Delaware gazette and state journal. (Wilmington, Del.) 1883-1902, 1892-05-12
THE sEpENTH WAND WIGWaM.
The George Gray Democratic Club Takes
Possession of Its New Building.

The George Gray Democratic Club Takes
Possession of Its New Building.
The formal opening of the new wigwam
by the George Gray Democratic Club in
the Seventh ward Saturday night, was at
tended by large and representative
gathering of Democrats The building
was tastefully decorated with the national
colors The officers of the club and the
invited speakers occupied the platform.
Among the latter were Senator Gray,
Lewis G. Vandegrift, Victor i. Woollcy,
Deputy Attorney-genera Branch Ii. Giles,
Peter L. Cooper, John 8. Rossell. There
was large delegation of members of the
Young Mems Democratic Club present,
also President Frank Jeandell Of the
George Gray Democratic Club, Secretary
II. Il. Chapman. Colonel Milo w. Locke,
Thomas G. Doud, John Doran and others.
Colonel Locke, chairman of the building
committee, called the meeting TO order. lie
stated that the purpose of the meeting was
to make formal transfer of the wigwam
to the officials Of the club. He requested
Mr.. Vandegrift to perform that pleasant
duty on the part of the committee.
The speaker congratulated the Seventh
ward, of which he is member, in being
one of the first in the approaching cam
paign to fire q gun in the interest of
Democracy. A spirit is here shown which
will not abate its interest until the ides of
she so long has stood in the strong and
triumphant Democratic column of free
states. | feel proud of the men who have
taken so lively an interest in this cam
paign, by the erection of building
! wherein Democrats may meet and OK
change views upon matters pertaining to
| their interests, to the interest of the Demo-
cratic party and to the interest of the
county at large. The speaker believed
that the spirit indicated by the Seventh
| ward Democrats would soon turn the
ward from an overwhelming Republican
majority into the doubtful column and
ultimately into the Democratic fold. The
residents of the ward especially of the
| western end, are intelligent workingmen,
who are being awakened to the iniquities
| OF protection as prescribed by the McKin-
| ley bill, and will in time deliver the ward
| to the Democrats because of the inevitable
conviction that protection" does not pro-
tect the workingman.
In closing, the speaker strongly urged
the members of the club to stand shoulder
to shoulder in the active campaign work
! Of supporting Democratic principles, and
that they would see that none but those
entitled to vote and be counted, that those
vote, and none others.
Mr.. Vandegrift then handed over the
keys of the wigwam to President Frank
| Jeandell, who accepted them in a brief
Gray, in whose honor the club is named.
The senator's appearance was the signal
| for loud and continued applause. When
quiet had been restored the speaker
thanked the members of the club for the
honor they had conferred in naming the
club after him., In the many things that
came to cheer him in his official career
this was no small incentive to merit in the
future the appreciation of his constituents.
He congratulated the members of the club
on the strong organization of the Seventh
ward Democracy.
Senator Gray then proceeded in eloquent
historical notice of the Democratic party,
touching upon that moment of its history
when the prosperity of the country and
the success of the party began with the
election to the Presidency of Thomas JEFF
ferson.
In passing, the senator briefly alluded to
the Federal party and the American party,
and said that there were good men in both,
but they were wrong-headed. For four
years the latter took the country by storm
and defeated our party, but after that we
came up stronger than ever, because we
stood upon principle, and because it is the
party OF the people, of States rights, and
local self-government. To-day our party
is confronted with the same old issues.
Your Republican neighbor laughs when
you talk about State rights and says State
rights were knocked into a cooked hat by
the civil war. But they were not. The
State is as sovereign to-day as ever, and
has exclusive rights and control of its own
governmental affairs.
In regard to the Force bill the speaker
said: If that bill had passed how long
would the people of the United States have
been free people? Every election officer
throughout this great country would have
been appointed by u central officer al
Washington and the President could have
practically reelected himself. He would
have become the master instead of the
servant of the people, and would have had
J control of the country's destiny. That was
the Force bill and the bill many of us
fought so determinedly and desperately
At length we won the fight and by doing
so, won over again the great battle fol
American freedom.
The senator then paid his respects to The
Mckinley bill and its numerous iniquties
which he denounced in singing and elo
quent terms. We want the honest fruit.
Of our own toll, but do not want dollar
that we have earned taken from oui
pockets and put into the pockets of mer
who have not earned it. We don't want
, law that will help our neghbor TO ge
, ahead of us at our expense. Our unjus
: tariff laws do those very things, and W,
l protest against them as contrary to tn,
| teachings of freedom and liberty.
Throughout his eloquent three-quarter
{ of an hour address Senator Gray was fire.
g quently applauded.
; Other speakers of the evening were Johr
l S. Rossell, Peter l.. Cooper, Victor b
, Woolley Branch IL. Giles and Presiden
: Jeandell