Page:The Granite Monthly Volume 2.djvu/54

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��POLITICS IN HOPKINTON.

��Republican side. The growing state of the population, and the consequent in- creasing multiple character of the inhab- itants, soon prevented that degree of po- litical unanimity at first prevailing. In 1812 the contest between Federalism and Republicanism was at its height. The progress of the existing war was bitterly opposed by the Federalists ; the Repub- licans were as intensely ardent in its sup- port. In 1812 William Plummer, of Ep- ping. a Republican, was elected govern- or of New Hampshire. He had been a prominent Federalist but had seen fit to change his political position to the Re- publican side. His opponent was John Taylor Gilman, a life-long Federalist and popular citizen and official. Yet Hop- kinton, zealous of the principles and measures of the Republican party, gave 192 votes to Plummer against 108 for Gilman. In 1813, the town cast a much larger vote than on the previous year. The popular excitement occasioned by the war impelled the increased attend- ance at the polls. The candidates for the office for governor of the State were the same as the previous. The great person- al popularity of the man gave Gilman the election. Yet Hopkinton attested her devotion to Republicanism by giving Plummer 220 votes against 152 for the successful candidate.

Among the changeable things in this world are the names of political parties. In the progress of popular events, the body of voters representing the es- sential principles of government held by the Federalists, came to be known as Whigs, and later as Republicans; the upholders of the original Republican doctrines came to be known as Demo- crats. The later Republican party in this town has absorbed the most of the representatives of the once Free- soil party (which at one time at- tained to a respectable representation here), as well as also the voters of the

��American or "Know-nothing" party. The former Republicans and later Demo- crats held the advance on party votes in this town till 1865. In 1846, when An- thony Colby, of New London, a Whig, was chosen governor of New Hampshire, the vote of Hopkinton stood 245 for Jared W. Williams of Lancaster ; 134 for Na- thaniel S. Berry of Hebron; 78 for An- thony Colby of New London, and two scattering. Williams was a Democrat and Berry a Free-soiler. In 1855 there was a close contest in this town between the Democrats, Americans, and the rem- nants of the Whig and Free-soil parties. The Democrats maintained a plurality on the governor's ticket. The vote stood 248 for Nathaniel B. Baker of Concord; 219 for Ralph Metcalf of Newport.; 29 for James Bell of Meredith, and seven for Asa Fowler of Concord. Baker was a Democrat, Metcalf an American, Bell a Whig and Fowler a Free-soiler.

The Democrats lost this town on the State ticket for the first time in 1865 ; the vote stood 240 for Walter Hani man of Warner, Republican, against 229 for John G. Sinclair of Bethlehem, Democrat. The Democrats rallied again in 1872, gaining a plurality. James A. Weston of Manchester, Democrat, had 243 votes; Ezekiel A. Straw of Manchester, Repub- lican, 241 ; there were two votes for Lem- uel P. Cooper of Croydon, Labor Reform candidate. In 1875, the town went back to the Republicans, giving Person C. Cheney of Manchester, 256 votes, against 241 for Hiram R. Roberts of Rollinsford, Democrat. The next year the Demo- crats carried the State ticket, giving Daniel Marcy of Portsmouth, 256 votes, against 252 for Person C. Cheney, and two scattering. In 1877 the Republicans took the ascendency, giving Benjamin F. Prescott of Epping, 261 votes, against 215 for Daniel Marcy. The Republicans still maintain the balance of power.

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