By Sandy Vasko

It was the fall of 1865. The War Between the States had only been over for five months, some men were still in the field. Those who had made it home were anxious to get back to normalcy, but also anxious to use what they learned on the battlefield to make their communities better for all.

In fact, they felt that because they fought for this country, they ought to have a say in how it’s run. The men who had held office during the war thought differently.

We set the stage by telling you that in 1865, the Democrats were considered the conservatives, and the Republicans the liberal and progressive party. On October 3, we read in the Joliet Signal: “The Republicans of this county met at the Court House on last Tuesday and nominated a county ticket.

“The convention was a large one, and there was considerable wire-pulling and maneuvering on the part of the successful candidates. And the sequel was that D. E. Sibley, who was unanimously recommended by the 100^th Regiment for the office of County Clerk, and Major Samuel G. Nelson, of the same regiment whose friends urged his nomination for County Treasurer, were thrown overboard and the nominations for those offices given to other men, thus plainly saying to the boys of the glorious old 100^th, that the Republican Party has now no further use for them; or at least that their recommendations and wishes have no weight with the part.”

In response to the Republicans, the Democrats did an unusual thing: They called off their nominating convention, and instead created a third party in Will County – the Independent Party.

“Today we have the pleasure of presenting to the electors of Will County, a ticket in every particular entitled to their confidence and support. Owing to the fact that the country has just escaped from destruction by the successful termination of the war, and the absence of tangible and practical political issues, the Democratic central committee, after advising with hundreds of Democrats from various parts of the county, have decided not to call a convention for the nomination of candidates.

“As soon as it was ascertained that the committee had decided against calling a convention, Democrats in connection with Republicans who do not believe in yielding to the dictation of unprincipled men, set about to get up a ticket that would be satisfactory to the people of the county, and do justice to all classes of its supporters.

“For Treasurer, the name of Lieutenant Norman C. Warner, of the town of Wesley, is proposed. Lieut. Warner is a most noble and worthy young man. And when the late rebellion broke out, was among the first to enter the service. He was a member of Co. A, of the glorious 39^th Illinois regiment, which won such imperishable laurels during the war.

“The 39^th was sent to the Potomac at an early period. Lieut. Warner was always at his post, and was promoted to First Lieutenant for his bravery. During a terrible charge made by his regiment near Petersburg, in August last, he lost a leg, and was carried from the bloody field.

“Such is the brief record of the brave young soldier whom the voters of Will County are asked to elect to the Treasurer. Rendered a cripple for life, fighting for the existence of the nation, we are now asked to give him an office that he may be able to support himself and aid in the sustenance of his widowed mother and her little family. Shall we do it, or shall we elect the nominee of a partisan convention, who is in no manner in need of the office?” Warner was then serving as a clerk in the war department, a notably poor-paying job.

This nomination struck terror into the men who were on the Republican ticket. As Cal Zarley put it in the Signal, “One of the most infamous political tricks ever devised by desperate political adventurers, has been brought to notice during the past week. From the first announcement of the name of Lieut. Warner as our candidate for Treasurer, it became apparent to the partisan jugglers who thrust upon the people of Will County the Logan-Sehring ticket, that the gallant young soldier would prove to be a candidate so deserving and available as to render it useless to oppose him. Hence it became clear to their minds that something must be done to prevent his being a candidate.”

The first plan was to send a delegation from Joliet to Wilmington. Their goal was to convince friends of Warner to urge the young lieutenant to withdraw his name from nomination. Again, from Zarley, “To the credit of those friends of Lieut. Warner be it said they declined to enter into any such discreditable interference in the matter, and the embassy returned without accomplishing their purpose.”

Plan B then went into effect. “Undaunted however in their infamous designs, they sent the congress man from this district, to Washington to cajole Lieut. Warner into a withdrawal of his name by the promise of promotion in the Department where he is now employed, and in the event of a failure to secure his withdrawal on those terms, to threaten him with a removal from his clerkship if he persisted in remaining a candidate on the Independent Ticket. Thanks however to the same dauntless courage and intrepidity of Lieut. Warner which characterized his conduct on the battle fields of his country, the plot failed.

“We are pleased to announce that Lieut. Warner has obtained a leave of absence from the Department where he is now employed, until after election, and is now at home. We bespeak for him a kindly greeting by the people of Will County.”

The election results: “The result of the election in this county on last Tuesday was as might have been anticipated by any one acquainted with the character and designs of those who control the Republican organization in this county. The Independent Ticket, including Norman C. Warner, the wounded soldier, who had proved his patriotism and fidelity and love for the Union on a hundred battle fields, was defeated by an almost a strictly party vote. His opponent was a professional politician, whose only claim upon the suffrages of the people was his avowed friendship for the proposition to make voters of the negroes and his praise of the ‘Copperheads (Northerners who opposed the war).’”

Sandy Vasko serves on the Board of Directors of the Will County Historical Museum & Research Center as Collections & Research Chair.