Delaware gazette and state journal. (Wilmington, Del.) 1883-1902, 1892-06-23
HIGGINS AND HARRISON.
How the Senator Was Ready to
Jump the President.

About to Cast Ills Vote for Mckinley
when He Thought He Saw Indications
of Harrison's Success--Then He Jumped
Back.
A correspondent of the Morning News
gives detailed report of the action Of
Delaware's delegates to the Republican
national convention, which shows that
Senator Higgins went back on President
Harrison from the start. Afraid that
Harrison would be beaten, he pitched in
for clark horse" offered Delaware's
vote for Allison, and voted with the
Platt-Quay -Clarkson gang in their at
tempt to knock out Harrison by defeat
ing the majority report of the committee
on credentials. After reciting these facts
at length, the correspondent proceeds
The vote of Delaware for Presidential
candidates had never been polled. The
approaching ballot by the convention
made this an interesting question when
the convention met on Friday morning.
The question was not raised nor was any
thing SAID about the vote until after the
nominating speeches had been made, Just
before the call of states for the first and
tinal ballot was begun. The delegation
| was then polled and stood-four for Nc
kinley and two for Harrison. The mem
bers voted as follows Higgins, Wilson,
Marshall and Bacon for Mckinley, and
Massey and Pierce for Harrison.
Massey was down on the list as onc of
the speakers to second the nomination of
HARRISON. The Harrison leaders were
anxious to have him speak, and the CON
| ventlon apparently wanted to hear him.
He, however, peremptorily declined His
reasons We're that Delaware came so near
the head of the list that the seconding
| speech which he was to make, if it came
| in order w01l1 11rprnJn fha nap,ipatin,,
speech. lie declined to speak after Harri-
son had been nominated by the states of
| Indiana and New York because this would
have required a second call of the stotes
which would have called out several
seconding speeches, and he believed the
| convention was ready and the moment
was ripe for ballot.
The vote OF the states had got down to
the C's before anything else was said about
| Delawares vote. The votes were being an
nounced and the delegates were intensely
interested to discover the first indication Of
q break for any particular candidate, as
that would settle the question of nomina-
ton OH the first ballot. The Mckinley
vote was evidently not as large as it was
expected TO be- and the third candidate
men were becoming very nervous. Ala
bama, Arkansas and Colorado had been
called, There was but one more state
Connecticut--to vote before Delaware
would be called. AT this point Senator
Higgins, who had been watching the vot-
ing said nervously; Things are looking
very queer. Delawares vote will have to
be changed. | believe Harrison is going to
be nominated"
Turning to General Wilson, Senator
Higgins asked: Wilson, will you vote
for Harrison ?"
II will, y answered General Wilson.
To q similar question DR.. Marshall an
swered that he was still for Mckinley, and
Bacon reiterated his intention to vote for
Blaine.
These final preliminaries for Delaware's
vote had hardly been finished when the
State was called. Senator Higgins an
nounced that Delaware voted~four for
Harrison. one for Mckinley and one for
Blaine. The delegates had voted as fol-
lows: Higgins, Wilson, Massey and Pierce
for Harrison; Marshall for Mckinley and
Bacon for Blaine The vote was a genuine
surprise to the delegates themselves. The
figures had changed. Harrison had the
four votes and his opponents had the two
| votes.
When the nominations had been made
there remained little else of interest to be
done except to name the member of the
national Republican committee and to APP
point the member Of the committee to
notify the President officially of his re-
nomination. For the first of these places
there were three candidates. Senator
Higgins was for John Pilling, DR.. Marshall
for James X. Lotland, and j. Francis Bacon
for Daniel j. Layton. When the ballot
was taken Layton received four votes,
these votes being cast by Bacon, Pierce,
Higgins and Wilson. DIR. Marshall was
elected a member OF the committee to notify
the President without opposition.