these conventions was held in Warren County, August 16, all the

townships being represented by seventy-four delegates.113 An-

other was held in Hamilton County, August 23, attended by sev-

enty-six delegates from the different wards and townships of

the county.1l4 Harrison1l5 and Jefferson¹¹⁶ Counties held similar

conventions. These conventions and several county meetings¹¹⁷

held during this summer formed county tickets.

106 St. Clairsville Gazette, Aug. 2 and 30, Sept. 13 and 27, Oct. 4 and

11, 1828.

107 Ibid, Aug 30, 1828.

108 National Republican, June 27, Aug. 3, 1828.

109Ibid, May 20, 1828.

110Ohio Monitor, May 24, June 28, and Aug. 6, 1828.

111 See p. 13.

112 See p. 14.

113 Lebanon Gazette, Aug. 23, 1828.

114 National Republican, Aug. 26, 1828.

115 St. Clairsville Gazette, June 28, 1828.

116 U. S. Telegraph, July 2, 1828.

117 National Republican, Aug. 8 and 12, 1828; Western Times, Sept.

20, 1828.

Democratic Party Organization in the Northwest.          29

There are records of congressional district conventions in

most of the fourteen districts of Ohio in 1828.118  In some of the

districts, as in the first,¹¹⁹ second,120 and ninth,121 the delegates

were appointed by townships directly, at the suggestion of the

county committees or county conventions. In other districts, as

the third,¹²² eighth,¹²3 and tenth,¹²⁴  delegates were chosen by

county meetings or committees which were not based on town-

ship meetings. In at least two counties of the eleventh district,

Harrison¹²⁵ and Jefferson,126 the perfected system toward which

all were tending was adopted, by which the delegates were sent by

regular county conventions composed of regularly appointed

delegates from township meetings. These congressional district

conventions varied greatly in size and representation.      In the

ninth district the convention was attended by eighty-four dele-

gates,¹²⁷ in the second by seventy-eight,¹²⁸ while in the third there

were seventeen¹²⁹ and in the tenth only eleven.l30  Yet in the third

district, six of the seven organized counties, and in the tenth dis-

trict, three of the four counties, were represented. In the con-

ventions most largely attended the delegations came directly from

townships. In at least one of these conventions, that of the third

district, there was appointed a Jackson corresponding committee

of six members for the district.

The Democratic young men of St. Clairsville and vicinity

in Belmont County met in August, 1828, and called a convention

118National Republican, July 8, Aug. 5, and Sept. 2, 1828; Ohio

Monitor, July 9, 1828; St. Clairsville Gazette, July 19, 1828; U. S. Tele-

graph, July 18 and Aug. 29, 1828.

119National Republican, May 27, June 17, 20, and 27, 1828.

120 Lebanon Gazette, Aug. 23, 1828.

121 Ohio Monitor, July 9, 1828.

¹²²National Republican, Aug. 5, 1828.

123 Ohio Monitor, June 21, July 5, 1828; U. S. Telegraph, June 30,

1828.

124 St. Clairsville Gazette, June 28 and July 12, 1828.

125 Ibid, June 28, 1828.

126 U. S. Telegraph, July 2, 1828.

127 Ohio Monitor, July 9, 1828.

128National Republican, Sept. 2, 1828.

129Ibid, Aug. 5, 1828.

130 St. Clairsville Gazette, July 19, 1828.

30         Ohio Arch. and Hist. Society Publications.

of the young men of the county and appointed a committee to

prepare an address.¹³l This was one of the first of the move-

ments of this kind which afterward became frequent.

Evidence is not wanting that the newspaper played its part

in the campaign of 1828 in Ohio.l32 Early in March the central

committee of Belmont County called a meeting in St. Clairsville to

form a "Jackson Newspaper Club."¹³³     At the monthly meeting

of the Jackson committee of Franklin County with the delegates

from the townships, resolutions were passed for extending the

means of information by encouraging subscriptions to news-

papers and "a gratuitous circulation of them among the desti-

tute."¹³⁴ In April the committee of Anderson township, Hamil-

ton County, adopted the following preamble and resolutions :135

"Whereas, This meeting has been informed that in many

parts of the state, especially in the northern parts and in the

Western Reserve, the people are destitute of Jackson newspapers,

and are weekly inundated with the filthy stuff that issues from

the Ebony gazettes, in consequence of which they have no certain

authority by which to contradict the base calumnies that daily

issue from those venal presses,

"Resolved, That all those friendly to the cause who take

Jackson papers, after perusal, be requested either to send them

to this committee or enclose them to persons who they are con-

fident will act faithfully, with the request to give them as wide

a circulation as comes within the scope of their power and

convenience.

¹³¹ St. Clairsville Gazette, Aug. 30, 1828.

