An Officer of Corporations
One of the wonders of this enterprising and
changing country has been the multiplication of private and quasi public
corporations. These corporations were so few and unimportant in their operations
at the time of the creation of the Federal and State governments that they
had slight consideration in framing the constitutions. It has been by legal
fictions that the Federal Courts have obtained a complete and essential
jurisdiction over them. Now that they may be organized under the general
laws, they are so numerous and powerful as to fetter individual enterprise,
and to divide with the legislatures the power of government. ..
Mr .Bigelow always found time amid his business
cares for attention to matters that concerned the general welfare. He shirked
none of the responsibilities of citizenship, and both in private and public
matters cared for the general good. He was thus among the foremost in creating
and maintaining substantial business institutions, and none of which he
was an officer ever failed in its public obligations. He was energetic
in promoting the construction of the Morristown, now the Morris & Essex
Railroad, and in 1835, with J. P. Jackson and J. M. Meeker, a committee
of citizens, successfully sought its incorporation by the legislature.
He also obtained the charter of the Mechanics' Fire & Marine Insurance
Company, long a leading institution. He likewise was an incorporator and
a most active director of the Howard Savings Institution, and of the Firemen's
Insurance Company, and for some time the latter's President. He also was
an incorporator and a director of the Republic Trust Company, the Citizens'
Gaslight Company, and other institutions not now recalled. ..
Benevolence was well developed in Mr. Bigelow,
and he sought those positions wherein he could assuage pain. He was an
incorporator and first President of The New Jersey Society for the Prevention
of Cruelty to Animals, and by appointment of the Supreme Court, served
faithfully for many years without compensation, as a trustee of the Trenton
Asylum for the Insane, and was constant in attending the meetings of the
Board and making inspections of the Asylum.
Political Parties and Associations
At no period in our country's history has political
excitement been greater, and has party animosity been more bitter, than
from the beginning of the century to 1845. The perennial questions about
national banks, revenue tariffs, internal improvements, and the respective
powers of the State and Federal governments were warmly, intelligently
and exhaustively discussed. The Congressional reports of those days are
political encyclopaedias for the politicians of these days, and in the
comprehensiveness of their arguments on these subjects verify to a certain
extent the truth of the adage, "there is nothing new under the sun." Every
man was then a politician, and every one, with superior intelligence, a
student of political economy.
Developing into manhood during this period,
Mr . Bigelow early formed opinions on these questions that were never changed.
Political lines in Essex County have been
very closely drawn ever since the foundation of the government. There are
few sons that have left their fathers' party. Federalist families produced
Whigs; and they, the later Republicans. The earlier Republican families
produced Democrats. There are a few exceptions to the rule, that serve
to emphasize its significance. This continued family divergence in party
associations is due in some degree to intellectual processes, but, in a
greater degree, to sentiment. The influential men in Essex County of the
revolutionary era accepted the doctrines of Adams and Hamilton and were
Federalists; and their power transmitted was sufficient to keep the people
in accord with the succeeding parties maintaining similar doctrines for
many generations. It was not until 1856 that a Democrat was elected Mayor
of Newark.
Mr. Bigelow accepted the doctrines of Jefferson
and was a Republican and a Democrat all his life. In his fidelity to these
doctrines and these parties, he never wavered under the most trying conditions.
His intimate associates were of the opposite
parties, and his business interests and political ambitions would have
been advanced by a change, but he never wavered even during the hot times
of the war of the rebellion. ..In his older days [he co-operated in politics]
with [those] who were local leaders of the democratic party, without seeking
or desiring public office; but frequently representing his party in local,
state and national conventions.
Mr .Bigelow was in some respects well equipped
to be a successful politician. He had a fme presence, benevolent manner,
great sincerity, superior intelligence and an unsullied reputation. He
was also cautious, reticent, independent, truthful, dignified, firm and
ambitious. His disposition and conduct were uniform in the privacy of home
life and the publicity of affairs. He had, however, a personal pride that
withheld him from unseemly efforts to advance his fortunes. He also abhorred
bribery in politics, and upon one occasion, spurned a gubernatorial nomination,
to be obtained irregularly, and suffered a defeat in the state convention
by a few votes. His popular strength was not unappreciated by his associates,
but he was never a candidate for, and never held any popular office but
that of Mayor of Newark.
Elected Mayor of Newark
The republican party was in its formative state
in 1856, and divided into two factions, one of which nominated Theodore
P. Howell, and the other Henry N. Parkhurst, for mayor. The democratic
party nominated Mr . Bigelow, who was elected. He was the first democrat
to be mayor of Newark, and took office in January 1857. He was elected
several times until 1864, and then succeeded by ex-Chancellor Theodore
Runyon, another democrat, who held office for one term, when a republican
was again installed.
