Honorable Romulus Mitchell Saunders, Esq - Honorable Romulus Mitchell Sanders, Esq.

I came across a nice article today, just want to file it until I can come back in the future for a better upload of documentation and attributes. Getting ready for vacation.

ROMULUS MITCHELL SAUNDERS
BUT few men have played so large and important a role in public affairs in North Carolina as the subject of this sketch did for a period of fifty years. His grandfather was JAMES SAUNDERS of Orange County, who had four sons, among them Colonel JAMES SAUNDERS, a patriot in Revolutionary times, who represented Orange County in the Provincial Congress of April, 1776, that placed the State in a condition to defend the liberties of the people, and declared for independence, and WILLIAM. On the formation of the new Continental regiments in 1777, WILLIAM SAUNDERS, a son of JAMES SAUNDERS, although but a youth, became ensign in the 6th regiment, and in February, 1779, received his promotion to lieutenant, and he continued in service with General Greene until the end of the war in 1783. Shortly after peace was won, this young Continental officer returned home and was married to HANNAH MITCHELL (note: actually WILLIAM b 1759 married ELIZABETH BETSY MITCHELL, and his nephew JAMES "JIMMY DRY" SANDERS b 1762 married HANNAH MITCHELL), by whom he had two sons, FRANKLIN and ROMULUS MITCHELL, the latter being the subject of this sketch. Mrs. SAUNDERS dying, her husband, with his two sons, moved to Sumner County, Tennessee, where he married Miss CUNNINGHAM, a sister of Major Cunningham, who had been a member of General Washington's staff, and who had moved from Dan River to Sumner County. By this lady WILLIAM SAUNDERS had three sons and two daughters. One of these sons was Judge LAFAYETTE SAUNDERS of Baton Rouge, Louisiana, who in the Whig Convention nominated General Taylor as the successor to President Polk, whose nomination four years earlier had been secured by his brother, the subject of this sketch.

ROMULUS SAUNDERS inherited a robust constitution and strong mental characteristics, which were well developed by his early training and by his active and earnest life. He was born on the 3d of March, 1791, in Caswell County, and was educated at Hyco and Caswell academies; and being well prepared entered the University in 1809, and remained a student at that institution for two years. He left the University before graduating and studied law in Tennessee under that distinguished lawyer, Hon. Hugh Lawson White, then a judge of the Supreme Court of that State; and he was licensed to practice in Tennessee in 1812. Shortly afterward he returned from Tennessee, and on the 22d of December, 1812, he married Miss REBECCA PAINE CARTER, and began the practice of his profession in Caswell County. Richly endowed with the elements of a successful political career, and much interested in the political questions that agitated the State, he entered public life at the age of twenty-four, along with Bedford Brown, also of Caswell County, who, like himself, was destined to a distinguished public career
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In 1815 these two young men represented Caswell County in the House of Commons, and the next year Mr. Saunders was elected to the State Senate; and then he again became a member of the House, of which body, so great was his capacity and personal popularity, he was chosen Speaker in 1819 and in 1820.

In the latter year he was also elected a member of Congress, and he continued to serve for three terms as a representative in Congress from his district. His family was strongly Democratic, and he was a warm supporter of the administration, and was closely associated with Bartlett Yancey and Mr. Macon, with the latter of whom, indeed, he was intimately thrown at his first entrance into Washington life.