132 The following from an editorial in the National Republican,

quoted in the United States Telegraph, Aug. 29, 1828, gives some idea

of the personalities indulged in by the press at that time: "We learn

with mingled feelings of disgust and indignation that Henry Clay, the

celebrated traveling preacher and political missionary of J. Q. Adams,

is expected in this city tomorrow on his grand electioneering tour

through Ohio. ** * * t was earnestly desired by the real friends of

our political institutions *  * *that this last insult to the state might

be avoided."

133St. Clairsville Gazette, Mar. 8, 1828.

134 Ohio Monitor, Aug. 6, 1828.

135 National Republican, May 2, 1828.

Democratic Party Organization in the Northwest.    31

"Resolved, That the several committees in the state, if they

have not already adopted the above plan, be requested to take the

hint from this."

That this anxiety for the Western Reserve was not without

cause is shown by the fact that while there were eight adminis-

tration papers in that locality, no Jackson paper was published

there until midsummer, when David B. McLain launched one in

Cleveland.¹³⁶ Early in July, 1828, there were said to be twenty-

three Jackson newspapers in Ohio, while at the last election it

was said that there had been but five out of fifty for him in

the state.¹³⁷

Occasional references are found to financing the campaign.

At a meeting of the Jackson general committee for Hamilton

County in May, it was resolved "that the several ward and town-

ship committees in this county be requested to appoint a fund

committee in their respective wards and townships, for the pur-

pose of receiving such contributions as may be given to promote

the election of General Jackson, and that the same be paid over

to the treasurer of the general committee of the county."¹³⁸ In

Richland township, Belmont County, a Jackson meeting in Sep-

tember resolved, "that Mr. Marshall be appointed to receive the

funds collected to pay for tickets and other incidental expenses

connected with the presidential election, and to pay them out to

the order of the Jackson     central committee for Belmont

County."¹³⁹ It was further "resolved that a committee of four

be appointed to receive contributions from citizens of Richland

township, to be deposited with the treasurer appointed by the

foregoing resolution for the purpose therein specified."

Some insight into the machinery of elections is occasionally

given. At a Franklin County Jackson meeting those in attend-

136Ohio Monitor, July 30, 1828.

137 U. S. Telegraph, July 21, 1828. James Heaton, commenting on

the Democratic wave which was then sweeping over Ohio, wrote to

Governor Allen Trimble: "The all devouring spirit of Jacksonism seems

to have seized on all the faculties of the multitude." See Old Northwest

Genealogical Quarterly (Columbus, Ohio), XI, p. 16, Selections from the

Papers of Gov. Allen Trimble.

138 National Republican, May 27, 1828.

139 St. Clairsville Gazette, Sept. 27, 1828.

32        Ohio Arch. and Hist. Society Publications.

ance pledged themselves individually to bring forward every

friend to the cause and to do all in their power to support the

Jackson ticket at the ensuing election for county and state

officers.¹⁴⁰ A notice in a Belmont County paper read :141 "Jack-

son electoral tickets, printed by order of the central committee,

can be had by township committees and others on application at

this office. Neighboring counties can be supplied to any extent."

At a Franklin County Jackson committee meeting it was resolved

"that this committee consider the proposal of Moses Dawson, of

Cincinnati, to furnish the Jackson committees throughout the

state with tickets at fifty cents per thousand, an offer friendly to

the cause of reform; and that this committee procure five thou-

sand Jackson electoral tickets from him for Franklin County."¹⁴²

A Jackson meeting in Columbia township, Hamilton County, ap-

pointed a committee of ten to attend the polls at election and

distribute tickets.l⁴³

In Indiana in 1828, the township meetings and congressional

district conventions which were then so prominent in Ohio, were

almost entirely lacking. On the other hand, the influence of the

state convention and the activity of the state central committee in

Indiana were much more prominent than in Ohio. This com-

mittee held several meetings and there are records of a series of

county meetings which were due directly to the suggestion of the

state convention and which made county and township organiza-

tion as it had directed. Indeed the organizations in Indiana and

Ohio were counterparts to each other, each supplying those ele-

ments which the other lacked. In Indiana the party was organ-

ized more from the centre-from the state conventions; in Ohio,

from the local centres-townships and counties. The perfect

system would be the combination of both.

The state central committee held all its meetings at Salem.

The first was on February 22, as requested by the convention.

The comittee was increased by over a hundred members from all

parts of the state and the chairman was authorized to add more

140 Ohio Monitor, Oct. 15, 1828.

141 St. Clairsville Gazette, Oct. 18, 1828.

142Ohio Monitor, Sept. 10, 1828.

