The sun., 1900-11-27
Iesday, November 27, 1890,
T1REsoME EuLOGY.

N to endure during the long political (
yht that has just ended in Il complete |
Xctory for their party, has been the i
, senseless and presumptuous laudation of
a few dead men who having gained dis
tinction in its politics, serve the State {
as its saints and heroes.
IL is a common fault which belittles
the present i'll favor of the past, that dis
paragrs the living in favor of the dead:
That is what has been done in this
State. 1t has got so common-a matter
of cuurea-for every babbler and scrib-
bier about public matters to ring in the
names of Clayton, Bayard and Sauls-
bury, and assume that they reached
level in all comnendable qualities of
citizenship and State-craft, to which no
A.living Delaware Republican aspircs much
PISS attans We want to say right here
lat we regard this as political rot.
easured by the standards Of today, |
bth as to their personal characters and |
4 public achievements, these heroes are
found to be very ordinary grade Of the
genus homo. In saying this We have
! no disposition 10 bclittle any one either
living or dead. We are ready to honor
whatever is honorable and to reverence
whatever is venerable. But when men
who are known TO have been very human
in their makeup and practice during life
are eXtollcd to the skies, and men who
are very much better in many respects
than are these dead heroes are maligned
and injured for no apparent reason ex-
cept it be the defense of the regulations
of the dead and the qualification of poll
tical dislikes and revenges, it is time to
call attention TO the truth even about
the dead.
1t is therefore with desire to be just
to all concerned that we presume to call
attention to the personal characteristics,
their virtues as well as their faults, Of
this trio of Delaware Statesmenu. For
obvious reasons we cannot, at least do
not care to enter into details as 10 the
personal habits Of these gentlemen. We
can afford to suggest that those who
knew them recall what they were, and
those who do not so know them, ask
those who do. If that is done we have
no fear that our judgment-that these
heroes We're very ordinary grade OF
men after all-will he impcachcd
We have been fortunate cnough--if that
is good fortunc-to live contemporary
Bwiih all of these Statesmen and oul
opinion is formed in part from observa
ton, and it is because of this we ap
peal to the memories of others who
know from observation, whether thai
Judgment is true or false. As to JohI
III. Clayton, he was not a part of thi
political era. He died before the crisi
that was impending during his caree
came. What he did for Delaware, tina
entitled him to yeneraton as hero an
saint we have never been able to dis
cover. His influence upon State polite
was (has been) decidedly bad He wa
the reputed author of the Old Stat
Constitution against which the Reput
licans of this State fought for fort
years. 1t was he who fixed the appoi
tionment of representation in the Stat
Assembly equally between the COUNTIES
and did it purposely to curb the CROWN
power of this county by reason of il
increasing population. When he had a.
complshed that, he proceeded TO so t
up the provision OF the constitute
relative to amending it, as to make
change in the organic law difficult, Il
most to the degree Of positive prcvel
tion. When the provisions Of that co
stitution are remembered, and the II.
made Of il by the Democrats TO di
franchise thousands Of Republicans, m
10 make a political situation in viii,
, their defeat was almost impossible, it
difficult TO see what great things .Iol
NJ. Clayton did for Delaware. In Il
domain of national politics. Claytoi
fame has rested upon his silcccsSf
negotiation of the Clayton-Bulw
treaty. Whatever may have been t
popular opinion Of this treaty when
was made, we think it is now dccideC
adverse The effort now seems to
to get il out Of the way. as an obstrl
ton to public interests rather than n
fense of them.
James A. Rayard We prcsumr he
the Bayard intended to he named
this list Of heroeswas doubtless
2 = man. 1t is true. however, that
cal career ended disaStrously
r"putation. Like Clayton, he was
\ did school and lived in an era
- /'lisciplne as TO ethics. Ms compa1
h the demands of the present 4
as fvnl .. ..is cup .;.lG l...Gs.