Delaware gazette and state journal. (Wilmington, Del.) 1883-1902, 1897-01-28


With view to bringing their dis !
reputable cause before the people of
the country, the Union Republicans OF |
Delaware have made an appeal to the |
Congress- of the United States. They |
have forwarded to that body formal
petition-ann are having others cir
culated in this State for signatures
asking that committee be appointed |
to come here and count the vote of the |
recent electior, the claim being made
that this recount would chow that the
Union Republicans had been uniustly
and illegally deprived OF fairlywon
victory.
This proposition, being about Ms
nonsensicai ms il is illegal, stands very
little prospect of finding favor with
Congress. And none know this better
than the Union Republicans them
selves. They do not want the vote re-
counted or the election investigated by
Congressional committee. They sim
ply want to create national furors in
their favor, in The hope that by posing
as martyrs to system OF political ras
cslity they may gain the sympathy OF
the Mckinley administration, and thus
be able to control the distribution of
Federal patronage in this State. By
this means. they would strengthen their
hold upon the Republican party or
ganizstion for the next campaign.
But, suppose a committee of Congress
should be appointed to count the vote
and Investigate the circumstances of
the recent election in Delaware; what
would II ascertain? 1t would uneartn
a shocking story of fraud, venality and
political corruption. 1t would learn
the details of a. scheme to carry the
election solely by virtue OF tho corrupt
use of money. 1t would learn the
fullest extent OF Deaware's Growing
disgrace.
Having full opportunity and ample
time for the Investigation, the com
mittee could go back to the election of
1894. and learn how the money OF the
Union Republicans corrupted the voters
of Kent and Sussex counties and thus
purchased victory. 1t could learn
how. later, Union Republican money
paid the taxes of large numbers OF
negro taxabes in Kent and Sussex, and
thus saved their vutes for the election
of last tail. 1t could learn how more
OF this Union Republican money cor
rupted the Republican primaries in
these two counties, and gave the party
organization into Uniun Republican
handle noslft ota .kot 4
why reputable Republicans throughout
the Stale protested by open revolt
against the. shameless bribery thus
practiced.
Coming down to the election OF
November last. the committee could still
further pursue the nauseating trail oil
bribery and corruption, supplemented
Y By violence and outawry. 1t could
learn that in one district in Ken,
county and two in Sussex, no votes
we're cast, owing to tho lawless violence
OF Union Republicans, who, not being
entitled to the voters assistants under
the law, awore with great oaths that il
they were not illegally granted the
privilege of having these officers ne
elections should be held in these dis
Ia tricts. And nope werN held. 1t coulG
x alsn ascertain why the Union Repuh
icans were SO desperately anxious /,
have these voters assistants. 1t was il
order that they might use them a
agents 10 the corruption of suffrage
to see that purchased voters voted al
they we're paid TO vote, and notify thns
who were in charge OF the corrupto,
fund. IL could also learn that 10 dis
tricts whero Union Republicans were i,
control of tho election boards, voters
assistants were appointed in violation
Of law, aud acteG as agents of tn
Union Republican vote buying ma
shine.
The committee could further ascer
tain that by virtue OF the lavish use G
Union Republican money, this electio
was the most corrupt ever known i
Delaware, and probably without
counterpart in the entire country
Voters wore bought like cattle to yot
the Union Republican ticket. Poor me
whose political opinions were not in az
cord with those of tho Union Repuhl
can party were offered tempting none
bribes to vote that ticket. The puI
chase money for single votes reache
sums of fifty and sixty dollars. And 6
the tide of corruption flowed in an al
palling stream from the opening to tt
closing of the polls.
This is the story that committee
Congress could learn should it invest
gate all the circumstances attsndir
M - last election in Delaware. {
course, Congress has no jurisdiction
the matter, and thiH the Union RepuI
licans well knew when they sent the
petition. Cheap notoriety and miad
rected HypEathy are what they see
The truth is not what they are after.
n 1t is gratifying, but not at all gu
prising, TO note that Senator GRAY
not among those sensitive Senators vi
mold that the people have no right
even think about much loss spei
upon, public question until the Soma
has acted upon it. Senator CIR
"a. frankly says that he coIrotnau +ba 81 !