Mr. Bige1ow took office January 6, 1857. The
city then had a population of 57,000, and a variety of manufacturing industries
in successful operation, and promised to be what it has since become, a
most important and populous manufacturing centre. The imperfections in
the government were understood, and the necessity of changing its village
forms realized. An improved charter, prepared by the common council and
citizens, was obtained the same year, and it was necessary for him to recommend
and supervise such changes in the city ordinances as would promote homogeneity
between them and the charter .
To this work he devoted himself with a zeal
and intelligence worthy of the highest praise. To facilitate taxation,
he suggested the preparation of block maps of the city lots and streets,
and re-numbering the houses; to extinguish the public debt, he procured
the establishment of sinking funds, saying: "It is unwise to create a debt
without making at the same time some provision for its extinguishment,
and unjust to burthen posterity with the whole debt." To procure better
water, he induced the purchase of the rights of an old private water company,
and the formation of the Newark Aqueduct Board, saying: "For an element
so indispensable as water we ought not to depend on the pecuniary interest
of a private company." He advocated and procured a reorganization of the
police department, established the office of auditor, and fixed its methods
of business, organized a dispensary of medicines for the poor and a board
of health, and obtained a codification of the city ordinances. It would
be a work of supererogation to continue the enumeration of his efforts
to improve the business methods of the city, to maintain its financial
standing and to promote the health and comfort of the citizens. These efforts
were unceasing and effective and were estimated at their full value by
his fellow citizens who, without distinction of party, awarded him full
praise for his faithfulness and intelligence.
He was an aggressive mayor and exercised freely
his right of veto, and in only one instance, when he opposed the purchase
of the City Hotel, to be transformed into the present City Hall, was his
veto disregarded. He exercised a careful supervision of all the city offices,
observed the deportment of the clerks, and made regular examinations of
their books, frequently inspected public works in progress, and ascertained
the profits of contractors, and gave the same care to the public as to
his private business.
The financial affairs of the city were his
special charge during the war, and although the common council finance
committee always co-operated with him, his methods were approved and his
plans adopted by them and all public loans were negotiated by him. In this
time of general demoralization there were no embezzlements from the city
treasury and no corrupt practices in the city business.
It is not out of place to narrate an incident
in his official life to which the genial Governor William Pennington was
a party .
The Mayor was very conscientious in the performance
of his duties and never shirked any official responsibility. Believing
it necessary to discipline an unfaithful subordinate, he was doubtful of
his power, and casually consulted the Governor, inquiring whether the mayor
had the necessary power. The Governor replied, "Certainly; certainly; if
the charter does not give you the power, the common law does; the man should
be punished." And he was punished despite the efforts of many politicians.
In his annual message of January 1861 to the
common council, he expressed the views on civil service reform now held
by many statesmen. He then said: "One of the most important functions devolving
on you is the appointment of the officers of the city government, who are
by law under the general supervision of the mayor. Capable, faithful and
experienced incumbents, who take pride in an intelligent and faithful discharge
of duties, will lighten your labors and facilitate the transaction of public
business. The object of the establishment of the several offices is the
public good, which certainly can be best promoted by retaining in the public
service men of capacity, experience, and fidelity. Claims to public place
based on other grounds than the public good ought not to be recognized.
The experience acquired by a faithful and competent officer if of great
value to the public, and, if the role be established, that the tenure of
place depends on a faithful discharge of duty , and on that alone, the
motives to perform that duty are increased and strengthened and the temptations
to engage in electioneering schemes and to connive at practices inconsistent
with the public interests are greatly lessened. I respectfully submit these
suggestions, believing that the policy indicated will conduce to the greatest
good of the people and receive their approbation."
Before the end of his term the municipal machinery
was in good working order; laws and ordinances necessary for the proper
exercise of municipal functions had been obtained, system in directing
the fmancial affairs established, and capable officers selected for the
several departments. Besides, the moral tone of the municipality had been
raised. Upon his induction to office the Mayor said to the Common Council:
"The reputation of the city depends as much or more upon the character
of her citizens as upon municipal regulations." He thought that a bad people
could not be made good by good laws nor a good people bad by bad laws;
other and more powerful causes operate to raise and lower a people. He
believed that laws to be effective must be representative of the people.
And so, by precept and example he strove for the moral improvement of the
citizens; and no one could recall any time in his long term of office when
he had said or done anything unbecoming the exalted position of chief magistrate.
His influence with officials and people became
very great, as was illustrated in the case of the latter, when a howling
mob of several thousands, too numerous for the local police and military
to cope with, that had assembled during the war to oppose the military
draft, dispersed after a few words spoken by him, as he rode on horseback
among them.
...to be continued
Related Forge articles: Vol. 11, No.2 (April 1982), p.24.
This biography of Moses Bigelow, written by his son, Samuel F. Bigelow,
at the request of the Newark Common Council, is reprinted from the book,
Biographical Sketch of Moses Bigelow, published in Newark, NJ in 1890.
Part I appeared in Forge, Vol. 30., No.1 (January 2001).
bigelow@slic.com
Rod Bigelow at SLIC 