143 National Republican, Oct. 7, 1828.

Democratic Party Organization in the Northwest.      33

members at his discretion.¹⁴⁴  At this meeting the committee

nominated John C. Calhoun for vice-president. On March 22, the

committee held an adjourned meeting, only fourteen members

being present from seven counties.¹⁴⁵ Nineteen new members

were added. The committee appointed for that purpose reported

an address on the presidential election which was adopted and

four thousand copies were ordered to be printed and circulated

among the different counties of the state.¹⁴⁶    Several more

meetings of the committee were held through the spring, summer,

and fall and another address was published by it in October.¹⁴⁷

The records of county and township meetings in Indiana in

1828 are meager, although as stated, a number of counties held

meetings which appointed county and township committees in

pursuance of the recommendation of the state convention.¹⁴⁸ At

successive meetings in Manchester township, Dearborn County,

the desire was expressed to exclude the presidential question from

state politics.¹⁴⁹ Just preceding the fall election committees were

appointed in each township of Dearborn County to see that a

sufficient number of tickets was provided at the polls.¹⁵⁰

In both Ohio and Indiana there are traces of outside influence

bearing upon the campaign of 1828. The Ohio central committee

of correspondence wrote to the editor of the United States

Telegraph: "Your circular has been gladly received. Assure

yourselves of our faithful cooperation."¹⁵¹  This suggests that

campaign literature from Washington was used in Ohio. Like-

144 Western Sun, Mar. 15, 1828.

145 Indiana Palladium, May 3, 1828.

146 This address was published in the local papers of the time, such

as the Western Sun, Apr. 26 and the Indiana Palladium, May 10, and

although it filled a page in these papers it contained only the usual cam-

paign material.

147 Western Sun, April 26, July 19, Oct. 4, 1828; Indiana Palladium,

Nov. 1, 1828.

148Indiana Palladium, Mar. 15, May 3, June 28, Oct. 25, 1828; West-

ern Sun, May 31, 1828; National Republican, Apr. 4, May 6, July 18, 1828;

Indianapolis Gazette, Oct. 16, 1828; U. S. Telegraph, July 25, 1828, quot-

ing Cincinnati Republican.

149Indiana Palladium, Mar. 15, May 3, 1828.

150Ibid, Oct. 25, 1828.

151 U. S. Telegraph Extra, No. 28, Aug., 1828.

Vol. XXIV -3.

34         Ohio Arch. and Hist. Society Publications.

wise there is evidence that Indiana was well supplied with free

Jacksonian literature from other quarters.¹⁵²

The election gave a majority for Jackson in both states. In

Ohio the returns were sixty-seven thousand against sixty-three

thousand;l53 in Indiana they were twenty-two thousand against

seventeen thousand.¹⁵⁴ In the congressional election in Ohio in

1826 only four of the fourteen districts of the state had elected

Jackson men. In 1828 Jackson congressmen were elected in

eight districts.¹⁵⁵  These districts formed the east-central and

southwestern parts of the state and in all but one, if not in all of

these, Jacksonian nominating conventions had been held. In Indi-

ana only one of the three congressmen elected was a Jackson

man.156 This was in the first or western district of the state in

which the congressional elections were always closely contested.

The Adams candidates together received a majority of five thou-

sand five hundred.¹⁵⁷   In the local elections both states supported

administration governors¹⁵⁸ and legislatures.1⁵⁹  In other words

these state elections were not conducted on strictly national party

lines. The legislature of Ohio elected an Administration candidate

to the United States Senate, though the majority was small.l⁶⁰

152Lebanon Gazette, June 7, 1828, quoting Indiana Palladium.

153Ohio State Journal (Columbus, Ohio), Nov. 20, 1828.

154Indiana Palladium, Dec. 6, 1828.

155 Ohio State Journal, Oct. 23, 1828; Niles' Register (Baltimore,

Md.), XXXV, p. 148.

156 Niles' Register, XXXV, p. 45.

157 National Intelligencer (Washington, D. C.), Oct. 23, 1828.

158 The regular Jackson candidate for governor of Indiana in 1828,

I. T. Canby, was opposed by James B. Ray, who had been an Administra-

tion man but now claimed to be neutral and was elected. See Lebanon

Gazette, July 26, 1828; also Niles' Register, Nov. 1, 1828, quoting Indian-

apolis Gazette. Ray later became an avowed supporter of Jackson. See

Globe (daily) (Washington, D. C.), Dec. 24, 1831, quoting Indiana Pal-

ladium, Dec. 10, 1831.

159 Ohio Monitor, Dec. 24, 1828; U. S. Telegraph, Sept. 10, 1830.

160 American Annual Register (New York), III, Domestic Occur-

rences, p. 157.

CHAPTER II.

SOLIDIFYING THE ORGANIZATION (OHIO AND INDIANA).

The Period from 1829 to 1832.

After the campaign of 1828 political party activity naturally

subsided and until preparations were resumed for another presi-

dential election the Jacksonian Democracy was comparatively

quiet in the Northwest. The organization attained in 1828 was

not brought into active use generally and became somewhat dor-

mant. Certain active centers endeavored to maintain their organi-

zations, but in general there was little in this interval to claim

attention.

Just after the presidential election, editorial cautions to Jack-

sonians appeared in some papers urging them to remain well

organized.¹ In pursuance to a call by the Democratic central com-

mittee of Belmont County, Ohio, a large meeting was convened in

St. Clairsville in March, 1829.2 R. H. Miller addressed the meet-

ing in behalf of the central committee, urged the necessity of unity

of action, recommended a reorganization and tendered the resig-

nation of the committee. It was resolved "that the organization

of the Democratic party, which has proved so beneficial for the

last two years, be continued."   Whereupon a new     central

committee of five was appointed for the ensuing year, which in

turn appointed township committees of two throughout the

county.

