Every evening, Wilmington daily commercial., 1921-06-20
~ Norris Tay,sr.

peaceful election with ample liberty
for every loyal voter" But mn 10 other
kinds. II expressed the hope that mo
disioyat men, such AS Charley Brown.
will attempt TO vote. lie has no right
TO VOTE his treason down the throats
of loyal citizens. and we sincerely
hope no such man wiIl be permitted
To vote"
Nor did the Delaware Gazette voice
my protest In its immediate pre- cleo
ton day issue. although doubtless this
omission was ON account of lack of
time II had protested against the
delay In calling the special election.
had warmly supported .Tinder-hox" "
llrown for Congress. and had set down
his opponent. Mr.. smithers, as mere
~ n party man" ftr only reference
10 what was to come was n paragraph
of advice to Democrats to give no
heed to storiesr about soldiers, or that
"oaths would be demanded" Get
ready to vote.' II terseiy said.
Democrats Act Quickly.
But the startling news spread with
great rapidity. and Delaware DEM
ocrats. almost to a man. agreed upon
policy that Was carried out with re-
fftafkaUfe Hfi6Hffil4s vi fftofi FnUl@
mons a meeting Of Democrats was held
at New Castle. on Tuesday. at which
an address TO the Democrats of the
state was prepared, expressing aston
ishment and protest at the extreme
military intervention. We utterly
deny the existence within this State. /"
i'd this address, now or in any past
time. of associations or individuals
hostile 10 the welfare of the govern
ment of the United States and Of it's
constitution and laws. We do hereby
recommend to the Democrats OF New
Castle county, whether officers of cleo
tion or voters. to submit to their dis
franchisement and take no part in the
special election. but to- rely upon the
official oathH and conscisnceH Of the
next House of Representatives in the
Congress of the United States 10 de-
clare null and void an election so held
and conducted contrary 10 the laws Of
the State OF Delaware In that behalf.
and controlled by power unknown n
TO the Constitution and laws of our
State
This address was signed by Samuel
jefferson. William q. WhiteIey.
Thomas =. Bayard. John A. Brown,
Edward Wnrrel1. James X Booth.
Thomas NJ. OEle, William X. Lyman,
Jacob Casho. John =. Cochran. Isaac
Grubb. William Herbert. Thomas r.
Diiworth. E.Iihu jefferson. Samuel It.
Biddie. Peter y. Vandever. John Mer-
ritt. and many others.
They Refrain From Voting.
Similar meetings were held in Dover
a, ,kl Aa.e
which this address was received and
accepted. and arrangements made for
it's wide circulation. The result was
really startling, as the advice given
was accepted generally from one end
of the State TO the other.
Mr.. Smithers received 4.015 votes
in New Castle county. .s43 in Kent,
| and 2.369 in Sussex. a total of s,227.
"Tinder-box Charley Brown re-
ceived votes in New Castle county,
two in Mill Creek hundred and four
in Pencader. with one vote appearing
in the tables as "scattering"-none in
Kent and in Sussex, a total of IS.
The election was all in the hands of
the Union Republicans. Democratic
election officers rcfustAe to serve. The
Federal troops assigned TO the unsav-
ory service in Wilmington landed at
the foot Of Fourth street, on the morn
ing of election day. and were distrib-
uted among the polling places in the
city, having previously been sent
throughout the State. The day passed
of. however, without the slightest dis
order.
Naturally. Union Republicans did
not relish such victory. but the Della
ware journal put bold face on the
affair II charged that the Democrats
knew they would be beaten and took
this means of yaverting disaster" Al
SO. 1t unblushingly rejoiced. in big type.
over slight increase of the total
Union Republican vote over that of the
1852 election. The Delaware Gazette.
however, printed reports that fully ex-
planned. to its satisfaction, the en-
HANGED size of the Union Republican
vote. 1t printed the returns side by
side with those of the previous cleo
ton as AN eloquent showing !"
Whether they are correct or not" il
commented. we cannot say, as at
many polls no Democrats were present
as officers Indeed. we hear IL said that
many Illegal votes were cast. Some
votes are. said to have been cast by
boys. We have heard 1t said that one
boy was heard TO say he voted three
times and no one said anything to
him."
This act of interference by military
forces with an election in Delaware
had a deep effect upon the minds of
many voters. There was no rejoicing
by Union Republicans generally. and
many of them refused to countenance
the proceeding. A large number OF
those who had come from the old line
Whig party and had accepted with
diffidence and uncertainty the new Re
publican party, went over to the
Democratic fold. In consequence.
Delaware became a strong Democratic
state, and it was many years before
the Republican party even gained a
political foothold here.
Delaware Democrats In War Time.
The position of Delaware Demo
Gratis during the Civil War was pc
culiar and continually troublesome.
IL is true there were among them
many who sympathized with the cause
of the South, and not a few who
crossed over the lines and fought In
its armies. But the great bulk of
Delaware Democrats were loyal TO
the Constitution and government of
the United States. although they
could not sustain the acts of ag-
gression by the dominant party, some
of which. however. were consequent
upon prevailing conditions. Many OF
them fought In the Union armies. On
the other hand, many Republicans