Evening journal., 1907-09-21
What | Know About
Delaware Politics and
Other Things
THIRTEENTH ARrIcLE.
By Washington Hastings

parently Just they had before attended
their business that those who any business
attend TO did and those who not attended to the
business Of their neghbors. to- just usual
But underneath all, It quite apparent that all
thoughtful persons very i'll The fact
that there trouble ahead very serious trouble
forced itself upon Of people could
not be gainsad "whisted down the wind" Banquos
Ghost would not down. Fear and apprehension
ed to hover in the atmosphere. OF there
were giants in those days just there have always
been since Deah off Samson's locks. Intellectual
giants CD who knew everything. They could tell just
what the whole trouble was, how it about and
what the remedy just accurately and correctly
good clock tell the time of day a hungry boy
tell when It is dinner time If Jen Davis others
in the South, had done this and not done that If Gar
rison and "old Greeley" and others in the North had
done the other thing or had not done it, all would have
been well But these had done these things,
had persisted for In doing them, then the
ment must do this that and the other thing to save
the country, and do 1t right And those wise
Of that day clustered and vapored and advised,
day. and sensible men paid attention them II is
always we'll 10 remember that the Divine admonon that
supposed apply advice and kicks oil.
the like; but most OF forget remember when
it suits our purpose to do
But serious minded people, Of standing, whose
opinions had weight in the community of all shades Of
political opinion were exceedingly troubled and dis
tressod They a Confederate Government organized
at Montgomery. with Jefferson Davis chosen its Pres
dent They saw Southern states passing ordinances
Of secession organizing militia regiments all over
that portion Of the country and fortfyng the
Charleston harbor in the vicinity of Fort Moultrie and
Fort Sumter which were occupied by small detach-
ments Of the United states troops they saw the star
of the West" am unarmed vessel sent bv the rovern
ment provision the garrison Major Anderson
turned back And they thought that meant warl
And when they saw Tho venerable Colonel Rnain his
white hair flowing in the breeze pull the lanyard Of
the that fired the first shot flag they knew
that It meant warl That shot was heard around the
world" the Lexington; and the flash from
conflict Of arms that the world ever Witnessed which
ended in the little house by the roadside Appomattox
began.
,,fno thfe that
flash and heard the of that and the First
Delaware Regiment their response to the immed-
months TO suppress the Rebellion That Regiment
uniformed by the women Of this town sewing night and
day In the Sunday school and church parlors of
all of the churches Of the city And almost
they began TO work those garments the New York
Tribune began its memorable slogan in large, black
headlines on It's front page. Forward TO Richmond
Everybody thought that the three months men would
certainly settle the whole business Mr. Seward
the Secretary of state reported have said that
three months was entirely too long time 10 enlist men
for, that sixty days would be ample finish II all up
| What startling and sad disappointment we all had
Mr Seward ncudod-in the result Of the first Bull Run
nghtl
The whole North responded to the Presidents call,
and did II magnhcenty; and demonstrated to the world
that the Union dissolved just yeti Troops
began pour southwark protect defend
National Capital I saw one Sunday morning osher-
mans Battery'-not Tecumseh--on a train Of fiat cars
standing at Fourth street; four
splendid brass guns with the artillery men IN brilliant
uniform, with flashing sides splen-
did horses. etc, a all the panopy OF and remember
saying to myself "Wel when old Boauregard those
fellows, he viii tell his that it time quit and
go home" Evidently, events proved, / had a very
Inadequate concenon of Bealrepard and his men few,
days later remember seeing Colonel Smars regiment
of Philadelphia Volunteers way to Washington
must confess that was not SO favoraby impressed with
their appearance They did look il there
much fight in them; and they Justified this i opin
on' when after Bull Run" thev camo running bacl,
through Wilmington their way Philadelphia. Long
after the people used say that they
believed smalrs men were running vet II Is very easy
TO TO be funny about now but
was anything but joke then many who old
enough TO remember can bear witness.
Soon
the sixth Massachusetts Regiment passed through WI
mington on its way to Washington and was met by
mob Of infuriated men in Baltimore, and bloody
fight in the streets was driven back and by deour
finally reached the capital by of Annapolis.
Later the railroad bridges the Gunpowder
rivers were burned by armed men under the command
Trimbe--ater a Confederate general-a for
president Of the Philadelphia Wilmington and Bat-
more Railroad Company All the people here intense
N excited aarmed they thought that surely war was
at doors This city virtually under martial
law; and a provost guard quartered in a building
next to the City Hail.
The condition cannot be truthully described
ly Reign Of Terror" but certainly prevailed
TO very great extent in the public mind 1t can be
ruthfuy said looking back this distance of time
that with very few and unimporant exceptions,
people of this community thoroughly loyal TO tho
Government and TO the Union Men differed political
opinion they always have differed and hope always
Will Some Thought that inevitable; that Il had
TO that it be fought out and the
veXed question settled forever Others believe
was unnecessary and ought have averted; and
that by the exercise Of good judgment and enlightened
staesmanshp, it would have been averted These
ferences of opinion, honestly entertained the main
as now think. in the terrible excitement OF time
engendered bitter political and personal animosites
which resulted, in some instances personal conflict
and encounter the streets and in public places be-
tween individuals And many things by those
IN authority-men suddenly elevated the exigences
OF the time 10 places which they unfit n-which
viewed In the calm and clear light Of history. do
think ought ever TO have been done. and would never
have been done under quiet and undisturbed cir
cumstances Superserviceabe and jealous petty
officials dressed in little brief authority arrested and
marched down the streets prisoners on their way to
iort Delaware worthy and honest only offence
was some casual remark regarded by said oncial as
"dsoyal" heard from behind open doors or over
back fences and rctaied the neighborhood bv
! gossping women and over patriotic" men These
thngs-and they occurred than once-were wrong;
and served no good purpose that distressing
period They only added the OF families in
every way worthy and respectable and frequently only
| neighborhoOd ouarrels ~