Personal recollections of John M. Palmer; the story of an earnest life

Book 1 Aa_ COPYRIGHT DEPOSIT

PERSONAL RECOLLECTIONS

OF i

0*

PERSONAL

RECOLLECTIONS OF

- * *

CINCINNATI

THE

ROBERT CLARKE 1 90 1

COMPANY

Copyrighted, 1901, by

MRS. JOHN M. PALMER

THE LlBKAH* OF CONGRESS,

Two Co>>im Received

CoPVRKSHT ENTRV

CLASS (L XXc. No.

COPY 0.

PRBSS OV THE ROBERT CLARKE CO.

CINCINNATI, O.

Dedication

I have borne a part in some of the most important political events which have transpired in this state and the nation during the last half century; my own share in them was small, but that small share is dignified by its connection with the great actors who were the human agencies that gave to them historical importance.

When I commenced the preparation of this ' ' Story of an Earnest Life," I intended to dedicate it to my friend, Lyman Trumbull, then living.

We met first in December, 1839. He was at that time a lawyer, and lived in Belleville; I was a law student, and came from Carlinville to Springfield, where the Supreme Court was in session, to obtain admission to the bar.

Preface

THE earthly portion of "An Earnest Life" was closed on the twenty-fifth day of September, 1900. Early, while the rising sun proclaimed the coming of a glorious Indian summer day, the summons came, and with tender thought for one so dear, the Master gave to "His beloved sleep" from which he awoke "in His presence."

Many times during the years spent together, we talked of the going hence, and while with reverent submission to whatever manner the call might come, he had expressed the hope that it would find him with every faculty bright from use and "with the harness on," ready, like the ancient trapper, of whom he loved to read, to answer "Here !"

God granted his wish, and in peaceful slumber he passed away.

We, whose privilege it was to be with him in the beautiful simplicity of his home life, beheld his character from a point of view different from that of the world, who saw only the wisdom of the lawyer, the bravery of the soldier, or the dignity of the statesman. Gentle to the last degree, he had a deep interest in the weak and oppressed.

Humanity in every phase appealed to him. Strong, self-reliant and buoyant with the vigor of robust health, he was always ready to shield those less fortunate ; his most tender care was for the weak one, be it an afflicted child or a stray lamb of the flock.

The bearer of many burdens, as every great nature must be, he had the faculty of catching the stray sunbeams which glinted in the darkness, and possessing a keen sense of humor, which enabled him to enjoy a joke, even at his own expense, he was to all a genial companion.

Being an ardent lover of nature, each changing season

(vii)

viii Preface.

won from him a tribute. It was his custom to bring to our notice the first swelling bud of spring-time ; to pluck from snow and icy sleet the "Last Rose of Summer," and a something in his nature responded to the grandeur of a thunder storm.

Music was his delight, especially songs of the plantation, weird and full of melody ; the gentle strains of a childish lullaby, or the solemn measure of majestic hymns, associated with years of early manhood, and made doubly sacred by the memory of voices long still, of parents, brothers and sister — yea, of many dear ones.

The writing of these "Recollections" was a labor of love. It may be that the never-weary fingers dallied with the pen while memory was busy. It was "hard to select" from such a vast treasure-house that which might interest all. Most lovingly he lingered over the early years and paused for a space, while in imagination he fought again the fierce battles of the Civil War and recalled with reverence each brother soldier.

And, as the busy life drew near its close and new problems and important issues demanded consideration, many times did he express the conviction that it was "too early to write more than a recital of facts: at a later day others would write of the history now being made."

Surely, it was with a prescience born of nearness to the world beyond, that he gave utterance to the belief that when the last chapter was written he would ' 'have nothing more to do."

Patient, wise, devoted life ! By her whose privilege it was to share and be a part of this life for more than twelve beautiful years this sketch is written.

His Wife.

JOHN M. PALMER.

His conscience alone he served, However small the cause, or great;

Never by friendship swerved, Never turned aside by hate.

Honest his least intent,

Therefore, let but one line be wrought

At last upon his monument:

"A man who acted what he thought."

