The daily gazette., 1880-08-20
Dick Harrington to the
Front.

ING SPEECH.
Richard Harrington, Esq, of Dover,
addressed the white and colored Re-
publicans of Wilmington in Institute
Hall, last night, on the occasion of the
presentation of flag and transparency
to the Bird Guards (white) by Levi G.
Bird, Esq. After short street parade
the Hall was soon crowded to over
flowing, and Captain James L. Haw-
klns (lelter-carrieD oflhe Bird Guards,
presided over the meeting.
Among those conspicuous by their
absence from the stage were Postmas-
ter Pyle, II. f. Pickels, Anthony Hig-
gins, Esq, Washington Hastings,
George W. Bush and others represent
ing what is called the respectable ele-
ment of the Republican party of Will
mington. 1t was emphalically a
''stalwart" meeting, and the faces of
Marshal McMullen, l. N. Mills, r. G.
Fraim and others who are now upper
most in the struggle for the control Of
what is left of the Republican party in
Delaware, were plainly apparent.
The flag and transparency with
which the Bird Guards were to be en-
riched were brought into the Hall and
placed conspicuously upon the stage.
The transparency was the one des-
cribed in the GAZETTE few days ago
representing the chicken Of Delaware
PROSTATE under the claws of the Ma
tional Eagle, and containing the sur
prisiDg announcement that the Bird
Guards were incorporated" in 1876,
when, in fact, they are not incorpora-
ted at all.
However, the band played, the meet
ing opened, and Mr.. II. G. Conrad,
editor of the Morning Nesos, presented
the pretty flag and the bungled trans
parency to Captain Hawkins, of the
Bird Guards. He said :
At the request of the donor, Levi G.
Bird, Esq, it is my pleasure to present
to you, as Captain Of the Bird Guards,
this handsome flag and campaign
transparency. In doing so desire to
congratulate your company on the
vigor and energy which has been dis
played by the members in organizing,
thus early, large and efficient politi-
cal body, well calculated to perform
| lilOob ChCCbiNO WOlh III bhO
The large number of names enrolled
upon your books is an augury of the
earnestness and enthusiasm felt by
each member on the issues of the cam
paign so truly begun, campaign
which promises, unquestionably, the
election Of the Republican candidate es,
James A. Garfield and Chester A. Ar
thur. The presence, tonight, OF so
many other organizations, having for
their aim the same object as your
selves, conclusively proves to my mind
that not only are the Republicans of
the nation rising in their might, but
the brave and courageous Republicans
of little Delaware are keenly alive to
the important issues involved i'll the
present struggle.
Mr.. Conrad said more than this, but
the balance, like the portion above
J given, did not amount to much, Mr..
| Conrad's speech in full is modestly
published in Mr.. Conrad's paper, the
Daily Morning Neaos.
Dick Harrington next came forward
to receive the presenSs on behalf of the
Bird Guards. To many of the audi
ence he was a stranger personally, but
all knew him by reputation, and as a
matter of course he was greeted by
deafening applause. He looked ex-
ceedingly well, in fact, the ladies
would have pronounced him real hand
some as he stood upon the stage, his
dark face flushed with pleasure, and
his eyes sparkling with the excitement
of his position. He was the same
Dick Harrington of old, bland, jaunty,
self possessed, full of talk and handy
of gesture, and rolling out his well
rounded sentences with vim aid
completeness that could not fail to
gain for him repeated rounds of vigor-
GUS applause.
MIR. HarriIgton's speech was simply a
tissue of stalwartisms, mingled with
eloquent references to the nag Of the
country, from the time it was first car
ried through the stirring scenes of a
century ago. To the late war he paid
particular and protracted attention, and
from the earnest manner In which he al
luded to what 1--WE" accomplished OIL
the bloody fields of battle, stranger
would have felt assured that the speaker
bore the brunt Of battle in every engage
ment of the rebellion, from Bull Run tt
Appomattox. He spoke well of Gen
Hancock, but bitterly denounced the
party supporting him.
MIR. Harrington also reviewed the his
tory of the Republican party, from its
inception TO the present day, and claim
ed for it blessings innumerable, particp-
larly ascrlbing to 1t all credit for the
pfcsperous condition of business affairs
that has prevailed during the past few
years, in refreshing contrast to the
dreary panic of 1873.
Through all his speech the speake
Wig rrously waved the "bloody Shirt" ac
cusing the South of outrage and oppres
sion, and of falsifying the census returns
in order to secure additional representa-
ton in Congress. He also took up TIN
t. speech delivered by Hon. Charles b
Lore before the Second Ward Democrat
! ON Tuesday night, and attempted to re
fute It's arguments. His great poin
was to pick at MIR. Lore's assertion tina
our National government should be al
most as impalpable as the air we breath
and bear with as little weight as posi-
BILE upon the PEOPLE, With this asser
, ton he most emphatically disagreed, AN
: maintained that the government shoul
be one that would be felt in all parts c
the country.
, Just about this part of his speech MI
= Harrington got off some little joke abou
! Democracy and whiskey drinking bein