Middletown transcript., 1895-12-28
RULE on RUIN.

RULE OR RUIN.
"The unprecedented spectacle is now
presented before the Senate of the Uni
ted States of citizen claiming q seat
in that body, by virture of an election
by the Legislature of his State and be-
ing opposed in his claim by one polit-
ical party of that State, by the Cover
nor (the chief executive of the State)
aud by faction of his own party.
This is the case Of Colonel du Font.
/ Contested Cont election cases are usually
between two persons, each OF whom
| claims that the Other was illegally or
| informally chosen. No individual
claims seat against Colonel du Pont.
and therefore the effort against seat
[ ing him is to the end that one OF the
two seats to which Delaware is en-
| titled under the constitution shall be
| vacant.
A stranger to existing political con-
ditions in Delaware might think that
Delawareans, in respect TO their small
area and population, were modestly
| protesting against greater representa-
| tion in the Senate than they felt them
selves to be entitled to; or it might be
conjectured that the man chosen was
mentally or morally unfit. But neither
is the case. No one objects to Colonel
du Points qualifications, and no one
would abridge Delaware's representa-
tion in the Senate. So far as repre-
sentation goes, those who opposed. Cole
mel du Pont could not be satisfied with
several Senators.
The efforts made against Colonel du
Pont are those Of desperate and un-
scrupulous politicians-the worst ele-
ment of both parties who look upon
governments only as means OF satls-
fying individual greed and ambition.
Their every force and act is against or
derly government. 1t does not seem to
have ever entered the heads of one OF
them to be statesman, public SER
want for the general good. There mo-
tive has been to tear down where they
could not build in accordance with
their own plans. When they are not
of the majority they are rebels agains
the spirit of republican institutions,
and we are not sure that some who
have sworn to support the constitution
of the State did not break their oath to
do so before its echoes had died away.
What sort of citizens were the four
political desperadoes who defied their
fifteen Republican associates to the
last? Were they acting in accord with
the principles of popular government,
or were they casting the wishes OF the |
people aside and doing the bidding of a |
a dictatorp For nearly twenty CEN
turies Nero has been execrated for |
fiddling while Rome burned. What |
sort of rebels against their party and |
their people must be those who yet ap- |
plaud and support the would-be die
tator in Delaware2 They claim to be |
patriots, but are only mercenaries; they |
claim to be Republicans, but do not |
acknowledge the FIRST principles of
popular government. When four men |
could not control 10, they deserted to |
the ranks of the enemy, there to make
a guerilla warfare on the friends with |
whom they were the day before max
ing common cause. Deserters, rebels,
can they be trusted with anything ex-
tspt the spoils of wal?
What of the eleven Democrats of
the last Legislature and their advisers?
They were in minority-that posi-
tion in which any man or party of men
is so frequently found under political
institutions. They could not govern,
and it was their privilege to block leg
islation if they could by any coalition
do so. They could not elect one of
their own number Senator, and they
could not even prevent an election
when four of the opposite party rebel
led. Without single voice for honest
intention, without thought for the
honor Of their State, and only mindful
of the spoils-they manufactured an
other Senator out of plant Cover
nor and conspired with the rebels to
defeat the popular demand and expec-
tation that some one of DelaWare'S
citizens be chosen to represent her in
the Senate. To put it in the mildest
way these fanatic politicians forced the
Chief Executive of the state to a
doubtful Interpretation of the funda-
mental law. He broke the spirit, If
not the letter, of the law he s0lemnly
swore to execute.
What did they gainp What could
they gain? IF Colonel du Pont was
not seated. the Governor could not ap-
point. A vacancy would exist for two
years and at the end of that time the
chief with whom they had conspired,
true to no one but himself, would then
prove their most formidable enemy.
They may have thought t., disrupt the
Republican party, and they may have
succeeded; Or they may have made a
spectacle and set precedent that will
disrupt their own.
They at least connived with despera-
tion, disorder, disreputs and ingrati-
tude. - Ne,Cs and Advertiser.