Evening star., 1896-09-09
MIR. TUNNELL ACCEPTS.
He Will Run Again for the Governor
ship of Delaware.

Correspondence of The Evening Star
WILMINGTON, Del, September s, 1896
| Since the democratic state convention at
| Dover en- August 1s. the impression has
| prevailed that Ebe w. Tunnel, who was
nominated for governor by the convention,
| would not accept the nomina ton. Mr.. Tun-
nell was not a candidate for the nomina-
ton; in fact, he did not allow his name to
| be rsed in connection with 1t until the
| convention was ready to assemble. The
| result of his eleventh-hour candidacy for
| the nomination was fully described in The
Star On the day Of the convention. The
democrats of Wilmington and New Castle
county, who favored the nomination of
Peter j. Ford, on the ground that New
Castle county was rightfuliy entitled TO
the gubernatorial candidate this year, re-
| fused to indorse Tunnelrs nomina ton in
| the convention. They claimed that he had
| positively assured Mr.. Ford that he was
| not a candidate; that he could not allow his
| name to be offered in the convention in
connection with the nomina ton, and that
| If the convention nominated him. despite
| his wishes. he would decline to accept the
| nomination.
At the Eleventh Hour.
Therefore when at the eleventh hour his
name was presented to the convention and
the assurance given by ex-Congressman E.
L. Martin of Sussex county that Mr.. Tun-
gates from Wilmington and New Castle
became wild from rage, and stampeded the
convention.
1t was argued by the latter at the time
| that Mr.. Ford was defeated on religious
grounds, and they took their arguments
home with them and vented their rage and
their opposition to Tunnel in public meet
ings in this city.
Mr.. TuLnell was the candidate of his
party for governor in 1894. and was de-
feated by Joshua H. Marvil, republican
The latter's majority did not exceed 200
IN 1874 few democrats cut Tunnell and
M2rViIS victory was accounted for by rea-
son of the success of the republicans in
their efrorts to bring out an unusually large
colored vote in the lower counties MIR
Iu1 nelrs defeat greatly discouraged his
friends in Wilmington. While anxious to
make him their standard bearer again the
latter did not regard his second successive
nomination with much favor even with a
united democracy in the state and with
hopeless division III the republican ranks
And more emphaticalIy did they object to
mis- second nomination when they realized
that it would cause division in the Marty
on the state ticket, for it became plainly
month that the defeat of Ford would moan
loss of four thousand votes to the DEM
ocratic state ticket in Wilmington and New
Castle.
With such situation as this staring
them In the face these democrats were
loath to believe that Mr.. Tunnel would
accept the nomination and thereby de-
nDerateiy sacrifice himself again on the
republican altar in November, and a few
days ago their spprehensions were partly
satisfied through a report that Mr.. Tun-
nell had decided to decline the nomina-
ton in order to promote harmony in the
party for the sake of victory for the state
ticket. This report could not be verified,
and for more than a week Mr.. Tunnelrs
position has been shrouded In doubt
Mr.. TunneIl's Acceptance.
Today. however, the veil was lifted. At
meeting Of the democratic state central
committee held in Dover the following let
ter from Mr.. Tunnel was read:
"LEWES, Del, September g. 1885,
Gentlemen: am in receipt of your letter
Of August g. notifying me Of my nomiua-
tion as the democratic candidate for gov
ernor Of the state of Delaware, to be voted
for at the election to be held on the Sd
sible Of the honor conferred and the oblfga-
tion imposed upon me by this action of the
accredited representatives Of the demo-
cratic party of Delaware choosing me for
the second time to be their candidate for
the highest office in the gift of the people
of this state.
"As a lifelong member of the democratic
party and believing it to be the safest
custodian of the honor and welfare of the
people of the state, hereby accept the
nomination rendered me. regarding it as
a call of duty which should be obeyed with
out regard to my personal preferences or
my own sense of unworthiness. From this
time on I shall devote my energies to the
discharge of the duties imposed upon me
by this call of my party, and if elected will
endeavor to the extent Of my ability to
serve the best interest of the people of the
state, fully appreciating the peculiar diff
fculties and responsibilities resting upon
the governor Of Delaware.
Yours respectfully,
"(Stgned) EBE w, TUNNELL."