In 1828 he accepted the position of attorney-general of the State, and filled it with great acceptability until 1833, when he was appointed by President Jackson one of the commissioners to ascertain and allot amounts due claimants for injuries sustained at the hands of France. In discharging this duty, Judge Saunders won many eulogiums. Colonel Wheeler says: "The first legal talents of the nation appeared before this board as advocates; among them were Daniel Webster, Chancellor Kent, Francis Key and David B. Ogden. Such were the patient and laborious habits of General Saunders, the acumen of his intellect and the clearness of his decisions, that he won for himself the respect and esteem of all in his arduous duties." His associates on this commission were Judge Campbell of Tennessee and Judge Kane of Pennsylvania, who were men of the first distinction at that time. On the completion of this work, in 1835, he was elected a judge of the Superior Court, and for five years he rode the circuit of the State, during which time he became such a favorite with the public men of North Carolina that in 1840 he was brought forward for governor and nominated by the Democratic Convention for that office. On the formation of the Whig Party half a dozen years before in North Carolina, John M. Morehead, who had been a strong supporter of Jackson, had gone over to the opposition, and now, as Governor Dudley's term was about expiring, he was nominated as the Whig candidate for governor, Saunders being his competitor for the office. The campaign that year has been known as the "Log Cabin Campaign," the Presidential contestants being General Harrison and Martin Van Buren, the same nominees as four years before. The slogan of the opposition was "Turn the rascals out," and they had no platform or declaration of principles. The campaign was almost exclusively one of personalities, and North Carolina, as well as all other States, was the scene of unexampled excitement. Mr. Morehead was not so well versed in political history of his astute and practical opponent, Judge Saunders, who was conversant with all the phases of legislation in Congress and to whom every point and guard of political warfare were familiar. Great crowds met the gubernatorial contestants. Both were in the prime of manhood, able, capable and ambitious. Judge Saunders was the more dexterous and better informed, and he made the most powerful presentation of his party's case for popular approval. But the majority in the State was with the Whigs, and the character of their campaign appealed most strongly to the floating masses, while the determination of the capitalists to put an end to the administration of Van Buren, which was regarded as only a continuation of the detested Jackson, led them to make every effort for success. A great demonstration was made at Raleigh, and log cabins were hauled through the streets, where many thousand people had come even from remote counties in their buggies and on horseback. Saunders was defeated by some 8000 votes, but the canvass he made added largely to his reputation and endeared him still more strongly to his party.

In the same year that he was defeated for governor, he was again elected to Congress, and in 1842 he was a strong candidate for senatorial honors. The Whigs having control of the assembly, in December 1838 had instructed the two senators, Bedford Brown and Judge Strange, who were Democrats, to vote for certain Whig measures, which they could not consistently support, and under the doctrine of instructions at that time recognized in North Carolina, both senators resigned; and on November 25th, 1840, Graham and Magnum were elected to the vacancies, Magnum's competitor being Bedford Brown, who was supported by the Democrats. Judge Strange's unexpired term, to which Graham was elected, was to end in March, 1843, and at the Assembly of November, 1842, a successor was to be chosen. The Democrats had a considerable majority in that Assembly, and Bedford Brown and Judge Saunders were the principal candidates. The party strength was not centered, however, on either. The canvass became protracted, and developed great bitterness between the friends of the rival aspirants, the particular line of cleavage being States Rights. Judge Saunders's friends claimed the honor for him, and as he was very popular and a very strong man, they stood by him with devoted zeal. After nearly a month of fruitless balloting, on the 19th of December the ballot stood, Saunders, 59; Brown, 39; Haywood, 5; Graham, 6; Badger, 2; Speight, Ruffin, Barringer and Swain, each one. It would seem from this count that the Whigs generally refrained from voting. Christmas holiday was now approaching. Under this pressure the two leading candidates, Brown and Saunders, gave way, and W. H. Haywood, who had been speaker of the House a little earlier, was electetd,the vote in the Assembly being, Haywood 95, and Graham 69. The Standard the next day said:
"We feel great pleasure in being able to announce that our Democratic friends, after a session of bitter, and, we must add, shameful contention, have become reconciled, and yesterday elected that distinguished son of North Carolina, William Henry Haywood, Jr., to the Senate of the United States. This was the result of compromise between the friends of other candidates, and we hope all criminations and recriminations will cease."

Judge Saunders, being a member of the House of Representatives, remained in that body until 1845. He took a prominent part in national matters. Toward the end of President Tyler's term, the question of the annexation of Texas became of much interest to the Southern people. Mr. Clay was nominated by the Whig Convention at Baltimore for the Presidency, and a month later the Democratic Convention met in the same. city. Mr. Van Buren was the favorite of the Northern wing of the party, and had the support of the majority of the convention. James K. Polk of Tennessee had been the speaker of the House of Representatives, and was a candidate for the Vice-Presidency. The Southern men wished a nominee who would carry out the plans of the Tyler administration with reference to annexing Texas, even if a war with Mexico should result. Van Buren was opposed to this measure, and to defeat his nomination, which otherwise was a foregone conclusion, Judge Saunders at an early stage of the proceedings brought forward a rule requiring a two-thirds vote to make a nomination, and notwithstanding the remonstrances of Benjamin F. Butler of New York, the most active of Van Buren's managers, this rule was agreed to by a vote of 148 to 118. There were seven candidates in the field, of whom the leading ones were Van Buren and General Cass. But after many ballotings and a stormy session of three days, it became apparent that the friends of the annexation policy would be successful, and James K. Polk of Tennessee, »was nominated for the Presidency, and George M. Dallas for the Vice-Presidency. On the 17th of April Mr. Clay was in Raleigh, where he was entertained by Governor Morehead, and where he received a great ovation, speaking from the western portico of the capitol; and on that day he wrote a letter declaring against the annexation of Texas without the consent of Mexico; and that question became the leading subject in the election. Polk was elected, and he owed his nomination to the rule introduced by Judge Saunders. He began his administration by bringing on the war which resulted in the annexation of Texas and the acquisition of New Mexico, Arizona, California, a vast territory so important to the United States.

