History of Delaware : 1609-1888, Part 75

Author: Scharf, J. Thomas (John Thomas), 1843-1898. cn
Publication date: 1888
Publisher: Philadelphia : L. J. Richards
Number of Pages: 776

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" Branded, By the Senate and House of Representatives of the State of Delaware, in General Assembly met, that in the opinion of this Gener-

1 It was titstomary for the grand jury of New Castle County to fine new membres a bottle of wine, but at the Janu irv term of Is19 it Maxrd them one dollar each, the money to be used for the iducation of a Cherokee Indian. The twelve dollars was sent to the Cherokee Indian S hool established ut Brainerd.

306

HISTORY OF DELAWARE.

al Assembly, the future introduction of slaves into the territories of the Cinted states, and intu such low States as may be bereatter admitted into the [ mon, ought to be prohibited by Congress."

At a large meeting in Wilmington on January 19, 1820, at which Judge Booth presided, Casar .A. Rod- ney ' addressed the people in favor of Congress pro- hibiting the further extension of slavery, and resolu- tions to that effect were unanimously adopted. "

Those emphatic manifestations of public opinion called forth from Senator- Nicholas Van Dyke and Outerbridge Horsey and Louis MeLane a letter to the following :

"That the opinion of the Legislature upon the important question now under discussion in Congress, commuted with the purpose admission of Missouri as a New state into the Union, has been consul ted with all that deferente and respectful attention to which it is Justly entitled. The most deliterate examination of the sulgett contes ted with the Constitution of the L'united States and the treaty of cession by which the territory was acquired, has resulted in a siticere and firm conviction 10 our minds, that congress does not justas the power to impose such a restriction upon the people of Missouri on the formation of that State's Constitution. It would certainly be mote gratifying to us to vote on this or any question conformaldy to the opinion of the Legislature, if we could do so consistently with a conscientious discharge nt our du- ties, but under our present convirti mis that is not in our power in this instance; we trust that the Legislature, m their caudour, will duly ap- preciate our motives in the discharge of a painful duty, and that we shall stand excused for expressing an opinon upon the subject different from that stated in the resolution."

Among the sources of revenue for State purposes adopted by the Legislature in 1821 was that known as " transit duties," which was a law imposing a tax upon persons arriving in that State, in stage or steam- boat, by land or water, of twenty-five cents each, to assist in ereeting a college at the village of New- ark, and for the treasury of the State. This law caused much excitement in the upper part of the State, where its operations were principally felt, and public meetings resolved "to unite in every legal mode of defeating the operation of the law." The population of the State at this time was >even- ty-two thousand seven hundred and forty-nine, an increase of only seventy-five persons in ten years, while New Castle County increased nearly three thousand five hundred. The other two counties decreased very nearly the same amount, yet repre- seutation remained equal between the three counties. Of the whole population, 12,958 were free blacks and 4509 slaves.

At the fallelections in October, 1820, John Collins,3 Republican, was elected Governor, with C. A. Rod- ney, Republican, aud Louis MeLane, Federalist, to Cougress. Willard Hall, the then member, was de. feated, as was also Mr. Mitchell. The vote for Gov- ernor was as follows :

FUI NTIEN.

Collins.

Green

Now Cutie.

Kent.

13-14

1713

3970

3.20

The vote for Congressmen was as follows.

COUNTIES.

Rodney.

Hall.

McLane.

Mitchell.

New Castle.

14he

100g

hent.

Ush

91.3

947

1001

17.30

4046

3320

3917

Caesar A. Rodney was elected a United States Son- ator from the State from the 4th of March, 1822. There were three bills before the Legislature incorpo- rating maunfacturing companies,-two with capitals of two hundred and fifty thousand dollars each and the " Cotton Manufacturing Company " on the Bran- dywine, with one hundred and fifty thousand dollars capital.+

At this time Delaware was one of the few States in which the Republican and Federalist parties main- fained their old-time activity and bitterness. The election for Governor and Representatives in Congress in the fall of 1822 was severely contested. Joseph Haslet, son of the patriot who fell at Princeton, was the Republican candidate for Governor, and Judge Booth headed the Federal ticket. After an active and bitter contest the former was elected by a ma- jority of only twenty-two votes. The Federalists elected their Congressmen-C. A. Rodney, the Re- publiean Representative in Congress being defeated by Daniel Rodney, and Louis MeLane was re-elected by a majority of six hundred and thirty-nine.

The Legislature, for the first time, had a decided Republican majority.

