Every evening, Wilmington daily commercial., 1921-06-16
POLITICAL DELAWARE IN
THE NINETEENTH CENTURY
The Very Interesting Campaigns Of 1854, 1856 and
Party and How ii i Pat the Rhie Party S Oat Of
Business, Also Hou it Defeated Delowore Democrats
in 1854, But Was Overwhelmed Two Years Later.
By nerris Taylor.

practical printer M we'll ma good
Newspaper nnn, and an editorial writ
or OF strong preJudicer and vitrioiic
expression. lie continued the owner
chip and management OF tho journal
for the ensuing twenty years. when
the paper was merged Into Every
Evening. The Delaware Journal had
good words for Fremont. but II re-
garded F'iilmore's prospect as fully
equal TO those of buchanan, especial.
~ in the South" Also, II argued TINT
the election OF Fillmore would be
effective against the spread OF slavery
The American party candidates for
Electors were John whitby. Jarnes =.
wiids and Manaan Gum. Represents
tive In Congress. Elisha d. Cullen. on
the county ticket we're these narnes:
State genator--ssainuei McCuuiiey
senfnfives--Robert e. T'raini.
Alexander II. ADAMS. Abraham Can
non. George e, Tybout, Thomas w.
Beivilie. Thomas Murphy, II. A. Coch-
ran. Thomas Scott was the nominee
for sheriff and Lindsey Pierce for
coroner.
-sam- Tsrnsend Rebuked.
The Democratic State Convention.
at Dover on Thursday. August 81,
nominated George Gordon, Dr. Henry
Ridgoly and Charles Wright for
Electors. and william q. Whitsiey
for Congress. The chairman Of the
c5nvention was William Cannon OF
BridgesiIle, who only six years Inter
became the candidate OF the Repub-
iican party for governor, and was
elected The lrrepressible Sam
Townsend figured prominently In the
convention proceedings ms con
testHnt for seat. and a COMMITTEES
headed by Dr. Allen v. Leslie of New
Castle. after considering the contest
reported having given him a fair
hearing" and also presented a re-o-
luton permitting him. "out Of respect
TO his constituents. 70 take part in
the proceedings Of the convention,
hoping at the same time that his be-
havior I'm the future will be more in
conformity with the conduct of a
Democrat" This resolution was
adopted. and the action evidently had
a SOLDERING effect upon Townsend. ss
IL does not appear that he made him
/
the convention was in session there
after.
National Issues Rampant.
National issues were rampant in
the campaign Of 1856, with the pro-
posed repeal of the Missouri Com
promise as the storm center, and the
great struggle for free institutions
/ atfs1f all
States Of Kansas and Nebraska ever
in sight Many Democrat. refused to
adhere to the extreme slavery ex-
tension tendencies OF their party, but
it's following In the country was not
materially impaired. The Wing party.
at it's national convention held In
Cincinnati. refused to make any
nominations for President and Vice
President. but indorsed Fillmore and
Donelson, at the same time declining
10 accept the political principles of
the American party. The Whig or
ganization in Delaware also affiliated
with the American party as to State
and local nominations Many Wings
could not support the radical anti
slavery position of the Republican
| ft@s 49, AhA AAAo5N VIM t8Ata HSA III
dorse "knownothingism' either re-
manned neutral or went over to the
Democrats. John NJ Clayton was
among the neutraIs. The Black Re
publican party" was the name de-
risively applied by all Democrats to
the new political party then entering
upon national career that was
destined to be so intimately and i'm
portantly associated with the sub
sequent history of the country.
However. there was enough of a
following of the new party 10 effect
an organization in Delaware, although
1t was confined entirely to New Castle
county. IL put an electoral ticket In
the field composed of John II. Latimer,
Thomas NJ. Rodney and William p.
Sickerson who at the election re-
ceiver 500, 302 and 500 votes. respec-
lively. All of these votes were cast
in New Castle county. a little less than
one half in the city of Wilmington.
In this modest manner was started
what is now the Republican party of
Delaware.