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


eentee) every time. But he did not. In
stead, he allowed Mr.. DonAhoe to get
through motion directing the tsllers to
procure the official records OF the votes
of 1889, 1884 and 1885. Messrs. Crossnn
aud Downhsm repsired to the prothono-
tary's Office. They did not find
the records there. They visited
the Secretary Of State. The records
were not in his custody. Oertif.
Gates Of the number Of votes cast
for governor, for electors, for congress-
man, for shsriffs and ooroners were to be
found among the archives, but no record
OF the votes for Legislative tickets. And
these were the records wanted for COM
parison. II was new wrinkle Of that
kaleidoscopian Article TX Of the State
Constitution. The highest number of
votes cast OF any one Of the three pre-
ceding general elections for Representa-
tivee"-- not for congressman, but State
representatives. The tellers succeeded In
discovering that, SO fur as they could find
out, there are no official records of
these votes in existence. Here was
an Unforeseen contingency. If there are
no such records, how can 1t be asserted
that there were lesz or more votes cast in
! Lhb G1ODhAtA W AOOt ALihh tAo 0tAiptt1b
construction Of Article TX requires The
measuring rod was lost and remains lost.
! Newspaper figures were obtained as q
dernier resort, and, for some inexplicable
reason, their unohallenged insertion in
the Democratic resolutions, where they
now masquerade on the journal as
"oflioial," wss conceded by the Repubii-
| can members. Was II an oversight
Mr.. Downham says il was not. Be this
rs II my, ii places on record figures
which otherwise were understandable and
/ without which ii would have been impos-
slble In any contingency to impeach the
bsse upon which the Republicans profess
TO be ready to ground convention
| statute.
After voting down the substitute reso-
lu,ion, as detailed below, Mr.. Armstrong
offered the following resolution:
Resolusd, That the powers of this General
Assembly are defined and limited by the
| said fifth section OF said act of the General
1 Assembly, passed April 9th, 1887, and
/ extend only 10 the ascertaining OF the result
/ of the vote cast upon calling convention
under the authority OF said act OF April 9Th,
1887, and that any further action OF this
joint session Of the General Assembly would
oe null, void, and OF DO effect.
The resolution was knocked out, Of
course, and then the speechmaking be-
gan. Mr.. Armstrong did not wish to be
understood as hostile TO the convention.
He was favorable to convention. He had
voted for convention, but he wanted to
see It come constitutioually.
Mr.. Whiteman followed. He IL the
youngest member OF the General Assem-
bly,, but he surprised his auditors by his
eloduence and his excellent choice OF
Language. lie spoke for half an hour or
more and be spoke we'll. Boiled down,
he had constitutional scruples and he held
that 1t would be wise to go slow and DO
sure that you do nothing that you will be
called upon to undo. He quoted, from
the case Of Rice vs.. Foster, the opinion
Of tho late Chancellor Harrington, so far
as 1t related to and defined the scope Of
the legislative powers of the General
Assembly. he spoke Of the chancellor
as one known as we'll abroad as at home
and one who lowered in Alpine greatness
above his contemporaries.
Mr.. Lodge followed and also spoke
we'll. He could but reiterate what had
been so we'll said by the speakers who
had preceded him. While he was heartily
and with his whole suul IN favor Vi r4.
vention, he held that there was rial
and wrong way Of doing evary't N,
ana that the right way was to wait unit
) they could act with an unimpeachabl
5 majority of the voters behind them.
Z Mr.. biggs followed suit. He, too, wa
: scrupulously conscientious. He had tahel
/. solemn oath on the best Of books, ad
3 ministered by gentleman whom W
: have all learned to love and whose lock
. have been silvered by the frost Of winter
SO that no summers heat oan ever thay
: them laughter and applausel; and, hav
I ing taken this obligation, he must stan,
: by the strict letter of the constitution
What is to be lost waiting? This gloriou
Q little Diamond State will keep on re
: volving with the rest of the globe tn
: same as ever.
h Mr.. Donahoe considered that the yot,
Q OF November let, 1887 fell /, 040 short Of
4 the constitutional majority.
? Mr.. Hynson remarked briefly that h
/ took his stand upon the words ''any on
d Of tho preceding elections"
q Mr.. EoSles, who voted against hi
l. Democratic colleagues upon the Arm
i strong resolution, stated his position
l. 1t took nerve to do it. He stood alone
e but ne was man enough to do it. Il
d said 81 have been informed and hay
l. also listened to the advice Of many OF GU
is prominent men, and l aAn assure 70
E, TINT If had taken oil the advice l Ia
10 received in regard to this matter woul
70 have vutsd for and against conyentio
% for month to come. ! will cite a goo
old common law, which means oommo
10 sense, that /. Is the wish of the people
:. Delaware that we have change in OF
Ls constitution. do not think there is
ia member of this House who would dare
d say that tbs people of the State have nj
% shown their wish in regard to tho callir
5, Of constitutional convention. The
N cannot be a doubt but what cham
hould come as soon as practicable.
~ nm 10 favor OF calling constitution
II convention as coon as possible. "a
u suse from the gallery
Of plThe upshot Of the session, as report
IA below, was the adoption Of the Dow
: BAN resolutions by vote of is to /
q Mr. EcSels and the two speakers refrai
~ ing from voting.
"a The natural inference would be III
nj the Democrats, with the exception of NJ
a. EcGals are lheiy to etend out for the
OF submission to tho people Of the questi
as OF calling convention to revise 4
y constitution. But there have been 81
h. prises IN to days joint session and the
rany be more surprises in store. SO
In may not be aIniss to throw out a hi
~ thAt, after all that has been said al
4 dome, the Democratic members, havi
y. been outyoted, may bow in scquisscen
'oo,s to the will Of the majority and, shou
'st the House pass reasonable convent
as bill, it ia not improbable that the Seut
o- may rstify the same with celebrity Il
nd will fairly make ones head swim. III
or may seem improbable, but more I
rs lknly thinps hRva hnnranad