— S. E. KISER. (ix)

CONTENTS,

Chapter I

Birth and ancestry of the author— Removal to Green river country — Character of the country — Politics of the times — Slavery question — Removal to Illinois, in 1831 1

Chapter II

Character of the people of Illinois — Black Hawk War — General Semple— Death of my Mother — My Father "gives me my time "—I leave home — Enter Shurtleff College — Brother Elihu — Arrested for debt — Voting in Illinois in 1836 13

Chapter III

Engaged in selling clocks— Mob in Griggsville— First meeting with Stephen A. Douglas and John T. Stuart— Journey to St. Louis- Arrival at Carlinville 22

Chapter IV

Read law with Mr. Greathouse— Candidate for county clerk— Admitted to the bar— Public men of the day— First case in the Circuit Court— Methods of study— Kindness of Judge Breese. . . 27

Chapter V

Canvass of 1840— Impressions of Harrison and Van Buren — Disappointment of the Whig party— Scale of legal fees and prices of lands— My marriage in 1842— Lawyers as politicians — Elected probate justice of the peace in 1843 36

Chapter VI

Elected a delegate to convention of 1847 — Constitutional provision in regard to banks— Provisions in regard to negroes- Incident in regard to Reverend Albert Hale— Investment of school money — In regard to dueling — Township organization law 43

Chapter XI

Visits to Cairo — Visits to Cincinnati — Anna — Douglas — Visit from a Kentucky colonel — Muster regiment for sixth congressional district — Organization of 14th Illinois — Promoted to brigadier-general — In command at Otterville — New Madrid — Riddle's Point — First sight of gunboats — Colored preacher 91

Chapter XII

Retreat to Nashville — Mr. Slate— Pulaski — Major McKittrick discovers a friend — Arrive at Nashville 113

Chapter XIII

Diary kept in Nashville — Call from Mr. Trimble — Capture of company of the 22d Illinois — Arrival of Rosecrans at Nashville — Skirmish with the enemy — Stuart's creek — General Rosecrans* erroneous report— First day's battle of Stone River. (1 862-1863.). 131

Chapter XIV

Battle of Stone River continued — Military eloquence — Cripple Creek — An acquaintance — Mrs. Morgan's dress — Invitation to breakfast — Skirmish with Rebel cavalry — General Garfield — Letter to Assistant Adjutant General — Political situation at the North — A prudent preacher 148

Chapter XVIII

Remained in Illinois until February — Letter to Mr. Lincoln — His reply — Enter again upon the practice of the law — Tried for bringing a negro slave into the state — Visited Washington for Governor Oglesby— Result of my mission — Assigned to the command of the Department of Kentucky — Conversation with Mr. Lincoln — Assumed command of the department — Address to the legislature of Kentucky— Correspondence— Orders 222

Chapter XIX

Rumor of freedom amongst the negroes— Fourth of July, 1865 — "Golden Chariot" and 'bosses 'of salvation"— Judge George W. Johnston — Indictments against me — Letter to Hon. George Robertson— Election order of 1865— Revisit the old home— Mr. Garrett — Letter to Mr. Dana — Letter to the president— Success of the conservatives — Letter to Judge Trumbull 240

Chapter XX

The guerrillas— Killing of Marion— Capture of " Sue Mundy "— Magruder and Medkiff— Sentence of Davis and Berry — Mrs. Smith and Miss Bailey — Feeding the guerrillas 267

Chapter XXI

Inaugural address — Condition of the times — Change in situation of North and South — Democratic party — Railway corporations — Governor Oglesby — Public schools — Incorporation laws — Vetoes — Local taxation — Lake front bill and veto 280

Chapter XXII

Mercantile Protective Company — Constitutional Convention of 1870 — Detectives — Mobs — Bribes — Fees — Railroads — Eminent domain — Pardons — Talk to colored people on the seventh anversary of emancipation — Address on the reinterment of Governor Bissell 312

XIV CONTENTS.

