SAMUEL SPRIGG

decline of Federalist strength. The Democrats achieved a majority in the General Assembly as a result of the 1819 fall election, even though the Federalists had a slim majority in the Senate. The Governor and his Council were, at this time, elected by a joint vote of the Senate and the House of Delegates (direct popular election of the Governor did not come about until 1838). The newly- elected Democratic majority nominated politically unknown Samuel Sprigg to oppose incumbent (Federalist) governor Charles Goldsborough. One might wonder how the members of the Assembly came up with Samuel Sprigg, who had never served as one of their number. But his name was certainly known through the prominence and service of his recently deceased uncle Osborn Sprigg, a man who had served not only as a member of the House of Delegates under Maryland’s first constitution, but also as a member of the Convention which ratified the Constitution of the United States. Samuel Sprigg was popular among his contemporaries in Prince George’s County, he was well-known to such influential individuals as former speaker of the House John C. Herbert, he had no political reputation to live down, and was probably considered by the Democrats who nominated him to be cooperative and capable of guiding the reforms which they promoted. His name was put into nomination in the Assembly 13 December 1819, and he received 49 votes as opposed to 36 for Goldsborough. His election must have been something of a surprise to Samuel Sprigg. A joint letter from the President of the Senate and the Speaker of the House was forwarded “by express immediately to inform him of his election and request his attendance at the Seat of Government”. Five days later, on the 18th, the Maryland Republican (a newspaper published in Annapolis) reported that “the Governor-elect has not yet arrived at the seat of Government; he is daily expected”. Samuel Sprigg arrived in Annapolis on the 20th. On that day, he qualified for office in the Senate Chamber in the presence of both Houses, by subscribing a declaration of his belief in the Christian religion, by taking the several oaths required by the constitution, the oath of office required by Act of Assembly, and the oath to support the constitution of the United States. Sprigg was re-elected for two more one-year terms, the maximum allowable at that time. He replaced many Federalist officeholders with Democrats, and his administration was characterized by support for internal improvements; the chartering of the Chesapeake and Ohio Canal in 1824 was at least in part a result of his strong advocacy, although this led to heavy borrowing of money by the State and the subsequent debt which plagued some of his successors in office. In 1820 and 1821 he defeated Charles Goldsborough again for the governor’s office, in 1821 by a margin of 72 to 3. This was the so-called “era of good feeling”, a “general union of opinion and harmony of sentiment at home”. At the beginning of his second term, the Niles Register said that he stood “upon a high and exalted eminence in popular opinion” and that there was “scarcely a speck of party . . . visible in his re-election to office”. In a speech given before the General Assembly just one week before his first reelection in 1820, Samuel Sprigg stated his strong support for internal improvements, in particular the Chesapeake and Ohio Canal. He also reported that he had commissioned painter Raphaelle Peale, then visiting Annapolis, to clean and restore the portrait of George Washington and his companions-in-arms which was hanging in the State House; and that Peale had accomplished this for the moderate compensation of twenty dollars. It was during Raphaelle Peale’s visit to the area at this time that he also painted the portraits of Samuel Sprigg’s family at Northampton.

decline of Federalist strength. The Democrats achieved a majority in the General Assembly as a result of the 1819 fall election, even though the Federalists had a slim majority in the Senate. The Governor and his Council were, at this time, elected by a joint vote of the Senate and the House of Delegates (direct popular election of the Governor did not come about until 1838). The newly- elected Democratic majority nominated politically unknown Samuel Sprigg to oppose incumbent (Federalist) governor Charles Goldsborough. One might wonder how the members of the Assembly came up with Samuel Sprigg, who had never served as one of their number. But his name was certainly known through the prominence and service of his recently deceased uncle Osborn Sprigg, a man who had served not only as a member of the House of Delegates under Maryland’s first constitution, but also as a member of the Convention which ratified the Constitution of the United States. Samuel Sprigg was popular among his contemporaries in Prince George’s County, he was well-known to such influential individuals as former speaker of the House John C. Herbert, he had no political reputation to live down, and was probably considered by the Democrats who nominated him to be cooperative and capable of guiding the reforms which they promoted. His name was put into nomination in the Assembly 13 December 1819, and he received 49 votes as opposed to 36 for Goldsborough. His election must have been something of a surprise to Samuel Sprigg. A joint letter from the President of the Senate and the Speaker of the House was forwarded “by express immediately to inform him of his election and request his attendance at the Seat of Government”. Five days later, on the 18th, the Maryland Republican (a newspaper published in Annapolis) reported that “the Governor-elect has not yet arrived at the seat of Government; he is daily expected”. Samuel Sprigg arrived in Annapolis on the 20th. On that day, he qualified for office in the Senate Chamber in the presence of both Houses, by subscribing a declaration of his belief in the Christian religion, by taking the several oaths required by the constitution, the oath of office required by Act of Assembly, and the oath to support the constitution of the United States.

Sprigg was re-elected for two more one-year terms, the maximum allowable at that time. He replaced many Federalist officeholders with Democrats, and his administration was characterized by support for internal improvements; the chartering of the Chesapeake and Ohio Canal in 1824 was at least in part a result of his strong advocacy, although this led to heavy borrowing of money by the State and the subsequent debt which plagued some of his successors in office. In 1820 and 1821 he defeated Charles Goldsborough again for the governor’s office, in 1821 by a margin of 72 to 3. This was the so-called “era of good feeling”, a “general union of opinion and harmony of sentiment at home”. At the beginning of his second term, the Niles Register said that he stood “upon a high and exalted eminence in popular opinion” and that there was “scarcely a speck of party . . . visible in his re-election to office”.

In a speech given before the General Assembly just one week before his first reelection in 1820, Samuel Sprigg stated his strong support for internal improvements, in particular the Chesapeake and Ohio Canal. He also reported that he had commissioned painter Raphaelle Peale, then visiting Annapolis, to clean and restore the portrait of George Washington and his companions-in-arms which was hanging in the State House; and that Peale had accomplished this for the moderate compensation of twenty dollars. It was during Raphaelle Peale’s visit to the area at this time that he also painted the portraits of Samuel Sprigg’s family at Northampton.