CHAPTER XII

POLITICS

When the vote for the old constitution was taken on November 13, 1849, there were but three precincts within what was then known as Contra Costa county, namely, at the Moraga Redwoods, Martinez and San Antonio (Brooklyn, Alameda county). For the election of April 1, 1850, the precinct of New York was added to those already created. On October 7th of the same year the precincts were Martinez, San Antonio, San Ramon (Dublin) and New York. The first record, however, of a distribution of voting precincts is for the election called for September 3, 1851, when the following polling places were established: At the courthouse in the town of Martinez, and the house. of Jose Maria Amador, for the township of Martinez; the houses of Victor Castro and Vicente Peralta in and for the township of San Antonio; and the house of William W. Smith in Antioch, and the lower ferry on the San Joaquin river, in and for the township of New York. The polls in Washington township were at the store of H. C. Smith, an election being there held on May 4, 1850, when Lone Kemble was inspector. These, with a few additions, continued until the creation of Alameda county, when, August 1, 1853, the following were declared the first election precincts: In Washington township-at the mission of San Jose at the room next easterly of Howard & Chamberlain's store, and at the town of Alvarado at the room there used for a courthouse. In Eden township-at the house of William Hayward and at the house of T. H. Cowles. In Clinton township at the house of James B. Larue, at the house of Charles Ray and at the sawmill of Tupper & Hamilton. In Oakland township at the office of A. Marier. In Contra Costa township-at the house of Seth R. Bailey and at the house of A. E. Hutchinson. In Murray township-at the house of Michael Murray.

At the first constitutional convention called by Governor Riley in 1849 to form the state, the present county of Alameda, then belonging to the jurisdiction of San Jose, was represented by Elam Brown of Lafayette. Brown had come to California in 1846; bought the Acalanes Rancho; was juez of the Contra Costa in 1848. He served not only in the constitutional convention, but in the first two Legislatures of the state, and lived to a ripe old age, rich and highly respected. Two other persons, since connected with the county, namely, Charles T. Botts, of Oakland, and J. Ross Browne, took a prominent part in the labors of that body. In the first Legislature W. R. Bassham was the senator from the San Jose district, to which the present Alameda county still belonged, and Joseph Arm, Benjamin Corey and Elam Brown represented the district in the Assembly.

Before Alameda county was formed an election for the position of member of the Assembly was held on March 26, 1853, when three candidates, viz.:

Horace W. Carpentier of Oakland, Robert S. Farrelly of "Squatterville" or San Lorenzo, and B. R. Holliday of Martinez, entered the field. The election was subsequently contested in the House. The highest number of votes were polled by Mr. Carpentier, against which Mr. Farrelly protested on the ground of fraud. A certificate of election was refused to Mr. Carpentier by the county. clerk, and the matter was unraveled by the committee on elections of the Legislature. Mr. Carpentier claimed 519 votes; Mr. Farrelly 254, and Mr. Holliday 192, thus showing a majority of seventy-three votes in favor of Carpentier. S. J. Clark, attorney for Mr. Farrelly, presented various grounds of objection and alleged fraud on the part of Mr. Carpentier, as well as collusion on the part of the board of judges, inspectors and clerks of Contra Costa or Oakland township. In the examination it was ascertained that the whole number of votes cast in the township was 377, while, according to the testimony of the agent who took the census of the township but ten weeks before, there were only 130 votes within its limits. It was also declared that it took almost two hours to count the Carpentier tickets which lay in a compact yellow mass at the top of the box, ere any white ones, representing Farrelly, were reached, and yet three of the last voters who cast their ballots at sundown swore positively that they had voted white tickets for Farrelly. The board of supervisors of Contra Costa county, however, took the view that Mr. Carpentier was duly elected and made affidavits to that end, and a majority of four to six of the committee on elections were of the like opinion, and reported in favor of his taking his seat, in which he was duly confirmed and sworn in, April 11, 1853.

The first election for officers under law of April 6, 1853, was affected in May. Politics did not enter into it. There were several candidates for each office, some of whom had never been known before but by their nicknames. A. H. Broder, chosen sheriff, had been known as "Tom Snook." The other officials elected were: A. M. Crane, county judge and judge of the court of sessions; W. H. Combs, district attorney; A. M. Church, county clerk; J. S. Marston, treasurer; J. S. Watkins, public administrator; W. H. Chamberlain, coroner; H. A. Higley, county surveyor; G. W. Goucker, county assessor; W. W. Brier, superintendent. Jacob Grewell, chosen in 1853, for two years, joint senator for Alameda, Contra Costa and Santa Clara, continued acting until 1855. Joseph S. Watkins was Alameda's first Assemblyman. The district judge was Craven P. Hester. The Third judicial district then comprised the counties of Alameda, Santa Clara, Santa Cruz and Monterey. This election was long known as the "steeple chase," for there were from five to six candidates for each office, while many of the would-be county officers appeared in the poll lists under nicknames. On September 9, 1853, the following officers were elected: Asa Walker, S. P. Hopkins, H. M. Randall, B. F. Ferris, A. Marshall, William Fleming, Calvin Rogers, and S. H. Robinson, justices of the peace; A. B. Atwell, D. N. Van Dyke, William H. Walker, constables. The court of sessions makes no record of this election. In October following these justices convened and elected A. Marshall and S. H. Robinson from among their number as associate justices.