CHAPTER XXIII. The Chicago fire— Correspondence with Mayor Mason, and the

president— Message to the general assembly 343

Chapter XXIV

Meeting of the legislature of 1873— End of my term of office— Provision for education— Defense of grand juries — Mobs— Newspapers— Change of venue— Challenge to jurors— Pardons- Change in criminal law suggested — The poor— Suggestion of an officer to represent poor prisoners — The railroads 378

Chapter XXV

Presidential canvass of 1876— Hayes nominated by the Republicans— Tilden nominated by the Democrats — Visited Louisiana — Hayes's electors counted in— Correspondence between Democrats and Republicans— Report to Mr. Hewitt— Nominated for U. S. Senate— Declined in favor of General Anderson — Election of Judge Davis 395

Chapter XXXI

Correspondence with the secretary of the treasury — Defend the Democratic platform — Condemn the tariff — Oppose licensing dealers in options — Speech on the repeal of the purchasing clause of the " Sherman Act " 511

CONTENTS. XV

CHAPTER XXXVIII. Anniversary of the Bloomington convention of 1856 — Old politics

Deaths 620

LIST OF ILLUSTRATIONS.

John M. Palmer (Civilian)

Fac-simile of License

Stephen A. Douglas ....

Lyman Trumbull (U. S. Senator 18 years)

Abraham Lincoln (President elect, 1860)

John M. Palmer (Military)

Letter of Lincoln ....

Discharge from Army

Richard J. Oglesby (Governor and U.S. Senator)

John M. Palmer (Age of eighty-two) .

Frontispiece

THE STORY OF AN EARNEST LIFE.

Chapter I

Birth and ancestry of the author— Removal to Green river country — Character of the country— Politics of the times — Slavery question — Removal to Illinois, in 1831.

x My earliest recollections go back to a new, and then sparsely settled, portion of Southern Kentucky. My father, Louis D. Palmer, was born in Northumberland county, Virginia, on the third day of June, 1781, and was the third son of Isaac and Ann (McAuley) Palmer, who were both born in Northumberland county in that state, the first on the first day of November, 1747, and the latter in June of the year 1747 ; they died in Christian county, Kentucky, within a few months of each other, the oldest persons in that part of the state. My great-grandfather, Charles McAuley, came to Virginia from the north of Ireland, and, as may be inferred from the name, was of Scotch descent. My great-grandfather, Thomas Palmer, emigrated to Virginia early in that century from England.

My grandfather, Isaac Palmer, and my grandmother, Ann McAuley, were, when young, baptised by Lewis Lunsford, one of the early Baptist preachers in Virginia ; they adhered to that church as long as they lived. with unshaken fidelity.

My mother, Ann Hansford Tutt, was born on the twenty-seventh day of October, 178G, in Culpepper county, Virginia, where her father, Lewis Tutt, and her mother, Isabella Yancy, were born about the year 1750.

Their ancestors were early settlers in Virginia, the Tutts from England and the Yanceys from Wales. Their families were wealthy, and so proud of their connection with the established church, that I imagine my grandfather Tutt did not join in the revolutionary movement in Virginia with much enthusiasm. My grandfather Palmer, in his quiet, stubborn way, took part in the contest ; he appears upon the roll of Revolutionary soldiers as a "minute man," and received a pension of eight dollars per month for his services.* I remember what I thought to be the excellent wit he exhibited in calling Cornwallis "Cobwallis," because he said "they shelled the corn off him in Yorktown ! " In his old age his heroes were Washington and Lafayette, the latter of whom he remembered only in my day by the name of "De Marcus," to whom, as he said, "General Washington compelled the shelled 'Cobwallis' to deliver his sword at Yorktown."

His life was spent in the quiet pursuits of agriculture, following the simple methods of his day. I remember that his pride was, that he "owed no man," and that he attended the monthly church meetings which were always held on Saturday, and followed by Sunday preaching, with unfailing regularity. He had aspirations, however, for his boys, and "bound them out" to learn trades. Seven years was then the term of an apprenticeship. « My father, when fourteen years of age, was bound to Archibald Mcllvaine, a cabinet-maker doing business in Lexington, Kentucky, where he remained until his twenty-first birthday, June 3, 1802, when his apprenticeship expired.*

While in Lexington, my father, who was then and always was, an omnivorous reader, made himself familiar with the meager political literature of the day, and became an admirer and devoted adherent of Mr. Jefferson, while I even now remember that my grandfather disliked him. He insisted that Mr. Jefferson was an infidel, and had opposed Washington. Those were, in his estiy

raation, unpardonable offenses. My father and mother were married on March 22, 1814, soon after he returned from a campaign in the northwest against the "British and Indians." He was in the rifle regiment raised and commanded by Colonel John Allen, who fell at the disastrous affair at Raisin river, where so many brave men were sacrificed to the tomahawk of the Indians by the shameful conduct of the British commander.* From all accounts I have heard, General Winchester probably lacked capacity, and his volunteer troops were insubordinate and reckless, but they were brave, and if left to themselves, would either have died with their arms in their hands, as Colonel Allen and Captain McCracken did, or have obtained better terms than General Winchester did for them. My father was on detached service that day and escaped the massacre which followed the surrender.

