Delaware gazette and state journal. (Wilmington, Del.) 1883-1902, 1891-01-08
DONAHOE FOR SPEAKER
The Wilmington Member
Takes the Senate Prize.
SUSSEX GETS THERE, AS USUAL
A Speaker and Three Others
are Her Share.
The Organization of the Legislature at
Dover IA Dull Affair Compared with the
Scenes of Previous Years--How the Diff
ferent onices Were Disposed of.
Special correspondenceo of Gazette and Journ,

1tthtb VI ATetiOu5 1tHGb=-tfOW Lne
ferent onices Were Disposed of.
Special Correspondence Of Gazette and journal
DOVER, Jan. cit is now 12.30a m. and
the organization is nearly over. The
indications of the afternoon proved reliable
and the speakers are John P. Donahoe and
William L, Sirman; the clerks, Edward ID.
Hearn and Frank NJ, Dunn.
The general observation has been that
the organization, aside from the pro-
tracted session Of the House caucus, which
IS still unfinished at this hour, has not
been a very big thing. The attendance
has fallen considerably short of two years
ago. This was chiefly owing to the falling
off OF Wilmingtonians They did not
come down in the old time force because
of the conviction that New Castle county,
having, gone Republican. was mot in it.
All through the afternoon there were
cauctses and rumors of sub-caucuses. Two
members-elect from Sussex were reported
to have gotten together with some in
definite number of Kent countians at
room No. 81 or 49, the number of the
room was likewise delightfully."- indefinite,
of the Capitol Hotel, preparatory to the
engineering of some trade over the
speakership and clerkship, and the listener
to what was retailed at second or third
hand got several versions of what had been
done, or was going to be done, of which he
could take his choice. Everywhere the OBJ
servation was heard "Well, this beats
everything. Heretofore somebody could
tell what was going to be done, but to-day
nobody knows anything about it," But
it was the same old story over again.
However, about o o'clock, the eaucuses
of the Democratic members-elect were in
augurated, an hour behind time, in their
reception chambers at the State House,
The Senate caucus was presided over by
Hon, James Williams, and finished its
business in the entirely reasonable time of
u hours. 1t was the smallest possible
caucus, numerically-only five members
and obviously there must be absolute
or nothing could be carried out.
obviously also the nominee for speaker
must vote for himself in to-days organi-
cation, since it takes five Democrats to beat
four Republicans.
Ex-Governor Hall and Senator Donahoe
were placed in nomination for the Speak
ership, and the first ballot decided the
issue in favor of the latter. The vote re-
suited: Donahoe, 3; Hall, 2.
The clerkship was also decided by one
ballot, as follows: Edward d. Hearn Of
Georgetown, 3; A. +. Polk of Georgetown,
!; W. A. 9. Hardcastle of Smyrna, l.
For sergeant-at-arms two ballots were
required. The first ballot stood r. w.
Price, 1; James Lord, 4 Peter Il. Cooper, /;
A. Phillips, 2. On the second ballot
Phillips received votes and the nomina-
hon; the other two votes going to James
lireeenlie, Phillips is from Seaford Sew
eral other names We're mentioned whose
owners did not figure in the balloting.
For chaplain, the Rev. NJ. Duhamel of
Dover, received three votes and the nomi-
nation on the first ballot, to two votes for
the Rev, Pentield Fixes.
Carol Downes was chosen for page.
The Republican members-elect of the
House got together in the rotunda of the
Hotel Richardson and, without formality.
lgreed to honor their senior member''
Thomas b. Smith of Wilmington, with a
vote for the speakership,
md to pay Henry @. Conrad, Esq, of Will |
nington, the like compliment of vote for
Jerk. 1t was felt by the parties to this |
little conference that this was both a |
roper and graceful thing to do.
The Republican senators-elect have not |
yet gotten together and will not do so to- |
hight but will meet and agree upon nomi- |
ices before the assembling of the Senate
n the morning.
The House Democratic caucus was a |
one, and did not finish until |
Yearly 2 O'Clock in the morning, although
Why it held so long no one was exactly |
BILE. to say. It was called to order BY
PANEL NJ. Ridgeley, and organized with
William T. Hutson as chairman and John
l. Tindal as clerk.
Daniel NJ. Ridgeley of Kent and Will
am l.. Sirman of Sussex were placed in
omination for speaker and Sirman was
hosen on the first ballot by vote of o to
The full caucus of IA members was
ot present, Representative Thomas Attix
+ Kent being detained at home by sick
ess, but he sent his proxy in charge of
10 pntlnufrt1D 4 |
J. Marvel and the caucus agreed to allow
to be counted
There were various candidates for clerk,
ut the balloting soon resulted in tie vote
for Frank NJ. Dunn of Dover and 4
Or John ii. Layton of Concord. Here it
,uck for several ballots, until Daniel NJ.
idgeley Offered resolution that the clerk
19 gdh receive compensation of only
LOCO for the session, with $500 for his
eading clerk and 500 for experimenting
he printing of his journal. This resolu-
on was adopted and then a committee
as appointed to wait on Messrs. Dunn
nd Layton TO learn if they would accept
lese terms; Both said they would. Then
mother ballot was taken and Dunn Sc
ired the nomination by vote of 8 to s.
There were nearly a dozen candidates
n sergeant-at-arms, but after five ballots
imes II; Phillips Of Sussex county car
ed Oft the prize.
Rowland McGonigal, Dover lad, was
losen for page and the Rev. Aloysius
reen of the Wyoming NJ Il. Church for
iaplain.
No one in the House caucus kent de-
lied record Of the various ballots. The
suit of the caucus was quietly accepted
I'd no excitement followed the adjourn
ent.
a feature of the evening was the an
earanee OF State Treasurer Herbert with
e books in which he keeps The financial
counts of the State, which he exhibited !
the members. The books are models Of =,
and the perfection Of book
lepllig, showing Ihi.lkei contrast To the !
amer in which the States accounts were
opt TreyiolI2 10 lbs election to the office.
ley Ware greatly admired and praised
! those who inspected them. ..
MORE FOR SUSSEX,
ne CAPITOL Fireman (sopg IN III, /