Smyrna times., 1879-07-30
Delaware.
THE FRIENDLY CoSIMINGLING OF TWO STATES.
Cesar RodneyS Ride-AUen McLane and His
Partisan IrOoperS-DeLaooare in the Revo-
luton.
Delaware.
Regular Correspondence Of the PAAa. Press.


Regular Correspondence of the Phila Press.
DOVER, July, 1879.
The dependent relations of Pennsylvania
and Delaware under one proprietor, and on
the same navigable water, led to frequent |
interchanges of public men. Governors
Mexican and Dickinson at different times |
acted as presidents of both States. Govern |
ors Logan and Shippen had family interests |
and marriages in both Delaware and Penn |
sylvania. The Bayard family is Delawarean |
Pennsylvanian, and also of New Jersey and |
New York. Indeed, all the Middle States |
have certain amount of homogeneity in |
their tidewater populations.
THOMAS M'KEAN.
The highest rank ever attained by Del. |
awarean was that of president of Congress,
or virtually the civil supreme magistracy,
by Mexican, Born just over the limits of Del
aware, at the ancient academy village of
New London and bred to the law at New
Castle, Mexican was in public life from I765
until 1903, period of forty-three stormy
years, and he participated in every impor-
tant act OF the Revolution and the forma-
tive period of the republic, sitting in Con
gress for Delaware "territories" from IVA
to 1888, and being the only member who
served during tho war without interval.
During part of the same time he was pres
| ident of Delaware and chief justice Of
Pennsylvania; he was founder of the
State of Delaware and of the Republican
political party, and was stern, hawk-nosed
man.
McKean's relation to the Presbyterian
communities-so warlike and rebellious as
to make their meeting houses the subjects
OF general coniscation by the British caval-
ry-nade him the leading influence in the
northern part of this State. His peer in
the middle county was General Caesar Rod
ney, an unqualified Delawarean, his grand
father having been Speaker of the General
Assembly of Delaware.
McKean's early life was passed in Della
ware, but he drifted to Pennsylvania and
died there. Rodney had no ambition out
side tho littler State, and in his will direct
ed the English Church burial ground at
Dover to be inclosed at his expense. Nc.
Kean and Rodney were the energetic per-
sonal forces of Delaware in tho struggle
George Read supplied the civil and judicial
power. Many of these Delaware leaders
went to the school of Francis Allison, and
with them was Charles Thomson, the Hecre-
: tary of Congress during all the conflict, and
its agent to notify Washington at Mount
Vernon of his election to the presidency.
|, land with his brothers whilst a boy, and
worked with blacksmith, and taught a
Quaker school there. Like Anthony
Wayne, he attracted Eranklin's notice and
} patronage, and was called by John Adams
r "the Samuel Adams of Philadelphia; the
| life of liberty there" Receiving the conf
dence of all patriots, Thomson married the
grand-aunt of President Harrison, and lived
( to be "a years Of age.
2 RoDNEY's RIDE.
! The story of Cesar Rodney's ride to Phil
l adelphia has been often told. He livec
about two miles below Dover and the same
distance i'll an airline from John Dickin
g sons meadow farm. When Mr.. Read
partly influenced by Dickinson, declined t
:, vote for open independence, Mexican,
native of the hill country and thorough
o insurrectionist-corre in this re
spect to Samuel Chase in the lower part o
/ the peninsula-relied upon Rodney to saw
D the honor of Delaware. His messenger ar
s. rived at Rodney's just as the latter had re
), turned, very weary, from suppressing Tor,
disafFection in the fats of Sussex. Rodne,
]. mounted his horse on Sunday and rode tn
}; eighty miles to philadelphia, where he di:
;; mounted in front of the State House just a
g. the Congress was going into session. NJ
IS Kean, standing on the door step waitin
u for him, put out his hand, and no word
IS were exchanged on the great subject of tn
, day. But Delaware voted for the Declari
D, ton, and ultimately Mr.. Read also signed i
The latter wrote the revolutionary constitl
"a ton of Delaware adopted at New Castl,
n and was the mild-beaming star of the Stat
u, imbued with the loyalty of law.
DELAWARE IN THE WAR.
p The population of Delaware was abor
: 37,500 at the commencement of the patr
n otic war. The General Assembly hesitate
II to go beyond instructions of reconciliatio
rd with Great Britain until the deadlock
a Congress over Richard Henry Lees resol
10 ton, that the colonies are and of rigl
s ought to be independent. Then Rodne
m started to Dover and exerted all his inf
e ence upon the Assembly through the cou
try pelope, until instructions were given
os concur with the other Delegates of Co
nj gress.,' Boston had then been evacuated
,d whole Spring season. The Tories were N
m: merous and bold all through the lower pa
us. of the State, and the very day the
~ sembly passed instructions of concurrenc
1s Christopher Marshall wrote in his diary
g. at Philadelphia: " Yesterday an EXPIRE
; came from Harry Fisher of numero
N body of Tories assembled in Sussex count
nv and who were intrenohing, and had cut {
ri the communication by land to Dove
I'm Powder and ball were sent from here und
hn escort. K 1t is thought this trick of t
IT Tories was concerted in this place in ord
he to break our measure (of independence
nc But the spirit of imperial mutiny "
ra. very diffused through Delaware, even
1775, when q sloop possessing two barre
vas of tea was overhauled near Dover, 10y
nd ist politician was egged at Lewes, and t.
ate doubtful Sussex representatives were seiz
,o, by the Dover light infantry on their way
Inn the Assembly at New Castle. The Tory
nd ement, it appears had even carried
raw election in Sussex. Before this time
"a young law student of Delaware, standing
,os an aide beside his general, Montgomery.
r dead in the gateway of Quebec. Ma
,ao John MacPherson's commission in the
"a. Delaware Regiment had been made out
,.is, late by Congress.
Ier That regiment of 800 men was raised
gee fore the Declaration of independence {
6rst mustered on the Courthouse Green
856 Dover, where it received the news the
957 following the Fourth of July, and 81
n ,s marched for New York. The quiet me
ows and fresshes of the Delaware had b
but few weeks out of sight when t
were hemmed in with the rest Of Sterlil
y of brigade on the heights of Brooklyn and
Tews two officers and thirty.one men. The I
ment was there commanded by M