While the United States Circuit Court was in session in

Columbus, a Jackson meeting was held there in July, 1829, which

prepared an address recommending conventions of delegates in

the respective counties to be held as early as possible, as the best

mode of uniting the party at the approaching October elections.³

1Ohio Monitor, Nov. 28, 1828, quoting the People's Press.

2 St. Clairsville Gazette, Mar. 14, and May 16, 1829.

3 U. S Telegraph, July 31, 1829, quoting Ohio Monitor; Ohio State

Buletin (Columbus), July 29, 1829; Western Times, Aug. 8, 1829.

(35)

36        Ohio Arch. and Hist. Society Publications.

About the same time the Jackson executive committee of Cincin-

nati issued a circular to the Jackson party in the State of Ohio,

urging it to form a legislative ticket for the October election.⁴

"Every county," said the State Bulletin, "is expected to make a

regular convention nomination," and this was done in many

counties.5

During the spring and summer of 1830 more activity was

shown in Ohio, because of the congressional and gubernatorial

elections. In February a Democratic meeting was held at Colum-

bus which recommended the electors throughout the state to meet

at their respective county seats and choose as many delegates as

they were entitled to members in the most numerous branch of the

legislature, to attend a state convention to be held in Columbus,

July 12, to nominate a suitable candidate for governor.⁶  Only

thirty-four counties or about half of those then in the state

responded to this call by holding meetings and sending thirty-

eight delegates to the convention.⁷ Among the resolutions drafted

by the convention was one to the effect that they heartily joined

their "brethren" of Pennsylvania and New York in the hope that

Jackson would again yield himself as a candidate for the presi-

dency. A central committee of correspondence was appointed

consisting of seven members, which published an address to the

people of the state.⁸ During August and September a series of

county meetings was held for the purpose of forming tickets for

the fall elections. Some counties were quite active and showed

good organization, such as Belmont, Fairfield, Franklin, Dela-

ware, Muskingum, and Hamilton. In such counties candidates

were nominated by regular conventions composed of delegates

from the townships, and there were county and township com-

mittees. The Muskingum County convention appointed between

three and four hundred upon the committee of vigilance for the

4 Ohio State Bulletin, Aug. 19, 1829; U. S. Telegraph, Aug. 7, 1829,

quoting National Republican.

5Ohio State Bulletin, Aug. 12 and 26, 1829.

6Western Times, March 4, 1830, quoting Ohio State Bulletin, Feb.

24; Ohio elected a governor every two years.

7Ohio Monitor, July 14, 1830.

8Ohio State Bulletin, Sept. 22, 1830.

Democratic Party Organization in the Northwest.     37

county.⁹ In Franklin County the committee of vigilance pre-

pared and published an address to the electors of the county and

distributed one hundred copies of it in each township.¹⁰ While

this committee approved the nominations which had been made

by the party for governor and for congressman in that district,

concerning the state legislature the committee expressed them-

selves thus: "We cannot say anything in allusion to a candidate

for representative in the state legislature. The views and inten-

tions of the Republican party are not yet fully settled on this sub-

ject and we have no individual in particular to whom we can

direct attention at this time. At a future period the preferences

of the party may be more particularly defined." This indicates

that in local matters in Franklin County, party lines were not then

clearly drawn. But in Hamilton County, a full Jackson ticket for

state and county offices was prepared by a convention composed

of duly appointed delegates from most of the townships of the

county and wards of Cincinnati, and it was resolved that "no

person will be considered a candidate for any office by this con-

vention who will not pledge himself either in writing or by his

friends present to abide the result, and to agree to support the

entire ticket nominated by the majority."¹¹   It was further

resolved that all the delegates attending the convention should act

as committees of vigilance at the ensuing election in their respec-

tive townships and wards.

The congressional district convention was much less in evi-

dence than in 1828. Perhaps the most interesting was that of the

eighth district which was first appointed for Sunbury, Delaware

County, June 8 ;12 then for Newark, Licking County, August 7 ;13

and finally an adjourned meeting was held at Mt. Vernon, Knox

County, August 21.14 This shifting seems to have been due to

lack of attendance until finally all the counties of the district were

9Ohio State Bulletin, Aug. 25, 1830.

¹⁰Ibid, Sept. 22, 1830.

11National Republican, Sept. 3, 1830.

12 Ohio State Bulletin, Apr. 21, 1830; Ohio Monitor, June 2 and 9,

1830.

