The daily gazette., 1879-06-05

n asure. This time we think that in all
human pro- bility, in, year Or 30 from
his time the bridge will be frea.
10 this circular addressed to the Leg
itla' ure, Bassett Ferguson, then candl-
date for Senator returned the following
answer written on the circslar) which
he sent back, which now have in my
possession:
DEAR SIR:-In reply to the above
answer that AN in favor of the atove
measure, and If elected I,cW uote in td-
vor Of dld,c 10, freeing the bridge, ar en-
ecttng new one.
Yours Respectfully,
BAssETT FERGUSON.
Nov. LIST, 1860,
10 Francis Vincent, Il q.
Nearly all Qf not ally the Democrats at
that election pledged themselves to me
to vote in favor of freeing the Bridge
Amongst the letters OF thar party have
now In my possession are Mr.. Bassett
Ferguson's above mentioned Sc iator,
Mr.. A. y. Newton, Representative to
the Legislature, aud Mr.. Charles q.
Bigger Of the Levy Court. All.speaking
promptly IN favor OF the measure.
On the Whig eide l have the answers
yet in my possession of Capt. George
Maxwell, a candidate for the Legisla-
ture, and Asbury 8. Pennington for th6
Levy Court. received numerous others
but have misleid or lost them, an the
correspondence occurred near 20 years
ago. They all evaded the question:
They were all, however, similar to the
following.
RED LION, 28th, Oct. 1850.
MIR. VINCENT-ST:-I received a
circular from you, asking my views rela-
tive to freeing the Wilmington bridge.
In reply l wonld say, If the request had
endndted at a Wing meeting in any Hun
dred in the county, l would have felt it
my duty to reply candidly, giving my
views. But coming as iu did from an in
dividual, do not feel yself inclined SO
to do, although that individual should
be the editor of the Blue Hens Chicken
would wish my opinion, / would give II
to you cheerfully but not to make public
| Respectful,
A. 8. PENNINGTON.
| Now l had stated publicly in my edi
foilals that my paper was independent
and not par izan. That l uould suppor
no one not In favor:of purchasing and
freeing the bridge, aud also of ealing 3
convention to revise the constitution
| And as the Democrats had pledgeC
themselves to do both, and as the Wing
| uhu IoiuScu W W. 81, diucu Iudb ticC
ton, to the extent of my power, tn,
Democratic ticket. The Democrats Ia
| knew they wOuld) carried the State
anu almost Immediately after the Legis
Ia ure met ION the 10th of February 1851
they passed an act to allow the Lew
Court of New Castle county to purchps y,
and make free the Wilmington bridge
A few days after the news came to Will
mington, the Levy Court met. TIL,
IN 1ney was at ouce borrowed frou
Chester county, aud the
BRIDGE WAS FREED.
/ never knew before, a measure O
such Importance carried through so rap
idly after the act was passed. ln 1852 a.
extra SESSION of the Legislature was calle
to make preparations for a convention,
the State should vote in favor of on,
The election took place. The vote for
convention was Overwhelming. TheI
was II majority in all the counties. 1t ha
a majority of 2lA. Then at this exit
sessionin 1852, (nearly a year afterward
the Lottery Bill, he speaks of was pass
ed. BY reference to the 10th volume {
ID !. Llvs it WI be seen that on the lot
of February 1851 the bill to.free tie BridS
Uas passed. And that on the 7th of Eel
ruary 1853 the bill granting the lotter
passed. The last section OF this bill say,
"That the sum of twenty-five uousdn
dollars, out OF the money TO be raised
be, and the same is hereby directed to b
paid to the Treasurer of New Castl
county, to be applied to the debt contracte
Jy the purchase of the Wilmington bridge
SO that the Lottery Bill had nottingto d
with freeing the bridge whatever. Th
bridge was freed nearly a year before
was brought before the Legislature, an
people for that time had been travelin
were it without passing. Again th
money coming from the Lottery Bill ws
not to be paid to New Castle county III
til 1861 and 1862, some twelve or thirtee
years after. ! get this information fro
: my old files.
By this you will see, Mr.. Editor,that
! there is any. "boSh," as Mr.. Townser
, calls 1t, in the matter it is IN his, IN
, TownsenLs assertioD) that he had an
thing to do with freeing the bridge
all. Three members OF tho Democrat
: party were pledged to free the Drudge,
their letters to me, and the public asse
5 tion of the principal men. Mr.. Fergus
0 ras pledged to free the bridge. The VIII
q party had been in power for 80 year
and uiey Wers defeated because they ,Oou
q giue no satisfactory pledges that they ,cou
:, free the bridge or call convention to !
form the constitution. So far from NJ
| 1OWu WuSCuu diuihS Wv oAAaSo anu w
Q vention questions, he opposed both
d the extent Of his ability They were ca
II ried in spite of him. He had not ev'
personal strength enous b to edrryhis Of
r, hundred, Appoquinimink He ran aft
e wards AZ a convention delegate and "
e defea'ed by Mr.. Gibbs. Mr.. Townse
n ,pas the lo,cest man on the then Democrd
o ticket. Away down below all.
d own majority in the city Of Wilmingt
At when l was first elected Treasurer, "
D. more than four times the whole vote
ceived oy Mr.. Townsend in his o.
;, hundred.
The attack made upon me by
Q. Townsend was most unjus fihable. I
70 mere mention ofmy name in the GAzET
70 and Herald seems to raise his ire, a
te bring forth a torrent of untruths q
H. abuse. He appears 70 be like the dog
10 the manger: he will neither do any &C
iy himself, or suff any one else to do &c
I'd if he can help it. With great respec
RS remain, Yours &C.,
u FRANCIS VINCENT