The daily gazette., 1880-05-07
FIRST EDITION..
RED-HOT REPUBLICANS
The LiVtllGst State CONVENTION Ever
Held in Delaware.
Dick Hal lrinst ton Rules the Btdy
With an Iron Hand.
AND LEVI BIRD LAYS HIGGINS
OUT STIFF AND COLD.
The Old Dover Ring Again Tri-
umphant.
DisgracCful seen, 8 i'm the
Convention
DisgracCful seen, q i'm the
Convention
A H0WlING MOB UkLoOsEp.
The Rights of the Counties
Trdinpied Under Foot.
The Fight for Party Supremacy
and the Distribution Of Fed
eraI Patronage.

MIR. PICKELs IN NEW LEADERSHIP,
AND MARSHAL M'MULLEN ON THE
OTHER sIDE-THE LETTER CARRIER
BEATS THE POSTMASTER, AND MIR.
BIRD COMES ON ToP-sCENEs AND
INCIDENTS OF THE CONVENTION.
A week ago the GAZETTE stated
that the Delaware delegation to the
Republican National Convention would
consist of Christian Febiger and Levi
G. Clark, of New Castle County, Hon.
N. b. Smilhers and Hon. James r..
Lofland, of Kent County, and Benz.
Burton and Albert Curry, of Sussex
County. This statement proves to be
correct, and the ticket thus announced
was ratified by the Republican State
Convention held at Dover, yesterday
afIer one of the most bitter and con-
tentious struggles known in this
State.
This convention was the battle
ground TO decide who were to possess
the empty honor of being the leaders
of the Republican forlorn hope in this
State, and also control the distribu-
tion of Federal patronage in Della
ware, in case the next administration
proves to be Republican. Into the
fight for the triumph of these lofty and
ennobling principles the leaders threw
themselves, with Anthony Higgins, H.
f. Pickles, Wash Hastings and Post
maste" Pyle on one side, and Levi G..
Bird, Dick Harrington, Judge Fisher,
James L. Hawkins and Others, on the
other. Both sides were confident of
victory. and as far as the majorilies in
the delegations of New Castle and
Sussex were concerned the Higgins
gang had the advantage, but the forty
votes of Kent county were solid from
first to last, and under the brilliant
generalship of Levi G. Bird, Dick
Harrington, Judge Fisher and James
L. Hawkins, the opposition was
maintained in position of firm con-
centration, and the machine program
me of the Dover ring carried out to the
very end.
The New Castle County delegates
went down on the regular 8 Is train,
yesterday morning, and when Dover
was reached the most conflicting state
ments were made in regard tothe status
of the County delegation. Levi, who
had made himself delegate by secur-
ing the credentials of James Porter, of
| the Eighth Ward, counted carefully
upon his fingers, and triumphantly an
nounced that lie had IA majority, sure.
| Marshal Nc Mullen, who was also one
of Birds trusty lie utenants, made the
same estimate, but Harry Pickles
smiled contemptuously, and claimed
that he held the County delegation by
about forty-four to thirty-four, which
the ensuing votes in the Convention
proved to be correct.
THE CAUCUsEs.
Kent County delegates went into
caucus few minutes after twelve
o'clock, and after short conference
settled upon their plan of action, which
was briefly expressed, to run the Con-
venUion by their forty solid votes, aid
ded by the scattering votes from the
Kent and Sussex delegations. The only
| change of change of operation was the
substitution of the name of |. N.
Mills, of Dover, for temporary chair
man, in place of Hon. George p. Fish
er, Nho had been selected for this po-
sition, and against whom the Pickles
and Higgins faction were making theiI
most vigorous fight.
Sussex county caucus was not SC
harmonious, and though it disposed OF
the preliminary work of naming its
quota of officers, members of commit.
tees and delegates to Chicago, it ended
in dissatisfaction, and at least dozen
of the deleg ates bolted the caucus and
came into the Convention ready tC
support every movement of the Dover
ring.
But the New Castle county caucus
beat them all. 1t convened in the
Court House hall at one o'clock, and
was called to order by Solomon Her
sey, of the Republican who assumed
this duty by virtue Of being chairman
of he County Executive Committee
But he was soon unceremoniously
bounced by letter-carrier Hawkins
who informed him that he had no bust
ness in the caucus even if he was chair
man of the County Executive Com
mittee, and further that he no longel
held this position, as the COMMITTEES
had adjourned sine die last week. Mr.
Hawkins then nominated Allen Smitl
of the Fourth ward, for chairman o
the caucus, and the nomination pre-