Politics and Politicians 1820-2000
Part III

During the election campaign of 1868 in Montgomery, Prof. Charles Jones, Democrat was in a bitter campaign with P.M. Yell, office holder, described as being the "Radical" member of Commissioners Court of Montgomery County. In an account of the political strategies used in the town of Montgomery, shortly after the Civil War is written "When the Confederate War closed our County affairs were thrown into a dreadful state of confusion." The end of the war brought many changes. The treasury was empty, the people were bankrupt and most of our leading men were cut off by the Prescription Act and none knew what to do for the best. Living under a provisional government which filled our offices by appointment, the jobs being filled by the measures of ‘you tickle my back and I’ll tickle yours’. The political strategy most widely used and certainly in this political gathering in 1868 and most certainly in the political gathering of this year of 2000 was and is character assassination. Then as today, the political party most determined to win "searched every nook and cranny" for facts to assail the character and popularity of the opponent. Is there any difference in the political machines of 1868 and the year 2000? In an election slated for the fall of 1868 according to a report written by a Mr. T.J. Renfro, a Mr. Fullenwider was a candidate for Montgomery County Clerk and a staunch Democrat. In a letter discussing the removal of the courthouse from Montgomery to Willis, Mr. Yell was described as being a Republican. Thus as today, there were and are two strong political parties and there were and are the parties and there were and are the same tactics used to win an election.

Many of the elections of that long gone time had violence, destruction of property, cruelty and even death, which cannot be used today, at least not in an open, blatant way. Mr. Renfro describes one of the political rallies held during this hard-fought election of 1868; a document from the citizens (leading businessmen and land owners) refuting Mr. Yell’s accusation of bad conduct on the part of Mr. Fullenwider was to be read from the speakers’ platform at a Democratic barbecue, given in honor of Charles Stewart of Houston (our own Charles Stewart) at a place called Bethel in the upper part of the county, where Yell had been circulating his "base falsehoods". When the proper time arrived, Mr. Fullenwider, true to the trust reposed in him, arose and read the following statement, (the letter was a refutation of Mr. Yell’s charge against Mr. Fullenwider and was signed by, among others, W.H. Wood and W.B. Wood, the forefather and uncle of one of the leading families of Montgomery, the name "still alive and well" in Montgomery today. The signer Jesse McCaleb has a well populated road named in honor of McCaleb which joins access from Hwy 105 to 2854.

When Mr. Fullenwider had finished reading the document, Mr. Yell, being present, arose and unhesitatingly denounced Mr. Fullenwider and the other gentlemen who’s name were signed to the paper as infamous liars (shades of year 2000). Whereupon, Mr. R.D. Simington, (again this widely known, respected family, very prominent in guiding the affairs of our county, and is aptly represented in our town of Montgomery today) a relative of Mr. Fullenwider, becoming indignant at the insult offered his kinsman, struck the old serpent Yell, a blow that made him feel the superiority of an honest Democrat over such a lying, insulting Radical, whose heart had become so hard and conscience so seared that he hesitated at the Commission of no crime that would aid him in the accomplishment of his wrecked designs.

(Here let me remind the reader that I am quoting from an article written in 1868, describing this political rally, and, so please don’t "kill the messenger").

When Mr Simington struck Mr. Yell, the brazen-faced old hypocrite who professed to be a peace-loving, law-abiding citizen, drew a pistol from his pocket, which he was carrying, contrary to the laws of the county and tried to shoot his antagonist, where upon Mr. S. Gave him another blow in the face, which gave him very much the appearance of the hero of an Irish wedding and caused him to sneak off home and have his name stricken from the Roll of Radical (Republicans) Candidates for Montgomery County."

Mr. Yell fell back and became a power, behind the throne. This of course means the political throne of Montgomery County politics.

What has changed in the political structure since 1868?

Part IV next week

Westmont Ranch, Montgomery, Texas. Home of Smart Highbrow Doc, son of Color Me Smart

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