Processed by
Carol Street Potter
21 September 2004
Manuscript and Visual Collections Department
William Henry Smith Memorial Library
Indiana Historical Society
450 West Ohio Street
Indianapolis, IN 46202-3269
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VOLUME OF |
1 oversized folder |
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COLLECTION |
8 November 1860 |
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PROVENANCE: |
Steven S. Raab, P.O. Box 471, Ardmore, Pennsylvania 19003 |
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RESTRICTIONS: |
None |
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COPYRIGHT: |
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REPRODUCTION |
Permission to reproduce or publish material in this collection must be obtained from the Indiana Historical Society. |
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ALTERNATE |
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RELATED |
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ACCESSION |
1999.0566 |
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NOTES: |
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The presidential election of 1860 was a decisive moment in American history. There were four candidates on the ballot that year: Stephen A. Douglas for the Northern Democrats, John C. Breckinridge for the Southern Democrats, John C. Bell for the Constitutional Union Party (which had been formed from the Whig party), and Abraham Lincoln for the Republicans.
Slavery was a fiercely debated topic at this time, and an issue that created a wide divide in the course of the election. The appearance of the Southern Democratic party in this election was the result of a split, due to the issue of slavery, from the Democratic party. Lincoln’s abolitionist stance made him popular in the Northern states, and despised in the Southern states. Lincoln and his running mate, Hannibal Hamlin, received only 39% of the total vote, but were able to win 180 electoral votes from the more densely populated Northern, free states, and therefore won the election. Indiana voted along with the Northern states and submitted thirteen electoral votes in favor of Lincoln.
The results of the 1860 election precipitated the February 1861 secession of Southern states from the Union and the beginning of the Civil War.
Sources:
TheFreeDictionary.com. U.S. Presidential Election, 1860. Huntington Valley, PA: Farlex, Inc., 2004. www.encyclopedia.thefreedictionary.com Accessed 30 August 2004
The collection consists of one large tally sheet with the official count of votes in Carroll County, Ind. for electors of the Presidential election of 1860 and a document certifying their transmission from the clerk of the county to the secretary of state.
On the tally sheet, there are four sections, each with thirteen men’s names across the top. Each section represents one of the four parties on the ballot, in order of appearance: Northern Democrat with 1,446 votes, Constitutional Union with 5 votes, Republican with 1,590 votes, and Southern Democrat with 14 votes. Voters cast their vote on the electors, who in turn would vote for their party.
The tally sheet, dated 8 November 1860, is signed by Matthew Simpson, clerk of the Carroll Circuit Court, and also signed by thirteen judges and inspectors from throughout the county: Francis Thomson, Jonathan Bonnard, Harrison Gwinn, C. Robinson, John Minkle, George Zinn, John Roop, Charles Oliver, C.J. Daggett, John Cook, John Bridge, and A. H. Evans. The accompanying letter, signed by John S. Williams, certifies that he received the tally sheet from Matthew Simpson and that he will deliver it to the secretary of state “in accordance with law.”
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CONTENTS |
CONTAINER |
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Presidential tally sheet and signed document |
OM 0415, folder 1, located in
Flat Files: |
For additional information on this collection, including a list of subject headings that may lead you to related materials:
1. Go to the Indiana Historical Society's online catalog: http://opac.indianahistory.org/
2. Click on the "Basic Search" icon.
3. Select "Call Number" from the "Search In:" box.
4. Search for the collection by its basic call number (in this case, OM 0415).
5. When you find the collection, go to the "Full Record" screen for a list of headings that can be searched for related materials.