Delaware gazette and state journal. (Wilmington, Del.) 1883-1902, 1897-01-07

GIN, Efisna ~. Dukes, Inomas y onnSon,
Isaac N. Whitney, Mattford Short,
John 9. Thompson ana Asbury Smith,
members. elect from Sussex county OF
the House of Representatives, and
William T. Moore, Senator elect from
Sussex county, all of whom are Demo-
Gratis, met here yesterday and prepared
their answer to the notices of contest
OF their right TO seats in the General
Assembly, which had been served upon
them by the nominees OF the Union
Republican party. The answers were
subsequently served on all the defeated
candidates of the Union Republican
party. although only four of the latter
had signed the notices OF contest.
Senator elect Moore's answer to
Thomas Curry, Union Republican,
which is similar to the other replies,
Is as follows:
To Thomas Curry--Sir: l have re-
ceived paper signed and sworn to by
you pqrpurtinG to be specifications OF
the grounds upon which you pretend
to contest the election OF the under
signed as Senator of the General AS
sembly OF the State of Delaware from
Sussex county; and say to you that
consider the grounds alleged and set
forth as foolish and frivolous, ana any
ir the highest degree, and l ehaIl
insist that the costs, II any incurred
thereabout, shall he collected from and
paid by YOU as provided by statute.
without waving in any way or man.
ner, now, and at all times hereafter,
any and all manner of exceptions or
objections to your said specifications or
to any part thereof, | demur to said
specifications and protest against the
ruifictency OF the same, alleging that
the proceeding on your part is yexa-
tious. frivolous and without merit;
and i. the contestee, reserve and save
10 myself, the right to maintain this
contention in any hearing, inquiry or
investigation which may be had or
prosecuted therein; nevertheless, in ac-
cordance with the provisions of the
statute of the State Of Delaware iu this
behalf, i deliver to you the following
specifications OF objections to the right
toa seat in the Senate Of the General
Assembly of said State from Suisse x
county now rightfully claimed by me as
the duly elected member Of said Senate
from Sussex county by the qualified
|, electors, citizens of said Sussex county,
on the Third (3l day OF November last
past.
First. That IL the several grounds
contained in your aforesaid specitica-
tons were fully established, neither
thereof, nor altogether would entitle
you 10 seat in tho SAID Senate.
Second. That you do not aver in your
said specifications. nor in any one OF
them that you we're elected member
of the said Senate of the General As,
sembly Of the State of Delaware from
Sussex county on the Third t3d) day
of November last past, neither do you
allcge that /. the contestee, was moi
elected as such member.
Third. With all due respect for you
Individually beg TO say that the un.
certain frivolous and insufficient
character of your pretended specitica
ton, both in law and In fact, con
strains me- to believe that tho contest
you pretend to make is nor the earnest
effort of one who, believes that he hat
been deprived or defrauded of any
political right or Office, but an attemp
2 TO overturn the unmlstaken will of tht
good people Of Sussex county aforesaid
as expressed at the polls Oh the Thirt
(;}d) day of November last past. agains
n gross frauds. corruption aud violence
marking dark page in the history O
our elections.
Fourth. 1t has become evident {,
every one at all familiar with tn,
political conditions in this State, within
as well as without our borders, tina
the faction or party which nominated
you, has forsakan and deserted thu
leaders and staunch men of tho Repub
lican party, and have blindly gone on
after "a political adyenturer whose eifor
and purpose is to secure for nimsel
the control of this State for purpose
of corrupt legislation and political pre-
ferment by means of open corruption
debauchery and violence when neres
sary; anu now having been defeated a
the polls by the honest, sturdy AM
patriotic citizens of the county AM
State at the last election without re
gard to past party ailliation, he nos
seeks through you and his followers t
override the will of the good people q
this county by further foul means, AM
even violence if perchance he can pre-
vail upon by yon and his followers t
commit tho same; and as citizen q
a proud commonwealth, as well as th
duly elected member of the Senate q
the General Assembly from SUISSE
county, / protest against these out
rageous methods and schemes and con
tidently appeal to an awakened publ
conscience without respect to pas
party ties, for the protection of IN
official and legal rights to seat in til
next Senate aforesaid, to which | hav
heen duly and fairy elected by tn
citizens of Sussex county aforesaid.
Fifth. | am informed and beliey
that every barrier of legislation agains
false assessments, colonization of non
resident voters, purchasing Of tax re
ceipts, fraudulent registration of voters
bribery of voters and of electio
officers, threats and intimidations
purity of elections, secrecy of th
ballot, and whatever else for homes
elections and fair count, have been dis
regarded and trampled under foot h
the worst element, in the so.Calle
Union Republican party and it come
with bad grace indeed for you to al
tempt to override the will of an out
ragged and indignant people, citizens
SUSSEX county aforesaid, very ara
number of whom were formerly you
party associates under the Eepublica
party.
Sixth. That ], the contestee. furthC
object and declare, SO far as l have an
knowledge and belief that each, a
and every the grounds stated in yor
aforesaid specifications are wholly witt
out foundation in fact, and therefor
deny the same as fully, completely, an
with the like effect as if | had herei
specifically denied each of the sal