Daily Republican., 1880-11-05
The struggle I'm Now Castle Conn.


political battle has cleared away that
the Republicans of Delaware are be
ginning to see what they have done
and what mora might have been done
had a little mors effort been put forth.
So accustomed had the Republicans be.
come to defeat that they naturally ex-
psctsd defeat last Tuesday as usual. /,
was this depressing influence that lost
many votes to the party, 1t is worth a
casual glance over the field to see wha,
the Republican party has achieved, and
that cannot be shown IN any bettel
manner than by looking to the difficult
tics it had to contend with.
Two years ago it was dismantled, dis.
organized and discouraged. One fourth
Of the members of the party we're dis.
franohised by being emitted from the
assessment under the hollow mockery
Of the law. In 1878 they did not even
meet to nominate e ticket and the Dem.
oorats were allowed to carry the cleo
ton by default. At this time there
was not single Republican officer in
the State SO far as State officers were con.
cerned, from Governor down TO County
Constable. The lookout was dark in
deed, and in 1879 the situation was not
improved, but a better day was dawn.
ing. At the close Of that year num-
of gentlemen Of means organized them
selves into committee and assisted
the members Of the party who were
assessed to pay off their taxes for that
year that they should not be returned
to next March term Of Levy Court as
errors and be disfranchised as thou.
sands Of others had been before. This
was the first step that looked like re.
organization Of the Republican party.
Then came the struggle TO get assessed.
How the two Democratic assessors of
this city and some also in the rural dis
tricts refused to assess those who ap.
piled to be assessed is not forgotten BY
the people. They positively refused to
assess Republicans even il they applied
in person, but at the same time assess.
ed ever four hundred men in this city
who had not a year before been return.
ed as errors. Fraud and insinoerity
marked every action of these assessors.
When they met in the city hall on the
last of January TO assess those who had
been omitted, they were met by huge
mass Of white and colored people num-
bering thousands who had been omit
ted and now demanded that their names
should be placed upon the assessment
list.
Those who were present cannot well
forget the long line of disfranchised cit.
izens waiting the pleasure of two Dem-
ocratic officials, trying hard chow not
to do it,"
The tricks and subterfuges resorted |
to by them to kill time are net forgot.
ten. One OF them who thousands of
times had no doubt gone without din.
'Isr got very hungry and spent an
hGnr at lunch awhile hundreds of men as
hungry as he was stood in line await
ing his return. Another abandoned |
his post on the reception of telegram
from high State official at New Castle,
and left hundred men standing in
line who failed to get their names on
the assessment. These things were not
forgotten by the people last Tuesday.
The next scene in the grand drama
of fraud was played by a truculent
Levy Court whose sole object seemed to
be to interpose objection and place OBJ.
structions in the way Of honest men
getting assessed. Who that'was pres
ent will forget the tinge of shame that
the cheeks of some Of the men,
bers Of that body who in ob9ying the
m andates Of their party masters, we're
driven to refuse respectful hearing of ,
hundreds OF the business men of Will
mington by petition to have over 400
fraudulent assessed names struck from
the assessment, and TO have the names
Of thousands OF honest voters placed on
the lists The reading of dry, tedious, &
long, senseless reports, by Mr.. Weir
and Mr.. Polk, went on while other
members blushed with shame, others
winked at the clever trick that was be-
ing done, aud others dozed and slep
to while away the time, while hundreds
of men at loss of money and loss Of
time, were waiting patiently but wait.
ing in vain to get assessed until it suit
ed the members of the Court to pause
in the farce they were playing and
place few names each day upon the
assessment. That truculent time serv-
ing Levy Court enjoyed the fun then,
how does it enjoy the verd lot Of the peo-
pie row! Fraud at every step from
the assessment to the conclusion of the
labors of the canvaasipg board at New
Castle yesterday.
Dat Ennl.A. LII IL n |