Evening journal., 1907-09-07
What | Know About
Delaware Politics and
Other Things
NINTH ARTICLE.
By Washington Hastings


refer it information in respect Of data Of
that kind or. indeed Of any other kind Anyone who
living when they write-I do not expect 10 be-will
be surprised if historians refer to it at al
So, win ask my reader TO back with to the
late hftes again. where will resume the narrative with
as much accuracy my memory win anord striving
the while not to remember anything which never oc-
CURED, and, in regard the things that did occuror
tina: think didto tell the and nothing but the
truths" but not the whole TRUTH" tell
ing too mnutely an that know about the doings in
Delaware politics in the past thirty forty years
might possibly tell myself
As have said in previous chapter after the election
Of MT Buchanan political affairs and discussion quieed
down considerably; and generally, gave their time
and attention TO their own usual But a few
and comparatively very few restless spirits kept it up
Some thought that the had passed and that the
trouble an and nothing but clear skies and
bright sunshine remained for the wish
was. perhaps. father thought Others doubted;
and in this number of old club were en-
braced; and they continued meet and discuss and
"agate' AZ they were all Republicans but one and he
was BELL Everett" they agreed in opinion fairly
we'll They were unanimously Of the opinion that Mr.
Buchanan's administration weak" Extremely
weak!" "Puclanimously weak" "Confoundedy weaki"
and. sometimes perhaps they expressed their opinion
Of its weakness in language which would not look pretty
in print And in this they reflected the judgment. 1
think Of majority Of people country both
North and South They also OF the opinion. almost
unanimously that "Jim Bayard'-this was the respect
ful and anectionate in which they alluded to the
elder Mr. Bayard-would "sell the ever the
question: of secession became an issue in
Delaware The animosity to James A. Bayard arose
largely think from the fact that they regarded him
the only peer John NJ clayton then IN public life
IN Delaware In this estimate of him l. naturally con-
CURED then as did IN everything that they thought
inclined TO concur i'm IL now some Of Them even
ventured the opinion that Bayard the ADLER of
the two but this was by means popular with the
iority and was hoty disputed II was forbidden rut
Of n had hotf QpaI-
some secluded spot and enjoy his morse aone for he
brought Il into that company his repast would he poiled
very quickly. Such men they at hearts
case whilst they behed greater than"-John NJ Clayton
remember on on occasion at the time Mr. Ravar6s AZ
legged auctoneerng scheme of secession ord
nance being introduced in the legislature man said
"and old clayton would be right in n win him tnt
that man got home alive that night il was problema-
eal for while Such talk was unnteresng to say the
old Scotch-lrishman, the late James Riddle said of
'up he'll busnessl"
These only typical Of other alleged mall
contents IN this community at that tme-men who,
was said were never happy unless they right mis-
apt TO forget that u takes turn the mach
nery-that Of the world well Of everything else.
ana these used also to meet In stores and offices after
business hoursthere being wel-apponted and hand
somely equipped social clubs then have to-day
Ior sooa intercourse and political discussion These
assemblys Of both Republican Democratic per-
suasion and the conversation discussion OF public
auans and public men were very similar, take it, to
that which Il had been my privilege and pleasure to
/ led rolfiv
fumey hea blra Nlub which met al his livery stable
Office at Sixth and Orange From their own nd-
vdua points of view settled question OF whether
e 7outn Wouiu secede IN case OF Republican success
In the approaching Presidential election and what the
North would do Il the South did secede and what
ules couiu ne' consutuuonay Cor course) adopted to
prevent dissolution OF the in the event of the
south seeding, whether the North would fight pre-
serve 'he Union hobody doubted but that the South
would If IL II South seeded or say
TO the 'erring sisters depart in peace;"-or words 10
,a' erect as that particular phrase had not been
invented by Mr. Greeley An of these important oues-
tons and a multtud of others were doubtless dis
eusseu ana naly and permanently settled and disposed
OF forever by each Of these coteres statesmen
or by each individual member thereof accordance with
nus 5uusment and opinion And they an had opinion
ready for instant all the time
They also spent a good deal OF time and energy in
picking winners almost every of them having
favorite candidate And as the time for holdne ne
several National Conventions approached they were kent
! pretty busy Among the Republicans it was seward
though some dia not quite relish his repressahle con-
hct' business-Chase, Ben Wade, .CrIttenden-he had
oeeh Neerins around towards Republicansm for some
! ume-Wlliam M Evarts, Giddings Edward Bates
Edward Evere-who had at last struggled into light
atter strenuous effort-Henry Winter Davis Greeley
the famous political firm of Seward Weed and Greeley
had not then been dissolved though shortly after
wards by Greeleys stnging editorial in the Tribune
and lots Of others one perlerred Gerritt smith
and he came near being turned of club another
who merely whispered William Lloyd Garrison was igno-
! mniously expelled instantly And SO it went; every-
body had his man and he would be elected if he
got the nomination Abraham Lincoln was favora bl,-
mentioned pretty stin boned old fellow who
nau put up good fight against Douglas Illinois
but was considered hardly Of Presidential timber
!
What may have to about the Democratic caucuses
! and concaves. must be largely guess-worS as was
n-graa at them and could not have gotten
! in II had wished
l presume however. that they considered James A.
bayard and II they didn't they made mistake for he
was as good material in point of brains any they had
IN stock anywhere and "Jefr' Davis and roombs and
horauo seymour and Breckenridge, and Douglas and
perhaps Ben Butler because he was one them ito
the Queens taste" at that time doubtless many
othefs OF the able men in the Democratic party not
peheVe they considered James Buchanan very seriously
Ior even me Democrats had become pretty sick him
they may have mentioned Roger A. Pryor and II they
o and could have succeeded in getting convention
10 nominate him. their selection would been amply
INDICATED by his admirable career the bench New
ana so time passed, and people logged along as usual
ana talked over, and fixed things. the time the
nominating conventions for the selection candidates
ior President and Vice President IN the momenous cam
paisn OF 1860, approached. my first vote
Tor President and