Delaware gazette and state journal. (Wilmington, Del.) 1883-1902, 1886-10-21
SOUND DEMOCRATIC TALK
MAJOR BIGGs oEP0sBD TO oIVIL
ssRYE0@ RBFORM.
Addresses by Senator Gray, Major
REgSs and REessrs. Pennington. War
tin, woIcott nna wiiiinms-vshat
the Speakers sEstd-

RLggs and Meskrss femtnKdOns Har-
tin, woIcott nna wiiiisns-what |
the Speakers sSid-
The Democratic mllss-meeting Mt the |
Opera HOUSE Saturday night WIS well at |
tended and very enthusiastic. large
number of prominent citizens occupied |
seats upon the stage as vtce-presidents aud
secretaries, and delegations were present
from various parts OF the county. Portraits
of President Cleveland, secretary OF state
Bayard and Senator Salisbury wore dis
played from the stage and music was fur
i,lsbed by the First Regiment Band. Among
the visitors were Hon. Edward l.. Martin OF
Seaford, James l.. Wolcott OF Dover, Il. o.
Justis OF Newport. Andrew 8. Eliason,
Richard T. Damn, ~, and Thomas ".
MeOracken OF Peneader, and others.
The meeting was called to order by ].
Frank Ball, ESQ, who nominated William
Bright for president with long listo vice.
presidents and secretaries.
President Bright first introduced United
States senator George Gray, who was re-
ceIved with applause. Mr. Gray said that
as this was i ratiacstion meeting, short
speeches only were Ia order. We are as
sembled here tonight no said representing
the patty that for over y quarter OF CEN
tuary controlled the affairs OF our State, and
| to take the first step "a the campaign that
will eulminate on the first Tuesday In
November. We Asra to signallze by our
| presance AMI effors, 10 fact that we hhvea
| marty whose creed and political principles
| have safely guided us In the past, and In the
future will maintain prosperity within our
political borders.
ii ia a singular fact that we are here to-
night masters OF the field in advance OF the
| battle, Our ancient adversary, the Repub-
| lican party hns laid down Its arms and lett
/ us ip possession OF the Held. lApplause.l
| In Delaware the Democratic party has re,
/ ceIved the high compliment OF having had
abandoned to them the political Held, as
/ far rs the Republican party Is concerned.
| Various reasons are assigned by our late
/ Republican opponents for this condition ol
affairs. one OF which is that they cannot get
| their vote out. But they have the same
opportunity Of getting out their vote that
Is open to Democ.ats-the payment
i Of their taxes-the only means
Of qualifying for the right OF suffrage In
Delaware. This peculiar condition OF
affairs is due largely to the fact that for W
years the record Of the Democratic party
OF Delaware has proved so invulnerable
that there Is absolutely no breach Into
which an assault can be made. This is the
reason for the fact that to-day We have no
organized opposition from the Republican
party, and the people acs satisfied that the
| government of the Stdte shall remain In
the hands of the Democratic party. lap
plause.
Mr.. Gray then proceeded to give hearty
personal endorsement to the democratic
State and county candidates. Major Biggs
the candidate for governor, he said FULLY
came up to the Jeffegsonlan standard
honesty and capability-and as governor o.
the State, will ably illustrate the cardina
Democratic principles OF honesty, ecoromy
and devotion to the public interests. HI
said the Democrats had now come together
forgetting all past differences, and were re
solved that the perpetuity Of the party anC
the people demand that our principles b'
yindicated by the triumphant election o
, every candidate upon the Democratic Hcke
from governor down to inspector. zap
plause.1
, In conclusion Senator Gray said the onl!
thing to be feared was Indifference grcwint
I out OF the absence OF organized opposition
: | The only opponent to the Democratic part.
is the Temperance Reform party. Temper
ance is a good thing, said the senator, bu
| they seem TO think 1t must be enacted into
law and placed upon our statute book. III
: Democratic party believes that temperance
a like other virtues, should be cultivated, bu
Z the principles of our form OF government
forbid that we legislate against persona
! liberty and In favor Of sumptuary laws. IN
traffic in intoxicating liquors should b
= regulated by wholesome license laws.
