Delaware gazette and state journal. (Wilmington, Del.) 1883-1902, 1890-10-30

desperate than in this campaign. Starting
out with boastful predictions Of victory
they saw their chances disappearing day
by day, until, faced with prospects Of GER
tain defeat they abandoned the plane Of
political argument and descended into the
slime of personal abuse, yillification ano
SANDER And the chief objects of theli
attack were Robert j. Reynolds, Demo
cratic candidate for governor, and John
w. Cansey, Democratic candidate for rep,
resentative in Congress,
SEEKING THE AID of THE PRESS.
The first move in this direction was a
change in the editorial control of the Mil
iord NeDs and Ad,crtiSer, the chief Repub-
lican organ of lower Delaware. That
asinine and ephemeral publication known
aus the iSasser Republican, edited by an
empty.headed negro lover named Griffen-
berg, did not carry weight enough to even
secure repetition of its most rabid utter
ances and so it was deemed necessary to
enlist the services of a paper that had some
recognition and an assurance that ii would
continue to exist after the election was
oyer. But when the leaders besought the
NOUS and ddyertiser to aid them in their
vile campaign of abuse and yilification
they found that they could not enlist its
ditor, Henry L. Hynson, in their unsay-
w cause. He declined to BLACKBOARD the
Democratic candidates. particularly Mr.,
husey, whom he knew by personal asso-
tiatlon and residence in the same town, to
be gentleman of acknowledged replita-
ZION, possessing character and standing
IN the community infinitely superior to
Those who then sought to yilify him and
aaye since INDUCED in this disgusting but
70 them congenial, pastime to their hearts
content Then the fine hand of Senator
Anthony Higgins was brought into the
game
THE HAND OF HIGGTNs
By Higgins influence Editor Hynson,
notwithstanding the fact that he had
roundly denounced the senator for his
Milford post-office appointment and other
matters of party policy, was seduced away
by means of an 81 500 appointment in
Washington, and turned over the editorial
charge of his paper to one Marshal II.
Prettyman. This man Prettyman was
ready and willing to do the work that
reputable member Of the profession had
declined to be a party to, and soon the
NenS and advertiser gave uttcrance to two
charges against John w. Causey that were
simply nasty and malicious lies. One was
that John W. Causey had offered to the
official board of the colored NJ. Il. church
OF Milford the sum of $500 for the votes of
100 colored people, the amount to 90
towards liquidating the debt of the church;
the other was that John W. Causey had
once declared that 70 cents day in wages,
with fish, potatoes and corn bread TO live
upon, were good enough for any working
man.
These charges were iterated and reiter-
nted, with ltntailing regularity, and as they
met with no denial the Republican man
ayers began to delude themselves with the
belief that they would go uncontradicted
and would, therefore, be as good as the
truth i'll their mission to iniure Mr. Causey
and deprive him of the votes of well-mean-
IlnnnnprnfG ho
THE FIRST LIE NAILED.
But the friends of Mr., 6ausey were
simply hiding their time until they could
refute the SANDER in the most convincing
manner and cover his cauminators with |
confusion. The opportunity came on Mon
day, when EVERY EVENING was furnished |
with and published the following state.
ment:
We, the undersigned trus ees of the colored |
NJ. e. church at Milford, Del, having heard |
the report in circulation through tho news |
papers that the Hon. John W. Causey had |
offered to us the sum OF son for the votes of |
100 colored people, the amount to go toward |
liquidating the debt Of the churh, do declare |
and say that MIR. Causey has never, by himself |
or through any one else, directly or indirectly, |
made such an offer, and we consider such a
report as insulting to us and inexcusabl
This statement was signed by William
Winsmore, president, and Stephen
Mitchell Hudson b. Polk, George Shock
ley, John Fisher, Israel Causey, Mark
Spencer, Noah Hopkins and William
Purnell, members of the official board Il
put the conspirators in furry of excite
ment, and the result was the publication,
the day after, Of the following;
Please say in your paper tomorrow that the
article in the first editorial column of the
EVERY EVENING Of this date is a forgery from
beginning to end and that our names were
never subscribed to the article in question, nor
20 any other article oil a like nature.
To this was attached all the names APP
pended TO the other statement except that
of stephen Mitchell. lie refused to sign il.
The first point noticeable in the second
statement is that while the trustees assert
that their names Were never subscribed
selves exclusively to this technical and
equivocal denial. They do not replidiate
the allegation Of the first statement, nor
do they assert that Mr.. Caiisey did offer
them 5000 for their church in exchange for
l0l colored votes. Nor will they SO assert
to-day.
THE TRUTH ABOUT THEIR NAMES.
Investigation by the GAzErTE's cor
shows that the first statement
m the following manner:
Stephen Mitchell, one of the trustees of
the Milford colored church, is employed
by Dr.. Nathans Pratt. He was talking
about the charge against Mr.. CatlSey and
his knowledge of its falsity,
when it was suggested that he sign a state
ment to that effect, He declared his will
lngness to do. so. a statement was pre-
pared which he voluntarily signed, and
accompanied by friend, he
look il around and read it TO the other
trustees, each one of whom authorized
him to append his name to the document.
This was done and the statement made
public
That night the white Republican leaders,
scared at the effect Of this publication, !
which knocked the bottom ont Of their net
lolltlcal SANDER, went to work upon TIT !
'hnrch trustees and besought them in the
lame OF the Republican party, to retract.
stephen Mitchell refused to take back a :.
word, hut the others finally consented to
authorize the. assertion that their names !
we're never subscribed to the first article
They refused to sign statement accusing :
ir. Calsey ofthe alleged attempt at bribery =
tut ON the contrary distinctly declared in !
'rettyman's presence, that Mr. Callsey had !
lot made any such offer to them or any Of I
hem. So this charge stands branded rs n /
by the very men whocould easily :,
rove it were true. \
In addition, Stephen Mitchell has made q
ffidavit to the fact that not only is the
irst statement absolutely true, but that
he other trustees did authorize him to APP :
END their names to it.
AS TO THE OTHER CHARGE. a
The other charge, that MIR. Causey once d
eclared that IS cents day, with fish, h
orn bread and potatoes were good enough '
or any workingman, was regarded as en- Il
rely unworthy of denial being COM fl
letely reflted by Mr.. Causey's well-known d
and regard for the welfare of a
many Of whom he has i
elped through hard winter, time and 81
gain, It is even more ridiculous than the "
olored church charge, for it depends upon Il