History of Delaware : 1609-1888, Part 80

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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I Franklin Pierce, during to. at your of his Presidential term, was enthusiastically received !att people of Wilmington, on September En, 1856. He passed through ity on his way to his hit the A dele- gation of the Jefferson .... .... of thiscity, went to Elkton to meet hun. Dr. Henry F. Ask .w. : . half of the association and of this city, received him in an mitt . spent sprech, touching upon the patriot- Isis of Delaware in the Bey git ar, and of her devotion to the l'hion.

The President responded as follows . " I thank you, my fellow- onutry - men. for your generous courtesy. The noble and patriotic continent that has just been uttered in allodling to the blood of the heroes et the Delaware Line in the Revolution tills me with the deepest emotion. Such sentiments should find the Sites together as with books of -trei. The blood of your fathers, which honated the State of Delaware, aml of mine, which stained the hills of my native State, New Hamplure, will. I trust, atouse so many strong arms and st uit hearts that the seufs- mont of dismon will not dare to rylulat itself everget in words. With these few remarks, I again thank you for the attention you have accord-

The train, whi. h arrived in Wilmington at 3 r y., in less than half an bour left for Philadelphia Mayor Vans, of that city, headed a delega- tion which came to Wilmington to meet the President and escort hun there.

ford. The goods were sent here in vessels. It was in 1825 that Peter F. Cansey, the future Governor, embarked alone in business, which included a large general store, and the purchase and sale of grain, wood and lime. A- time progressed his trade in- crea-ed, and his establishment became a centre of interest to the town of Milford, a large section of the adjoining counties of Kent and Susex and portions of Maryland. Mr. Causey, when yet young, was universally recognized as the foremost man in the community in which he sived. About 1820 and for several years afterwards he was engaged in mining iron ore, which he obtained in large quantities on his own land in Nanticoke Hundred. He shipped it on his own vessels to Philadelphia. Whatever he at- tempted to do he made a success and he soon accumu- lated large means. He made his permanent invest- ments in real estate near hi- home, never operating in stocks. He purchased two saw-mills, a tannery. the Haven Flouring Mills, the Milford Mills and what is now known as the Marshall Mills, and operated all of them in connection with his other business. He used his own vessels for the shipment to New York and Philadelphia of the grain he purchased and the flour he ground in his mill.

In 1840 he went out of the general mercantile business and devoted his time to his large land interest, aggregating fifteen hundred or more acres, divided it into farms, and to the management of his flour-mills, sawing-mills and tannery, nearly all of which property is now owned by his children.

As a public-spirited citizen he favored every en- terprise or movement that benefited the town and community, trained many young men in correct business habits in his store and took the greatest care to aid and encourage them when they entered busi- ne-s for themselves. He favored and supported the public school system, and was instrumental in securing well-educated and practical teachers from the North to teach the town academy ; advocated the cause of temperance and morality in all its phases ; was kind and generous to the poor, and a liberal supporter of the Methodist Church, of which he was a member.

Ile was noted for his highly commendable life and character, was upright in all his dealings and just and true to his fellow-men, and enjoyed the fullest confidence of all with whom he associated.

He was of large stature, being six feet tall, and weighed two hundred pounds, had a striking presence, commanding personal appearance and dignified bearing.

Governor Causey was elected by the Whig party to represent his county in both branches of the State Legislature, was a delegate to the National Whig Convention which nominated General Harrison for the Presidency, who was elected in lato, and was a delegate to the convention at Baltimore in 1x44 which nominated Henry Clay for the same otlice. In the fall of 1854 he was chosen Governor of Dela-

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ware. He took his seat in January, 1855, and served the Constitutional term of four years. During this time he showed that rare exeentive and administrative ability that characterized his successful business career. His course in the gubernatorial chair was that of a man thoroughly devoted to the interests of his native State, and when he retired from the office he received the highest praise from his constituents.

A pleasant and gratifying coincidence was that while Mr. Causey was Governor of Delaware, his nephew and intimate friend, Trusten Polk, also born near Bridgeville, Sussex county, Delaware, was elected Governor of the State of Missouri, and subse- quently became a Senator in Congress from the same State.

