Delaware gazette and state journal. (Wilmington, Del.) 1883-1902, 1885-07-30
rHosE COMPLIMENTARY VOTES.



story of the sssnbyrn RccOrd.,
The Smyrna Record says that prior to
the meeting of the M. E. ministers of the
Dover district to recommend a suitable
candidate FOR presiding elder to succeed
DR.. Caldwell, the Rev. J. d. Rigg wrote
TO a number of his brethren requesting
them to favor him with complimentary
vote for the vacancy. As result he re-
ceived 10 votes, and the nomination, the
rest of the ballot being for the Rev.
John France, for the Rev. ]. B. Quigg,
and l for the Rev. j. Owen Sypherd.
Tue Rec0rd says the ministers were
greatly disguised when they learned what
they had unwittingly done by their ''com-
plimentary" votes, as they had no idea OF
the extent of the applicants requests, and
sup . osed there would be several ballots
| before a choice was reached. Smyrna
people generally favor the Rev. L. II.
Haynes.
Editor Gazette: A journal that has
| the respect of the public, such as is
| promptly accorded to the GAZETTE
| can only come to such enyiable eminence
by dealing justly" 1t is, therefore, a
| qualification to me to believe your
| columns will be open to brief statement
| of facts that grows out of the meeting of
| the Methodist ministers of Easton dis
| trict, at Smyrna, on the Goth inst.
/. sought no complimentary" votes
before or during the meeting, either by
mail or otherwise.
2. The matter of preliminary ballot
as ''feeler" was openly discussed, and
unanimously rejected by resolution to
"proceed at once to ballot for a candidate,
| the person receiving a majority of votes
cast to be said candidate"
8. If in the fourteen votes cast for me,
| there was complimentary, the person
casting will not say that 1 asked him for
it, or that employed anyone else to ask
| him.
A. The nomination was at once made
unanimous by the seconds and votes of
several who had cast their ballots for other
candidates; and therefore the "disgust"
upon the part of the preachers as de-
scribed in the paper from which EVERY
| EVENING quotes, is 1.-THE baseless fabric
of dream"
S. received the hearty congratulations
| of nearly all the ministers present, and
from the citizens of Smyrna, SO far as
was permitted to meet them that day.
| do not believe that those who rendered
| congratulations are competent to show
such proofs of friendship and at the same
time feel ''disgust" ut my nomination.
6. After adjournment Of the meeting
there We're handed me at the post Office
letters from the Revs. Arters of Centre
vile and Poole of Queenstown, each en-
closing his vote for me. These, OF
course, We're not counted in the ballot
nor did mention the fact TO more than
one or two ministers. | forwarded then
by mail to the bishop in chiGge, to lei
them have the force intended by their de
positors.
Z. On Wednesday following, at Tol
chester, met one of the most prominen
ministers of the district, who was not a
the meeting because of sickness, and HI
expressed desire to write TO Bishop
Merrill in my behalf. / thanked him ant
asked him not to do SO.
s. In every case where | have beef
asked when my nomination would be con
firmed, my reply Inns been "My appoint
ment is IL bare possibility;" md so still
think.
If there is word OF the above that i
erroneous or untrue, | should be mos
happy to be corrected. Respectfully,
JOHN ID. RIGG.
SuDIERsyILIE. MD. July 9th, 1885.