Middletown transcript., 1896-12-05
CONSTITUTIONAL CONVENTION.

CONS11xOx1ONAL tONF ENIlOHs
| Under the act providing for a Constitu
tional Convention the delegates met q
Dover on Tuesday. Dec. list, perfecting
! preliminary organization with Delegat
Cooch as Chairman and Delegate Martin a,
Secretary. The Committee on Credential
had presented two sets of certificates from
Kent county, both the Republicans and tn
Democrats claiming the election. At th
caucuses Monday evening the Democrats
politicians and the Union Republicans hat
been persistent for the seating each of thei
full delegations. Violent language wal
used and threats were made. The foul
Republicans from New Castle and the five
from Sussex suggested non-partisan con.
vention on the basis of half and half, tax.
six Union Republicans and four Democrats
| Fl om Kent to make it. This proposition
was considered by the Democrats and they
finally agreed to divide equally the Kent
delegates. The plan was accepted and the
following were decleared the members OF
the Convention:
| q New Castle county-Democrats: John
| Biggs, John P. Donahoe, Robert G. Har-
man, Charles B. Evans, Andrew L. john
son, ]. Wilkins Cooch. Regular Republicans
w. G. Spruance, Edward G. Bradford,
Martin B. Burris, Elias N. Moore.
Kenty county-Democrats: Wilson T.
Cavender. William Salisbury, DIR. E. W.
Cooper, DR.. Nathan Pratt, Louder Z. Sapp.
Union Republicans David s. Clark. Will
liam T. SmitheIs, George H. Murray, DR..
Paris T. Caslisle, John W. Herring.
Sussex county-Democrats: Edward D.
Hearn, Woodburn Martin, Robert W.
Dasey, A. J. Horsey, Joshua A. Ellegood.
Regular Republicans: Charles F. Richards,
DR.. w. P. Orr, Joseph B. Gilchrist, W. A.
Cannon, Jacob L. Wright.
After the report of the Credentials Com
mittee had been adopted Delegate Clark on
behalf of the Union Republicans of Kent
made protest against the compromise,
claiming that all or none had been elected
and certainly those on the ticket with him
who had received more votes than he had.
He moved that the Convention adjourn for
a week that the vote might be counted in
Kent county, saying if this were not done
he and his four colleagues would with
draw. Beniah Watson was permitted the
floor, he being one of the men turned
down. He did not recognize the right of
the Convention to judge of the qualification
Of its members, and declared that his party
"had been stabbed in the back in the house
of its friends" The motion by Mr.. Clark
was declared out of order. when the five
men withdrew.
the election of John Biggs as chairman
over Edward G.. Bradford by a vote of 16
to g. Charles R. Jones. of Georgetown, was
elected secretary over Morgan T. Gum by
the same vote. Daniel v. Hutchins, one Of
the Kent Democrats who was not seated,
was elected sergeant-at-arnls and Arthur
Hutchins.page. Rev. WE. Avery was elected
chaplain. Mr.. Gum was elected assistan
secretary, he and the chaplain being Re
publicans.
On Wednesday the Convention took up
its regular work. President Biggs announ-
ced the following committees:
Resolution to submit the constitution to
the people: Messrs. Cooch, Cavender and
Richards.
Order of business: Messrs, Bradford, Har-
man, Salisbury, Hearn and Cannon.
Rules: Messrs. Cooper. Burris, Wright.
Oath of Office: Messrs. Pratt, Spruance |
and Ellegood.
Stenographers: Messrs. Evans, Dasey and
Moore.
PIace Of meeting. Messrs. Donahoe, John
son and Orr.
Seating members: Messrs. Spruance, Sapp
and Martin.
Mr.. Bradford, from the Committee on |
Order of Business, made partial report. |
1t recommended that standing committees |
be appointed as follows: On the Legislature,
on governor and other executive officers,
on the judiciary, on elections. on corpora-
tons, on crimes, punishments and impeach-
ments; on agriculture, on alterations and |
to the constitution and calling |
conventions, on accounts.
The report was adopted.
The committee on stenographers reported
that an estimate had been made of 30 cents |
per page 100 words, the estimated cost of
reporting being $25O0. 1t is supposed the
cost of the Convention will be about $4,000,
the members who do the work getting three
dollars day amounting to 800 or 5000,
The stenographer each $1,000 or $1,000. Messrs
0. G.. Guyer and e. G. Hardesty were
employed as stenographes for one week.
The Convention adjourned until Monday
1t . o'clock, none of the Union Republicans
having been in attendance since the organi-