Considerable excitement was created iu Wilming- ton in November, 1822, by the arrest of a number of counterfeiters, who had takeu up their residence in a retired house in that city. The six men and two women, when arrested, had in their possession fifty thousand dollars in counterfeit and spurious notes, : and dies for the manufacture of counterfeit half- dollars. The notes were chiefly twenty-dollar bills of the Bank of Wilmington and Brandywine, tens of the Bank of New Brunswick, and fives of the Frank lin Bank of Baltimore. The counterfeiters were tried and convicted in Wilmington, and fined and sen- tenced in January, 1823.

Caesar A. Rodney, having been appointed minister to Buenos Ayres, resigned his seat in the United States renate. The period of service of Nicholas Van Dyke, the other United States Senator, expired on the 4th of March, 1823. It was important that the Legislature should elect successors to both of these gentlemen at the session of 1823. The contest, however, between the rival candidates, defeated thi- scheme, as the two Houses got into a quarrel over the

+.Jubn C. Brinckle in March, 1523, advertised in the Wilunnaten (Del ) Watelman, that he had on hand ful sale nearly hity thon-aiel yards of different kinds of domestic goods. At that tithe it was st abril that he received from the weavers employed by him an average of about uine hundred yards per day.

1 John Rodney, of the United States Navy, the eldest surviving son of Caesar A. Rodney, died in New York in Isli. He was attached to the "Untariu."

: A very large meeting of the citizens of New Castle County was held in Wilnanatou on the 13th of January, lett, Judge Booth in the chair. A number of reclutate were adegred declaring that it was constitu- tional and hishly expedient to prololut the further extension of slav- ery. C. A. Roubey spoke in favor of the trevlutions.

3 John Collins was Governor of Delaware from 1-20 until his death, which occurred in Wilmington, April li, Is ...

307

FROM THE TREATY OF GREAT TO 1860.

-ratorships, and no one was elected at this session. The House of Representatives wished to elect the tto, while the Senate demanded one. Nine gentic- men were put in nomination and ten ballots were taken, without effecting a choice. The whole number of votes cast was thirty, of which S. H. Black received fourteen votes at every ballot excepting two. On one of the ballots, George Read had twelve votes. The Legislature, as we have stated, adjourned without making a choice.

Governor Joseph Haslet died in 1823, being the third successive Governor who died without complet- ing his teri of office. He was an excellent oficer. An election was held in October of the same vear to till the vacaney, when Samuel Paynter, the Federalist candidate, was elected Governor by a majority of two hundred and ninety-nine, and both branches of the Legislature had a decided Federalist majority. At the session of January, 1824, Nicholas Van Dyke was re-elected United States Senator. to succeed him- -elf, and llon. John M. Clayton was elected to fill the vacancy caused by the resignation of Hon. C. A. Rodney.1

The annual election in Delaware was held on the first Tuesday of October. The following table, com- piled from the Delaware Watchman, shows the num- ber of votes given for the different candidates iu Delaware for the office of Governor, from 1801 to 1823, inclusive. The Democratic candidates are in italics.

N. CASTLE

KENT.

SUSSEX.

MAJ'TY.

Years.

NAMES OF CANDIDATES.

Dein.

990 104 6132 18

1-11 D Hall and N. Mitchell .. 14-5 6:2 10201 1. 80 1-14 J. Husletand N. Mitele11. 1974 902 1035 1962 1041 215 141 1. GJ. Holland Gov. Trmtt. 14 952 158 %

341

:47

.75

4+1

1.1. J. Holdle and D Rodney. 11. 4 3 . 411 1-1+ M. Ball and J. Clarke ..... 170n loon 902 124 100 1or 25 1-19 M. Balland H. Molleston2 1444 294 st1 110,0 43:1570% 1-20 J. Collins and J. Green ... In :4 \$6 0-7 940 1214 1:1: 745 445 1-2 J. Hulet and J. Booth .... > 925 130 101; 1150 19 74 29 1-21 D. Huzzardand S. Paynter 1713 9-7 1135 1209 1203 2153 8402

The Watchman had the following note: " It ap- pears from the following statement that the greatest vote given by New Castle County was in 1813, amounting to 3161 votes ; by Kent, 1804, amounting to 2397 votes ; by Sussex, in the present (1823) year, amounting to 3358 votes, nearly 20) more than was ever given in that county.

"By the census of 1820 the population of New Castle was 27,899, Kent 20,793, Sussex 24,057.

" At the late election the votes of New Castle were in the proportion of one to every ten per-ons: of Kent. one to every nine persons ; and of Sussex, one to every seven persons. There is no district in the L'union, I believe, that exhibits so large a vote in so

small a population as Sussex. If New Castle County was to vote in the same proportion. the amount wond be four thousand votes, deducting a small fraction."

