Publisher's Synopsis
Excerpt from History and Proceedings Attending the Presentation of a Medal to Thomas Peterson-Mundy: Decoration Day, May 30th, 1884
The proclamation from the State Department of the United States, declaring the adoption of that Amendment was issued on the 30th of March, 1870, and appeared in the newspapers on the morning Of the next day. A special election for the ratifica tion or rejection of a city charter, revised and entire, had been appointed to be held in Perth Amiboy on the Slst of March, and at that election, and within but a short time after the proclama tion was received, Thomas Peterson, better known as Tom Mundy, was the first Of his race who exercised the right of suffrage 'so recently conferred. NO other election was held on that day either in New Jersey or any other State. The fact Of the vote thus cast, with the name and biography of the voter, was announced at the time, and noticed generally by the press (of the country. Nothing on the part Of anyone in dispute Of this claimant was known in Perth Amlboy until in April last, a para graph appeared in a newspaper at Princeton, asserting that the distinction belonged to a colored suffragist in that academic borough. To that time Peterson had rested securely on. His laurels and had no reason to suppose that his title m that respect could be slurred or impeached. Investigation proved, however, that the Princeton claimant could show a right accruing only from the 13th of April, 1870, and so it was plain, could take nothing by his motion. The foundation Of this claim will appear from the address and letter printed herein. In order to deter mine the priority of claim by Peterson, a committee Of citizens, selected by him, took charge of the matter, and at his request, initiated and devised such measures as they might deem effectual and appropriate to establish the right beyond dispute. The result was that a fund sufficient to procure a gold medal commemorating the event, was procured without difficulty. As the person who was the first to advise Peterson to exercise the right, and the Officer who received the vote on the Slest of March, 1870, were still living, and the record remained among the municipal archives, the fact that such vote was cast on that day could be substan fiated beyond the possibility of a doubt, leaving the chance of any having been prior thereto, of the most hom-opathic and infin i-tisimal small kind. These two, Mr. J. L. Kearny and Par-tick Convery, both of whom had been in the city government at different times and holding various Offices, the latter having also represented the Assembly District in the Legislature, with Wil liam Paterson, ex-mayor, and now a Judge Of the Court of Errors and Appeals, and John Fothergill, an Alderman of the city, Democrats, with J. L. Bo-ggs, who had been collector Of the port for two terms, U. B. Watson, an ex-mayor and President Of the Bank, and I. T. Golding. Who had filled various city positions, Republicans, formed the committee or council of action chosen by Peterson. This committee, having prepared a suitable medal composed of a gold bar from which ilsi pendant a large medallion, and having made the necessary arrangements, selected Decoration Day as the most appropriate for the purpose of pre sentation, and appointing one of their number to deliver an address, gave notice that such commemorative proceedings would take place in the Council Chamber of the City Hall.
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