13 Ohio Monitor, July 14 and 21, 1830.

14 Ohio State Bulletin, Aug. 25, 1830; U. S. Telegraph, Sept. 3, 1830.

38        Ohio Arch. and Hist. Society Publications.

represented at Mt. Vernon. The mode of procedure in calling the

district convention was for a county meeting to take the initiative

and propose it, suggesting a time and place and the other counties

of the district would then hold meetings and fall in line by

appointing delegates. In Fairfield County two delegates were

appointed from each township to attend the convention of the

ninth congressional district,¹⁵ but in the eighth district the coun-

ties had sent from three to four delegates each to the convention.

The Delaware County meeting had suggested three from each

county,¹⁶ while the Coshocton County meeting favored twice the

number to which each county was entitled representatives in the

state legislature.17  At this convention a committee of three was

appointed to draft an address to the electors of the district and a

corresponding committee consisting of three in each county was

appointed for the district.18 The chief work of the convention

was, of course, to nominate a candidate for congress.

As the result of the state election of 1830 in Ohio, while

the Jackson party claimed a very small majority in the state leg-

islature,19 it lost two representatives in congress, the second and

eighth districts having elected opposition men, so that instead of

the districts being eight to six for Jackson, as in 1828, they were

now eight to six against him.²⁰

The year 1831 was a quiet one in Ohio politics. In Jan-

uary, as is well known, fifty-two members of the legislature ad-

dressed a letter to Jackson, soliciting him to be a candidate again

for the presidency. But this is a part of the national story of

the preparation for the second term. A number of county con-

ventions were held during the summer and fall which formed

county tickets. In Fairfield County the preliminary meeting for

calling a convention resolved "that a committee of fourteen per-

sons be appointed to consist of one from each township, whose

duty it shall be to put up four notices at the most public places

15 Ohio Monitor, June 9, 1830.

16 Ohio State Bulletin, Apr. 21, 1830.

17 Ohio Monitor, July 14, 1830.

18 Ohio State Bulletin, Aug. 25, 1830; U. S. Telegraph, Sept. 3, 1830.

19 Ohio State Bulletin, Nov. 24, 1830.

²⁰Ohio State Gazette (Delaware), Nov. 4, 1830.

Democratic Party Organization in the Northwest.      39

in their townships, informing the electors when and where the

township meetings are to be held", for the purpose of electing

delegates to the county convention.²1 It was also resolved that,

"no elector intending to offer himself as a candidate before the

people shall be entitled to a seat as a member in the convention."

The chief political interest of the year was the preparation

through county meetings for the state convention which was to

be held, January 8, 1832,22 for the purpose of nominating a gov-

ernor, choosing presidential electors, and also delegates to the

first national nominating convention of the party which was to

meet at Baltimore the following May. This state convention was

attended by two hundred and forty-nine delegates²³ from fifty-

four counties²⁴ and held its sessions on January 9 and 10. It

was resolved "that when this convention proceeds to nominate a

candidate for governor, any member of the convention shall have

the privilege of rising in his place and naming any individual."

The selection was by ballot, a majority of the whole number

being necessary to a choice. Each congressional district through

its delegates, chose two delegates to the Baltimore convention and

one presidential elector. A committee composed of one mem-

ber from each congressional district of the state, chosen by the

respective delegations, selected four additional delegates at large

to the Baltimore convention, two senatorial electors and five con-

tingent electors. There were thus selected thirty-two delegates

to the national convention, sixteen presidential electors and five

contingent electors. The convention appointed a central corre-

sponding committee of seven for the state; a central correspond-

ing committee of eight for each of the fourteen congressional

districts ;25 and central committees for the counties.²⁶ A spirited

address and set of resolutions were adopted and ten thousand

copies of the proceedings were ordered to be published.

21 Globe, Aug. 29, 1831, quoting Ohio Eagle.

22This date fell on Sunday, so the convention met on the ninth.

23 Globe, Jan. 19, 1832, quoting Ohio Monitor.

24 Columbus (Ohio) Sentinel, Jan. 10 and 17, 1832.

25National Republican, May 1, 1832; Columbus Sentinel, July 19,

and Aug. 10, 1832.

26Columbus Sentinel, Apr. 5, 1832; Globe, Aug. 16, 1833, quoting

St. Clairsville Gazette.

40         Ohio Arch. and Hist. Society Publications.

In Indiana even more than in Ohio there was a period of in-

activity in political affairs after the campaign of 1828. For two

years following this campaign politics slept and both county and

state organizations fell into disuse.²⁷  In the spring of 1830 can-

didates for state and county offices were announced individually

by the editors in their papers.²⁸  In some papers there appeared

a "Candidates' Department" in which the various candidates'

names were published under the names of the respective offices

to be filled, and these were inserted from week to week until the

election.²⁹  This mode of presenting candidates of course still

obtains with this essential difference, that now such candidates

are sifted before election by nominating conventions while then

it was open for all until the day of election when a choice was

made from the many. The Indiana legislature elected in 1830

was safely for Clay as usual and elected a United States Sen-

ator of the same persuasion.30

In August 1830 there appeared at Indianapolis Volume I,

Number I of the Indiana Democrat, edited and published by A.

