Middletown transcript., 1898-02-26
DELAwAREAN IN NEW YORK.

Delm0nlc0'S-ln Cnat clty, on THURSDAY
evening, February 17th., presided over
by William II. Stayton, Esq, was per.
haps the most successful The Society
hrs thus far given. Every county and
almost every hundred of the state was
represented, and all seemed delighted
with the reunion. Governor Tunnel
lent special interest to the occasion.
His delightful manners and pleasant
speech charmed all who met him, aud
no DelaW arean present failed to be pre-
sented to him on that occasion. After
coffee had been served the Society wa s
invited to drink the health of the gov
ernor, which they did with right good
cheer. He responded in a pleasant
strain, thanking the Delawareans of
New York for the opportunity of meet
them on such an auspicious occasion.
Judge Edward G. Bradford respond
I'd to the toast of "The State of Della
ware" in a pleasant and humorous.
manner. He extoled the early colon
| lists of New Castle, Kent and Sussex
for their magnanimity in not crushing
the mal-contdhts of Pennsylvania when
that colony seeded from the three lover
counties. He drew a comparison be-
tween the early settlers of Delaware
and those who had built up the great.
ness of Holland. "What made Hol-
land great2", he asked, and answered.
sit was her dikes, and the swelling
tides of the great ocean that made Hol-
land great" Delaware" he said
"was composed of three counties al
low water, and the parts of three
counties at high water. 1t was nec-
essary for the colonist to protect his
home and his fireside against the swell
ing Of the waters of the Delaware Bay
as much as against the hostilities OF
the savage, aud it was this constant
threatening by swelling tides that fixed
that character for determination to cor
quer or die which prevades the head,
of the sons of Delaware. Holland was one
county at low tide, and no county
high tide. 1t was the mounds, dikes
and bitches that made life possible ii
Holland; it was the menace to the Hol-
landers from the ocean that made thai
country great"
He closed his address by paying .
glowing tribute to the character OF
Delaware's representatives in the Unit
ed States Senate, TO the character OF
her soldiers on the field, her sailors OIL
the sea, and pointed with pride to whal
Delaware had accomplished in secur-
ing the independence of the colonies
and moulding public thought il
that trend which made the federal con-
stitution possibility. II take pride,"
he said, ''in the thought that Delaware |
being 50 little she has been enabled tt
accomplish so much.n When Judge |
Bradford took his seat he was greeted |
with round Of earnest applause, ano
John Biggs, Esq, was introduced d
respond to the toast 1.-The Now Con-
stitution OF Delaware"
Mr.. Biggs expressed his pleasure al
being offered an opportunity to presenI
to the DeIawareans residing in New
York the history Of the formation OF
the new constitution. He spoke of the |
eminent conservatism of the people OF
Delaware, and cited as evidence OF
that conseratism that since the forma-
tion of the Federal constitution until
this day they ahd only served under four
constitution, ,namely-that of 1776, 1892,
1882 and thepresent one'of 1897. He spoke |
of the constitution of 1882, and said that
whether Clayton did or did not lock
that constitution in a safe and throw
he key away, the constitution was lock
ed and the key was not easily found He
did not attempt to justify the methods
of its organization, save that it was the
possible adjustment that could be made,
He spoke of the earnest bipartisan
methods by which The new constitr tion
was built up. He spoke most eloquent
ly Of that particular feature of the new
constitution which in his judgment
would guarantee the purity of the bal
lot. His intitration as to the peculiar
feature of the constitution providing
for the trial Of those who sought illeg
ally to use the ballot, however, aston
ished many who have been trained to
look upon the jury box as the safeguard
of freedom. Mr., Biggs' speech was
heartily commended by the diners.
Mr.. Metford H. Cahoon was then in
troduced to respond to the toast "Cae-
sar Rodney" 1t would be futile to at
tempt any report Of the speech of Mr.
Cahoon. 1t was thoughtful, coherent.
and p rfect presentation of the ideal
patriot. Mr.. Cahoon's eloquence charm
ed every listener. His Grafton was
poem ,andit is doubtful if the history of
tbe labors of tina. great colonial patriot,
Rodney, has ever been presented in a
more charming and impressive man
ner.
The toast, "Greater New York"
was responded to by Mr.. Chas. E.
Hughes of New York.
Mr.. Smithers, of the Philadelphia
Society, "The Sons Of Delawarep was
then introduced, and in his usual -in-
imitable way entertained the diners for
ten or fifteen minutes with reminiscent
ces of the wilderness known as s'Phila-
delphia."
Mr.. Wilson Lee Cannon, formerly of
Dover, and now practicing lawyer of
New York was then introduced, and
responded to the toast, John NJ. Clay
ton." Mr.. Cahoon in his Grafton of
"Rodney" had placed him as undoubt-
edly at The head of the column of
patriots and statesmen produced by
Delaware. Mr.. Cannon disputed this,
claiming that Clayton should occupy
that place of honor. He rapidly drew
history of Clayton's political work,
presenting with much force his claim
70 (lloukOp1o 0rpatnoca nuntinU from |