: senator Gray closed by urging q unite
Y aud earnest support OF the entire Demo
3 cratic ticket on the day of election
Hon. B. T. Biggs, the Democratic candi
date for governor was next introduced an
received hearty round Of applause. q
: said: 1t is now two years since stood bt
IS fore the people of Wilmington in tn
y capacity of a public speaker. Many change
r. have occurred since then, but the sam
j Democratic fire that burned in my hea
then still burns, and stand before you q
night rs the advocate ofthe undying prtl
I. ciples OF democracy am expected
- IN
p Academy OF Music, and therefore will M
n discuss tonight the vital issues of the can
|; paign, but will make my address short. !.
The greatest compliment received by u
Democratic party has been paid by the X
n publican party. For 70 years we have pes e
a TGod of battles was always on our side, an
:, every time they went down. IApplause
y Now their leaders say the Democrats hay
~ done so well that we will ground OF
10 weapons, sin no more and go over and jo
them.
ra Now the Democratic party is about to as
- the people for new lease of power and
a has good reason for asking. No State
BY the Union has 80 small debt as Delawal
70 and so much to pay 1t with. There is I
re state whose legislative, judicial and exec
RS tive departments have been administers
n with 30 much honesty and economy. II '
wipe out our entire debt we will have left
surplus OF over 100000. And In our n
'k tional government, last year, the sum
IN 100000 was saved under the admin
ne tration of President Cleveland, who can
q | to Delaware and selected one Of our Oh
a zens to be his premier, and who stands ne
az to him-the Hon. Thomas r. Bayard. IA
20 plause.l
10 lam not going to make speech to-nigl
but will say that stand before You
at Democrat OF the strietest sect, a Jeffersoni
o. Democrat, but no civil service reform,
.nIu 1f Katf hall In Afsl
i ao ing for rs years and then, after winning
=. victory, letting the Republicans have o
rs bread and butter. want to see every j
fe publican office holder-and they expecti II
afi walk the plank. Renewed applause.l
he is our right to fill these offices with Dem
Gratis, because we have won the victory.
would not want them all turned out with
30 tho next "a hours, but as quickly as 1t
I'M possible to make the changes.
re- believe the Republicans of Delaware q
d. about ready to come over to us. The ohnr
", doors are open and oil can come In. ~
", ", wanted MS to fight, but now they see Il
~ all dissensions have been healed and we {
IN not going to fight.
~ "Iet dogs delight to bark and bite,
- For It's their nature to;
But Democrats are always right,
ed For God has made them so."
ar [Great applause.l
re- Major Biggs next briefly defined his al
'ry tudN towards the question of constitution
ne reform He said: Our present constituti
ais Is more than so years old. More thun
on years ago, In company with the late HI
James A. Bayerd I sat in the constitution
- convention and favored representation
nv eordtng to population. l am opposed
life tenure In office and to property quail
the cations for office am In favor of electi
nj all our county officers. IApplause.l, Blu
me will discuss these questions more fully M
90 Wednesday night.
go have been In the two lower count
MI and find everything all right In Kent q
ain Sussex. New Castle is all right, too, a
lies on the I'd OF November Delaware will el
mt. every man on the Democratic ticket,
me Legislature will enact laws that will kt
of the people under good government, Q
,5o even the Republicans will say, We'll d.
ue' good and faithful servant, we Will peri
ory 1ate your power longer" Applause.l
onH Hon. John b. Pennington, Democratic G
ING didate for representative In Congress, '
on the next speaker. He said he was
5;s present to discuss issues, but to ratify
@ iis nomination OF the party, and had
eye choice 10 congress fallen upon any
ave but him, W. lid be equally anxious
IAN ready to enoorse the party's choice.
was had no other desire than to advance
the interests Of the party. He felt that
knew something about Delaware and
d, wants of her, people, and l. elected to {
and rs we'll as duty to vote
Dad promote the welfare of the people Of
!. TO State and particularly Of themanufactui
,co. interests OF Wilmington. Mr. Penint
,rid said some of the papers had charged
AZ with being the paid counsel Of the Penn
tne vania Railroad Company, but IL this wa
,kea he did not know It, and 1t was about