Delaware gazette and state journal. (Wilmington, Del.) 1883-1902, 1895-01-24
How 1t Was Started Nearly
Eighty Years Ago.
ELECTION DAYS OF OLDEN TIME
The EVIL Began by Paying
Mems Taxes.


presume that this hundred Is neither bet
ter nor worse than the rest of the state.
Some SO years ago q was small boy
them elections for Murderkill hundred
were held at Camden. The boundaries OF |
the hundred embraced all the territory |
from the bay shore on the east, 10 the |
MARYLAND line on the west, and included |
at least all of East and West, North and |
South Murderkill of the present day and
part of East Dover.
The elections now are much more peace
able since the closing of the liquor bars
than they were then. An election in those
days that did not furnish half dozen
free fights was not considered UP to the
standard. Straight.out bribery was not
practiced at that time, nor until several
years later. Campaigns were not run then
as now. Political meetings are all talk at
the present. Away back i'll the twentlcS
and thirties they had what they called
treats, consisting of free whisky, free rum.
and sometimes a candidate would buy one
or more cake stands, consisting OF ginger
cakes, iumbles, cheese and other edibles,
spruse beer and cider, and occasionally
there would be an OK roast at their gather
ings, which were generally well attended
by u certain class. No matter which party
gave the treat, they were on hand and par
took freely of the free grub and free rum.
4 They were the "uncertain quantities" and
had the special attention 0t the politician
of each party.
think there were but few, if any, votes
bought straight out until about 1870. The
entering wedge to bribery was paying the
2 tax of delinquents. My first experience
in this line was after the voting place was
changed from Camden to Canterbury, Il,
like Senator Hill, could then write, Il am
IA Democrat" | cast my first vote for
Andrew Jackson.) At the election re-
ferred to gentleman came around asking
faN #
who said they were not able to pay them.
Oh course they were expected to vote for
the party that paid their taxes This was
the beginning of corrupting the ballot.
l$rhe next year there was an increased mum.
ber of taxes to be paid by both parties
Some of the "iioaters" required dinner aE
the hotels to be induced to vote us desired.
One simpe- hearted old soul said he would
vote for anyone that would give him u
pair of boots. He got the boots.
VA About this time politicians began to bleed
Candidates for funds to buy votes outright
AT first So each was satisfactory to the
purGhaseable voters, but the parties bid up
against each other until the sums offered
tempted men owning farms 10 barter
their franchise as horses and cattle.
do not remember the year, but think
1t was early in the forties, that Mr.. -
was candidate for governor. Q mention
no names in this letter for the actors are
all dead) The said candidate contributed
TO Murderkili hundred for campaign pur-
poses $500 Certain politicians whom
will not name went to see hlm ana
demanded more money, telling him that
he had contributed just enough TO be
thrown away but if lie would give them
another SlU0 they could and would carry
Murderkill hundred, which seemed to be
important. He demurred at ilrst, bul
finally gave them another SlU0, and they
nI liza tFtl -f.ln
A few hundre dollars could accomplish
n great deal then. II requires thousands
now TO accomplish as much. And the
!, evil has grown until it is useless fol
any one mo matter what his qualilica
lions and fitness may bel To aspire TO any
elective office unless he has more money II
throw away than the Office is worth.
II was really disgusting to sec u vote
buyer leading his purchases up to th'
window like sheep TO the slaughter. re
member case of this kind when thI
chattel had the ticket between his linge
and thumb. a man Of the opposite part,
standing nearby, with the deXterity of
magician, whipped the ticket ont OF HI
fingers and thrust one of his own party ii
its place SO quickly that the man did no
know how he voted. There We're wv
bullies on the ground and it did not tax
long to get up fight. One of them wa
somewhat versed in the science Of pugi
ism. The other was young Samson, bot
We're greatly excited, as were their respe'
tive friends, but young Samson locke
almost tendish, painting and frothing at I'll
mouth like "A wild boar. 1t took sever;
strong men to separate them. i have see
A Governors, State Senators, Representative
and others occupying the upper strata {
society cuuntenancing, aiding and abeItir
this abominable business. These me
would scorn TO do Il diSreputable thing j
uny other direction. They salyed tic
\ cnnsciences over in this matter with tt
idea that it was all right to fight their O
moments with the same weapons emploSt
against them. They were. however, real
more TO blame than tue voters lhcy amt
10 buy. For many OF the latter were poi
and did not perhaps see US m9ch lholit
in year as they were offered Tor the
votes.
Both parties are equally guilty Al
how the evil can be stopped has pliAElt
wiser heads than mine. But It can DC gu
tailed to a considerable extent by maxi!
the ballot absolutely secret, whlch may
done by having the old-fashloneu tleAe
printed on culored paper yello", M lot W. w
ijarty, rel for another. ii more thah w
iarties. blue for another and ii need
ivhitn for another. Then let each voter
sunnlied with II ticket OF each party, al
All envelope for ali parties, uniform
every particular. Ii the voter caiih
read or write aud lntenuS 10 Eol" Il stitt7
ticket. he can select the color used pS =
marty with which he altiliates, place II
the envelope and seal it. Then, no maui
WIN secs him vote, no one but hlhsi
need know how he voted. lhls pal
would be absolutely secret, and would Il
cost the State a tithe of what the lfese
system costs. .4,..i.,,,
In addition to this, re enact the law
utlirlng candidates when elected ana
fore taking office to swear or aiilrn u
thcy had not furnished or PROMISED
furnish in future, any money or LAY
with the object of securing votes, or e'tl
directly or indirectly, gwen or prom,
any office or valuable conslderatlo" III
future. ...,
such a law as this was once on
statute books, but was repeated on
ground that conscientious men were
barred from holding office, ana that II
without conscience or mora Status ol !
kiud--men who would not hesitate
swear falsely would take the olllces'
There should be another section to
act which should disfranchlse any ct!i
date who could be proved to have sw
| falsely. ...
| No man need be debarred on aeeolh
the oath. All he would have to 90 We
A be to keep his hands clean. liners
III legitimate expenses of all parties, put u
need not be large. Each candidate shoul
NJ allowed TO contribute Il certain atiiount
this purpose, without coming ullaer
lation of the statute.
make no claim to being better I