F. Morrison who had already been an active Democratic leader

and the editor of the Republican Statesman in Charlestown,

Clark County.31 He wrote stirring editorials for party organiza-

tion and for a state convention and sounded a new note by say-

27It was at this time of political inactivity that the following re-

markable forecast of political events appeared as an editorial in a Whig

paper, the Indianapolis Gazette, June 11, 1829: "From every account,

we are more and more constrained to believe that General Jackson will

be a candidate for reelection for president of the United States for the

next four years; and we believe it will not be from any eagerness on

his part to continue in office; but from the impossibility of his friends

uniting on any other individual. The friends of General Jackson who

are advocates of domestic industry, and there are many, particularly in

the West, will not support Mr. Calhoun, the avowed opponent of the

policy; neither will the southern people support an advocate of the tariff.

It is therefore highly probable that the contest will be between Mr. Clay

and General Jackson; and General Jackson's election will depend on his

acts as president."

28 Western Sun, March 20 and 27, 1830.

²⁹Ibid, Apr. 3, 1830, et. seq.

30Niles Register, XXXIX, pp. 55, 302, 334.

31Indiana Palladium, Nov. 24, 1827; Nov. 21, 1829.

Democratic Party Organization in the Northwest.  41

ing: "Let it be distinctly known that it is only the intention to

elect to the legislature such persons as will render a candid, hon-

est and fair support to the general administration. No man

should have the confidence of Jackson men unless he will un-

equivocally pledge himself thus far."³² But despite these urgent

editorials, Indiana waited a year before calling another regular

state convention.

A meeting of the Democratic members of the general assem-

bly of Indiana and others convened at the governor's house in

December, 1830.33 Five thousand copies of the president's mes-

sage were ordered to be published for distribution throughout the

state. A standing central committee of twenty members was

appointed for the state with intsructions to publish an address

to the people of Indiana. This committee met a few days later

and organized, choosing A. F. Morrison as secretary "for the

term of its necessary existence." A subcommittee was appointed

to prepare and publish the address which appeared the following

May in pamphlet form.³⁴ It was resolved "that this committee

will endeavor to designate a committee of five persons in every

county in the state, as a county corresponding committee, and

that said committees be requested to organize committees of vigi-

lance in the several townships of their counties, and all such

committees are invited to correspond freely with the central

committee through their chairman and secretary at Indianapolis."

Notwithstanding this excellent plan there is little evidence of

activity during the ensuing few months. Dearborn County seems

to have been the most active and best organized in the state in

1831. A county meeting was held in March preparatory to a

county convention in April. At the preparatory meeting it was

resolved to "unite in the support of suitable and well qualified

persons, friendly to the republican principles of the present

administration, for United States, state and county officers at the

approaching election."³⁵  The convention was attended by dele-

gates from the townships and nominated a ticket for the August

32Indiana Democrat (Indianapolis), Oct. 2, 1830.

33 Western Sun, Jan. 22, 1831; U. S. Telegraph, Jan. 19, 1831.

34 Western Sun, May 21, 1831; Indiana Democrat, May 7 and 14, 1831.

35Indiana Palladium, April 2, 1831; Western Sun, April 16, 1831.

42        Ohio Arch. and Hist. Society Publications.

election.³⁶ The congressional election for the twenty-second con-

gress and the state election were held in Indiana in August, 1831,

and resulted in the election of a Jackson congressman in each of

the three districts of the state, while as before, the opposition

elected the governor and state legislature.³⁷ Thus while attempts

were then being made to connect local and national politics, they

still remained quite distinct in Indiana.

Since January, 1828, no Democratic state convention had

been held in Indiana.³⁸  In September, 1831, the editor of the

Indiana Democrat heralded one in his columns.³⁹ "From various

sources," he wrote, "we are authorized to say that a state conven-

tion will be held at Indianapolis on the second Monday of Decem-

ber next, to nominate electors for president and vice-president."

It was recommended to the voters of the several counties to hold

public meetings and elect one delegate from each township to the

convention. In preparation, county meetings were held and dele-

gates were appointed from most of the counties of the state.⁴⁰ In

Dearborn County the meeting was composed of delegates ap-

pointed by township meetings,⁴1 but in most of the counties there

were no preliminary township meetings and the county meetings

were merely gatherings of the friends of Jackson assembled "in

pursuance of previous notice." The number of delegates ap-

pointed by the counties varied from one as in the case of Posey⁴²

to forty in the case of Dearborn.⁴³ The Jefferson County meeting

resolved that it was inexpedient to send more than the number

of representatives to which the county was entitled in the state

legislature and recommended the counties throughout the state to

adopt this number.⁴⁴

36Indiana Palladium, April 30, 1831.

37 Globe, Aug. 15 and 30, Sept. 1, 1831; Indiana elected a governor

every three years.

38Indiana Democrat, Sept. 17, 1831.

