Ohio politics Robert James Harlan

1 ohio politics

1.1 second ohio militia battalion
1.2 republican party
1.3 ohio house of representatives

ohio politics
second ohio militia battalion

harlan became important figure in cincinnati. in 1870, first time, blacks elected delegates cincinnati city republican convention, , harlan among them. in 1870, black residents of cincinnati raised ohio militia battalion led william travis, wilson scott, , harlan. harlan feuded travis on colonelcy of battalion, became known second battalion ohio militia, , gained control of regiment , title colonel in october. split not total, harlan worked travis, instance harlan on finance committee of grant club in 1872, branch travis organized support grant s presidential campaign.

during 1872 presidential campaign, pro-grant demonstrators took part in street fights in october against pro-horace greeley demonstrators. weapons battalion armory brought out, harlan , other leaders of battalion among quelled violence. ohio adjutant-general found no officers or men battalion took part in breaking armory or using guns unlawfully, , battalion not punished. harlan served colonel 4 or 5 years, , continued referred title colonel rest of life. later in life caused difficulty, military service not during civil war or war, , implied had purposely traveled england avoid war , did not deserve title. battalion disbanded in december 1874 , harlan held responsible guns missing armory since 1872 violence.

republican party

ulysses s. grant in mid 1870s

sharing love horses , common friend in ohio congressman john sherman, became friends general , later president ulysses s. grant. in 1872, harlan gave speech in saratoga, new york in support of grant against former republican democrat horace greeley, felt betrayed blacks in switching allegiances. speech included joke parrot became regular part of harlan s speeches. @ state colored convention on august 22, 1872, harlan , black leader, peter clark, divided on whether black ohioans should support republican efforts civil rights, or if republican leadership taking advantage of black support, , harlan spoke in favor of republicans. harlan s support rewarded, , elected delegate 1872 republican national convention. in december, harlan prominent delegate @ national colored convention in washington dc led p. b. s. pinchback, william nesbitt, , robert b. elliott. harlan led delegation convention call on president grant, , met grant privately 15 minutes. in 1873, grant appointed harlan mail agent @ large, , harlan made great efforts support grant , republican party. in 1874, harlan briefly removed special agent of postal service on behest of senator john quincy smith, reinstated , given apology smith. harlan supported republican efforts civil rights, , in 1875 asked benjamin butler clarify scope of civil rights act, butler had authored , john marshal harlan would, in 1883, lone supreme court justice support in civil rights cases, 109 u.s. 3 (1883). butler s clarification, in form of open letter harlan, became national story.

harlan prominent member of other colored national conventions, including in april 1876 led m. w. gibbs , held in nashville, tennessee, in may 1879 led john r. lynch again in nashville. in 1890 (called colored congress , founding meeting of national afro-american league) in chicago led t. thomas fortune, , in 1892 led d. a. rudd in cincinnati. in 1884 , 1888, harlan elected alternate delegate republican national convention ohio delegation led friend , future president, william mckinley. denied spot in 1880 convention, although recommended position group of black ohio republicans.

ohio house of representatives

in 1881, harlan ran seat in ohio state house of representatives , republican lose in hamilton county, out of ten ran. defeated general arthur f. devereux 400 votes, , stated while blacks in cincinnati voted white republicans in race, giving them victory, white republicans did not vote him, leading loss. in 1885, ran same body , again republican in county lose, 9 others gaining seat. democrat a. p. butterfield highest vote getting democrat. in house, however, committee ousted butterfield , gave harlan seat on march 26, 1886.

as legislator, harlan noted opposing segregated schooling. william copeland defeated harlan in republican primaries in 1887. out of elected office in september 1889, harlan spoke out against lynchings affecting blacks in south. later year, harlan appointed inspector of customs, , special inspector of treasury department until june 1893 when retired president grover cleveland.