When Mr. Causey wa- Governor he made a number of important appointments, among which were that of Hon. Samuel M. Harrington, chief justice, and after- wards chancellor of Delaware; Hon. Edward W. Gil- pin, chief justice, to fill the vacancy cansed by the promotion of Justice Harrington, the now distinguished chief justice ; Hon. Joseph P. Comegys, United States Senator during the interim of the Legislature in 1856, to fill the vacancy caused by the death of Hon. John M. Clayton; and Hon. John W. Houston, associate judge of the Superior Court, resident in Kent County. One very commend- able feature of his appointments was that of Judge Gilpin, who differed from the Governor in politics, to the position of chief justice of the State, which was one of the best-received appointments ever made in Delaware. It was done on account of Judge Gil- pin's eminent fitness for the position.

During Governor Causey's administration an act proposing an amendment to the State Constitution for the purpose of abolishing life tenures in office was passed February 4, 1857, which, under the Constitu- tion of the State, had to be approved by the Gov- ernor before it was considered by the people. In his next annual message he set forth valid and satisfactory reasons why he did not approve of the proposed amendment.

His action on this matter was sanctioned by all parties then, and virtually settled the question.

A few years after his retirement to private life Governor Cansey's health failed him, and during the remainder of his years until his death, February 15, 1871, he was an invalid.

Ile was married, in 1825, to Maria Williams, daugh- ter of John Williams, Esq., of Kent County, a descendant of one of the earliest settlers of Dela- ware. Her brothers were representive business men of Milford, and her ancestors were influential in the affairs of Kent County. She is now living, in her eighty-fifth year, at the Causey man-ion in South Mil- ford, surrounded by her children.

This historie house, the oldest in the town of Mil- ford, was built in 1750 by an Englishman named Levin Crapper. It was the residence for many years of Gover- nor Rogers of Delaware, whose remains lie on the

grounds. It was remodeled in 1550 by Goveri. Causey when he first occupied it. The surviving chi dren of Governor Causey are William F. Causey, Pet . F. Causey, John W. Causey and Maria E., wife o. Robert H. Williams.

The defeat of the Know-Nothing party in the cat- paign of 1856 was due to the passage of a prohibitory liquor law. The Democrats carried the State for Buchanan for President, and their State tieket by : majority ofabout two thousand, out of about fourteen thousand votes cast. The Republican ticket, headed by John C. Fremont in 1856, only received three hun . dred and five votes in the entire State.

Those who opposed the Democrats in 1858 organ- ized the "People's Party," but in the fall campaign were defeated by two hundred and three votes, the Democrats electing William Burton for Governor and a majority of the Legislature.

Governor Burton was born October 16, 1789, and died August 5, 1866.

His father, John Burton, an enterprising farmer of Sussex County, married Mary Vaughan, who, after the death of her first husband, became the wife of Robert Frame; and their son Robert Frame, the half-brother of Governor Burton, was one of the ablest lawyers of his day.

The boyhood of Governor Burton was spent on hi- father's farm, and he acquired his preparatory educa- tion in the local academies, where he was a faithin! and diligent student. He studied medieine in the office of Dr. Sudler, of Milford, and was graduated from the Medieal Department of the University of Pennsylvania. He began the practice of his profes- sion in the town of Lewes, but soon removed to Mil- ford, where he lived during the remainder of his suc- cessful career. He had many of the endowments and requirements of the ideal physician-being not only well-versed in the science of medicine, but eminently sympathetic in his nature and diligent in his efforts to alleviate suffering-he secured a large practice and enjoyed universal popularity in the town and sur- rounding country. He was proud of his success as a farmer, and dispensed a free and large-hearted hospi- tality at his comfortable home on a farm in the sub- urb> of Milford. He was charitable to the poor. companionable to the young and the idol of little children.