When first created Contra Costa county was attached to Santa Clara county for senatorial purposes, and when Alameda county was created it was united with Santa Clara to form the Fourth senatorial district. Later it was in the Ninth senatorial district and in March, 1874, in the Fourteenth and was given two

senators. When first created Alameda county was part of the Second congressional district, but in 1883 became part of the Third.

At the election of March 5, 1855, Charles Campbell succeeded Mr. Carpentier as mayor of Oakland, and a new council was chosen, all of whom held their offices intact until the 28th of April, when Messrs. Gallagher and Williams were succeeded on the 29th of May by Messrs. E. Gibbons and Robert Worthington.

The general election of 1857 took place on September 21st, but there is no record of the returns ever having been canvassed. The supervisors elected were F. K. Shattuck, for Oakland; Jonathan Mayhew, for Washington; J. A. Griffin, for Eden; S. M. Davis, for Alameda and Brooklyn; and Charles Duerr, for Murray. Mr. Shattuck was chosen chairman; he was the only member of the outgoing board returned.

In the year 1861 there were no less than three political parties in the field, namely, the republican, democrats and union democrats, the first being successful in all parts of the state. For the office of State Senator, A. M. Crane, republican, received 1,274 votes, H. Linden, democrat, 288, and N. Hamilton, union democrat, 616. There were no less than six candidates in the field for the office of members of Assembly, the successful competitors being the two republicans, S. B. Bell and J. M. Moore.

On June 14, 1862, a union county convention was held at San Leandro when delegates to the state convention to be held in Sacramento on the 17th were selected as follows: A. M. Church, A. M. Crane, W. W. Crane, Jr., A. J. Kelly, William Kennedy, S. W. Levy, William Meek, J. M. Moore, F. K. Shattuck. The presiding officer at the state convention was Walter Van Dyke, of Humboldt, but subsequently, for many years, resident of Alameda. For the purpose of nominating candidates for the Assembly, a second union convention was held at San Leandro on August 13th, when there were present over fifty delegates, who were about equally divided between democrats and republicans. At this convention resolutions of unswerving loyalty were passed, and some opposition to the candidature of Milton S. Latham for United States Senator was expressed. Henry Robinson of Alameda, republican, and Thomas Scott of Washington, democrat, were nominated for the Assembly. The election in the month of September resulted as follows: For Assembly, Robinson (union), 914 votes; Scott, 834; Johnson (union democrat), 777; Fallon, 640. The creation of the union democratic party was due largely to Alfred A. Cohen, a lawyer of San Francisco, and a wealthy resident of Alameda. Notwithstanding the republican ticket carried all before it at the general election in 1862 the democracy held sway at the charter election for the officers of the city of Oakland.

On June 13, 1863, a union party convention assembled at San Leandro; Asa Walker was president, F. M. Campbell, secretary. The following delegates to the union state convention at Sacramento were appointed: Alameda township, Henry Robinson; Brooklyn township, A. W. Swett; Eden township, William Meek; Murray township (no delegate); Oakland township, John McMann; Washington township, H. Overacker. The democratic county convention was held at the same place on the 27th of June, and among those who took a part in its affairs was Ex-Governor Weller, who in 1863 was a resident of Fruitvale. On August 1st the union county convention met for the purpose of nominating the county ticket, which at the election was triumphant. At this election the

vote in Alameda county for governor was Low (union), 1,392 and Downey (democrat), 805. At the judicial election October 21st, Judge McKee defeated Judge Brown of Contra Costa, who had received the union nomination by 333

votes.

