Delaware gazette and state journal. (Wilmington, Del.) 1883-1902, 1896-10-29

hent county Wnep tDe poliflcal situation
was in more Of a turmoil than ut
present, and while the leaders OF tho
two principal parties differ as to The
why's and wherefores which brought this
state of affairs about, they agree as to
the condition resulting therefrom.
In their eager desire to carry this
county at the coming election, the Re
publicans on last Saturday reaorted to
one of the most desperate and disgrace.
ful attempts to disfranchise citizens of
their right to vote, that was ever con-
ceived in this or any other State They
did this knowing full well that they
bad no legal or moral right to co SO.
but simply to retaiate for what they
contend was wrong done them by tho
Democrats two years ago, when the
names of number of Republicans were
stricken from the repatriation lists
when it was found that they had failed
to comply with the law in not paying a
tax within two years.
A half hour before the hoard of regis.
tration adjourned in the First and
Third election districts in East Dover
hundred. on Saturday, the Republican
managers filed affiiavits demanding
that the names of 10 Democrats OF the
Third election district and 81 in the
First election district be stricken from
tho list, claiming that they ''were
illegally registered az qualified voters
because they have not complied with
the requirements of the laws of Della
ware. F" There were no reasons assigned
rs to why they had been illegally regis.
tered, or in what way they had failed
to comply with the requirements of the
law. The reason no cause was give for
their action was the best one imagin-
able-simply that they had none. The
whole scheme was merely in revenge
for what they conceive to be wrong
done them two years ago. The asser
ton has been made that the action
was caused by the report that the
Democratic boards in Little Creek,
Duck Creek and Kenton hundreds con-
tcmplated similar move, but there is
every reason to believe that this Re-
publican scheme was conceived before
IL was known that the Democratic
boards referred to had entertained any
idea of the move imputed to them.
Tho fact that the Democratic boards
did contemplate such action became
public later, and it gave the RePubli-
cans what they claim was good cause,
but which in reality was very himsy
one, as why they should take like
action.
The names struck off by the Demo-
cratic boards were those of men who
had been returned as delinguents by the
Levy Court for the year 1895. The
Constitution declares that the require
ments to vote shall be tho payment of
a tax within two years, assessed at least
six months before the election. The
names against which these aifidavits
were filed in Duck Crock, Little Creek
aud Kenton hundreds We're those of
men who had not paid tax either
for '95 or '96. They had paid tax
for "a in '95. 1t will be plainly seen
by any fair minded person that grave
point of law is involved in these cases.
On the other hand there was not the
Toast cause of any kind for the action
of the Republicans in striking oil the
LA names referred to and they we're not
justified in SO doing by any laws, legal
or otherwise, on our statute books.
Among these 1874 citizens of Kent
county which the Republicans en-.
deavored to deprive of one of the
greatest privileges which citizen has
that OF sutfrage-are the names of
many of the most prominent people of
Kent county, men who resided here all
their lives. A number of them being
large property owners, and all of whom
were bona fide residents of the re-
spective districts. In their efforts to
disfranchise the Republicans proved
ut least one thing, and that is that they
were no respector of persons. III they
had exercised any political foresight or
hindsight Of any kind they would prob
ably at the least not have included the
property owners in their list.
1t is not necessary to state that all of
these people who have every legal and
moral right to vote. objected most
strongly to being treated in such an
outrageous manner and were not slow
in expressing their Indignation. The
men whom the Republicans had make
these afiidavits OF illegal registration
were Henry Sullivan and Robert M.
Polk, both colored, and in a very short
time after it had become known that
such aflidavits had been made writs
were issued for the arrest of Polk anu
Sullivan on the charge OF perjury. The
latter could not be found, but Polk was
arrested and arraigned before Justice
Of the Peace Cooper. There was large
crowd crescent at the hearing. many OF
those mentioned in the atfidavits being
interested spectators. Polk solemnly
Hwore that he did not know what he was
swearing to when he made the affidavit,
but that he was instigated and per-
Ruaded into SD doing by John Ii.
Wharton and Beniah Watson. Writs
were Immediately issued for Messrs.
Wharton and Watson on the charge OF
aiding and abetting tine commission
Of perjury by the colored men and at
the hearing before the justice all three
were held in 81, 600 bail for their ap-
pearance at court. Bond was given in
each instance and they we're released.
On Monday several Republicans from
Duck Creek hundred came down and
Tiled aflidavits, charging II. Y. Wallen.
Nathaniel Pratt and John Jones OF
that hundred with perjury, they being
the parties who had filed aflidavits in
that hundred against several persons
who had registered on '9i tax receipts
raid in 10. just why the charge
should have been brought before q
Justice of the peace here is not stated,
but at any rate after giving them q
hearing Justice Cooper discharged
Them. There was not the slightest
evidence brought out against them.
The Democratic boards in Duck
'reek, Little Creek and kenton hun.
''ies have been advised by counsel thai
no matter what might be the action oil
the Republicans as to nataes sworn
against in East Dover hundred, they
are not to give notice, neither to strike
ron the list on next Saturday whef