No names were more familiar to me in my boyhood than were those of Colonel John Allen and Captain Archibald McCracken, to whose company my father belonged ; both fell at Raisin river, gallantly doing their duty, and Kentucky has honored their names by bestowing them upon counties in that state. My father served for a short time after the affair at Raisin river, but as the time of his enlistment (six months) had nearly expired, he was not present at any other affairs of importance. * After his return, he visited the then territory, now state, of Indiana, and bought land on the Ohio river, near Madison, but after his marriage he abandoned the idea of removing to that state. He followed his trade, living in Woodford and Scott counties (I was born in Scott county on September 13, 1817), and until the fall of the year 1819, then, attracted by the glowing descriptions of the beauty and fertility of what was then known as the "Green River Country," he, with my mother, my eldest brother Elihu and myself, removed to Christian county, y

Our removal was after the manner of the times ; we traveled the distance on horseback, my brother, then four years old, rode on the horse behind my father, and my mother, on another horse, carried me in her lap ; their worldly goods consisted of two hundred silver dollars and two horses, as I have often heard — "the silver was carried in saddle-bags." I have listened to many talks about their removal, but only recollect that my father often said that during the journey, if I had a full allowance of food and sleep, I gave no trouble. I think I have maintained the character then earned ever since.

Soon after his arrival in Christian county, my father bought a tract of land containing about three hundred acres in the "Barrens," as they were called; the land was nearly in the condition of some of the prairies in Southern Illinois ; it had upon it scrubby black-jack and hickory growth which showed marks of the fires which had swept over it for many successive years ; it was easily cleared and when once put into cultivation, produced excellent crops of corn and tobacco, which afterwards became the chief commercial crops of that part of the state.

The settlers of Southern Kentucky established schools that met the demands for instruction in the essential branches of education as they were then understood — reading, writing and arithmetic as far as the "Rule of Three ;" later, English grammar according to Lindley Murray, was introduced, but "grammar" was for many years treated as one of the optional studies, being considered rather ornamental than useful.

My teachers, Isaiah Boone, a relative or descendant of the famous Daniel Boone, and Hezekiah Woodward, a professional teacher, were competent instructors and used the rod of good sound hazel or hickory with great energy. I received my fair share of instruction and punishment and do not distinctly recollect when I could not read.

Mr. Boone was a Baptist preacher and allowed no profane amusements in connection with his school, but one of Mr. Woodward's schools was closed by a "barbecue." The dancing was under what was called an "arbor;" the meats were cooked in the "barbecue" style still practiced in some parts of Illinois ; bread was provided by the families interested, and a "still-house" near by furnished corn whisky for the occasion. I was then some ten years of age, but from that time until we removed to Illinois, in 1831, our manner of life was uniform.

Other children were born until there were seven sons and one daughter who, with the exception of myself, were brought by my father to Illinois.

The time of our residence in Christian county, from 1819 to 1831, was filled with important political and social discussions and changes. I have a very distinct recollection of the great contest between what was known as the "old and new court" parties, which commenced by certain rulings of the Court of Appeals (Supreme Court) of the state.

The lands in Kentucky were generally held under titles derived from Virginia, of which Kentucky had been a part ; the negligence of the land officers, and the careless manner in which surveys had been made, led to a confusion of boundaries in Kentucky, and involved the titles to land in hopeless uncertainty ; the courts were crowded with suits which involved conflicting surveys, or imperfect transfers, and other questions of like character to the ruin of hundreds who had bought lands in good faith and made improvements upon them.

The legislature of the state, in order to relieve the unfortunate settlers, passed laws for the protection of occupying claimants, which, had they been enforced by the courts, would have made the recovery of lands against occupants practically impossible ; at the same time the people were poor and in debt.

