In lieu of an abstract, here is a brief excerpt of the content:

CHAPTER 33 1855 WAS in fifty-five that the Deacon's durable and famous "One-HossShay ," after running a hundred years to the day, went to pieces all at once,—"all at once, and nothing first,—just as bubbles do when they burst, dumping the parson out on a rock, at half-past nine by the meetin5 -house clock."1 It was also in 1855 that Septimus Winner, of Philadelphia, wrote the words and music of Listen to the Mocking Bird, a song destined in a few years to become a favorite with Confederate soldiers, and to hold its place, along with the melodies of Stephen Foster, in the hearts of the American people. Local tradition claims that it was to this tune that the volunteers of Mobile marched off to war in '61.2 The City of Atlanta experienced a warm city election on January 15, 1855, the first of record in which fraud was claimed by the losers. It was also the first time the Know Nothing party3 had cut any figure in local politics. Allison Nelson, the Democratic candidate defeated Ira O. McDaniel, the Know Nothing standard-bearer, by the narrow margin of 425 to 415 votes. The vote for members of Council was also exceedingly close, two being elected for each of the five newly created wards of the city.* Following is the result, the two contestants from each ward receiving the highest and next to highest number of votes, having been elected: First Ward: W. W. Baldwin, 429; U. L. Wright, 417; B. O. Jones, 416; Ezra Andrews, 398. Second Ward: T. M. Darnall, 424; C. H. Strong, 415; L. C. Simpson, 402; J. L. Dunning, 370. Third Ward: John Farrar, 439; J. W. Thompson, 430; A. W. Owen, 398; R. Crawford, 387. Fourth Ward: William Barnes, 449; John Glen, 441; Samuel Dean, 401; G. W. Adair, 381. Fifth Ward: Thomas Kile, 425; C. Powell, 425; W. R. Venable, 419; J. W. Manning, 396.5 John Glen became mayor on July 20, 1855, succeeding Allison Nelson, resigned. Thomas C. H. Wilson succeeded to Glen's council seat on August 3rd. John Farrar resigned from council on February 23rd and was succeeded by Robert M. Clarke, March 10, 1855.6 The Democrats regarded the election as a great victory over the Know Nothings, and thought that it would probably put an end to Know Nothingism in Atlanta. The Know Nothings themselves, however, seemed to take a different view of the situation. They claimed to have been defeated by fraud, and on January 17th in a communication addressed to Allison Nelson, the successful candidate for mayor, they stated they could prove that gross frauds had been committed at the election. They said that non-residents, aliens and others, who had no right to vote, had voted, and that if all the fraudulent votes were thrown out the result of the election would be that they themselves would be shown to have been elected to the offices out of which they had been counted. They said that they believed that no one would hold office by fraud, and they therefore requested the mayor-elect to appoint a day within that month upon T 388 ATLANTA AND ITS ENVIRONS which there might be an investigation, or that he would submit the question over again to the people. This communication was signed by I. O. McDaniel, B. O. Jones, E. Andrews, L. C. Simpson, A. W. Owen, R. Crawford, S. Dean, G. W. Adair, W. R. Venable and J. W. Manning.7 In this "extraordinary note," as it was called in the reply, the successful candidates responded in substance as follows: "We find this document signed by those who comprised the ticket of the American or Know Nothing party, with the important exception of Mr. C. H. Strong, who was the only one on that ticket who was elected. If you could do what you propose, establish fraud, etc., in the election, why did you not prove it before the managers of the election, when the election was in progress? It certainly was not owing to your want of vigilance, for you had sufficient challengers at their posts all through the day, and if you failed to convince the managers then of the illegality of the votes, it is but reasonable to suppose that a new attempt would likewise fail. It would also be the cause of an excitement which could be but suicidal to the interests of the city...

Share