Mr. Nias in his Regener says, " This does not repre- sent the facts of the same properly. The following shows the amount of the free whites in the several counties of the State (and no others vote) at the last. censns: New Castle, 22,800; Kent, 14,160; Sussex, 18,742. So that, at the late election, as New Castle gave only 2700 votes, there was one voter to eight of the white population; in Kent 2344 votes were givea, or as o te vote to sic of the white population ; and in Sussex one vote to about five and an-half parts of such popalation, 3558 having been given. As none, unless tax payers, are qualified to vote in this State, except the sons of persons so qualified, who are between the ages of twenty-one and twenty-two, ic is hard to believe that the two lower counties really cortain so many voters.

"The amount of free white males in the State, above the age of twenty-one years, may be thus de- termined by the census of 1820, --

Haif the s mount of persons between the ages o: 16 and 20. 2,758

Persons from .: 5 to 15 years of age. 5,607

Fersons above 43. 3,263

11,625

"So that. on an average for the whole State. more than two out of every three persons above the age of twenty-one years is a voter. But Sussex, at the same rate of calculation, contains only 3744 such persons ; and, as 3358 votes were taken, nearly nine out of every ten of all above the age of twenty-one years in that County are not only VOTERS, but actually at- tended the polls ! A most extraordinary turning- out, indeed."

The United States frigate "Congress" was fitted out for the conveyance of Mr. Rodney to Buenos Ayres, and Captain James Biddle assigned to her command. Personal differences arose between the minister and the captain, and increased to such an extent that Mr. Rodney left the "Congress " at Rio Janeiro and proceeded by private ship to Buenos Ayres, arriving there on the 14th of November, 1823. The unexpected return of the "Congress" to Nor- folk was followed by a publication in the National Gazette. that the difference between the minister and the captain had grown out of the amount of baggage of the former. The Gazette represented that the trunks, bales and boxes of the minister gave the deck the appearance of an auction warehouse or pawn- brokers' depo-itory. The Gazette's article excited the strongest indignation throughout the State, for Mr. Rodney was not only highly respected, but greatly beloved by all cheses of citizens. It was suspected that Captain Buddle had inspired the Gazette's article and supplied the list of articles comprising the min- ister's baggage. The Deluicare Watchman took up the subjeet most warmly. remarking that "in whatever light we view this affair, it appears to us to be one

! In January, 1525, the President appointed E. I. Du Pont, of Del- ware, one of the directors of the Bank of the United states on the part uf the government.

. The Governor was elected for three years, but the drecase of MesSN4. M.Mirsion, Collins au Haslet cansed elections to be held out of their regular coutee.

Fed

308

HISTORY OF DELAWARE.

which imperiously requires a prompt and ample in- vestigation. I Captain Biddle's conduct has been such as it is represented to us, it is due to the national honor and dignity that an example should be made. Let it be well understood, hereafter, that our publie sbips are the property of the nation and not of the commanders; and let these commanders know by an impressive example the immeasurable distance between a captain in the navy and an Amer- ican ambassador, the representative of the nation." It had been said that Captain Biddle had " trans- shipped " the minister and his "effects " in so hur- ried a manner that the minister experienced prich difficulty from the Brazilian officers from the want of the requisite permits, and that what remained of the furniture and effects after the damage to them from the stowage in the "Congress " was effectually de- stroyed in the transshipment. The matter was immie- diately taken up by the Legislature of Delaware, and resolutions unanimously passed by both Houses de- nouncing the conduct of Captain Biddle, expressing the affection and respect of the State for Mr. Rodney, and calling upon the Senators and Representatives in Congress to demand an inquiry into the matter.

That Mr. Rodney carried an unusual amount of baggage is very probable, and that Captain Biddle, accustomed to the whole cabin, felt inconvenienced with the wife and eleven children of the minister is equally probable, but these are not sufficient excuses for the conduct of Captain Biddle. Mr. Rodney ar- rived at Buenos Ayres on November 14th, and was taken dangerously ill on the 230. On the 27th of May, 1824, Mr. Rodney was the recipient of the com- pliment of a public dinner, at which the last public speech of his life was made. Ifis death took place on the 10th of June, 1824. Sprung from one of the most distinguished families in the State, Mr. Rodney de- rived his principles from a father remarkable for his firm attachment to truth, and from an unele, Cæsar Rodney, who periled life to attach his signature to the Declaration of Independence. The affection and respect with which Mr. Rodney was regarded in Del- aware is attested by the honors and offices bestowed upon him by the people of his State.

