The daily gazette. [volume] (Wilmington, Del.) 1874-1883, 1880-10-07

out of its ranks. "Great God" said
one of Mr.. Higgins prominent Repub-
lican rivals when this club was organ
lied, "Before l would have a niger
club named after me-"
So last nights meeting was arranged
solely for Mr.. Higgins benefit, and he
was given the whole evening. The
hall was crowded, and a number of
prominent white Republicans occu-
pied the stage, but not a single color
cd Republican was permitted to sit
among them. Not even a colored rep
resentative of the Higgins Club was
invited to come forward, as at least
one avowed supporter of Mr.. Higgins,
and opposed to the hitherto unrebuked
suggestion of Mr.. Bird that he should
be kicked out of the party. OF the
fully twelve hundred negroes who
voted the Republican ticket in this
city at Tuesdays election, not one
was deemed worthy to sit upon the
stage with George W. Bush, George
w. Stone and others of that class,
whose only interest in the negro is to
get his voie and nothing more.
About 8 o'clock Mr.. Higgins COM
menced his speech with reference to
the assessment laws of this State.
"You may have come here" he said,
to hear me talk about Garfield, the
great patriot, soldier and statesman"
Here he paused for applause, which
came in an exceedingly mild dose.
"0r about Hancock" he continued,
IN IN
the result. "To hell with Hancock, !"
shouted boorish wretch in the gal
lery, while the equally boorish audi
ence roared with laughter and ap-
plause. Mr.. Higgins colored visibly
Atthis endorsement ofvulgar profanity.
1t is not in accordance with his ideas
Of campaigning even if some of his
Republican friends do think he ought
to be kicked out of t4Ie party.
The question in this campaign, said
Mr.. Higgins, is not one of the govern
ment OF South Carolina or Louisiana
1t is Home Rule, with a vengeance. II
is whether we are living under a popu-
lar government, or und-r the rules oi
Assessors, Tax Collectors, Levy Court
men and Clerks of the Peace. To-day
there are 600 Republicans not on the
assessment lists, and if they were
assessed the Democratic victory recorded
in the papers this afternoon would bt
less than 1t really Is.
Mr.. Higgins then proceeded 10 review
the assessment and collection laws Of
The state, claiming that they Telt
amended, in 1873, 80 as to put it in the
IN pninaflu danriUa
men of their suffrages for partisan pur'
poses. The remedy, he said, was fol
the people TO appoint Assessors, outside
of the law, who will see that the legal
Assessor does not neglect his duty and
that Republicans are not cheated out ol
their rights.
In this state of affairs, said the
speaker, what is the attitude of th'
Democratic leaders? 1t is not unknown
to them. 1t was in their power to have
stopped 1t with a whisper, that tina
Whisper did not come. In law W.
would say they were silent and consent
ing. [Applause.]
Mr.. Higgins proceeded to review tn,
sessions OF the Levy Court, in Spring
last. AMI the efforts made TO get the ne
sroes assessed. He argued in favor of
full and complete assessment, in orde
that taxation might be equalized owe
the State.
PERSONAL DRFENsB.
Mr.. Higgins pext spoke OF his attitud
| In the Neal case, and the public refer
suces made thereto by Congressman
| Martin and Senator Blyard. or til
former he said:
| ar do not intend here TO discuss tn
merits of the trial, for 1 will not brlnI
case of life and death befors.a popuia
audience. had decided not to notic
the attack aud to MAKE no reply. na
an impression that Mr.. Martin was
| member of the bar, but ms po>ilion as
lawyer was so obscure that it L. not ikel
ne had any more conception OF the dui.
| nj "A LAWYER TO his client than he seeme'
| to have of himself as a gentleman, Ap
l nlause.1 am content to leave The maj
Ter, so far as he Is concerned. In silence
But when the attack is renewed oy
United States Senator, a citizen OF thl
county felt that At the first opportunit
| must reply, Here Mr.. Higgins rea
from the Ne,os u report OF Mr.. Bayard
remarks wherein ho Was reported a
saving that NJ. Higgins action In th
| NeAl CASb WAS bhhoh oCSahoo ehS ~
cies of the party demanded It'll 1 sa
the charge is false. Applause. III
Senator has betrayed peculiar know
edpe Of the facts OF the case surely nc
gathered from the newspaper account
of the trial. IT was open to hun TO lear
| Ihe probaDle truth Of the charge. ii
chose to make ii, and say 1t is untru
[ took the step ON my own sole ana ihd
vidual responsibility. consulted n
Republican In Delaware. The oEiy pc
,ou consulted was my associate couns'
IN the case, II IN. Chas. Devens, Atto
nev General of the United States. In
nnIy other persous [ talked with aool
| tbe case we're those with whom wa
| con.trained to do 80 by the requirement
of the case-the Judges of the Cou
and the Attorney General OF the sta.
So far from the exigencles oi the II
publican party demanding that l Shon
T. ks this step, the exigencies OF the
publican parry demanded that l snou
not take IT, 1 was not unconscious TN
men like MARTIN, aud possibly oihefs
his character, might 60 about the oIa
, usiug it as low, mean argument 10
cnre his eleoLiou. My duty was not
J The Republican party, but to my che
8 and my conscience.
v could not forget the memo.au
words of Lord BroHgham In MS oeieh