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Newspaper
Quincy Whig
Location
Quincy, Illinois, United States of America
Date
Apr 25, 1853
Page
2
A heated Quincy election letter claims the Quincy clique was beaten by honest local voters. It accuses the Herald and allied factions of masking partisan aims propping the Hannibal road, calls for unity to defend Quincy and its railroad interests, and condemns pretended neutrality as harmful to the city and county.
The Quincy Herald accuses Pitman of duplicity over railroad pledges and calls for his resignation after a failed bid for mayor. It claims he would oppose the Hannibal road only if pressed by an extra session and warns readers against misrepresentation. The paper defends Quincy voters and denounces slander linked to Hannibal and Pittsfield press copy.
In a December quarrel over Hannibal railroad charters the Quincy Herald opposes the measure and withdraws from future opposition, while a Whig victory speech lauds John Wood as mayor and attacks rival charges as slander. The letter accuses opponents of corruption, native ticket manipulation, and German-leaning slanders in a heated political battle.
An account from Quincy notes a school examination under Rev. G. P. Giddinge showing high proficiency and strong instruction. Reports also describe attacks on Whigs after a mayoral tally, California disturbances by Joaquin, and rail stock subscriptions totaling fifty thousand dollars by McDonough County citizens for the Northern Cross Railroad from Quincy to Galesburg.
The Herald reports Kattman’s attorney attacks the charges as misrepresentation saying the accusation is that he is not yet a year in the State or a citizen and guilty of slandering respectable citizens. Democrats mock the slander claim and joke about turning Kattman into a Whig for money.
A local newspaper vows to expose the maker of an infamous coffin and any deeper plot behind the affair. It challenges the Herald’s denial, claims to trace the coffin to its creator and deposition, and urges readers to verify a Telegram dispatch about Wood’s election, promising to publish names if proof emerges.
A Quincy Herald attack on road proposals contends villein lines with Hannibal plans. It accuses rivals in Hannibal Pittsfield papers of partisan efforts while urging unity on the railroad issue. A meeting by Pitman allies discusses contesting the election, claiming frauds and illegal votes.
The Court House enlargement contract is awarded to Charles Howland & Co. for $5,000. The city of Quincy pays its share based on 1852 assessments, with the county covering the rest. The plan adds thirty feet to the rear, creates two 30 foot deep fireproof vaults on the lower story, extends the court room to full depth, and lengthens two front rooms to form two jury rooms. The former county clerk space becomes a city council and clerk area with a fireproof vault of four feet depth.
The steamship Tennessee with 600 passengers from Panama ran aground at Tegus Beach Bollans Bay on March 8 in fog. Despite perilous surf and cliffs nearby, all aboard were saved after the ship embedded on the narrow beach at low tide, with providential escape attributed to precise positioning and timely actions.
One week hence from Australia reports gold still flows in though many miners search on surface and avoid deep shafts. NSW Legislative Council acts limit mining to British subjects with fees and licenses, setting leases up to twenty one years and royalties. Other items include a Philadelphia death sentence, a Brooklyn Navy Yard fire, Santa Anna in Vera Cruz, and assorted commerce notes.
Private letters describe Melbourne’s rapid growth with tents near the city, high rents, a bookkeeper role at $1,500 yearly, and a land sale of £4,510 from an 1839 purchase. The writer criticizes inflated hopes about the climate and notes many gold diggers purchase small allotments, usually well funded.
The Quincy city council met at the city clerk’s office on Saturday evening April 16 1853 to act on a petition to vacate an alley in Keyes addition and to consider Broadway grade works. Aldermen Savage Wheeler Redmond Dorman Ralston attended. reports on alley vacating and street work were discussed. bids for grading and guttering Broadway were opened but the John Smith & Co bid was rejected for gravelling and the mayor and clerk salaries were reviewed. culvert work on 8th street was ordered to be extended and adjournment followed.
A Missouri Hannibal exchange denounces the Hannibal Courier for harsh partisan language and bigoted slights toward Freesoilers Abolitionists and Natives. The note asserts rivalry with local papers the Messenger and the Journal and defends press independence.
The Hannibal Courier critiques the Herald's push on Hannibal influenced views and Quincy interests. It notes the Herald fails to sway voters for Wood, while the Hannibal Messenger admits limited evidence and doubt toward the Herald. The piece asserts Herald manipulation failed to control both cities.
Anonymous correspondents accuse the paper of slandering democracy and the Democratic party. The editors deny charging Democrats as a party for the actions of a few. They credit honest independents who supported Wood and thank those who denounce Kattman and Co. They insist they cannot be misunderstood.
The Herald denounces a "perverse generation" in Quincy for not electing Pitman and threatens wrathful measures. It calls for a hard public meeting and oil of consolation to soothe offended rulers, hoping for a return of favorable countenances and influence.
In Hannibal Major Wood, backed by Democrats Marshall Wellh and S Thayer, is described as a friend of the Hannibal Railroad though the Hannibal Courier asserts he will oppose the Pike County Road. The piece notes Wood supporters stand united against the road, contrasting partisan Herald assertions.
A critic argues Pitman should resign his Legislature seat if he opposes the Hannibal road. The Herald is accused of falsely claiming support for the road, implying the paper is either underestimating readers or caught in a publicity dispute. The writer blasts the Herald’s logic as desperate and illogical.
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