Evening journal., 1907-09-14
What | Know About
Delaware Politics and
Other Things
ELEvENTH ARTlcLE.
By Washington Hastings


Presidential election in the fan; who
bilious to be sent delegates the State con-
Venuon with eye the possible chance being Of
'he chosen few 10 be selected delegates to
the National Convention were quite able up and
take notice" Their friends began to Solicit them to
become candidates for those places Of honor as usual
Our state has always the reputation OF being very
proiihc In the production that variety Of statesmen
and 1t was by no means behind this occasion. And
so the managers in the Republican ranks (and am
not supposed TO know anything about any others) had
their hands full In determining just who the many
available aspirans would be the to properly
represent the comparatively party this important
epoch In its newly nedged history, very amusing
to youngster TO listen 70 the suggestions,
doubts and fears. after name was "favorably
mentioned only to be in unfavoraby by
some gentleman who quite favorable John Smith
was "a good man. but wasn't he "a little hot
headed, and quick the trigger" and liable TO burt
out something that had better be kept ~? Peter
a pretty good fellow whom everybody liked" but
was he quite Sound the goose?' and
forth, until finally slate up that satisfied
everybody except few reconciablos that nothing
could satisfy, and they, the said marplots usually
smashed the slate before the day selecting
gates around This disaster was almost sure to
happen II the slae-makers were select and
too few in number It a foolish habit that some
fellows INDUCED in frequently in those days. and they
may again in the future, perhaps. However, the dele
gates to both the State and National conventions were
We're and II is not important; suffice IL say that they
performed their duties faithfully and satisfactorily to
their constituents and those to the National
We're doubtless the FIRST among nrst support
the successful candidate and the convention
as delegates TO National conventions always are-they
make 1t point never to set left If they help it,
The nominating conventions Of the parties over and
the candidates OF each Breckenridge and Lane
Democratic Douglass and Johnson. "squatter Sover
eighty Democratic, Bell and Everett Union. and
coin and Hamlm Republican the memorable campaign
of 1860 opened in in Delaware elsewhere There
M meeuhss ana music ana marching clubs and torch
hghts ana eoquence and oratory to the hearts
and more than conented some people who liked sleep
nights our old time pafaders of So the Breckenridge
and Lane the Bell and Everett clubs, the Wide
Awakes" all revived and reorganzed; the number of
tne latter being greatly augmented by the accession to
their ranks of fellows youthful join former
marching and mirth Light hearted youth, that will
never see trouble ui II gets nit marched and
and hurrahed and yelled themselves hoarse for their
party and their candidates and thoroughly enjoyed it all
ers sober and xiousook times which did
pond with the joyous hlariy OF the young them
Ihey looked sometimes as though in their hearts they
"ol paekwardeast Geo on prospects drear
And forward, tho l Gamma guess fear"
The 9th of November 1860 came along on time. as
usual the election was held and Lincoln and Hamln
were elected This is all that said here in re-
sard 10 the election; as old, and middle persons
lc enIrSy ianilar with the detail and if the young
are not the opportunities information about IL have
long ago been provided by abler hands. same
su heeo NOT recount the reports and rumors of the
threatened assassination of the elect which
thoroughly alarmed the country regardless partv
eher Is II necessary 10 dohnore than refer I'm passing
TO the journey of Mr. Lincoln his home i'm Spring-
hed TO washington and the remarkable (and udcrous
lhe stuauon had not been so alarming) switch back"
rom Philadelphia TO Harrisburg thence back again to
fhlaaepha and from there to Washington. an in the
ibht ue 10 aNolu the alleged danger of assassination
How imminent that danger was, think posi-
lively known.
The matter impressed the people profoundly at
the time and the whole history familiar 10 us
an comes back like the picture of hideous nightmare
ue in9usuIauoh ceremonies of Mr. Lincoln took place
peacefully and regularly thoy always done before
my under circumstances Of gloom, and moral atmos
pe o oppression such as had never been witnessed
a similar occasion i'm the past Mr. Lncolns inaugural
address whilst 1t was firm in the expression of the
20 preserve the Union at all hazards and
under all circumstances, kindly IN tone and con-
eatory m sentiment TO degree that thought by
. 20 pe excessive ana uncalled for But the South,
or az any rate the leading statesmen and politicians Of
ne @ south aid not want cancellations what they wanted
".suulloh OF the Union! and most OF those had
been planning and working for for years. and the /
prominent men OF tho South who were opposed dis
OF the whole. Of that class While the peonle Of tho
North with the exception Of the Abouoniss and
IDENTIFY believing that the evil day would never come
Ialy Norlnern merchants and traders meanwhile unal-
""s "pposeu 10 slavery OF course wero quite willing
TO profit by the institution i'm the handling the pro-
W ~, VI amor COTTON ana tobacco etc, and selling
'e Sou1nerh planter the clothing for his slaves back
ana the pots and to cook his hog ana hominy i'm
used 70 say OF this class of men that they sold their prn
cples with their goods and they shared with certain
class of Northern statesmen, the epithet OF dough
.."eeS' e. NorueIh men win southern principles'-
LOT what there In it, The Southern people saw all
l0, Just as everybody uld and resented
might have been some excuse from their point of view
for calling their Northern brethren mud ss" greasy
mechanics, and small hsed farmers" who do their own
drudgery which complimentary epithets were in turn
hoty resented by the North. and famed the flame of
mutual dislike which was ultimately break out into
bitter and relentless war
The South also resented the hostile legislation by the
North n regard 70 slavery They claimed that the Com
sttuton recognized the institution guaranteed 10
them the right TO own slaveswhloh then existed the
constitution undoubtedly did they believed that thew
We're gradually but certainly being deprived their rights
IN "a 'ns fesnect and IN many others and their leading
ana controlling spirits had determined dissolve the
Union as early IN our history the Modification" davs
OF John c. Calhoun And they would have done IL M bat
ume' out for the patriotism and frmness of Andrew
S"etsoh-hinseit southern manly the secession of
South Carolina They had gotten tired Of the brs,,ass
ana W'shea 10 dissolve the partnership. set up for
themselves; and, after this election they considered
that the time had That the clock had srncl th
hour And they proceeded about the work a hand