General Lafayette, the French soldier and patriot, who shed his blood in the cause of American liberty at the battle of Brandywine, on the 11th of Septem- ber, 1777, visited this country in 1824. He was then sixty-seven years of age, nearly a half century after the opening of the war for independence, in which he took so conspicuous and honorable a part. He landed in New York August 16th, where he was enthusias- tically received as the "nation's guest," and from there began his triumphant tour through the twenty- four States which then formed the Union. In many places flowers were strewn along his pathway, his carriage detached from the horses and drawn by the enthusiastic people and the grateful words "Long live Lafayette ! " were heard on every side.

The distinguished visitor arrived in Wilmington,

from Philadelphia, on We-loesday, October 6, 1824. A committee of prominent citizens of New Castle County, appointed at a meeting held in the City Hall, proceeded to the Prensylvania State line to meet him. The members of this committee were Lonis Mebane, William P Brobson, Colonel Samuel B. Davis, Victor Du Pont, James R. Black, James Rogers, John Feliere, John Gordon, David C. Wilson, John Merritt, Henry Whitely, Dr. A. Naudain and Peter Oaverly. They were accompanied by a newly- formed troep of horsemen the Lafayette Guards com- mended by Captain Moore, aud many citizens. The civic procession consisted of about two hundred fine- looking young men dressed in blue and black coats, black stocks and white pantaloons, handsomely mounted and exhibiting the Revolutionary cockade and Lafayette badge. A bne band of music followed in their train.

Lafayette remained one night in Chester, reaching the State line at ten A. M., accompanied by his son George Washington Lafayette, Auguste Le Vasseur, Governor Shulze of Pennsylvania and suite, General Cadwalader and suite, General Robert Patterson, the First City Troop of Philadelphia, and a commit- tee from Chester. Upon meeting the Wilmington delegation he alighted from his baronche and was ad- dressel by Hon. Louis McLane. General Lafayette replied to Mr. McLane in a speech replete with feel- ing allusions to the part taken by the State of Dela- ware in the Revolutionary War and to the heroism of the gallant regiment of Delaware, of whose soldierly conduct the general said he had often been an eye- witness. Peter Jacquett and Caleb P. Bennett, two Revolutionary officers, and many citizens were then introduced.

The procession was again formed and increased in size as it approached Wilmington. At Naaman's Creek it passed under a floral arch with an eagle sus- pended from the centre, a Revolutionary flag, a por- trait of Washington underneath and the words " Dela- ware Welcomes Lafayette." On the brow of Shellpot Hill, then about two miles from Wilmington, the cit- izens were apprised of the approach of the procession by a salute of thirteen guns.

At Prospect Hill be was joined by the Grand Lodge of Delaware, mounted, and one hundred Free Masons attended by the officers of the different lodges pre- ceded by J. G. Brinckle, Grand Master of the State. When the procession arrived in sight of Wilmington, the bells struck up a merry peal, and joy and exulta- tion reigned supreme among the people. As he neared the Brandywine bridge, which was artistically decorated, the vast concourse crowded around the baronche and welcomed him with enthusiastic cheers. Here for the first time in America his feelings over- came him ; he bowed to the multitude and in sympa- thetie tones said: "I thank you, I thank you, my friends," as the tears streamed down his cheeks. After composing himself he turned to Hon. Louis MeLane, who was Seated in the barouche with him.

309

FROM THE TREATY OF GHENT TO 1860.

and said : " Well, it is forty-two years since I was here and how pleased I am to visit your town and its people again !" A decorated arch was raised over Market Street and the multitude cheered as he pavel under it in the lead of the procession, which passed down Market Street, down Fourth, up King, down French to Front, to Market, where there was an evergreen arch, pending from which were cornu- copias, and from the centre a >mall ship " Brandy- wine," and the words " In honor of Lafayette, the Friend of Civil Liberty." There was another arch of evergreen in front of Lafayette Hotel, on Market Street corner of Third. At the city hall he alighted from the barouche, passed under small arches to the upper room of the hall, where an address of welcome was made by Chief Burgess James Brobson, and by Joshna G. Brinkle, Grand Master of the Grand Masonic Lodge of Delaware, to which Lafayette re- sponded in a brief speech. Addresses were also made by Gov. Shulze of Pennsylvania and the Hon. Louis MeLane. They all then partook of a banquet in the hall prepared by Gen. James Wolfe. On that day the ladies of Wilmington were dressed in white and their hair ornamented with flowers. The welcome they gave him was heartily appreciated. Immedi- ately after dinner Lafayette paid a visit to Mrs. Connell, the wife of the gentleman who was noted for his generous attentions to the French soldiers after their defeat in Russia and while on their flight to France. He was then waited on by a committee of young men of the town, and Samuel Harker, editor of the Delaware Gazette. addressed him 'in their behalf. In his response Lafayette spoke of some of the scenes and incidents of the War of the Revolu- tion in the vicinity of Wilmington.