The legislature, in its effort to relieve them, had created banks, and attempted to make their paper issues a practical tender in the payment of debts. The method of relief was by what were known as "replevin laws ;" these laws gave to the debtor, after the tender of payment in bank paper, the right to stay of execution upon judgments on a tender of bond and security.

The exact details of the methods provided by the statutes, by which the stay of execution was intended to be secured, are not important, for whatever they were the Court of Appeals (which consisted of John Boyle, chief-justice, William Owsley and Benjamin Mills, associate justices) held them to be unconstitutional, and upon that ground refused to enforce them. In 1824, an attempt was made by the legislature to remove the chief-justice and his associates by an address to the governor, but in order to remove them the concurrence of two-thirds of the members of each branch of the legislature was necessary. The requisite "two-thirds" could not be obtained to the address, so the expedient was adopted of repealing the law creating the court, and in that way get rid of the judges.

The repealing bill also provided for the appointment of other judges of the court, the governor approved the repealing act, and appointed other judges, who it was expected would support the validity of the "relief laws" and other laws of like character ; but Chief-Justice Boyle and his associates, Owsley and Mills, refused to recognize the validity of the repealing act, or to surrender their records to the "new court;" the state had for a time two "Courts of Appeals," and the people were divided into parties which with great heat supported the rival tribunals.

My father was a "new court" man, but Mr. Clay, who was then strong in the confidence of the people of Kentucky and most of the conservative men of the state, supported the "old court," and after a contest, characterized by great excitement, the "new court" party was defeated. A majority of the legislature was elected favorable to the old court ; this legislature repealed the law under which the new court was created. I have no doubt now but that the new court party was wrong, but the names of Boyle, Owsley and Mills, sometimes sarcastically called the "three kings," were for a long time odious to me.

I have mentioned the name of Mr. Clay in connection with the "old and new" court controversy as supporting the "old" court ; I think that fact made the "new" court party his enemies, for I remember in 1824, when the candidates for the presidency were Adams and Jackson, Crawford and Clay, my father, and his "new court" friends, supported Jackson.

I can now remember a political song, which I then read in a newspaper taken by my father, which commenced :

" Republicans, cheer the hickory tree, In time of war it sheltered thee."

I recall but these two lines of the song, which was sung to some familiar hymn tune, but I remember a whole verse of another, which we sang to the tune of "Auld Lang Syne:"

" Ladies, you are much mistaken, And can I tell you why, For General Jackson will be elected, And Clay will surely die'!"

General Jackson was not elected, however, but it was then one of the articles of my belief that he was defeated by some "bargain and intrigue," to which Mr. Clay was a party.

Of course, these impressions have long since passed away, but thousands no doubt believed that charge against Mr. Clay upon no better evidence than I had.

I remember the presidential contest of 1828 with more distinctness. General Jackson and Mr. John Quincy Adams were the opposing candidates. Mr. Clay's great influence kept Kentucky steady, but by that time General Jackson's popularity was greatly increased, and his supporters were more numerous and bold than in 1824, though our neighborhood was overwhelmingly for Adams.

I remember that my father and a friend left our house on the morning of election day to go to Hopkinsville, the county seat, where, I believe, all the votes cast in the county were received ; my father and his friend each carried a hickory bush as a sign of his faith.

In the meantime, other subjects began to excite public attention. In 1829 or 1830, the neighborhood was greatly excited over what was called a "rising" of the negroes.

Of course, there were no just grounds for apprehension, but there were many credulous persons ready to believe such things, and weak and foolish negroes would make confessions that, though they carried falsehood on their faces, were thought to justify cruel persecutions.

At the time to which I refer, the alarmed state of the public mind led the proper authorities to appoint "patrols," called by the negroes "patter-rollers." The patrols of our neighborhood were idle, reckless young men, in most instances the sons of respectable farmers, but some of them were the overseers of wealthy men, who had a large number of slaves.

The patrols would enter any kitchen or house occupied by negroes without ceremony, and if any visiting negro was found without a "pass" signed by the master of the slave, or by some other person by his authority, he or she was at once whipped by the patrol, very much at their discretion.

Saturday night was usually chosen by the patrol for their visitations, for that evening was commonly selected by the negro men for their visits to their wives and female acquaintances.

