Daily Republican., 1884-06-02
County Convention,

j. wilkins Cooch called the Demo
cratic County Convention to ofder a
2o'clOck on Saturday afternoon, in tn
old Court House, at New Castle, wher
9 the meeting had convened. After ap
a pointing Levi A. Bertolette temporar.
: secretary, the meeting adjourned to th'
, Opera House, in order to accommodate.
the large crowd present. A COMMITTEES
on permanent organization was ap
, pointed as follows
Brandywine, Isaac 9. Grubb Will
mingtOn, II. b. McIntire; Christiana
William Armstrong New Castle, Dr.
}. j. Black Mill Creek, Lewis Miller
White Clay Creek, Thomas +. Arm
strong Pencader, William Cooch Red
Lion, William II. Bright St. Georges,
IS. +. Shallcross Appoquinimink, +,
James j. Taylor Blackbird, George
10. Rothwell.
While the committee were abs ent
speeches were made by l. C.Grubb and
l.. U. Fandegrift, Esqs., and William
Herbert, the latter being interrupted by
the return of the committee, who repor-
tel the following permanent officers, and
they were elected !:
| ,
ries, Lewis G. Vandegrift, Esq, and
Joseph T. Rogers.
On motion Of DIR. Howard Ogle an
other committee was appointed, con.
sisting of representatives from each
Hundred, to select a County Executive
Committee. After short delberation
they reported as follows, and their ac-
ton was approved
Brandywine, Henry M. Barlow Will
mington, Levi A. Bertolette, Patrick
Neary and William j. Maxwell; Chris
tiana, Thomas Toy New Castle, Will
liam Herbert Mill Creek, Edmund
Pannam ; White Clay Creek, Theodore
+. Armstrong Pencader, George Me-
dill ; Red Lion, Thomas Bird St. Geor-
ges, j. B. Ford Appoauinimink, Rich
ard L. Naudian Blackblrd, Richard
Ferguson.
A meeting for organization will be
held at No. 4l0 Shipley street on Tues
day morning at II o'clock, at which time
the candidates for Sheriff and Coroner
will be consulted as to the appointment
of election judges for the nomination
elect ion for the above offices, which
takes place on June IA, and also to hold
the nomination election for memb bers of
the Levy Court and Legislature in Sep
tember
This gave rise to considerable discus
sion, Martin Farrell desiring to know
why legislative and Levy Court candi-
dates could not also be chosen on June
IA. The rules were read for his infor-
nation, which requires them to be
chosen in September. A return to the
old method Of nominating candidates
at a county convention was agitated by
|. G. Grubb, Esq, and Archibald
Given and opposed by John p. Springer
and Serick +. Shallcross.
Mr. Grubb suggested that Mr.. Far
rell's objections to the separate nomina.
ton elections lcould be removed by a
return to the County Convention plan
of nominating members of Legislature
and Levy Court. AS there was ample
time before the trains would leave, Mr..
Grubb advised that the many promi-
nent and experienced party leaders
present should cordially express their
views on this subject. He had always
been opposed to departure from the
County Convention plan and was in
earliest, which, under the party rules,
could not be sooner than 1886.
The nomination by ballot system
looks well in theory, but falls
short in practice. In the nominations
for Legislature and Levy Court, the
people, as a rule. will not turn out at
the polls. The great mass OF the work
ing men and business men will not
leave their work shops and places of
business and give their valuable time
and attention to the selection of suita
BILE candidates. The result is that the
few, and not the many, make the nOmi-
nation, as rule, and not the mass of
the people at all.
Mr.. Grubb declared that he was as |
much the champion of govern
ment by the people as any
man present (applause.) If all the
people would 60 to the primary cleo
tions and give their honest and intelli !
gent attention to the election of suit
able nominees, he would favor nomina |
tions by ballot. But experience has
shown that they will not. Therefore he
was in favor of non nations for Legis |
lature and Levy Court by County Con.
ventions, consisting Of representatives
Of the people, chosen by the people
themselves from all parts OF the cOun-
ty, who will give that care and judi |
cious attention to the election of nOmi |
ness which the masses of the people |
are unable, or unwilling to give them
selves.
This Is in accord with our Ameri- |
can system of government, which Is
representative one, i'll which the people |
do not act directly but through their
chosen representatives.
We nominate Presidents, Governors, |
etc, by conventions. In Kent and |
Sussex the entire county ticket is nolni-
mated by conventions, as we formerly !
did here. 1t il the same in Philadel- !
phia and elsewhere outside Of Della
ware.
Experience both In and out of Della
ware has shown it to be the best and |
wisest Why, then, should we not
learn and profit by the almost universal
exper iencr elsewhere In our expert
ence of ballot nominations we have dis
cord and defeat as a warning. And 50
have our Republican opponents, from
whom we have borrowed the plan.-
What has already occurred is likely to
happen again land ke feared frequently.
Mr.. Grubb concluded with the convic
tion that the vast majority of those
present agreed with him, and hoped
that return to the old system would
yet be approved by the people them
selves.
This started the "overall wing of
the party, when Mr.. Farrell arose and
replied to Mr.. Grubb with considerable
spirit, and lively debate was immi-
nent, when Coroner Smith moved for
vote on the question, which was supple
mented by a motion to adjourn, the
latter being carried and further hostili.
ties prevented. After adjournment,
however, several of those present in
dulged in lively discussions.
"The Democrats of New Castle Hun.
dred held a meeting in the evening
with DR.. John j. Back presiding and
Joseph c. White as Secretary. On mo-