Delaware gazette and state journal. (Wilmington, Del.) 1883-1902, 1884-04-03
UNWRIrrhE HIsrOGY.
How Curry and Hastings Were
Nomtnated-The Inner Secrets OF
the European HOteI star Chamber
GNnferenca.

6A1Ige w. Stone In communicate
to Thursdays News gives the histoi
of the star chamber council AZ Il
European Hotel, at which the State sla
was made placing Albert Curry at il
head tor governor, Washington Hsstipf
for Congress, and Richard Harrington
Esq, at the head of the State csntri
committee. The matter has been give
piece meal and at second hand prev
ously, bnt coming from one who psrtio
pated in the conference, and just at thi
time, 1t will be spicy reading, and
given as follows:
The meeting took place on the day but on
before the last State convention was helC
During the forenoon of that day WaHhingto
Hastings called at my place of business an
requested me to be at Mr. Higgins office at l
o'clock of that morning, as there was d matte
of Importance to be considered. Upon inuuir
as to the subject to be considered was in
formed that the "Dover party" had some
thing of importance to communicate. a.
sented, and at / / o'clock went to Mr. Higgins
office, where L met MIR. Higgins, Mr. Sperr,
and Mr.. Bush, Mr.. Hastings Joined u
soon after and informed us that he hal
been stopped on the street by some of th,
''Dover party q use the term merely as
designation) and informed 10y then
that they bad a majority of the delegates K
the convention; that they had shown hin
(Mr. Hastings) letter from Mr. Fooks
positively refusing to be candidate thai
they bad decided to divide the candidates
with the other side, and to nominate him
(Mr. Hastings) for Congress, Mr.. Hastings
asked the gentlemen named above to 20 tC
the European Hotel and meet some of the
Dover party and hear what they had to saw,
and then to advise him what to do in the
matter. We were afterwards Joined by Col,
Nields and went to the hotel and there met
Richard Harriegton. Levi G. Bird, George p.
Fisher aud Isaac N. Mills. Mr.. Harrington
and MIR. Bird repeated i'll substance what Mr..
Hastings had told us short time before at
Mr.. Higgins Office. The substance OF this
statement was that they had not sent for
us, but that Mr.. Hastings had made it CON
dltion upon which he would entertain auy
proposition that we should hear what they
had to say. Mr.. Harrington and Mr. Bird
reiterated that they had the delegates to the
convention; that we were without candidate
for governor by Mr.. Fooks positive decliua-
ton, both Of which statements were cor
roborated by rumors we had heard from
other sources. They announced their deter
mlnation to organize the convention, and to
nominate Mr.. Curry for governor and Mr..
Hastings for Congress, and added that if
there was any opposition to that course it
must come from our side, and il the conven-
tion was not harmonious the responsibility
would rest with us that they proposed to
act with perfect fairness, and that they had
selected MIR. Hastings, whom they described as
their bitterest foe, az all nindisputable evidence
Of their good faith.
To an inquiry as to the organization of the
convention and the make up of the State
committee they declined to consider it, say
ing that they were not here to arrange those
mi ftlra h1nt only tn .
mination they had arrived at with refer
ence TO the nominations. The gentlemen
with whom / was associated were not
present as the representatives of any one but
Mr. Hastings only one, Colonel Nields,
was delegate to the convention. We had
no authority from the party to act and did
not assume to have we listened and asked
questions; we were not accorded any
voice in the shaping of matters before
the convention. After the meeting
proper was over, some OF the gentlemen
present agreed to take part in the presenta-
tion OF the names of the candidates to the
convention. Many things were talked about
in an informal way, the platform, &C.; but
no agreements were attempted except suck as
individuals may have made for their own
guidance No one assumed to speak for or
represent delegate. Al seemed desirous TO
avoid wrangle in the convention, but no
one made pledge for any one but himself.
and 30 far as my memory serves me no one
made any pledge except the one implied by
their not threatening to go into a contest
which would only end in disturbance and de-
feat
The substance OF what was said and done
ID included i'll this statement, to tho best of
my recollection and belief. 1t il not my pur-
pose to discuss the character or reliability Of
the evidence of Mr. Fooks' withdrawal, or the
opinions of the majority of the delegates to
the convention. | doubt il anything couu be
proced as to the correctness OF the infurma-
ton upon which the action was based that
H. that 1t could be aJSOtuteiy proud either
way 80 any discussion of that subject could
only consist i'll giving personal opinions.
