Evening journal., 1907-08-17
What | Know About
Delaware Politics and
Other Things
rHlRn ARrlcLE.
By Washington Hastings

not an office seeker and an ardent admirer almost
worshpper, Of John NJ Clayton almost all the
Wings in Delaware that time. "The King do
wrong" This sentiment. in regard TO Mr. clayton,
to my imm auro mind the prevailing one If not the con-
trolling gentlemen who used 20 meet
In the store almost nightly to discuss politics. know
that listening TO them nightly had to stay and lock
when they home) / boy, to
tertain thoroughly that opinion of Mr.. Clayton They
would have been notable body anywhere; and
they of the that Wilmington afforded at that
period John Wales, dean premier to speak; over
seventy, tall erect as flagstaff bright-eye and OF
ruddy healthy countenance and cheerful disposition
considerable Of one He never wore an ovorcoat summer
winter Theodore IT, Crawford lawyer by profession,
large porty and distinguished oong he read law with
clayton and so was accorded high seat Leonard %.
Wales brilliant and rising young lawyer late Judge of
the United States District Court in which Office he died
few years since amented by all Thomas NJ Rodney,
agreeable genial old gentleman, somewhat in
demeanor and dogmatic in speech he had been Consul
TO Maanzas and his grand uncle was a signer of the
Declaration-that enough. George +. Fisher and
The Mechanics BANK Edward III McC,loes and George
b. McClees, and lumber merchants, Daniel
editor occasionally Edward G. Bradford a prominent
lawyer william X McC'ees and Others whose names 1
for Cavtonl For President2 Yes for anythngl There
nothing too good for Caytonl
Discuss politics2 Why they discussed them north,
south cast and vest up and down lengthwise and in
cross-sectonsl The Missouri compromise Wimot pro-
viso, Dred Scott csion the Nebraska bill, bleeding
everything pertaining TO politics from the signing of the
which he told Of dream a man had in which he said he
thought he having interview with John Newton
Harker, editor Of the Delaware Gazette in hell
And thov dd NOT con0ne Themselves strictly 10 meas
ures; they discussed well, and sometimes they
discussed them without the dis especially if they hap
nened o he Democrats or anti cla,on men which was
just bad in their opinion Greeley, Seward Thurlow
Weed Silas Wright. JEFF Davis, Henry Clay Webster,
calhoun Brecxenrdge John j. Crtenden stephen A.
Douglas. Abraham Lincoln John Bell James A. Bayard
they him emphaticaly-and sometimes Thomas
~ bt NOT nncb as he was voung then and not dstin
gushed, became later; all the public OF the
day these gentlemen discussed at times but they dis
cussed clayton all the time
kgOf al he
bookkeeping during the years that employed
politics also. education profitable
in after life perhaps the former but have managed
to get good deal Of entertainment out of it at one
time and another, nevertheless.
During those years OF my apprenticeship the McCees
store 1858 1860 spent much of my leisure
time of evenings in--yhat shall saw? cannot call il
the company the association these gentemen-sup-
pose say general utility boy for some-
times sent out for cigars hat II Is not surprising ac-
qured a strong and liking for politics. remem-
Der that sit high stool at the des@. back in
the corner reading shakespeare (as 1 sometimes es-
sayed then though but little Of
O asleep, taey thought but listening aentvey to
ever, word that was being said and often aughedno
out oudat the jokes they cracked and tales they
told about themselves and their friends political and
other and about their opponents particularly 1 will
say here that do not remember to have heard
word uttered by any of those men which boy should not
hear; except perhaps occasionally when the theme was
exciting and the discussion and argument ran high the
somewhat hrid rhev we're little cotere Of gentemen;
men; whose of life habit of thought
always consistent herewithat least that the impress
sion made upon the mind of the Young bow as remen-
bered by the old man have spoken OF them the
"coerie" but think will call them "rhe Club"
have often in later years been reminded of them when
reading OF DR. Johnson's iustrous body OF known
by that name which discuss politics and letters,
and a few other things i'm the little tavern off Fleet
street. London, in Eighteenth Century; where the
huge putting sputering, old Autocrat drank his tea by
the gallon and lectured and bued his friends to his
hearts content--f anything in this world could
content satisfy that ancient grumber. What dif
ferent man he from our delightful old Autocrat
nI Val A m
least Boswell thought and the world since has seemed
TO think but could never see it, But dgress.
In addition my with "The Club" my place
in the store Afforded other means Of gaining useful in
formation of a political character. We took" the Penn
syvania Enquirer" large blanket" sheet of the old
style; straight "NVhig" and sound ON protection"
forernner of the present philadelphia Inquirer edited
by Jesper Harding The New York Tribune" "whg and
protection" backbone solid for everything
else then considered good by everybody those
who thought otherwise, edited by Horace Greeley, but
need not state that for The Tribune Greeley and
Greeley THE Tribune then, and afterwards
until he died in 1872 "rhe National mtollgencer' the
Congressional Record of that day. into which il
afterwards merged edited by Gales big
the editorial fraternity then; and also an occa
copy miles Register edited by Hezekal Miles,
Dad Niles he called when he taught school in
Wilmington, the standard chronicle Of the political dongs
Of that time; "The North American and United States
Gazette" OF Philadelphia, another large blanket sheet,
ultra "whig," edited by Morton McMchael These to-
gether with local newspapers the Delaware
Republican" edited by Evans Vernon and later by
George w. Vernon; "The Delaware Gazette edited by
Haror Johnson and later by Caleb p Johnson "The
Delaware Journal" edited by Porter and Nar. and
afterwards by Henry Eckel; "The Blue Hens Chicken"
edited by Jeandeu and Vincent. and afterwards by
Francis Vincent and other publications, OF them
weekly semi-weekly and all less weakly"
which cannot recall certainly afforded fairly good
political primary education for any ambitious youth
who thought that sometime would be President of the
United smtes-and most OF them did think so guess
I recall at this period of my life-along about the
winter 1S55-6-tha had the privilege and
portuny TO attend series OF yceum lectures given in
Wilmington, and 10 hear such eminent speakers Wen
dell Phillips. Park Goodwin. Nathaniel p. Willis Lucy
stone. the John McCntock and George r. Crooks;
later during the Fremont campaign of 1856 and the
campaign 1860, and. afterwards after the war had
begun hear Horace Greeley, George William Curtis,
(the handsomest saw Henry Ward Beecher,
Dckenson Charles Sumner, Henry Winter Davis,
Frederick Douglass, and other notable men-no other
this time, believe, public speakers