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Political Campaigns OfY earsGone ByBy ALTA HARVEY HSISERButler countv line. Woods andHarrison had been personalfriends almost from theWoods was admitted to thetimebafand came to Hamilton, inH!fdOne hundredIlamil-years ago,ton staged a celebration whiahoutrivaled anything preceding it.Later years brought improvements which may have made more elaborate demonstrations possible, but for enthusiasm and excitement nothing ever surpassed the program carried out bv Hamilton’' Tippecanoe club, on October 184b.gencer. T. M. Walter, the retir to the Preble county line, where They had served together in con-1,a1wavs♦ 4whetherPresident in 1 campaignshave roused the people,or not there was a very clear understanding of the platforms of the opposing parties. We are told that the William Henry Harrison campaign was the most hotlv contested in the history of our coun- j bush building, try. It was one of special concern house.mg owner, said practical printer,iHli* writer, and fetid the whigscontest. Howell non need that he had work to do and his paper would, for the time, make all other matters second to campaign work.John Woods, William Bebb.Join M. Millikin, Dr. Falconer and L. D. Campbell (still a whig,seeking office) were his ablestsupporters. Howells was madesecretary of the Butler County* •/Tippecanoe club which held its first meeting in the new Hothen-Rossville’s ButlerHowells was a he was met by an escort ofa plain and son- citizens. At Eaton hewell able to de- masterly exposition of in the coming renc\ question.” This himself an- most important matter3004 4gress during the 1820’sit wasto the people of Hamilton because of personal friendships. General Harrison had been an idol to thepeople following his capable management during India and British wars. Two of his children married Hamilton young people. Anna became the wife of William Taylor, and Carter married Mary Sutherland. This was in 1830, when Harrison was the whigpresidential candidate with bright prospects of being elected. As Fielding Goble, a Butler county whig, said: “Old Tippecanoeruns well for an old Granv dont he. I am beginning to think he will beet the magician of Kinder-hook.” However, VanBuren won.Whigs And LocofocosThe republicans and democrats of those days were called whigs and locofocos. Each party had its supporting paper in Hamilton. In 1830, Dr. Falconer was elected delegate to the whig convention in Harrisburg, Pennsylvania, making it the occasion for a weddingtrip with his bride, the formerMary Woods. The Ohio whigsstill hoped to nominate Henry (.‘lav. General Harrison was now inwhigi67 years old. and it came as a surprise to the whigs themselves when he received the nomination. His Hamilton friends rallied to hU support, and the year 1840was one of great political tension.Late in 1839, William C. Howells bought the Hamilton Intelli-Campaign SongsTt will he remembered that this was called the Log Cabin and Hard Cider campaign. The local Tippecanoe club issued books containing campaign songs, which were “for sale at moet stores.”Thomas Corwin was governor of Ohio. Early in July, 1840, he visited his brother Jesse in Hamilton. The Tippecanoe club immediately begged for an address. Although there were but a few hours to give notice, no building in either Hamilton or Rossville was large enough to accommodate the crowd eager to hear this able orator. Women were invited, and Corwin spoke on woman’s political importance.Arrangements were made for General Harrison to visit Hamilton on July 24. At 4 p. m., he was escorted to town by the Butler Guards under Captain Campbell’s command, and the “youthful Log Cabin Guards under Captain Master Taylor.” Thousands turned out to hear his hour and a half address at the courthouse. He was excellent health, spoke withease, and won the admiration ofthose whose minds had been poisoned by politicalEven the locofocosmud-flinging who had madeabout Generalspeech couldabusive statements Harrison’s homelyno longer say he was an imbecile! Xcxt morning, he was escortedgave ''a the cur-was the at stake, still wasThe Bank of Hamiltonin good condition, although many others had failed, but its future safety depended on securing awhig President.The most interesting phase of any historical story is the part that never is told — the personal sorrows and heartaches that uresubmerged for the “good of the cause.” On the occasion of this memorable visit of General Harrison' to Hamilton, John Woods was chosen to lead the party which met him at the Hamilton-NVoods’ duty to welcome the general.The dav before the great event. Woods’ little daughter died. There mav have been an error in theaccount which statednewspaper that he was in charge of the day's program, but, as near as can be learned, he did meet Harrison at the county line. He did not hear the address which began at 4 p.m. At 5 o’clock, little Sarah Woods was earned to the old graveyard for burial.There still was work to be done for the Log Cabin and Hard Cider campaign, including the October 5 celebration, of which we shall speak next week.
Newspaper Details
Hamilton Cincinnati North Journal
Hamilton, Ohio, US
Sat, Oct 05, 1940
Page 4
Full Page
Clipped by
Patrick M.
USA 02 Feb 2021
Other Publications Near Hamilton, Ohio
Hamilton Evening Democrat
Hamilton Daily Democrat
Hamilton Weekly Hamilton Telegraph
Daily Telegraph
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