Every evening, Wilmington daily commercial., 1921-06-23
III merrIs Taylor.
AFTER THE CIVIL WAR

THE opening of the Presidential
campaign of 1854 found Delaware
Democrats fully organized and pre-
pared to take revenge for what they
deemed a base infringement of their
rights as citizens at the special Com
Hress election Of the year before, In
| Wilmington, party headquarters were
established in tho hall of the Friend
| chip fire engine house, on Tenth street
at the upper end of -Shipley. and
meetings were held there almost
nightly, with more pretentious gath
erings held at various places out
doors. Soldiers of the Union army
were much in demand as speakers,
and several of them were heard dur
| ing the campaign. The Democratic
state Convention, held at Dover on
| Thursday, October 8. was largely at
| tended. a Rpeciai train having been
run from wilmington at the aurpris-
ingiv low fare of one dollar for the
round trip. The convention indorsed
the nomination of General George u.
Mcclellan for President and George
n. pendletun Of Ohio for vice-presi-
dent by the Cincinnati Convention.
and also accepted its platform, In
which it WAS declared that the war
Is failure Victor du pont, Ayres
stockley ana IIarbeson Hickman were
nominated fer Electors aud John A.
Nicholson Of Dover for Representative
| III Congress.
The war was stili in progress, but
with r more assuring prospect of anal
tnion victory than had beer i. svi-
lence uutil Gettysburg and Niekshurs.
the year before. had established he
intincibility Of the Union armies, ru-
der Grants leadership. War feeling.
therefore. was still rampant aud II
was employed "a far as possible
against the Democratic party. But
the Republican party. here a. else
where. was ~acked by intsrueg lis
sensiun and dissatisfaction with tse
policies uf President lIncnlr which
AZ one time threatened IS culminats
in a stern demand bY disgrurtled lean-
ers for his withdrawal as candidate
for reelection Delaware Democrats,
therefore. wnre greatly encouraged ~
their state campaign
Legislature In Session.
The Delaware Legislature met In
adjourned session. in January. and
the Union Republicans were aneered
A. this evident purpose u the neulo-
Gratis - suard a. far az they could
by state action against any undue
aEaressiye on the part n the re
puhlicans The Delaware State
journal editorially said IL could see nc
reason or business Of importance for
this session. but expected that the
Copperheads viii endaavor. to serve
the interest Of JEFF Davis and hia sat
elites" The name "copperhend' was
applied generally Go Democrats by RE
publican papers and campaign speak
ere.
United states Senator willard
Salisbury addressed the Legislature.
dealing with the presence Of Federal
troops at the polls In this State
during the special Congress elec-
ton Of November. 1sG3. and the
Journal. in reply. said the act was
justified and interfered with no citi-
zens right To vote" 1t charged the
Democratic Legislature with designing
90 ohstruct the government in carry
ing on the war. The Journal was
rabid and bitter IN its editorial tone
during those DAYS vet a decade later
its owner. Henry Eckel. became a
Democrat and in time accepted glad
Isl public office al the hands of the |
Democratic Iarty.
Congress had passed the test cath"
law. requiring an oath OF allegiance |
To the United States from all public |
officials. and James A. Bayard. then |
in the Senate from this State, took the |
oath and Immediately afterwards sent |
his resignation 10 the Legislature of /
Delaware The Legislature, upor its
reception, elected George Read Riddle
- succeed him, and adopted joint /
resolution praising him for his action.
The Union Republican State Con-
Sention renominated Nathaniel b.
smithers for Representative in Con-
gress and named Daniel Corbit,
James r. Clements and Joseph Haz-
zard for Electors. 1t cordially ap-
proved the denomination of President
Lincoln. with Andrew Johnson for
Vice president. and indorsed the ma
tional platform OF the Republican
party.
The campaign was brief. but lively
and exciting. with numerous torch
light professions and night meetings. |
Wilmington went Republican at the
city election in September, electing
Joshua Maris mayor over John Akin
by majority of 40. Democrats
triumphed at the little election in
October, and also carried the State at
the November election-Kent county
by $50 and Sussex by 220. while New
Castle county was Republican by 460
leaving net Democratic majority Of
6t3 in the State for Mcclellan. and
sos for John a. Nicholson OF Dover
for Congress. The Legislature was
Democratic. by 6 to in the Senate
and "a TO in the House.
The result in Delaware will be
gratifying to the feelings of every
true Democrat" commented the Del
aware Gazette. But il deeply regret
ted the result in the nation-the tri-
umphant reelection of President Lin
coin.
New State Issues Advanced.
The State campaign of 1866 found
the Republicans of Delaware still
holding to the name of Union RE-
publican party, and at that years
State Convention it was officially
adopted. The odium of the national
party's strong inclination TO Negro II
Suffrage was too much for them. so
they qualified the name of their party /
Democrats, however. /.
ieriSiyely called IL tha tsRfapls IRat,tt1, =