Smyrna times., 1890-10-01

ThlS pfopOSlIlOu was 100 hbeidi
Convention to suit the Dem
ocratic Senate, and they made another
report, found in the Senate Journal
adhering to their former re-
mort for a bill "contormed strictly to |
Article TX in all respects" offering |
only to change the date to the third |
Tuesday of May, 1890. A committee |
of conference was ordered, and on the |
next to the last day of the session, the |
result of that conference as reported |
bv the Republican House cOnterees,
was written by the undersigned at his
desk amid the rush of business of the
closing hours and the predictions of
the report have been more than met
by the late Republican Convention.
The report was:
"The undersigned, members of the
committee on the part of the House,
on conference on the bill entitled, An
act to provide an uneXceptiOnable
mode of ascertaining the sense of the
people upon the question of calling d
Constitutional COnventiOn,' have to
report that they have met with the
committee on the part of the Senate
and that no agreement was reached:
the Senate members of the committee
being unwilling to the calling of vote
at any other time than on the third
Tuesday of May, aud only then under
all the restrictions and provisions of
the 'unexceptiOnable mode of the
Ninth Article of the Constitution. A
proposition was made to the Senators
for a vote in November next, under
the same conditions and provisions as
the vote taken on Tuesday, November
1st, 1887, as provided in chapter l, vol
ume IS, Laws of Delaware, which
proposition was refused.
"Since your committee believe that
another vote for the calling of a Con-
stitutional Convention should be under
the most favorable circumstances for
securing a full expression of the views
of the people on this important ques-
ton, and believing that such an eX-
preston cannot be secured on the third
Tuesday of May, and moreover that,
under the Senate bill, the delegates to
a convention could not be chosen
before the general election in NOvem-
ber. 1892, even though every voter in
the State should favor calling a COnYen-
| ton; and the delegates must be chosen
| in the same manner, at the same places
and at the same time that representa-.
| tiVes are, by which method the people
are refused district representation, and
necessarily the delegates from the sew
eral counties would all be of one po-
litical party, which IN the opinion of
your committee, is not desirable.
Your cOsnmittee are of the opinion
that there are other equally 'unexcep-
tionable modes than the unexceptiOn-
able mode of the Ninth Article of the
Constitution, and believing that the
| people will send to the next General
| Assembly members who will call tor d
| vote under a mode other than the 'un-
exceptiOnable mode of the Ninth
| Article of the Constitution, whereby q
Convention can be called as soon as
under the bill passed by the Senate, il
not sooner, we therefore recommend
that the House adhere to its position
as expressed in the House substitute
for the Senate bill, and that it do nO
concur in the Senate amendment.
(Signed,) MCKENDREE DOwNHAM
WILLIAM +. DAVIS"
There were friends of Convention
Republicans and Democrats, who a
that time thought the House SHOULD
have yielded to the Senate and shOulC
have accepted the Senate condition
for another vote, but iu view of tn
pledges of the Republican party for
Convention IN 1891, nearly two year
before it could have been held unde
the Democratic plan, and in view G
the fact that the delegates can b
elected by districts without all tn
l narrow and circumscribed condition
;; and limitations of the Ninth Article,
5 think all true friends of Constitutions
Convention will endorse and commen
! the actions of the Republican majorit
of the last House of Representative
upon this question.
Where and how do we stand? Th
Republican party has done all in il
, power at all times for a Constitutions
4 Convention. 1t promises, if it control
the next General Assembly, to call
Convention in 1891, constitutional
and with delegates elected by district
/, directly by the people, that the vOiC
and will of the people may be hear
and not the dictatiOn and schemin
, of the politicians prevail.
The Democratic party not only d.
: feated Convention in the last Gener;
Assembly but refused to allow a vol
3 to be taken on general election da,
whereby the State would be save
, extra expense, no small item to tE
tax payers they refused another vol
. in November of an off year, similar
. every respect to the vote of NOvemb'
1 1887, the party having seemingl
. been too liberal towards Convention
allowing that vote the result of whiC
surprised and confused democratic pc
;. iticians, and they have planted then
: selves firmly on the ''unexceptiOnab
mode" of the ninth article. Read the
e State and county platforms in come
y tiOn with their past record and l
i other conclusion can be reached.
u the democratic party IS successful th
. fall their pledges on convention mea
g another vote "for Convention" {
J. against Convention" in May 1891
1892, the result to be canvassed by u
> General Assembly of 1898, and, if suf
IL cient, the election of delegates by cOu
l. ties in 1894, and q convention of pa
. tisan delegates in 1895. They cam
e possibly under their method make
: earlier, though they may make 1t late
y Which do the friends of COnventiC
want? Do they favor the Republics
d plan for Convention in 1891 or do tn {
form the democratic plan for COnve
l. ton in 1895?
5, Mr.. Editor, have had two objec
l. in view in this communication one
Q give the true and correct record al
q position of the two parties upon th
., important question, the other to a
IS vance the cause ofCOnvention thrOug
y out the State and especially to SER
g the friends of Convention in Suisse
/ county who by by their votes sent n
g to the General Assembly in 1888
i advocate this cause so dear to the
l. hearts. Accept my thanks for Il
} space so cheerfully given me.
Yours Truly,
l. MCKENDREE DOWNHAM.
! sAnyOne desiring copy of the report can p
y cure it by addressing a card 10 the writ
h Address Bureau Of Pensions, washington, ID.
= 2 Leipsic Items.
d LEIPsIC, DEL, Sept 80, 1890
Vt The cannery folks are still workir