The daily gazette., 1883-01-12
A SEAT IN THE SENATE
WILL HON. ELI SALISBURY BE
REELECTED
THE CASE PLAINLY STATED.
The Exciting Opposition and Its I'm
organized neutrality-suspicious. rs to
the Probable Result.
EspecLal corresponaence q the aaaette. ]

l1bGNAAt
DOVER, Jan. 12.-Were there no other
reasons, (and there are some), for the wide
spread reports of opposition to Hon. Eli
Saulsbury's return to the United States
Senate, the publicity given to the subject by
newspapers, in and out of the State, would
be ample cause for their extensive circula-
ton. The election will be held on Tuesday.
The firstsballot, at least, will be taken on
that day, and the balloting will go on at the
rate of one attempt at choice a day until
result is reached. On Monday night, as
announced, the caucus will taken place, and
the result will be awaited with some inter-
est, in view Of the facts, and the vast deal Of
gossip and conjecture which has been set
aaoat Possibly the subject has been over
written and discussed In a certain view until
1t is thi eadbare, BY people whose desire to
see the Senator defeated is reflected In
what they are saying, but even Mr.
Saulsbury's friends will not deny thAt his
selection by the caucus Monday night with
out some opposition, at least, is impossible.
Now as to the opposition. 1t may be that
the opposition will only be that of Speaker
Cooper, who makes no secret of his prefer
ence of almost any man to the retiring
Senator, for reasons of a personal nature.
1t may be that 1t will consist of three votes
those of two representatives added to that
of the presiding officer of the Senate. 1t
may be that 1t will amount to d scattering
vote for a number of candidates on the first
bollot which will on the second or some
subsequent one, unite in sufficient strength
to give him majority. And finally, 1t may
be that it will result in the selection of
some man, after prolonged contest, other
than Senator salisbury. This last posi-
bility, l am frank to state, is not very
probable, in view of the utter lack of
definite object or organization on the part
of those not favorable to the Senator from
Kent.
The fact that the question is of such gen
eral interest is sufficient reason for its dis
cussion now. Those who oppose Mr.. sauls-
bury, and whose efforts have given the op-
position its present strength, no matter how
uncertain It may be, reside in his own
county of Kent, and are influential poll
tlcians and leading citizens. The most
prominent man among them is one of the
most active leaders in the last campaign,
and to whose efforts the success of the
Democratic party was no doubt largely due.
The statement that the whole opposition Is
due TO James /. Wolcott, Secretary of
State, is entirely untrue, because the enc
mics of the Senator, up to this time, have
been urging that gentleman to become a
candidate without avail, and dozen differ
candidates, in way as purely speculative
as that of the mention OF the name of the
| present Secretary. From talks with the
members of the opposition It is learne that
the opposition is owing, first to the Sena-
| tors onerous dietatorial policy in political
/ affairs, and second, to the outspoken hos
| tility of his near friends, before and after
The Democratic State convention, to Mr..
| Stockley.
Mr. Salisbury will doubtless be elected
| unless the incoming administration takes q
hand, and so far it has shown no disposition
to do this thing. 1t will be impossible to
concentrate the opposition unless this Ia
| done or some bold stand is taken by some
one who wan Is the office. The opposition
| venture no assertion as to their strength In
New Castle. In Kent they say they can Sc
| cure at least six votes, and In Sussex
| they say, If the man is John W. Causey the
| yo:e will be almost unanimous for that gen.
tleman. 1t comes to me very directly that
Mr.. Stockley has denied making any pledges
which would interfere with his stand on this
question, and that he says he is perfectly
free TO act either way, or not act at all, for
that matter, as his Judgment may dictate.
The opposition still hope for some aid
from this quarter. Why they do so is rea-
sonable and easily understood. The next
President is likely to be a Democrat, and
naturally the United States Senator from
the lower counties will control the Federal
Patronage In Kent and Sussex, and that
control, 1t is argued, in the hands of the
Senator will be very unsatisfactory to Gov
ernor Stockley and his friends, judging
from past relations. On this those un favor
able to the Senator build their hopes.
The New Castle delegation have been
generally understood to be in favor of Mr..
Saulsbury's return because of the lack of
opposition, and It's members have been held
by some to be bound by Colonel Whitley's
pledge at the ratification meeting. A lead
ing member of the New Castle Delegation
spoke OF this to me last night, and | think
he spoke for the whole delegation when he
said: ''The opposition to Senator Salisbury
amounts to much more than l thought, 1t
is even enough pronounced to make the re-
turn of the Senator somewhat a matter of
doubt, but think he will be reelected"
"How about Colonel Whiteley's pledgep
''I do not think even Colonel Whiteley in
tended 1t as a pledge. so far as am con-
cerned l don't regard it as such, and feel
free to act as please"
One thing let me add in conclusion. The
opposition to Senator Salisbury is not an
unpopular thing in Kent.
1t is rather n popular thing.