Delaware gazette and state journal. (Wilmington, Del.) 1883-1902, 1889-01-17
THE CAUCUS PROCEEDINGS.

II was 6.21 O'Clock when the Caucus
assembled in the hall of the House Of
Representatives, while five newspaper
reporters assembled in the attic above,
with their ears glued to partly opened
ventilator, eagerly listening to all the pro-
ceedings, aud hearing nearly everything
that was said and done. On McKendree
Downham's motion, Robert A. Davis Of
Kent was made chairman and ii. Il.
Morgan of Sussex secretary. Then
careful search was made among the
benches in the lobby to see that no inter.
lopers wore around, while the intruders
In tho attic smiled with almost fendish
glee.
McKendree Downham next raised the
question of letting the ballots be known
outside as they were taken, his argument
being that there were as good Republi.
cans outside as In.
Representative Wallace opposed tho
suggestion and held that the cauous was
private affair; TO give out the ballots
would make occasion for accusations Of
treaohery.
There was more kicking, after which ii
was decided that after two or three bal.
lots were taken the results could be an
nounced. Then, on motion of W. E.
Davis, the balloting was commenced
without the Formally of placing any can
didstes In nomination.
Before bRllotlng Mr.. Downhsm ad.
dressed the caucus. "We are assembled
here" he said, "for the first time In the
history Of the Republican party to elect
a United States senator. 1t Is important
that we act wisely. 1t Is an uudoubted
foot that efforts have been made TO buy
the votes of two of our Republican rep.
Iesentatives and dispatches have been
received here to night from Mr.. W. W.
Dudley of the national Republican com.
mittee to be sure and make our nomina-
tion ut to.Dighps caucus. We ought,
therefore, TO first agree to abide by our
caucus nomination. Any Republican Is
good enough for me and we all ought to
pledge ourselves to agree by the caucus
nomination. suggest that We do pledge
ourselves by rising to our feet"
And then eveyy man in the room stood
up and after deciding not to make the
ballots public for awhile, the bRlloting
was started.
At the end OF the seventh ballot, Mr..
Downham moved that recess OF 10
minutes be taken in order to allow the
Kent members TO confer. This motion
prevailed and while the Kent members
conferred some one raised quite a laugh
by an OF hand reference to Addicks, who,
thus far, had not been mentioned In the
caucus.
Kent conferred, but without arriving
at an agreement. Then Eve more ballots
were tsksn, after which the question OF
sending the result OF the IL ballots out
WAS raised and discussed. Benator Rich.
ardson who had a copy Of all the ballots
ready, insisted that to send them out
would show each candidate that his
friends were standing by him. Mr..
Downham held that it would show thai
the csu9us was standing Just about as the
, members proposed to stand when they
started in. 1t was decided to let this
ballots go out and they were accordingl,
handed out Of the door. Naturally, they
created much interest and some excite
ment.
, Then there was an uninterrupted rur
! of balloting until the twentieth ballot
when pause was made TO allow another
l bulletin to be banded out. Before tn,
} next ballot there was quite a protraotet
! discussion, but in tones too low to b.
\ heard.
. And so the balloting went on until, q
a 40 O'Clock, Higgins waa nominated an,
the CAUCUS adjourned.
a HOW WAS IT BROUGHT ABOUT?
y This is question that no man in Del
e aware can answer in t. convincing man
2 ger; But. o., .Rs, asgEEa stated lss