Springfield 1636-1886, History of Town and City, by Mason A. Green ...

SPRIJVGFIELD, 1636-1S86. 4,")5
Union Hall to choose delegates for the State convention, and the
Tyler men carried the day. Chester W. Chapin presided, and Mr.
Munn, the leader of the administration faction, had little trouble in
subduing" the A"an Burenites.
James Cristy, the Cabotville postmaster, was at this time removed
without cause, to make a place for A. W. Stockwell, a locofoco law-
yer and the editor of the Cabotville " Chronicle." Stockwell was de-
fendant in a libel suit brought by T. D. Bonner, editor of a temperance
paper at Stockbridge. Even the democrats were displeased at the
removal of Cristy, and remonstrances went to Washington from both
parties. The following week the axe fell at the Centre, Colonel War-
riner, the postmaster, being superseded by Col. Harvey Chapin. The
former had held the position seventeen months, greatly to the satis-
faction of the public. These changes, ordered by an '' accident Presi-
dent," by which the men who had elected him were turned into the
streets, and loco foco men put in, greatly embittered the politics
of that day. Localh% the "Post " had become a Van Buren organ,
and the "Democrat" had weekly bouts with the "Post" over the
issues inside the party lines. The attempt of the postmaster-
general to compel all newspapers to be delivered by mail, and not
by express or private messenger, did not mitigate the austerities of
politics.
Mr. Calhoun was nominated for State senator by the whigs, but
he declined, and George Bliss was substituted. The election was a
draw, and was throAvn into the Legislature, and Joseph ]M. Forward
declared elected over Bliss.
On New Year's day, 1844, the local district voted the sixth time
for congressman, and the whigs tried to elect Osmyn Baker, of
Amherst, while Chester W. Chapin was still pushed in the interests of a
bankrupt law, an anti-United- States bank, anti-high tariff, and always
a simon-pure democracy. Baker ran in on a very narrow margin.
The loco focos carried their county connuissioners' ticket, on which
was Willis Phelps, in 1844. Phelps was made chairman of the