In 1827 he was commissioned a brigadier-genera! of the militia of Kent County, and filled that position for two years. Dr. Burton had always taken an ac- tive interest in State politie-, and in the days of the ascendeney of the Whig party was one of its acknow I- edged leaders. He studied the issues of the day and delighted to engage in the intelligent disenssion of them. In 1830he was elected sheriff of Kent County. In 1-18 he joined the Democratic party, and in 154 he was nominated for the office of Governor, but wat- defeated by the Know- Nothing party. In 1858 he was again the standard-bearer of his party for Gov- ernor, and as has been stated, was elected, and

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THE CIVIL WAR.

assumed the duties of his office in January. 1859. Early in his term the Governor's position became one of great perplexity and weighty responsibility, owing to the breaking out of the Civil War. llis efforts, officially and individually, were directed at first to- wards etfeeting a peaceful solution of the difficulties between the contending sections, and, to further this end, which accorded with the prevailing sentiment of the people of his State at that time. After all efforts toward peace had failed, however, he gave his official support to the policy of the National Government to maintain the Union by the force of arms. Of the first call for troops made by President Lincoln. Dela- ware was expected to furnish one regiment of seven hundred and eighty men. There being no militia law then in force, the State had no troops to eall out. In compliance with the request of the Secretary of War, Governor Burton, April 23, 1861, issued a proe- lamation calling for the enlistment of volunteers. which was the utmost extent of his power as the State's executive. By the 1st of May the Governor ao- nounced that the full quota of the State had been furnished; and, afterward, three regiments of one thousand men each were raised and equipped and sent into the field. During these troublous years of his term, the chief executive maintained a wise, equable and efficient zeal in the discharge of. his executive functions, and retired from office January 1, 1863, with the general approval of not only his party, but of the whole people of Delaware-for while stead- fastly supporting the integrity of the Union, he was vigilant in maintaining the rights and dignity of the State. He died three years later, at the age of seventy-seven.

Governor Burton was a warm supporter of the creed and claims of the Protestant Episcopal Church, and was for many years senior warden of Christ Church, Milford.

He was twice married-first to Mrs. Eliza Walcott, daughter of William Sorden. of Kent County, who died early. In 1830 he was married to Ann C. Hill, daughter of Robert and Rhoda (Davis) Hill, who lived, after her widowhood, until October' 14, 1855. They had one child, Rhoda, who married Alfred R. Wootten, Esq., who was attorney-general of Dela- ware at the time of his death, in 1864, also leaving but one child, Mary Robinson Wootten, now the wite of David T. Marvel, Esq., of Georgetown.

In the campaign of 1860 the Breckinridge Democrats nominated Benjamin T. Biggs, of New Cast !. County, for Congress ; the Douglas men, Elias Reed, of Kent ; and the People's party nominated George P. Fisher, of Kent. The latter was elected by a plurality of some two hundred and fifty votes. The result of the Presi- dential election of 1860 is given in the next chapter.

CHAPTER XVIII.

THE CIVIL WAR.

Ox the 6th et November, 1800, the election for a President of the United States took place. The can- didate of the Republicans was Abraham Lincoln, of Illinois. The distinctive principle he represented was the non extension of slavery to the Territories of the United States, and its . peedy removal from all places belonging to or under the exclusive control of the Federsi government. Stepben A. Douglas was the candidate representing the principle of non-interven- tion, which way understood to mean that Congress should not imer'ere with the question of slavery or no slavery in a Territory , but that it should be left to the inhabitants to determine when they assembled in conveation to form a State Constitution. The friends of Mr. Douglas consisted of a portion of the Demo- cratie party. John C. Breekinridge was the candi- date representing the principle of protection to slavery in the Territories, regarding slaves as a species of property recognized in the Constitution of the United States. After the Territories became States the whole question was to be under their control. The friends of Mr. Breckinridge constituted that portion of the Denweratie party which did not support Mr. Douglas John Bell was the candidate of a party whose plat- torm was "the Constitution, the Union and the en- forcement of the laws."

