Middletown transcript., 1896-01-18
nrIAwARE,s SENATOR.

DELAwARE's SENATOR.
It is said that the Committee on
Privileges and Elections will next week
take up the case Of Col. dupont in his
claim for seat in the United States
Senate. 1t will probably be in the
hands Of the committee for some time
as the dispatches in the Democratic
papers state that "Senator Gray and his
Democratic colleagues do not intend
to elbow any hasty action" There
should be no hasty action nor should
there be any unnecessary delay.
Already the Democr attic papers in
the State are claiming that Col. du-
Pont will be seated, if at all, by a par
tisan vote. By this they accuse every
Senator, whether Republican or Dem
ocrat, Of disregarding his oath for the
sake Of party gain, for a vote that is
partisan on one side is just as partisan
on the other side. How much more
patriotic and fair it would be to say
that the case admits Of doubt and
therefore men naturally give their party
the benefit Of the doubt. But these
papers do not do it. The death Of an
honored Delawarean this week will
illustrate our meaning. Every Dem
ecratic paper in the State will laud the
Hon. Nathaniel Barrett Smithers,
his private life and his public acts, and
well they may. for he deserves at the
hands Of the living rich eulogium,
but Mr.. Smithers was stalwart Re
publican, believing in the principles OF
the party, in the fights the party has
made in this State, ard in its integrity
and patriotism. How miserable the
policy Of denouncing men while living
and praising them dead. John Sher.
man, William B. Allison and more
than score Of Republican Senators
are as conscienci GUS and honest to-day
as they will be when their voices shall
be hushed forever. Then why question
their honor for mere partisan purposesi
Why?
But the best posted men do not be-
lieve that the seating of Col. dupont il
a partisan question. The attorneys
against Col. DUPONT failed, it is said,
to answer the strongest point made by
Col. duPont's attorneys. Gov. Wat.
sons attorneys set up the claim thai
tie constitution of Delaware allows 9
man to fill two Offices at one time an(
there is no going behind the returns
The attorneys for Col. DUPONT shoy
that this is contrary to the constitution
Of the United States, and that in ever!
case taken to the Supreme Court Of th'
United States where man has at
tempted to exercise the duties of twt
Offices, whether executive, legislative
or judicial, it has be en- declared un
constitutional. This strong point il
not answered at all. 1t is apparentl!
an unanswerable argument for th'
seating Of Col. DUPONT.
There is just one more element tina
interests every Delaware Republican
We qnote from the Washington des
patches to a Democratic paper:
sit is understood that some Of th,
Addicks contingent have been herr
looking over the situation with a view
OF ascertaining whether there is am
majority who could be influenced t,
oppose the seating Of Senator DUPONT
Such methods may be used successfully
among Republicans in the little S.att
of Delaware. But here, and before |
committee composed of eminent law
yers, they will discover that they ar,
dealing with an entirely differen
element, The Senate will bl
SO evenly balanced between the twt
contending parties, after the admission
Of the Utah senators, that it is expected
the Democrats will exert themselve
Ito the utmost to prevent the seating o
an additional Republican senator from
the little state of Delaware. Addicks
friends have informed some Of th'
Democratic senators that if the seating
Of dupont can be STAYED off anothe
year Delaware will be sure to send ,
Democratic colleague to Senator Gray.
Is any comnent.necessary2 Is ther
q man claiming to be a Republican VIII
will not resent to the fullest extent tn
impudence of this political gambler
He went to Dover with his boodl
seven years ago after the Republican
won a fight in this State and now b
moves with Doodle upon the capital 9
the Nation to the diseredit OF our Stat
before the whole people. The Dem
ocratic papers In the State are in
great atemeasure to blame for his effort
here for they have encouraged him j
order to destroy the Republican Party
viii Republicans suffer it?