39 Western Sun, Sept. 17, 1831, quoting Indiana Democrat.

⁴⁰Indiana Palladium, Oct. 22 and 29, Nov. 5 and 12, Dec. 10, 1831;

Indiana Democrat, Oct. 15, Nov. 5 and 26, and Dec. 6, 1831; Western

Sun, Nov. 12 and 26, and Dec. 3, 1831; Globe, Dec. 2 and 5, 1831.

41 Indiana Palladium, Nov. 19, 1831.

42 Western Sun, Dec. 3, 1831.

⁴³Indiana Palladium, Nov. 19, 1831.

⁴⁴Ibid, Oct. 15, 1831.

Democratic Party Organization in the Northwest.  43

The delegates assembled December 12, and organized by

appointing a president, two vice-presidents, and two secretaries.⁴⁵

Forty counties were represented by one hundred and twenty-one

delegates. It was resolved that the friends of the administration

then at Indianapolis who had not been appointed as delegates,

including A. F. Morrison, editor of the Indiana Democrat, be

invited to take seats and participate in the proceedings of the con-

vention. As a result of this resolution, twenty-one members were

added making a total of one hundred and forty-two from forty-

four counties. Five delegates were appointed to attend the

national convention at Baltimore in May to nominate a vice-

president to be run on the ticket with Jackson; also five electors

for president and vice-president were chosen and four contingent

electors. It was resolved "that the delegates present be requested

to use their best exertions to create committees of vigilance and

correspondence in their several counties for the purpose of corre-

sponding with the state central committee at Indianapolis." A

committee of two was appointed to receive contributions to

defray the expenses of this convention. A state central com-

mittee of twenty-four was also appointed. An address and reso-

lutions were prepared and seven thousand copies were ordered to

be printed and distributed throughout the state.

The Campaign in 1832.

After the state convention in January, the year 1832 brought

no very conspicuous advancement in party organization in Ohio.

County and township organizations through the appointment of

committees were effected in many counties. The regular county

convention, attended by delegates duly appointed by the town-

ships, for forming tickets and appointing delegates to district

conventions, became more common throughout the state although

it was not invariably adopted. The district convention had be-

come the usual mode of nominating congressmen, but the Logan

County meeting merely appointed a committee of five to corre-

spond with the committees of the other counties of the congres-

45 For account of convention see Western Sun, Jan. 7, 1831; Globe,

Dec. 26, 1831, quoting Indiana Democrat.

44        Ohio Arch. and Hist. Society Publications.

sional district to nominate a suitable candidate for congress.46

The county nominating conventions, too, were sometimes

mixed and irregular. A Shelby County meeting appointed a vigi-

lance and corresponding committee of two in each township, who

with as many friends as might see fit to attend, were requested to

meet to consider forming a ticket to be supported at the annual

election in October.⁴⁷

The "Hickory Clubs" which had been organized in each ward

of Cincinnati by the young men of the city in former campaigns

were reorganized in the spring of 1832.48 Some of the leading

party papers of Ohio showed their zeal in the campaign by issuing

extras during the two or three months preceding the fall elec-

tion.⁴⁹ In one of these papers appeared the names of the "Na-

tional Democratic Committee in Ohio," three in number, who

were appointed by the National convention at Baltimore in May

under a resolution, "that a general corresponding committee from

each state be appointed by the president of this convention." 50

This committee also constituted three of the seven members of

the Ohio central committee,⁵¹ and took the leading part in its

work.

There was noticeable activity on the part of committees espe-

cially in connection with the fall elections. The corresponding

committee of Franklin County appointed seventy-eight men, one

in each school district of the county, "to take special charge of

bringing Jackson voters within their respective school districts to

the polls." 52 In Crosby township, Hamilton County, a committee

of two in each school district was appointed to induce people to

attend the election and to provide them with tickets.53 In Cin-

cinnati sixteen persons were appointed in each ward to act as

committees of vigilance at the polls and one hundred bills contain-

46Columbus Sentinel, Aug. 30, 1832.

47 Ibid, Apr. 5, 1832.

48National Republican, Apr. 20, 1832.

49Columbus Sentinel, July 12, 1832; Ibid, Aug. 23, 1832, quoting Cin-

cinnati Gazette.

