Whig and Republicans in Politics
From 20th Century History of Springfield and Clark County, Ohio by Hon. William A. Rockel
Chicago: Biographical Publishing Co., 1908
An investigation of the organization of states and counties and the formation of the general government more than a century ago, will show that in the direction of polities men were much the same then as now. We are inclined to hold up the past and decry the present. Looking back we see only statesmen and patriots. Looking around us today we see only "grafters" and persons who are inclined to look only to the realization of their own personal ambitions, but an honest comparison would make the man in public life today just as good as he was a hundred years ago. In politics our people have always been alert and active. An earlv exhibition in that direction was the fight that was made in the Legislature for the organization of the county, and from that day to this, our people, through their representatives in various branches of governmental affairs, have made themselves felt in the political history of our commonwealth and nation. From the fact that the emigrants to this county came from the regions of Kentucky, Maryland and Virginia, with quite a sprinkling from New England, New Jersey and New York, it would be naturally inferred that the original political complexion of this county would be Whig, and so it was. The "Whig party at that time, if not opposed to slavery, did not favor it, and from that party sprang the Republican party, and thus it will be seen that naturally our county would be Republican in politics today as it was Whig in years gone by. It has wavered less in this respect than almost any county in the state; ever since its organization it has cast a majority vote for the Presidential candidates of either the Whig or the Republican party.