Smyrna times., 1885-12-02
Representative Republicans in COun-

A conference of the leading Republi-
cans was held yesterday in Dover, to
| interchange views as to the future
course of the party in the State,
which says the Morning Ne1Os was at
tended by 100 persons.
The meeting was called to order by
James Pennewill, Esq, chairman of the
State Central Committee, and George
w. Bush was called to the chair, and
ID. p. Barnard, Jr., was elected secre-
tary. Mr.. Pennewill stated that the
State Central Committee had called
the conference TO procure advice in re-
gard to the system of raising money, to
be used in having Republican voters
assessed and in paying their taxes
when necessary. Mr.. Higgins favored
making u fight for all it was worth.
He called attention to the half
million debt of New Castle
county and the million and a half
of Wilmington city debt incurred by
the loose management of the finances
of the city and county governments.
Mr.. Hastings agreed with Mr.. Hig-
gins i'll the main, but strongly opposed
the raising of money to pay taxes. Mr.
Joseph said that if the party was going
to make a fight now was the time to
get ready. George w. Stone read
lengthy paper setting forth his views
Of the situation and opposed the pay
ment of taxes by the party. Mr.. Smith
ers made a strong and lengthy speech
against the practice. After further
discussion by Messrs. Challenger, Mas
sey, Higgins, Hastings, McLear, Will
liams, Dunn and Stone, motion of
Mr.. Higgins to appoint a committee
on resolutions and to adjourn for din
ner prevailed The chair appointed
Messrs. Smithers, Higgins, Hastings,
Massey and Layton the committee.
Mr.. Massey presented the following
resolution which, together with a reso-
/ luton which Mr.. Smithers had pre-
pared, was referred to the committee:
WHEREAS, The Democratic party Of
Delaware, by a series of cunningly devised
| statutes, enacted for that purpose, has sue
ceeded IN deprvlng many Of our citizens Of
their constitutional right to express their
| will at the ballOt-bOX on account of their
| political faith and, by an unjust discrimi-
| nation in the enforcement Of such statues
has lnterpOsed impediments and difficulties
to their qualification as electors, for the
sole purpose OF perpetuating its own power;
| and
WHEREAS, Under such conditions it is
impossible to conduct a political campaign
against party possessed Of all the ma
! chinery necessary to effect the object con-
temphted by the said statutes, on fair or
| equal terms; therefore
ReSOtUed, AS the sense of this conference
that the State Central Committee be ad-
vised that it deemed unwise and impolltic
to lnaugurate an active campaign in the
year 1856, and that the committee should
take only such steps as in their Judgment
are necessary to maintain the organization
Of the Republican party
Upon reassembling, the committee,
without making any formal report. sub
mitted the different resolutions pre-
sented to them. The one of Mr..
Smithers made provision for the
future abolition of the raising of
money to procure assessments and pav
taxes by the party. 1t was discussed
at considerable length by Messrs. Hast
ings, Macallister, Massey, Dunn.
Mitchell, Hayes, McLear, Stone, Hig-
gins and Whitaker, and it was lost. as
the general sentiments and in the case
OF some poor men the taxes would have
to be paid by somebody. A motion of
Mr.. Dunn to refer the whole matter to
the district committees was also lost.
Finally Mr.. Massey's resolution, quoted
above, was adopted.