Delaware gazette and state journal. (Wilmington, Del.) 1883-1902, 1894-10-18
A REPUBLICAN PROPOSITION
Text of Their Reply to the
Democratic Letter.
WANT TO RUN THE ELECTION
Various Outside Conditions
Insisted Upon.
The Proposition as to Deputy sherifis
Agreed to With Very Remarkable
Proviso-It Looks ms If the Republican
Managers Would Not Object to Take the
Place of the Department of Elections.

Following the full text of the reply
Of tho Republican managers to the
proposition on the Democratic side in
regard to the employment of deputy
sheriffs at the coming election.
WDMINGToN, DEL, Oct, o, l894.--The
Hon. Theodore r. ARMSTRONG, Chairman Of
The Democratic County Executive Committee
Of NcW Castle County--DEAR SIR ;.-By re-
quest OF Peirce could, Esq, sheriff of
New Castle county, who duly received your
letter upon the subject of the appointment
of deputy sheritfs to preserve the peace at
the next ensuing general election in this
county. we huve the honor to submit the
proposals hereinafter set forth for the Sc
curing of fair and peaceabe election.
You have suggested in your letter that
"wbere the sheriff of New Castle county
shall deem itproper TO have deputy sheritfs
or where requested by the official heads of
sheriifs, equally from the two parties not
more than two proper, temperate and
capable men to preserve the peace at the
polls and generally to have charge of
matters pertaining to preserving the peace
at the polls Oh election day."
From this we understand that your pro-
posal is that, when the sheriff of this
county shall deem it proper, or when he is
requested by the official heads of either
the Republican or Democratic party, he
shall appoint us deputy sheritfs only one
Republican and one Democrat-proper,
temperate and capable men--at each poll
ing place for the purpose of preserving
peace thereat on election day.
While you express the trust" that by
reason of such appointment of deputy
sheriis "tho appointment of special con-
stables under State authority may also
prove unnecessary" you have nowhere in
your letter undertaken or proposed that
the official heads of your purity, including
the governor of this State, shall undertake
that in the event of such appointment of
deputy sheriffs, no Especial constables
under State authority" shall be appointed
to serve on election day.
Without satisfactory assurances to this
end we have to say that your proposition
cannot be entertained, as it would, stand
ing alone, be manifestly unfair.
While we are in perfect accord with
your expressed desire for fair and peace
able election, and are anxious to cordially
cooperate with you and the official heads
of your party in securing such result, we
are convinced that for the effectual attain
ment of the end in view, the scope of any
agreement in that behalf which may be
entered into by the official heads of the
two parties should be so enlarged as to
include several matters not embraced in
your proposition.
We, therefore, respectfully submit the
following proposals US the basis of an
agreement to be entered into by the official
heads of the two parties, viz:
/. That when the sheriff of New Castle
county shall deem it proper to have deputy
sheriffs, or when requested by the official
heads of either the Republican or Demo-
cratic party, he shall appoint as deputy
sheriffs for such polling places as he shall
deem proper. or as shall be named by the
official heads Of either of said political
parties, either one Republican and one
Democratic deputy sheriff, or, if so pre-
ferred, two Republican and two Demo
cratic deputy sheriffs, to be named, in the
case of appointment of Democratic deputy
sheriffs, by the official heads of the Demo-
cratic party, for the purpose of securing a
fair and peaceable election in November
next; the sheriff, however, to have the
right to make objection to the appointment
of any person named for deputy sheriff
for any cause rendering him unfit to act
in that capacity, and in such case the
sheriff shall call for the submission to
him of the name or names of another or
other person or persons fitted for said
office. ...
.. That no special constabes shall be
appointed by the governor of this state to
serve at said election; nor shall any other
peace officers than deputy sherffs as afore-
said serve thereat. save the present standing
police force of the city of Wilmington.
|
ton of the election officers in the discharge
of their duties int the counting of the ballots
cast in New Castle county there shall be
present at such counting. in each election
district, six voters of such district, three
of whom shall be selected by the chairman
of the New Castle county Republican COM
mittee and the other three by the chair
man of the New Castle county Democratic
committee.
i. That whenever any vacancy. by rea-
son of death, resignation, removal, dis
qualification or other cause whatever,
shall occur in any Office connected with
the registration of voters or the holding or
conduct of the general election in this
State and by the law such vacancy is to be
filled by the appointment of a Republican
or of Democrat, as the case may be, such
person shall be appointed to ill said va
cancy as shall be suggested by the chair
man of the county committee of the politi-
cal party from which by law such appoint
ment is to be made.
8. That at all polling places in this
State the two persons who are to be chosen
for and to act as voters assistants as pro-
vided for in section 49, IAN act to provide
for the secrecy and purity of the ballot"
chapter 81 of Volume XIX of the Laws of
Delaware, shall be the two persons whose
names shall respectively be suggested to
the officers of election by the chairman of
the county committees of the respective
political parties to which they belong.
g. That the lower left .hand corner of
the back of the ballot within the meaning
of section 10 of the said IAN act to pro-
vide for the, secrecy and purity of the
ballot" is the left.hand lower corner Of
the back Of the ballot; the lower side of
the back of the ballot corresponding with
the lower side Of the front of the ballot.
z. That when ballot shall be so folded
that the initials of the clerks do not ap.
pear, the inspector or judges or either Of
them may return the ballot to the voter
and send him again to the booth to refold
his ballot properly, and the voters assist.
ants may aid him III refoldng the same.
3. That any person desiring and being
qualified to vote shall be entitled to call
for and receive the assistance of the voters
assistants to aid him in preparing his ballot
8. That whenever it becomes necessary
at the time for opening the general election
at any polling place to choose any person
as minority judge of election ty what is
commonly known as u ''stand out, that
person shall be chosen us minority Judge
whoshall be suggested for that position
by majority OF the members present OF
the principal party opposed in political
opinion to the majority of the election
officers for such polling place.
We assume, in view Of the fact that we
have heretofore been in conference upon
some of the matters embraced in the fore
going proposals with l.. Irving Handy,
Esq, chairman of the Democratic State
committee; Willard salisbury, Esq, treas
urer of the Democratic county committee;
John Blggs, EST, and Peter l.. Cooper,
Esq, as we'll as yourself that said pro-
pUsals will be submitted by you to those
gentlemen for your joint action in the
premises. Awaiting yonr reply, we are
yours respectfully,
JAMES II. WILSON