Middletown transcript., 1898-03-12
4 TR1BUTE TO 4 FRIEND.

4 with your lat6 eSt66tHou toWuSHaus
John A. Reynolds, ESQ.,, whose death
on the 5th. inst. at the advanced age of
S4 removed from your community a
citizen widely known and universally
respected.
My acquaintance with Mr.. Rey-
nolds goes back mole than go years.
When I was student of Delaware,
then Newarkl College, in 1886, he
was engaged in farming near the viii
lage, and in company with one or two
| fellow students + often, visited bis
house, always meeting with q cordial
reception-After leaving Newark we
met occasionally and my regard for
him increased with my personal inter-
course and knowledge of his charac-
ter.
1t was in 1858 (not 1857 as given In
in your letter. that the memorable leg
islature met in Dover, of which Mr..
Reynolds and were Wing members of
the House of Representatives, this was
the last Whig triumph in Delaware, q
battle hardly won under the astute
leadership of the sagacious Clayton.
The Senate was Democratic by small
majority, but on joint ballot there was
a Wing majority of four. A United
States Senator was to be elected. and
John M. Clayton was the choice Of the
Wings, as much on account of his com :
manding talents and presence, as to
give him an opportunity of replying to
General Lewis Cass and other mem
bers of the Senate, who had criticised
and attacked his policy as Secretary of
State in President Taylor's cabinet,
and especially in regard to the liberal
international provisions of what is
knows as The Clayton-Bulwer Treaty,
negotiated in 1852.
The desire of the Wings to secure q
| joint meeting of the two houses In
order to elect Clay ton was SO strong that
they agreed to vote in the House foI
the Democratic candidates for the two
officers for State Treasurer and Auditor
of Accounts, and by this compromise
their object was accomplished and Clay.
ton was elected and entered upon his
last term.
This was a remarkable session Of the
Legislature in other respects. The
temperance question had come to the
front, and several members had beel
elected by the aid Of the temperance
vote; among others the late Hon. Eli
Salisbury, who was one of the most
active, able, and as the Wing mem
bers thought, aggressive members On
the Democ ratio side.
| The action on the many phases Of
the temperance movement, was non
partisan, and finally a bill for Loca
j Option was introduced, and withoul
much discussion, was adopted by large
ma jority.
By far the most important measure
before the Legislature, was The "Sup
plement to the Charter of the Dala.
ware Railroad Company" authorizing
it to connect with thu New Castle &
French Town Railroad and enlarging
the privileges of the Company to meet
the requirements Of its extension. This
would change the original design of the
Company, which was organized to
build a Railroad from the Steamboat
Landing seven miles east Of Dover, to
Seaford. 1t was understood that the
Philadelphia, Wilmington & Baltimor {
r. r. Co., would render valuable aid
in building the road, if satisfactory y
legislation could be obtained; those in
terested in the enterprise were there
fore anxious the Supplement should moi
be loaded with conditions, that would
warrant its rejection by the P.W. & B.
Co.. When the bill came to the House
the writer was asked to take charge
of it-this was quite early in the ses.
sion. There were perhaps few mem.
bers of the House hostile to Railroad
corporations on general principles, but
|, the opposition to the bill that soon de-
voloped was on other grounds. Sussex
county wanted the bill SO amended as
to require the Company to build road
to Lewes by way of Georgetown; the
land owners of New Castle county on
the line of survey demanded a, string
ent amendment in regard to land dam
ages; all local interests must be guard
ed, and the road heavily taxed for the
benefit Of the State.
The proceedings in the House were
Of more than usual interest, the men,
J bers evincing sincere desire to serve
their constituents faithfully; and in this
respect, no one deserves higher enco-
MUM, or more honorable mention, that
John A. Reynolds. In later years !
frequently met Mr.. Reynolds at the
meetings Of the Trustees OF Delaware
College; be had been long member of
the Board, and in this, as in every other
trust, his course and action was mark
ed by a strong sense Of the response
bility resting upon him, and a consci-
entious desire to perform will bis duty.
John A. Reynolds life was long and
useful one, though he may not have
| been in all things successful, he will
be remembered by those who knew him
as an honorable, guileless christian
gentleman.
4 Very truly yours,
NJ. HAYES.
Dover, Del. March 10th. 1898.
The need of good Spring Medicine is al
most universal and Hoods Sarsaparilla
exactly meets this need. Be sure to gel