Evening journal., 1900-06-30
BROKEN PLEDGES AND cONsPIRAcY

BROKEN PLEDGES AND CONSPIRACY
In the acts Of political rascality per-
formed, or attempted to be performed,
by the Addicksites. there is well-de-
fined sequence at all times inimical to
the interests of the Republican party
In 1897 a city election was held in
Wilmington. It resulted in Republican
victory
In the Fall Of 1898 a general election
was held in which Republicans, Demo-
Gratis and Addicksites participated.
The Addieksites had given their pledge
to both the Republican party and the
people that United States senator
would be elected and that, while their
preference was Addicks. If they found
they could not elect him they would
agree to vote for some man upon whom
both Republicans and Addicksites could
unite. When the Legislature convened
in January, 1899, they violated that
pledge and persisted in voting for Adj
dicks to the exclusion of everyone else.
although the Republicans nominated
and voted for fifteen men for that inn
portant office. Three members who
posed as anti-Addicks men and par
ticipated in the Republican conferences.
but who were Addlcks men at heart
from start to finish. broke away from
the Republican column and went over
to Addicks at time agreed upon and
when It was believed that others would
follow their example. The scheme fail
ed to work, for the hollowness OF the
Republican pretensions OF Senator
Blakeley and Representatives Frizzell
and Ewing had become manifest to the
Republican members. and for some
time prior to their break-away they
had been on their guard against them.
Day after day the Republicans stood
firm in their opposition to Addlcks, and
day after day Addicksites plotted and
planned to obtain enough votes to elect
their leader. They made overtures to
both Republicans and Democrats in the
vain hope OF accomplishing their pur-
pose
Meanwhile a commission appointed
by the Legislature two years previously
to draft new charter for the city OF
Wilmington, had completed its work
and sent its report and the draft OF q
bill to Dover. This bill was introduced
read first and second time and referred
TO committee.
Towards the end of the session tn,
Addicksites. rendered desperate by tbs
determined opposition of the Republi
cans, made threats that if they did no
consent to the election of Addicks the.
would combine with the Democrats an,
pass a charter bill which would legis
late out of Office all Republican office
holders in the city Of Wilmington. Thi
threat went unheeded. The last weel
Of the session the Addicksites did ente
into a conspiracy with the worst ele
ment Of the Wilmington Democracy {
set at defiance the expressed will @
the people Of this city, expressed at tn
polls in June. 1897 A substitute 70
the Rossell charter bill was drawn, an
deal was made between the Addick.
ties and the Democrats for its passag
1t ousted from Office all Republican
and divided the offices between the AZ
dicksites and the Democrats. Form,
Mayor stansbury ]. Wiley is authorii
for the statement that he was to hay
had charge Of the police force of II
city. Colonel ID. p Barnard was al
other Addicksite who was expected
profit BY the conspiracy. On the NOR
ing of the last day OF the session war
ing was served on the Republics
members that if they did not fall in
line for Addicks the bill would
passed.
But the conspirators went into t
deal on the assumption that there "
no honesty left on the Democratic 81
of the Legislature. and that the Den
cratic governor would give such b
his approval. But there were seve
Democrats who refused to be made p
ties to this Addicks deal and it
through. the voting for United Sta
senator consuming all the time up
the hour for final adjournment
But the Addicksites we're not sal
fed. The revenge they had failed
obtain by this deal with Democr
they obtained in another manner. In
city election which followed the
journment of the Legislature they {
Tied out their part of the compact "
the Democrats by putting q third tic