Under the chairmanship of Dr. W. Newcomb, of Oakland, and S. S. Saul, secretary, a union county convention was held at San Leandro on March 19th, at which time delegates were appointed to the state convention to be held in Sacramento. This convention selected delegates to the national union convention. The democratic county convention met at the same place on the 7th of May with William A. Moss presiding, and Harry Linden, secretary. William S. Moss, P. E. Edmondson, W. H. Glascock and Harry Linden were appointed delegates to the state convention. These political meetings culminated on the 29th of October, when a very numerously attended and enthusiastic gathering of union followers at San Leandro-the largest then that had been had in the county-met to do honor to their popular nominees. I. A. Amerman, president of the Lincoln and Johnson Club of San Leandro, officiated as grand marshal of the day, with E. M. Smith, Lysander Stone and E. C. Jacobs as aidesde-camp. The procession, it was positively stated at the time, was eight miles in length. This vast concourse passed in review before General McDowell, who stood in his carriage, with uncovered head as they filed past, making the welkin ring with their loyal cheers. Hon. Edward Tompkins was president of the day; he made a most eloquent and soul-stirring speech, and was followed by Hons. Delos Lake, Nathan Porter, F. M. Pixley, J. G. Callum, Attorney-General McCullough, W. H. L. Barnes and Judge Tyler. This demonstration was in every sense most enthusiastic one.

About this time Hon. J. B. Felton was a prominent candidate for the position of United States Senator. His cause was warmly espoused by the Oakland News, and as strenuously opposed by the San Leandro Gazette. On the 5th of August the union county convention was held in San Leandro. The democratic convention was held at the same place on the 24th. The platform adopted by the latter favored a hard money currency, with an extension of the specific contract act, to include verbal contract for workingmen's wages; opposed negro or Chinese suffrage; and favored the reconstruction of the southern states. on the principles of President Johnson's policy. At the general election which followed the union candidates were successful in every instance. At the judicial election held in the following month S. W. Sanderson, the republican nominee for judge of the supreme court, received, in Alameda county, 390 more votes than did Hartley, the democratic candidate.

On November 8, 1864, the presidential election showed a majority in this county for Lincoln of 658 votes, while his plurality throughout the state was 16,634 votes. For Congress, Higby received 1,458 votes, as against 797 for Coffroth.

On June 8, 1867, the union county convention convened at San Leandro, but discord had crept into the ranks of the party, and there was an undoubted diversity of opinion as to party policies and measures. Judge A. M. Crane was chosen chairman, and A. M. Church and William Gagan, secretaries, while there were some fifty delegates in attendance. The following delegates were appointed to the state convention at Sacramento: John W. Dwinelle and B. F. Ferris,

Oakland township; A. M. Church and B. F. Marston, Washington township; William Meek, Eden township; S. Milbury, Brooklyn township; A. M. Crane, Alameda and Murray townships jointly.

On the 15th of June the democratic county convention was held at the same place. J. West Martin, C. H. Cushing, J. W. Dougherty, William Moss and John Threlfall were appointed delegates to the state convention. When the republican convention met at Sacramento George C. Gorham was nominated for governor. It was afterwards charged that his nomination was secured by smart tactics and trading. The union men who were expected to make the republican ticket successful became disaffected, and at the election held in the month of October, the ticket was ingloriously defeated. The democrats seeing this weakening of the opposing host, published a platform denouncing the Mongolian influx, declaring labor to be the true foundation of all prosperity, and placing at the head of their ticket Henry H. Haight of Alameda as democratic candidate for governor, who, amid much enthusiasm, obtained a signal majority over Gorham of 8,527.

The union county convention assembled at San Leandro on March 18, 1868, and elected delegates to the state convention at Sacramento. The democrats convened there on the 25th of April and passed resolutions highly complimentary to Governor Haight, and strongly urged him as the next democratic candidate for the Presidency of the United States.

On July 22d, the union county convention met at San Leandro for the purpose of nominating county and judicial officers, the democrats meeting for the purpose on the 10th of August. In the ticket presented by the last-mentioned party for the office of district attorney was George M. Blake, a convert from the union ranks, while in Captain Mayhew, who had been a prominent member of the other party, the democracy also found a new follower, yet notwithstanding these recruits the union ticket won.

On Saturday, July 18, 1868, a democratic ratification meeting at San Leandro, in honor of the nomination of Seymour and Blair as candidates for the Presidency and Vice-Presidency of the United States, was held, among the speakers being Governor Haight and Lieutenant-Governor Holden. The chair was occupied by William S. Moss; the secretary was W. J. Collier, editor of the Democrat.

There was much enthusiasm among politicians during the Presidential election of this year, mass meetings of both republicans and democrats being held. throughout the county, while the ablest speakers were arrayed on both sides. Grant and Colfax received a majority in Alameda county of 536 in a total vote of 3,123. In this year there were enrolled on the great register, after the cancelled names were struck off, 4,623 names, while there were recorded on the poll list only 3,596 names.

In 1870 the union county convention was held in San Leandro. The democrats made no nominations, but an independent party was formed and a ticket put in the field, headed by Edward Tompkins for State Senator. On the 1st of September the election was held and portions of both tickets were successful. For the office of county recorder there was a tie vote between P. S. Marston and M. W. Levy, which at a special election held on October 25th resulted in favor of the former.