Evening journal., 1898-01-15


ian and Jacksonian Democracy, and If |
| remember rightly our inclinations |
were rather Jacksonian. Thomas |
Davis and l.. c. Vandegrift Illuminated |
us on the tariff question. We discussed |
the amendment to our State Constitu- |
tion, increasing the legislative repre-
sentation of this country, proposed by
the Legislature Of 1888, and much TO the
surprise Of acertain class of politicians,
who would only have the amendment
proposed in order to have II defeated,
we approved the amendment. and II 1t
had been in our power would have
made it a part of our fundamental law.
We interested ourselves quite active
ly in the election of delegates to the
state convention i'm the latter part of
the Summer Of 1882. We were much
pleased at the early recognition which
wa received at the hands of the party
managers, and the first mass-meeting at
tho Opera House under the auspices OF
| the Young Mems Democratic Club was
an event i'm the history of the club.
This meeting was held on the evening
of October 26, 1882, during the Stock
| ley gubernatorial campaign. Lewis
lC. Vandegrift and myself acted as a
committee to escort the speaker OF the
evening, Hon. VIM. Pinckney White, Of
Baltimore, from the station to the Clay
ton House, and we performed our duty
with alacrity and a vivid consciousness
OF our important relation to this occa-
our important relation to this occa-
sion. Senator Bayard and James Il
Wolc0tt were the other speakers, and
the meeting was one of the most large
ly attended and successful ones of the
campaign. After the meeting many
members of the club were entertained
at a supper given to the speakers and
their friends at the rooms of the Will
mington club. Our club was incorpor-
ated February Q. 1888. 1t is entirely
fitting at this time for the Young Mems
Democratic Club to honor the memory
Of the grand old hero of New Orleans
and uncompromisingf fOeof the money
power as corrupting element in poll
tics When Andrew Jackson instructed
his minister to England to ask for
nothing but what was right and to sub
nit to nothing that was wrong, he Ouly
expressed what had been characteris-
tic of his whole public career. He de-
manded what he believed 10 be right
and he never submitted to what he be-
lieved to be wrong. His was a match
less courage and his Will power wac
simply invincible
Why not then with the whole power
an infuednce Of this club, emulate his
courage and determination in an hones'
I, and manly effort to rid this our belovet
state for once and forever OF the dis
. grace and shame OF purchasabl'
q ballot and of Legislators bought L
serve their corrupt owners instea'
l arrlt. ssIu IUr
more
This club early Identified itsel
{ with the movement for Constitu
!, tional Convention, and a new Con
. stitution. We advocated a new Con
: stitution under Democratic auspice
= when the party leaders held back an
y allowed themselves eventually to
y driven into giving what could hay
been much better gracefully conceded
a We adopted a resolution In Febrt
- ary 1888, calling attention TO the fat
!, that many deficiencies existed in IN
>. Constitution of 1881, and earnetly cal
= ing nuon our state senator's and rel
- resentatives to take the speediest col
: Etitutional action TO correct these dc
q ficiencies. This resolution was offere
by John Biggs who was then the pres
ident Of this club, and who afterward
- when he finally got our Constitution;
S Convention, most fittingly and wit
- eminent ability and satisfaction to il
u members. presided over their delibert
. tions which resulted in the New Const
n hutton which happily is our fundameI
- tai law to-day. And one OF its mot
striking features is the provision
- makes for the purity Of the ballot an
- the guarding Of our elections againl
% the corrupting influence OF money {
y. the controlling factor In politics.
~ This club in its early days, as I b
n ~ lieve 1t is now, was opposed to corrul
~ political methods, and as It may ha'
~ the opportunity / believe It will. as
IA should, see that our new Constitution
T enforced and made effective so that q
no evil or corrupt methods magnifed an
"a aggravated under Republican auspice
!. may be stamped out and notice give
=, to the world that the State of Delawa
~ is no longer a field for the exploitati,
~ of ill-gotten wealth as a means of TO
~ bing its people Of their political fre
- dom and independence