A nesro woman at our house had for her husband a very trustworthy, quiet man named Abram, who belonged to a neighbor. One Saturday evening Abram came as usual to visit his wife, America, and about nine o'clock the patrol surrounded the house, to which the kitchen was attached, and prepared at once to force open the door leading into the room where the man and his wife had retired for the night.

My father met them, there were two or three of the patrol, and objected to their entry upon his premises, of which he claimed exclusive control. I only remember that he was firm and they were overbearing and insulting, the more so as he was understood to be opposed to the institution of slavery.

They did not enter the kitchen, but left, threatening my father with the law as well as personal chastisement ; he made no reply to their threats other than to defy them ; I had never before seen him so moved. The next morning he declared he would no longer remain in a state where scenes like those that occurred the ni^ht before were possible, and he announced his determination to leave Kentucky and remove to the free State of Illinois.

This announcement startled us, for we had no idea of a state of society where negroes, if there were any, were not slaves ; our mother, as we inferred from what she said in her efforts to dissuade father from his purpose, entertained more serious apprehensions than we did of what she imagined to be the "social conditions" of a "free state."

Father soon captured the imaginations of his boys ; he told us of the prairies, of lands so cheap that we could all be landholders, where men were all equal ; this consideration appealed to us strongly, for we already knew of the superior social standing of our wealthy neighbors.

We began to look forward to the time of our removal to Illinois witii impatience, but with all that my father could do, he did not complete his arrangements for leaving Kentucky until April, 1831, when the family started for Illinois, and left me witli my aged grandparents, to follow the next fall with the husband of my mother's sister, who was not then ready to go.

The difficulty with the patrol had, no doubt, injured my father's standing in the neighborhood, especially with some of the extensive slaveholders, and what may seem strange, his views upon temperance were singular and very unpopular, even with the members of the church to which he was attached.

I remember the appearance in Southern Kentucky of a volume of discourses by the Reverend Lyman Beecher, then of Connecticut, directed against the use of intoxicating liquors, used as a beverage, but I am not able to fix the exact date of their introduction into our neighborhood.

These discourses produced a sensation that can now scarcely be understood. At that time the use of whisky was general. I remember to have attended a church meeting and Sunday preaching at the house of Captain Radford, a wealthy neighbor, where, after religious services were concluded two or three negroes entered with "waiters" upon each of which there were a dozen or more glasses well filled with whisky "toddy."

These were passed first to the preacher and the older brethren, and then to the others, and none failed to take a share of the contents of the glasses. Almost every one kept whisky, which was made in abundance in the neighborhood, and it was a point of hospitality to offer it to every visitor.

We had two good neighbors who never forgot boys, or negroes, in the dispensation of their hospitality ; and to be niggardly in this respect was degrading. I remember at a muster once to have heard a local poet sing of a well-known and stingy neighbor :

is a mean man,

And everybody knows it; He keeps good whisky in bis house, But never says, here goes it."

This expressed the popular sentiment of the man who was wanting in the essential characteristics of hospitality.

My father and Mr. William T. Major, a neighbor and friend, became convinced about the same time of the evil effects of intoxicating liquor, and my father I know ceased to use or offer it to others.

This was the subject of much remark, and perhaps added to the feelings of dislike with which some regarded him on account of his views on the subject of slavery. At all events he sold his land, and in 1831 came to Illinois and settled in Madison county, north of Edwardsville on Paddock's prairie, and about ton miles east of Alton, where he entered, I think, two hundred and forty acres of land, built a log house, and in the fall of that year I followed the family to Illinois. Those who know Illinois now can have no idea of the Illinois in 1831.

After passing Hopkinsville, the seat of justice of Christian county, Kentucky, we took the route from that place by way of Princeton, in Caldwell county to Ford's ferry, on the Ohio river, and thence after crossing the river by Equality, Mt. Vernon and Carlyle to Edwardsville. This road which was then as far as Carlyle, the great route from Southern Kentucky, Middle Tennessee and North Carolina to Central Illinois and Missouri, was crowded with "movers" who were making their way by all the then known methods of travel, from the handsome family carriage to the humblest ox-cart. Many families traveled on foot with a pack-horse to carry their heavier movables or for the transportation of the smaller children.