In 1846 President Polk, in recognition of the public services of Judge Saunders and his eminent ability, tendered him the post of envoy extraordinary and minister plenipotentiary to Spain, he being the second North Carolinian on whom such a distinguished position had been conferred, the first being General Davie when . sent to France. Judge Saunders continued in the discharge of these high functions four years, and during the time of his residence at the Spanish Court, he was entrusted by the President with a special commission to negotiate for the purchase of the island of Cuba. This negotiation was successful, and the sale was agreed to by the Spanish premier; but the betrayal of the diplomatic secret by the secretary of legation, in the absence of Judge Saunders on a visit to Paris, giving premature publicity to the transaction, led to the defeat of the sale, and it was not consummated.

On the return of Judge Saunders to his home at Raleigh, where he had made his residence in 1831, he entered warmly into political action, and was particularly distinguished for his advocacy of internal improvements, the friends of the North Carolina Railroad especially acknowledging his valuable aid in connection with that work. In 1850 and in 1852 he represented Wake County in the House of Commons. At the session of 1&52, as Senator Mangum's term was about to expire, the General Assembly had to choose a United States senator. The Democrats were in the majority, and in their caucus James C. Dobbin, who a few months later became secretary of the navy, was selected as the party nominee. There was at this time a sharp difference among Democrats as to the distribution of the public lands among the original thirteen States, which was strongly advocated by the Whig Party. It is understood that Judge Saunders did not go into the Democratic caucus. He was voted for by some seven or eight others for ten ballots, and then withdrew his name. On the thirteenth ballot, underwork. In 1850 and in 1852 he represented Wake County in the standing that Mr. Dobbin needed but one vote to secure an election, Judge Saunders obtained the speaker's recognition, and asked leave to vote, and recorded it for Mr. Dobbin; but as announced, Mr. Dobbin still lacked two votes of an election. This contest lasted forty days, and probably over one hundred ballots were had. There was no election for senator at that session, and the State was without one senator for some time in consequence.

At that session of the legislature, Judge Saunders was elected term was about to expire, the General Assembly had to choose a judge of the Superior Court, and he held that position during the war and until 1865, when he retired from the bench and passed the remainder of his life among his books and friends at his hospitable home at Raleigh.

Judge Saunders, having lost his first wife, by whom he had three sons and two daughters, on the 26th of May, 1823, while a member of Congress, married ANNA HAYES JOHNSON, a daughter of Justice William Johnson of the United States Supreme Court, who was a son of William Johnson and Sarah Nightengale, who was famous for her devotion to the cause of Independence. Of her it is related that after Charleston had been captured by the British, she quilted powder in her petticoats and thus conveyed it out of the city to the rebels, and it was used at the battle of Camden. Justice Johnson himself contributed a most valuable addition to the literature of the Revolutionary period by the publication of the "Life of General Greene:" his brother, Dr. Joseph Johnson, also published valuable reminiscences.

About 1831 Judge Saunders purchased from Judge Gaston the Elmwood property in Raleigh that had been built by Chief Justice Taylor in 1813, and was occupied by Chief Justice Ruffin; and there he made his home until his death, on the 21st day of April, 1867.

By his second wife Judge Saunders had two sons and four daughters. Of the former, Colonel WILLIAM JOHNSON SAUNDERS, an efficient and distinguished soldier in the Confederate army, still survives. One of his daughters became the wife of the brilliant lawyer and distinguished general, Bradley T. Johnson of Baltimore, Maryland.
S A. Ashe.
(Source: Biographical History of North Carolina from Colonial Times to Present, By Samuel A. Ashe, Vol. III, published 1906)Jj