Evening journal., 1907-08-24
What | Know About
Delaware Politics and
Other Things
FIFTH ARTICLE.
By Washington Hastings

IT- WAS m
large measure thecase but altogether some Of tho
members whose views public questions coincided and
whose association was congenal remained and contin-
ueo TO assemble Of evenings and afternoons occasion
any and to discuss current events as before Others
wandered away and never returned with those that
remained there seemed me to be lacking a great
uea Of the wit and humor elasticity of the former
DAYS The men seemed to be more serious and often
mysterious In their conversation They usually con-
Versed In lower tones sometimes in whispers with
s"Nns OF the head and solemn grave counenance; as
though something the natter and there vast And
though did not fully comprehend what il was-and
40 not think they did felt that THE Club" what
remained of IT, not nearly interesting to me as
It had been IN former days
The fact the were troubled; they were fright
ened. as all serious minded men of all parties were AT
that time Presidential election Chat of 1860 was
approaching which seemed to be fraueht win nori
an election the result which might possibly endanger
me hle OF the Republic; bitter and hostile seemed
TO be the feeling between the people of the North and M
south remember that myself young as / was felt
TO pervade the whole community But these tbngs
shoulders W
about twenty. and Of course considered #
absolutely necessary that too should line upn and
take sides In the coming political campaign which pron-
ised 70 be an exceptonailv innortant and o,o,ti, I
but was somewhat like my elders; / did not know,
exactly which side of the fence 10 jump TO- NV em-
poyef ana his brother Edward, Of whom / was very
tond had cast their lot with Republicans but they
We're somewhat like the story told Of the old darkey
when speaking of his pastor; he said that he was
30 with themi they We're Republicans all right but the
republican diet OF SO. in Delaware was not a mixture
or infant food and Mrs Winslows soothing syrup which
ola line Wings had been brought up on It was strong
meat and very few stomachs could digest in large
SO l. like the others the old club q had come TO
mink that was one of them by this tme) hung back
suppose adopted the revised version Davy Crockett
any rate kept still and listened 1 did not wish 10
make any mistake in so important a matter as that of
tH d WIN "%iSn % OF the three political parties of
the DAY would affiliate, and TO which would lend the
weight OF my influence, which. presume, considered
~, eir Ng experience and association of the past
three years had completely eliminated all of my early
~ toeiapv proch'ltes OF whatever they may be called
~ 'io Gay campaign OF 1914, and certainly had
not instiled any inclination towards the Wbes ana
was eit TO choose as between the Union Party the
that the importance the question seemed 10 reouiro
was not quite In the position which jay Gould
~ sou 20 nave assumed when as witness In New
York Court he was asked what his politics were an
Swereo' When am in Democratic community am a
A',nuVre,' Wheh am Republican community /
hepubhcan and when am in the doubtful community
am dopottuli but am am Erie Railroad man an the
euhe. certainly was not the first, and quite
ready TO say that the second must have been
tho third-doubtful
The Republicans of Delaware in 1856 as the suisse
quent election developed were few but select only three
the Unions were more numerous and quite as respect
able the Democrats greatly preponderated over both
the others combined and embraced am ar noor, an 80
the Aristocracy;7 besides some other elements of the
community but they mot in il" for my support
no Ieow, ana es )ecaly no young fellow, likes be in
the minority II makes him feel lonesome and insrni6
cant So after good deal Of hesitation and no very
aeep conviction made up alleged mind and
Jumped 70 the Republicans. / was too Young bv
year to vote at the coming election. but that was a
matter of small Importance The important thing was
the Democrats AMI the Unions" or BELL -Everetts as
they were calea, did not thought represent anything
except name TO which all hands laid claim. joined
the Wide-Awakel' a Republican marching club simi-
ar to those formed in other States all over the North
coin campaign of go. The club was composed of what
its members thought the elite of the Young men
OF Wlmngtoni and need not say that fully shared
ana uniformed In white military caps and oapes simi-
ar to renans cape OF that day to-day; on which
iuSViDeu' IN uasleiul black letters, Fremont and
DAYTON Wide-Awake Republican Club Of Wilmington
Delaware 1896" and when were out on the street
w ". euus'S we were simply gorgeous And doubtless
we We're We were instructed and drilled in the mili-
10y 'aeues ol tne United States Army; the
elilol oisehisa'lohs an over the North, and have
often wondered since If this thought was an inspraton
IN somepoays mind IN anticipation of the appalling
sN"o' between the States which only four years
In the future Nobody thought SO then or pernitfod
themselves 20 believe IT, If the thought them
nut how terribly true IL turned How thank
ful we should be that future whether OF clouds or o
sunshine is hidden from our view
There two other political organizations OF the
klnd IA Wilmington In this campaign; the Democrats
and the Union Party, and we had some lively times
whenever we happened to meet ON M, s,rec,s ,S
especially when the buchanan and Breckenridge club
and the .Nido-Awakesv met Brick-bats dew, sore
kept my personal line of retreat OPEN / remember ON
occasion when things seemed to he rettns y n,tr
100 warm, took refuge through open door and up
flight of stairs / did march any more that even
ing The Campaign progressed, peacefully except for
these ebuluons Of youthful patriotism until the election
IN the fall OF the meetings campaign speeches
have said something before The election of buchanan
was hailed with delight by the Democrats; with COM
placency by the Unions; and with a sigh Of RELIEF ana
perhaps OF content and gratitude. by many Repubcans
and certainly with acquiescence by all them peope
OF all classes and of all persuasions breathed more free
a dark and threatening cloud had rolled away ana a
pisht sunshine appeared the political horizon for
time at least; and instead of the mourners going abnt
she streets as was apprehended about their
Almost as soon as the excitement election had
supsded and the fear and apprehension preceding it
had passed another dark cloud which had been gather
ms Tor some Time began overspread horizon ana
II seemed that "our did tread upon each Others
heels so fast they followed" Not political this time
but financial The business world suddenly startled
by the announcement of the failure OF the ohio Iife
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