History of Saginaw county, Michigan; together with ... portraits ... and biographies ... History of Michigan ...

CHAPTER X.

POLITICAL.
The interest taken in political matters by the people of Saginaw
county is deep indeed. Their principles are so well set that neither
time nor change seems to affect them; so that he who was a Whig
in his earlier years is generally found in the ranks of the Republican party of the present time, and he who was a Democrat then
remains one still. There is, however, a tendency manifested to
cast away the tyranny of party for the privilege of an untrammeled
vote for the truest citizen. They do this, and, while acknowledging the great benefits conferred upon the country by the two great
parties who claim to be the President-makers, 'yet they cannot
overlook the magnitude of the abuses which have entwined themselves with the present system and contribute to lessen that great
name which should cling to the greatest of governments.
The followers of party iir this county have not been silent when
the commonwealth needed reforms; they have scanned the actions
of legislators with jealous eye, and rewarded or punished just in
such measure as justice pointeth, and thus secured a fair representation in the councils of the Republic, as well as in these of the
State. Nativeism, sectionalism, know-nothingism, and demonism or
religionism in politics appear to be on the margin of the gravesome of the vices already there; but enough remains to cause some
little disunion, and so destroy what would be otherwise a magnificent solidarity of public interests. Mercy, Justice and Patriotism
require every corner of the land for tenancy, so that sectionalism
and all its concomitant vices must yield-must give place to what
is good and noble, and let peace rule on forever.
During the first few years of the county's history party lines
were not acknowledged. nor conventions held, nor buncombe of
any kind indulged in. The first settlers were attachedto the Jackson school of politicians. They saw in the general one who held
the Constitution of the United States above all else. When in
1832 South Carolina assumed the right to nullify the laws
of the United States, and to oppose the collection of the revenue,
Gen. Jackson, then President, acted, with his usual decision, to uphold the Union. He immediately ordered troops to South Carolina,
sent explicit instructions to the Collector of Charleston to perform
his duty, and notified Calhoun that he would be arrested on commission of the first treasonable act. This action, together with the
terms of his proclamation, cemented, as it were, all political parties
under one leader, and all ready to subscribe to his political belief,
which may be learned from the following extract:
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