HISTORICAL PERSPECTIVE: Triumph and sorrow: The Vigo County Whigs in 1841
Rob Robbins
HISTORICAL PERSPECTIVE: Triumph and sorrow: The Vigo County Whigs in 1841
Mike McCormick Special to the Tribune-Star
TERRE HAUTE — William Henry
Harrison — the man responsible for constructing Fort Harrison on the eastern
banks of the Wabash River 200 years ago — was a two-time Whig candidate for
President of the U.S.
He was unsuccessful in 1836 when he ran as a
Northern Whig. Vice President Martin Van Buren, the Democratic candidate, was
elected with 170 electoral votes.
By 1840, the Whig Party had unified and
Harrison was chosen as its candidate over such significant Americans as Henry
Clay and Daniel Webster.
In both elections, Harrison’s heroic military
record formed the basis of his campaign. After building Fort Harrison, he led
U.S. forces against British-supported Native Americans at the Battle of
Tippecanoe and earned the alias, “Ole Tippecanoe.”
He also was credited
for the defeat of the British at the Battle of Thames, the skirmish that
resulted in the death of the great Shawnee chief Tecumseh.
The Financial
Panic of 1837, while Van Buren was vice president, gave the Whigs more
ammunition. Once Harrison officially became a candidate, the Whigs began
referring to Van Buren as “Van Ruin.”
The Democrats responded by
suggesting that Harrison, who retired before the end of the War of 1812, would
rather “sit in a log cabin drinking hard cider” than serve as president. The
Whigs countered, making a log cabin and hard cider two campaign
symbols.
The Whigs’ 1840 slogan, “Tippecanoe and Tyler, too,” became one
of the most popular catchphrases in the history of presidential
politics.
The Whigs of Vigo County were visible in their support of
Harrison though they were unable to convince him to return to the fort site for
a rally during either campaign.
Fort Harrison was gone but several
outbuildings remained. “Harrison Canes” were carved from wood taken from those
structures. Harrison conducted a rather modest campaign during 1840, but rarely
made speeches of any significance.
The local populace was dominated by
Whigs in 1841, 170 years ago. Before Harrison was scheduled to take the oath of
office on Saturday, March 4, a exultant contingent of Vigo County Whigs met at
the courthouse on Saturday, April 27. Col. Thomas Holdsworth Blake called the
meeting to order. Lucius H. Scott was called to the chair. Ebenezer Patrick of
Prairie Creek and William Ray of Sugar Creek were chosen vice
presidents.
On the motion of John Britton, Jacob H. Hager was appointed
secretary.
Col. Blake asserted that the primary purpose of the meeting
was to chose delegates to attend a convention in Bloomfield convening March 15
to select a candidate to represent the Second Congressional district in the next
election. Samuel Barnes Gookins and Thomas Dowling introduced resolutions
affirming that goal.
Pursuant to a resolution, the chairman appointed a
committee consisting of Dowling George Hussey, Benjamin McKeen, Alexander
Eagleston and Marvin M. Hickcox to consider candidates.
After
deliberating, the committee tendered several resolutions, including one
congratulating Vigo County Whigs for their 12-year effort to bring back “good,
old fashioned government” to Indiana and the nation. One resolution reflected on
the past:
“In 1832, Vigo was the only Whig county from the Lakes to the
Ohio. She stood alone, the citadel of Democracy of the Wabash and, like the
trusting and confiding Christian, never abandoned the political faith delivered
to her. Around her, in 1840, has clustered the gallant counties of Putnam,
Vermillion, Warren, Tippecanoe, Knox, Daviess, Martin and last, though not
least, Parke, Owen and Greene. Six of these counties sit in the Second
Congressional District.”
Col. Blake, “in a neat and eloquent speech,”
made it clear that he did not want his name taken to Bloomfield as a
congressional candidate. An extremely popular public servant, Blake had served
in Congress from 1827 to 1829 but his wife died in childbirth in 1830 and he had
to care for his daughter.
It also was noted that Major Cornelius A. Ogden
of the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, “so long connected with the Cumberland Road
in this State and Illinois,” had been transferred to Mobile. “During Major
Ogden’s residence here for nearly eight years, he has been a faithful and
enlightened officer popular with his many friends.”
Harrison arrived in
the nation’s capitol to take the oath of office on March 4. It was a cold, wet
day. Though 68 years old, he wore neither an overcoat nor a hat and delivered
the longest inaugural address in history. He then paraded through the rainy
streets.
On March 26, 1841, the president developed a cold which turned
into pneumonia. Physicians’ home remedies did not work and he became delirious.
On April 4, the oldest president inaugurated up to that time died of pneumonia,
jaundice and septicemia. He had served 30 days, 12 hours and 30 minutes, the
shortest term of any president.
News of the president’s death was not
received immediately. At the instance of Col. Blake, George Hussey and Seymour
Gookins, a meeting was called for April 17 at the courthouse. Upon Blake’s
motion, Hussey served as chairman and Gookins was appointed
secretary.
Resolutions were adopted setting aside Wednesday, April 21 as
a day for tributes and solemnities. Britton M. Harrison, William Wines, Dr.
Richard Blake, John Dowling, Tindal A. Madison, Jonathon Scott and Walter
Dickerson composed the Committee of Arrangements.
Clergymen of all
denominations and soldiers who served with Gen. Harrison under Gen. “Mad
Anthony” Wayne and those who served under him were especially solicited to
participate “on this mournful occasion.” On the motion of Wines, the Committee
specifically requested all local business houses to close on April 21.
By
coincidence, the Wabash Courier noted that the theatrical group of (Alexander)
Mackenzie & (Joseph) Jefferson opened April 22 in Terre Haute. The troupe
included 12-year old Joseph Jefferson III. In the first two days here, the bill
of fare included “The Brigand,” “The Spectre Bridegroom,” “Blackeyed Susan” and
“A Roland for an Oliver.”
“The company is decidedly the best to ever
visit Terre Haute,” the Courier asserted.
~Catherine Pulsifer~