Archive:The Descendants of John Whitney, page 517
Archives > Extracts > Archive:The Descendants of John Whitney > The Descendants of John Whitney, page 517
The Descendants of John Whitney, Who Came from London, England, to Watertown, Massachusetts, in 1635, by Frederick Clifton Pierce (Chicago: 1895)
Transcribed by the Whitney Research Group, 1999.
| Previous page | Next page |
| WHITNEY GENEALOGY. | 517 |
WHITNEY took an active and influential part, and displayed an acquaintance with public affairs, an understanding and appreciation of the true principles of legislation and government, and a readiness and power in debate that placed him among the first in ability and influence in a body which comprised among its members dis- tinguished men who were well known through the state and who participated in the debates and proceedings of the house. The election of Charles SUMNER to the senate of the United States, with which the name of Gen. WHITNEY was at the time so often mentioned, was an event of too much importance and interest to be passed without special notice. Probably no election of a senator in Massachusetts was ever attended with more intense feeling and excitement. Mr. SUMNER was exceedingly popular with the Free-soil party, and in the arrangements of the coalition it was understood that he was to be elected United States senator for the term which began on the 4th of March, 1851. The Hon. Robert C. WINTHROP, who was eminently worthy of the confidence and support of his party was the Whig candidate. The election of senator was then made by the concurrent vote of the two branches of legislature, without vote in joint convention. In the senate the coalition had the majority and Mr. SUMNER was elected on the first ballot. In the house the contest was protracted and attended with much excitement. Several Democrats refused to vote for Mr. SUMNER; Gen. WHITNEY was one of them. He was a Democrat of the Jackson school and ever had the courage to stand by his principles. He was no friend of the sys- tem of American slavery, but he was an earnest supporter of the constitution of the United States, and regarded the agitation of the slavery question in congress as detrimental to the peace and interests of the country. He regarded Mr. SUMNER as an anti-slavery agitator and cast his vote for a Democrat, in some twenty or more ballotings. In the meantime efforts were made to convince him that he was mistaken in his views of Mr. SUMNER's character and purposes. Mr. SUMNER and Gen. WHITNEY, apparently by accident, met in the state library for the purpose of an interview, and without any express promise or pledge Mr. SUMNER assured Gen. WHITNEY in substance that he was not disposed to act the part of an agitator in the senate. The result of the interview was reasonably satisfactory to Gen. WHITNEY, but knowing that the Dem- ocrats of Conway were generally opposed to the election of Mr. SUMNER, and had approved his own course thus far, he decided to refer the matter to them for advice. He accordingly came to Conway; a meeting of the Democrats was called, at which he stated fully and candidly the situation in the house. After a free conference, the voice of the meeting was that he should vote for Mr. SUMNER. With this expression of the sentiments of his constituents, he returned to Boston. The 26th ballot was taken by the secret ballot system, the ballot of each member being put into an envel- ope, the envelopes being uniform in size and appearance, which was then sealed and deposited. The result was, whole number of ballots, 384; necessary for a choice, 193, Charles SUMNER had 193, and was formally declared duly elected. It was said that he was elected by the vote of Gen. WHITNEY. In due time he took his seat in the senate, and an examination of the records will show that for some time his course was in perfect accordance with the assurance given to Gen. WHITNEY. In May, 1851, Gen. WHITNEY was appointed sheriff of Franklin county. He held the office about two years, and it is no disparagement of the other able and popular gentlemen, who have so well served the county in that position, to say that the duties of the office were never discharged by any one in a more courteous, dignified, efficient and acceptable manner. In 1853 the town of Conway honored itself and Gen. WHITNEY by electing him as a delegate to the convention of delegates of the people for the purpose of revising the constitution of the commonwealth. Examination of the published proceedings of the convention shows that Gen. WHITNEY took and maintained a conspicuous and hon- orable position as one of its most able, industrious, practical and useful members. In 1854 Gen. WHITNEY was interested and efficient in procuring the charter, and in the organization of the Conway bank, in which he was a director while he remained in Conway. In the same year he took an active part in procuring the charter and in the organization of the Conway Mutual Fire Insurance Company, of which he was one of the corporators and the first president. He also procured the passage of the act providing for the combination of stock and mutual departments, and, subse- quently, for the passage of an act authorizing the separation of the two departments, and the removal of the business of the stock department to Boston. He identified himself with all the public affairs of the town, and was ever prompt to aid with word and influence, with heart and hand, every enterprise that tended to promote the prosper- ity and best interests of Conway. But while Gen. WHITNEY was thus devoting his time and abilities to the management of his extensive private business and the affairs of his immediate vicinity, events were, without thought on his part, preparing for him
| Previous page | Next page |
Copyright © 1999, 2006 The Whitney Research Group