In the afternoon of the same day General Lafayette and his suite, in company with his son and Louis MeLane, proceeded to New Castle. There he at- tended the wedding of Charles I. Du Pont, son of Colonel Victor Du Pont, and Miss Dorcas Montgomery Van Dyke, daughter of Hon. Nicholas Van Dyke. At ten o'clock that night he started from New Castle for Frenchtown. At the Maryland line he left the barouche in which he rode from Philadelphia, took a seat in a carriage with General Freeman, and at- tended by the Governor of Maryland and his aids, bade Delaware an affectionate adieu and proceeded to Frenchtown, where he took a boat for Baltimore.

After visiting many eities and everywhere received with demonstrations of gratitude, he turned his steps toward Mount Vernon to visit the tomb of Wash- ington. Wishing no one to witness his emotions, he descended alone into the vault. The secret of that meeting of the living with the dead no one ever knew. Ile then took his son and secretary by the hand and led them in, and all knelt reverently beside the remains of the distinguished dead.

One of the last acts of Lafayette in this country was to lay the corner-stone of Bunker Hill monu- ment in the presence of fifty thousand spectators.

Ile was then the last survivor of major-generals of the Revolution. Early in 1825 General Lafayette. after completing his tour of the States, spent a few days as the guest of the Du Ponts, with whom he viewed the battle-ground of Chadd's Ford. A public dinner was given in his honor on the site of the battle. After returning to the city he wrote the fol- lowing in the album of Miss E. Dn Pont :

"After having seen, nearly half a century ago, the banks of the Bramis wine a serne of bloody fighting, I am happy now to find upon them the seat of mrlustry, beauty and natual friendslup."

He remained in this country until September 8, 1825, when he received from President John Quincy Adams' a national farewell, and on board the frigate " Brandywine" sailed down the Potomac River for his native land.

General Lafayette died in France, May 20, 1834, at the age of seventy -- even years. On July 20th following, the citizens of Wilmington determined to "honor and reverence the memory of the distinguished patriot." A solemn funeral was formed and passed through the principal streets of the city in the fol- lowing order : The Governor of the State, the Mayor, Clergymen, Members of the Bar, large white horse dressed in deep mourning, led by a groom, Masons, Odd Fellows, a white charger led by a groom with chapeau, Cordwainers' Society, Benevolent Society, Brandywine Coopers' Association, young men between sixteen and twenty-one years, one hundred little boys dressed in white "pantaloons," headed by a white banner with "We mourn our loss," military companies, and citizens, one thousand persons in all. All the bells in the city were tolled as the procession passed through the streets and minute-guns were fired from the revenue cutter in the Christiana. After the procession the Rev. Isaac Pardee delivered an impressive discourse in Hanover Presbyterian Church.

The appointment ot electors to elect the President and Vice-President had been, by law of 1800, coni- mitted to the Legislature of the State. In 1824 an effort was made to change the mode to that of eleetion by the people. With this view, when the Legislature convened in November of that year for the purpose of appointing electors; Mr. Black, of New Castle, in- troduced a resolution assailing the prevailing mode, and declaring it to be inexpedient and improper for the Legislature to appoint the eleetors, and providing for a joint committee of the two Houses to prepare and report as soon as practicable a bill providing for the repeal of the law of 1800, and directing the time

1 Jolin Quincy Adams visited John Connell at " Tusculum," the property now owned by Dr. Mckay. Connell was interested in the French Spoliation Chums, had spent consideralde time in France, and while there urged upon Lafayette that he should visit this country. John Connell frequently visited Washington, and there formed the acquaintance of many of the leading statesmen of his day, Among them was the "ald man eloquent, ' President John Quincy Adams, whom he invited to visit him in Wilmington. While the President was in Wilmington enjoying a drive he asked the name of the country -seat now owned by Henry G. Banning, and then by Mr. Counell. He was told it bowl tin name, whereupon the distinguished guest advised him to call it " quincy." a nume by which it was afterwards known for a time. It Was piiichased by James T. Kird, who resided there for many years.

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History of Delaware : 1609-1888, Part 75

Author: Scharf, J. Thomas (John Thomas), 1843-1898. cn Publication date: 1888 Publisher: Philadelphia : L. J. Richards Number of Pages: 776

Author: Scharf, J. Thomas (John Thomas), 1843-1898. cn
Publication date: 1888
Publisher: Philadelphia : L. J. Richards
Number of Pages: 776