Smyrna times., 1889-01-23
A Strong Test of Mr.. Massey's
Manhood.
HE TELLS HIS FRIENDS TO DISREGARD
THEIR PREFERENCES FOR THE SAKE
OF THE REPUBLICAN PARTY.

OF THE REPUBLICAN PARTY.
A correspondent of the Morning NeUt
wrote last week:
For years the Republican senatorial
caucus of last Monday night will live
in the political history of Delaware.
and no doubt all the incidents connect
ed with it will be recorded. As these
leak out day by day they make their
impression upon the "Outside element
either to the discredit or honor of the
several candidates and their champions.
One feature has not yet been recorded.
but Is in every way worthy ofpublicity.
as 1t shows how one man, who in keep
ing with his record, deliberately cast
from himself all chance of wearing the
senatorial tOga when it was within his
grasp, for the sake of the vital issues at
stake for the Republican party nation
ally as we'll as locally. 1t came about
i'll this way:
Mr.. Maull, who had so persistentIy
champiOned the cause of Anthony Hig-
gins, went to Mr.. Moore, Nathaniel B.
Smlthers' relative and asked him
whether he would not support Mr..
Massey, if the latter were nominated
by the caucus. 81 did this" said Mr..
Maull, after Moore had stated that
he was under pledges not to support
Mr.. Massey in or out of the caucus
because 1t is plain to me that Mr.. Mas
is the choice Of this body, but l forsee
the danger there is in it. As a Repub-
lican fear that this man Moore will
jeOpardize the Republican party in the
nation as well as here at home. I
would end the struggle right here if it
were not for that, and vote for Mr..
Massey"
1t was at this juncture that Mr.. Mas
sey's unselfish devotion to his partv
was exhibited in a manner that will
ever make his name revered in the
annals Of the party. A newspaper
correspondent heard Mr.. MauiPs
speech while he was delivering it.
Before sending it to his journal he no
titled close friend of Mr.. Massey lust
how matters stood. The friend re-
peated it to Mr.. Massey himself. but
argued that it was impossible that
Moore would dare renounce his Re-
publicanism in the joint session next
day, if Mr.. Massey were the nominee.
v.
must run no risks. There is too much
at stake. The United States Senate
must be Republican and upon the issue
OF the contest in this State hangs per
haps its very life. No detection must
exist in the open vote tomorrow.
Tell my friends who have so nobly
stood by me to sacrifice their feelings.
Tell them if nominated this morning |
will decline before the session meets at
10 o'clock. l have my ambitions as
have other men, but am Republican,
NO persuasion or argument could
induce George V. Massey to alter his
determination, and a messenger was
despatched to the State House. Two
members of that caucus who reluctant
ly left George V. Massey's standard.
will testify that they did so by instruc-
tiOns they dared not disobev. When
it is understood that there were ten
men in that caucus who had at differ
ent times cast their ballots for George
V. Massey and that these ton men
could have been concentrated had it
not been for the stand taken by Mr..
Moore, it will plainly be seen the test
that Mr. Massey's Republicanism was
put to and how nobly it responded.
SENATOR MOoRE's CONDUCT.
EUery EUening's Dover correspond
ent writes
Just how nearly George V. Massey
came to be nominated on the fortieth
caucus ballot will bear telling again.
He had received eight vOtes-iust one
short-On the thirty ballot. That
one vote was about to be cast by Mr..
Maull when the hat was making its
fortieth round. Mr.. Maull had writ
ten his ballot and held it in his hand
ready to drop it in. He turned to Mr..
Moore and said in substance "Tbis
will make Massey the nominee; will
you vote for him?" Mr.. Moore re-
piled that he would not and left the
room, thereby knocking everything
into pi for the remaining fifteen mem
bers did not make a majority of the
two houses and could not elect anv
one with Mr.. Moore present and voting
for any other man.
Mr.. Moore told me his side of the
story this afternoon. 1t was near the
train time and he talked hurriedly. l
give the interview in his own words:
They have put all that 1 did on the
old man Smithers. He is perfectly in
nocent. He didn't know what l was
going to do any more than you did, nor
how l was going to treat the question
at all. A few minutes before l went
into the caucus l said to Mr.. Smithers
and John MOwbray that l would not
vote for George Massey, and also
said left it entirely with Kent county
with one of their men. 1 was willing
to help them willingly with one man.
l consider that is their fault and no one
else's. went to Masten and said if
their eight men would go for Smithers
l would make the ninth. They were
the men that defeated Smithers as well
as Massey. told Speaker Hofecker
in the caucus that they would lose
Massey and Smithers both and An
thOny Higgins would be the man, and
l would support Anthony Higgins but
not Massey; that Higgins was my Sec
ond choice. Not only myself knows
that, but our people at home know it,"
One word more, Mr.. Moore. Why
did you leave the caucus ?"
left to drive the choice to Hig-
gins" was the terse reply.