Delaware gazette and state journal., 1884-06-26
FRANCIS viNgKsr DAAD.
After II Lingering Illness He Passes
Peec fully away Monday Morning
Death Results From a Compiica-
sion of Ailments.

rEhucln lnUeut ultu ht ulb nome, INC
SOB French street, after a lingering i'll
ness, at l.02 O'Clock Monday morning. FO
the past two years mr. Vincent has bsei
in poor health, suffering with a hear
trouble and dropsical complaint, com
plicauon which caused his death
Though in iii health, he 81 times / d,
been enabled to attend to the duties o
his otli1e, and up TO quite recently he hsC
been III pursuit OF his AvOoation, that o
pension agent. His condition awakened
no especial alarm until few days ago
the Physicians entertaining hopes OF hi.
recovery. Sunday his symptoms indi.
Gated the near approach OF dissolution
and about midnight he began sink Ing
rapidly. short time previous to his
his death he lost consciousness which lie
did not regain, and died without any ap.
parent pain. He was surrounded by his
fsmily-a wife aud hvs children when he
bsesthed his last.
Francis Vincent was born in England
in 1872, and came TO this oountry when
quite young, aud at the age of II was
entered printer's apprentice in the office
OF John Newton Harker, at that tune
editor and proprietor of the DtiaWare
Gus he Ii Ads l845, he commenced
the publication of the Blue HENS Chiektn,
in connection with William 7. Jeand.ll.
Blue Hens Chickens" Was the name
given to the Delaware soldiers of the
Revolution hence ths name Of the new
journalistic enterprise. AT the end of
Two years Mr.. Vincent became sole pro-
prieLor aud at once inaugurated new
method of newspaper conduct. The
IL. 4
ny ircm ,he city press to the almost utter
exclusion of state and local mat
.sIs, but the Blue Hen's Chicken
NV took up the affairs of Wilmington
snd Delaware, and made them its princi.
pal feature. The publication of
tna proceedings OF courts and
public bodies, the construction OF
rev buildings AID vessels, the opening
Of new roads, with other information,
were announced aud discussed, and at
the ED If three months, the paper lad
the largest circulation in the State. In
State matters, 1t advocated the election
of officers by the people instead of their
appointment by the governor, the repre-
senIatiOn in the LEGISLATURE and levy
court according TO population, reform
in law by reducing Lain anu Norman
French terms 10 English, and the teach
ing OF the elements OF law in the public
schools, the abolition OF the pillory and
the whipping post especially the whip
ping OF women-a system OF universal
eduuation, ratification Ut the more i'm.
portant laws by popular ballot, the ex-
emption OF portion Of citizens goods
from forced seizure tor debt, the limita.
tion Of a days labor in mechanical pur-
suits to 10 Lours, the abolition of slavery
and the abIogaticn OF the laws
which sold free colored man
under certain conditions, and bound out
colored children against the will OF their
parents. In national affairs it advised
the homestead law, the establishment OF
libraries in forts and vessels, system OF
education for soldiers and sailors, and the
appointment OF a portion of officers in the
army and navy from among those who
should pass satisfactory examinations,
and the abolition Of slavery in the Dis
trict Of Columbia. Ia local matters it
urged the purchase and freeing of Will
miugton bridge by the county, the con-
atruotlon of road strEish to the Della
ware, the widening OF Water and King
streets, the freeing Of all turnpikes en-
tering the city, the building OF railroad
from wilmington to Reading, and other
less important measures.
Mr. Vincent psrsTs stently recommended
the calling of State convention to altar
the constitution. Meanwhile other news.
papers took up these questions, and the
young editor made his influence felt
throughout the Stats. 1t was chiefly by
Ills fundamentally that the governor
ship of tue State was turued over from
the Wings to the Democrats in 1916, aud
pnDgent article on the "MorAl Effects
of Hanging" published in ISIS, Te-
suited in the passage of law by the
Legislature, prohibiting public hsugings.
The persistent utterAnoe of his convictions
in favor Of abolition and against the
kidnapping OF free colored people, became
so obnoxious in official circles, that, in
the spring of 1850, his paper was de
nounced by Judge EEgleson OF Maryland,
who declared from the bench that any
one taking it from the post Office was
liable to imprisonment. This edict cost
Mr.. Vincent almost his entire circulation
in that State. His advocacy OF the
abolition OF the lottery system cost
him libel suit and fine of $500,
though the amount of this fue was after.
ward refunded to him by the Legislature
ont OF the State Treasury. In 1852, he
Published an article that caused the
breaking up Of q fraudulent bank that
mad been established in Milford by knot
OF New York shsrps. He also urged the
union OF Delaware, the Bastern Shore of
Maryland and Northampton and Accomsc
counties of Virginia into one state. His
articles concerning the improvement and
cultivation oil waste lands, and the pecu-
liar advantages OF the soil sDG climate Of
the State, attracted grea. attention and
stimulated new settlements. In 1850, lie
proposed III this columns of his paper,
substantially the present school system
OF the city Of Wilmington.
the discussion And constant agitation
Of the questions and measures hs lad
introduced, necessarily told upon tie
public. The Blue HENS Chicken, with its
editor, was crest power. AS the election
OF 1880 drew nesr, the Democrats were
found iO favor both the bridge aud the
convention projects they superseded the
Wings, and the Legislature Ct 1851
passed bill freeing the Wilmington
bridge. IL the following year bill was
passed providing for convention to revise
the constitution. Tie convention met on
the l4.h OF March 1853, and adopted all the
reforms suggested by MIR. Vlnoent except
that providing for representation accord
tps to population. Iu 1854, Mr.. Vincent
sold his paper TO DIR. j. +, Hayward,
mayor of Wilmington at that time.
MIR. Vincent attended the irst meeting
OF Republicans in this Stats and took an
active part in the organization OF the
party here, always remaining q sup,
porter and exponent OF its princl-
ples. In 1860, he began the publication
Of an unique book entitled Vincents
Semi Annual Register, giving a minu'e .
and comprehensive history Of cuITelt
events in the Upitsd States, and depic
ing the condition OF society prior to the
war. The outbreak of the war caused
its diRcontinuauce. member of til.
Republican Social Club OF this city, be
predicted the political results of tie
war in respect OF the negro, in the follow
ing words "lf there is bsttle fongL..
II blood ia once shed, we shall 60 on until
we free the slave, until we arm him until
We give him the right of suffrage, until
he sits in Congress. III December,
1861, he purchased the Commonwealth
newspaper, rechTistened it Blue Hens
Chtcken, and until the fall OF ls63-when
he sold it-oaIried it on as sn ultra Re.
publican journal. Ono of his pet opinions
shared by distinguished statesmen in
this country and Europe--was the Ultimate
union Of all the people of the globe,
under one great government. In 3 speech
in the city hall in 1864, he gave full ex
preston to these sentiments in 1865 he
~ l. Ia aI.l.E II