50 Globe, May 25, 1832.

51 Columbus Sentinel, July 12, et al., 1832.

52 Ibid, Oct. 4, 1832.

53 National Republican, July 18, 1832.

Democratic Party Organization in the Northwest.    45

ing the names of the Jackson electors were ordered to be printed

and posted in conspicuous places near each ballot box in the

county.54 The state central committee inserted a card in the

Democratic press requesting that a corresponding committeeman

in each county transmit the earliest information possible concern-

ing the vote for president to some member of this central com-

mittee.⁵⁵ Another notice in the press called upon every corre-

sponding committeeman to see that township and school district

committees were supplied with Jackson tickets, and in case there

was no printing office in any county, they were to apply to one of

the Democratic printing offices in Columbus.⁵⁶ Just after the

state election in October the state central committee tendered

acknowledgements for the receipt of about one hundred letters

from the different counties giving the results of the election.57

Finally the state committee formally retired from its duties after

the November election and in doing so returned acknowledge-

ments to the committees appointed in the several congressional

districts of the state "for the prompt and efficient manner" in

which they had "communicated intelligence, from time to time, on

the subject of the late election." 58

Although 1832 was the year of the presidential election, it

was a very quiet one in Indiana and there was no advancement in

party organization. No systematic attempt seems to have been

made to unite the Jackson forces for the state election in Au-

gust,⁵⁹ but preparatory to the fall election a circular was issued to

the friends of Jackson by the central committee of the state for

the purpose of uniting the party.⁶⁰

The election gave Jackson a good majority in both Ohio and

Indiana in 1832 as in 1828. In Ohio Jackson received eighty-one

thousand two hundred votes and Clay, seventy-six thousand five

hundred, making a majority for Jackson of four thousand seven

54National Republican, Oct. 3, 1832.

55 Columbus Sentinel, Oct. 25, 1832.

56 Ohio Monitor, Oct. 17, 1832; Columbus Sentinel, Oct. 18, 1832.

57 Columbus Sentinel, Oct. 18, 1832.

58 Ibid, Nov. 15, 1832.

59 Western Sun, Aug. 25, 1832, quoting Indiana Democrat, Aug. 18,

1832.

60 Western Sun, Oct. 20, 1832.

46                 Ohio Arch. and Hist. Society Publications.

hundred.⁶¹    The vote in Indiana was thirty-one thousand five

hundred for Jackson and twenty-five thousand five hundred for

Clay, giving Jackson a majority of about six thousand.⁶² In the

Ohio congressional election, eleven of the nineteen⁶³ districts of

the state elected Jackson men.⁶⁴

Progress from 1833 to 1836.

In 1833 the chief interests of the Democratic party in Ohio

centered about the coming state convention and the beginnings of

the cleavage in the party caused by the championship of Judge

John McLean for president. This faction and disaffection first

showed itself in relation to the tenure and authority of the state

central committee and later in opposing the state convention.

Early in August the state central committee which had retired the

preceding November,⁶⁵ resumed its functions by issuing an ad-

dress to the Democratic party in Ohio.⁶⁶ It recommended each

county corresponding committee "to take immediate measures to

ensure concert of action among their political friends for effecting

a choice of candidates for state and county officers." The address

also favored county conventions as the best method of securing

union and success. It was warmly seconded by a similar ad-

dress issued soon afterward by the corresponding committee of

Clermont County in which it stated: "It may be said that the

powers of the central committee with those of the corresponding

committees, have ceased with the occasion that caused their exist-

ence. *   *  *  We think otherwise ourselves."⁶⁷  On the other

hand, the editor of the Columbus Sentinel, while publishing the

61Niles' Register, Nov. 24, 1832.

62 St. Joseph's Beacon and Indiana and Michigan Intelligencer

(South Bend, Ind.), Dec. 15, 1832.

63 By the congressional apportionment Act of 1832, after the fifth

census, the number of representatives from Ohio was increased from

fourteen to nineteen and the legislature redistricted the state accordingly.

64 Niles' Register, Oct. 27, 1832. In Indiana the congressional elec-

tion was held in the odd years.

65 See p. 45.

66 Globe, Aug. 16, 1833, quoting St. Clairsville Gazette. Also pub-

lished in Columbus Sentinel, Aug. 8, 1833.

67 Globe, Aug. 31, 1833.

Democratic Party Organization in the Northwest.   47

address and claiming to support its recommendations, contended

that the state committee had not existed since the act of dissolu-

tion by the committee itself in the preceding November, and he

questioned the authority of its action.68 The state convention, he

said, did not contemplate the organization of a permanent body

and had not the power to do so. Later when considering the

reorganization of the party, the Ohio Monitor said:69 "A state

convention ought also to be held for an organization of the

Democratic party. The action of the last state convention has

mostly ceased. Some honestly think it has altogether. The state

central committee acted this season more tardily and reservedly

from the consideration that very many considered they were

functi officio, and probably there was a greater laxity with the

county committees for the same reason. A fresh organization is

important to a concerted action of the party." The Sentinel was

probably correct in its contention that the intended term of the

committee had expired, but this mere technicality fails to explain

the editor's real motives. The committee favored Van Buren

while the editor of the Sentinel did not and later came out openly

for McLean.

Meanwhile the question of holding a state convention arose

and here again the Sentinel was opposed to holding it so early.

It wished to give the sentiments for McLean more time to de-

velop.⁷⁰ When it is considered that it was three years until the

next presidential election, it must be admitted that, apart from

partisan motives, the objection of the Sentinel was not without

reason so far as it related to appointing delegates to a national

convention.

By November the movement for a state convention took defi-

nite form. An editorial in the Columbus Monitor gave it the

required stimulus, the substance of which was as follows :71 "It

is now well established that the Democratic party at large have

determined on a National convention. * * * This must be