The prevalent opinion that the ''confer-
ence rs i'll was called, was an attempt to
exercise the powers of the party by the
gentlemen who were present is an error. 1t
was private matter in Its origin. and had
to do with Mr.. Hastings nomination only
and the gentleman with whom | went to the
meeting so understood it, and did nothing
bat listen to the announcements made by
Mr.. Harrington and his associates, and
afterwards refrain from advising any
in the convention.
do not remember what was s9id to Mr.
Hastings afterward, or that anything definite
was said to him; but our course in not oppos.
lug his nomination was ground enough for
HIM to assume that we approved of his can
didaey, and no doubt we did no approve, and
heartily, too-at least | did | have never
seen the letter that MIR. Fooks wrote declin-
ing to be a candidate, and cannot testify as
to the wishes of the delegates. | accepted
both as unquestionable at the time, and upon
that assumption l have no regret at the
course L took What followed is public and
fully understood; and all that | ask now
is that the members of the party shall
Nl.nN lg Al
was associated that day did not assume to
represent anybody bub Mr.. Hastings and
hemseLceS, and never dreamed that the
matter would be considered otherwise than
N an individual matter, and In no way all
Cf any official power or dscre-
ton. | make this statement now because |
believe it is due to us that our position in
the matter should be understood, and that
we ought not any longer to allow these i'll
correct Impressions to widen and deepen, as
they are doing as time goes on.
Fo.lvwiug ar. stones communication
is one over the signature of Watson r.
Sperry, editor of the Morning News, who
also took part in the conference. Mr..
Sperry substsntiates the statements made
by Mr.. Stone; he also quotes from
from one Of the Dover
party as follows:
the state convention, held on the 22d Of July,
showed q for Mr.. Curry and an equal num-
ber for MIR. Fooks in Sussex, 40 for Mr..
Curry in Kent and none for MIR. Fotks, and
Sc for Curry IN New Castle against ~ for
Fooks, aggregating m delegates to the CON
vention for Curry and SO for Fooks. There
were perhaps three or four OF the delegates
who might have voted in convention had a
ballot been taken, in opposition to what their
constituents had elected them to vote but so
few would have made no material difference.
nor was 1t at all certain which of the two can
didates would have gained by the defections
On this sudden occasion namely this
belief within two or three days of the meet
ing of the convention that they controlled
the convention it occurred 10 4 few of the
most active and experienced OF the state
central committee that peace-pormanent
peace and harmonious action, for the future
as well as the present-might be perfected,
and the entire Republican column hurled in
solid mass against our common enemy, II q
generous magnanimity were exercised on the
one hand, and acceptance Of the situation
acknowledged on the other. I'm
der such circumstances, and with such
motives AIessrs Fisher Mills and Harrington
of Kent came to Wilmington on Tuesday,
the 25th of July, and i'll company with
Dir. Bird of this [thatt city held a consulta-
tion with Alessrs. Higgins, stone. Sperry,
Nields and Bush ot the European Hotel, not
for the purpose Of making ont slate, as
alleged by the Democrats for the slate had
teen made by the masses Of the party at the
primaries on the Saturday previous, at the
top OF which stood the name Of Alhert Curry
and the rest carte blanche on which his
friends might write the name of the candidate
for Congress- but TO ascertain whether a can
didate for Congress might not be named from
the list of Mr.. Fooks' friends who would
be acceptable to the entire party.
As to the Of ides of the penny organ that
Mr.. Higgins or any OF his friends tried to
fnlst him on the nartY, rs the CnngraasinnAl