The vote of the people at the election was as fol- lows: Lincoln, 1,866.452; Douglas, 1,375,157; Breck- enridge. 847,953; Bell, 590,631. Mr. Lincoln received the vote of California, Connecticut, Illinois, Iowa, Maine, Massachusetts, Michigan, Minnesota, New Hampshire, New Jersey (four), New York, Ohio, Oregon, Pennsylvania, Rhode Island, Vermont and Wisconsin-or one hundred and eighty electoral votes, from seventeen States. John C. Breckinridge received the vote of Alabama, Arkansas, Delaware, Florida, Georgia, Louisiana, Maryland, Mississippi, North Carolina, South Carolina and Texas-or sev- enty-two electoral votes from nine States. John Bell received the vote of Kentucky, Tennessee and Virgit:ia-or thirty-nine electoral vetes from three States. Stephen 1. Donglas received the vote of Missouri and three electoral votes from New Jersey, -or twelve electoral votes from one State and a por- tion of another. Lincoln's majority over Douglas was 491,295, over Breckinridge, 1,018,499 ; over Bell, 1,275,821, and the aggregate majority of these candi- dates over Lincoln was 947,289, out of a suffrage of 4,680,193.

In Delaware, Samuel Jefferson, John Mustard and Robert B. Houston, the Breckinridge electors, carried the State by a plurality of 3483 votes. Mr. Breek- inridge received 7347 votes, Bell 3564, Lincoln 3815 and Douglas 1023, out of a total of 16,040 votes cast.

The measures and disputes which resulted in the War of 1861-65 all had reference to the existence of

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HISTORY OF DELAWARE.

slavery in the Southern States. Delaware was classed with the Southern or slave-holling States, in dis- tinction from the Northern and free-labor : tates. According to the census report of 1860, there were in the State 90,589 white inhabitants, 19,827 free colored and 179% slaves. Of the slaves, 1341 (three- fourths) were in Sussex County, 254 in New Castle, and 203 in Kent; of the free colored, si88 were in New Castle, 7271 in Kent, and 4370 in Soszex; of the whites, New Castle had 46,355, Sa-sex 23,904, and Kent 20,330.

In 1860-61 the Federal government was conducted by those who were mixed up in the slavery measures and disputes on the one side, and the Confederate government by those involved in them on the other. The opinion entertained by Southern statesmen pre- vious to the difficulties was that the Constitution of the United States protected the institution of slavery in the States, in so far as it withheld from the govern- ment all power to interfere with the institutions of the States, as it required the government to restore fugitives, as it gave a representation in Congress based upon their numbers, and as all direct taxes were to be estimated on a basis including this popu- lation.

Those known as radical abolitionists in the Northern States held the same opinions relative to the Constitution of the United States, and for this reason they denounced it as a " a covenant with death and a league with hell." In their view disunion, imme- diate and complete, was the only feasible means by which to be released from its obligations. Those known as anti-slavery men had a di-tinet political or- ganization, and took a position in the rear of the for- mer. They held a similar opinion relative to the powers of the Federal government over the institutions of the States, but devoted their efforts to defeat the operations of the law for the recovery of fugitives, and to aid the slave in escaping from his servitude ; to thwart on every occasion, if possible, all measures tending to promote the interests of slaveholders, and to persuade persons tenderly conscientious that slavery was a sin which it was their duty to exterminate, and that the black man was the equal of the white man. The remainder of the people held the same opinion on the powers of the Federal government over the in- stitutions of the States. Indeed, it may be said there was not a dissentient opinion on that subject. But while the great mass of the people in the Northern States held these views, they also considered that slavery was an institution abolished as profitless at the North, and, therefore, one in which they had no concern.

The thoughtful reader will see that here were the seeds of an attempted dissolution of the Union of the States. So long as the persons of anti-slavery or abolition views were few and insignificant they remained in obscurity ; but if the hour should ever come in which they should hold the control of the Federal government, it would involve a concession

on their part or on that of the slavehollers, or a rup- ture. There was nothing to encourage the patriot, citizen to hope that concessions would be made .: this hour of fire should ever come. The anti-slaver, men of the Northern States and the slaveholding citizens of the Southern States quickly grew to 1. antagonists, and their differences and disputes were conducted with the most bitter and vindictive denun- ciations to be found in human language. On the floor of Congress members from the Northern States, bolding high positions for intelligence and piety, de- noungen the slaveholding citizens of the Southern States as ' bartering their own children," as " dealing in the image of Cod," as " buying and selling the souls of men,' as " making merchandise of the Holy Ghost.") The reply to such expressions was "con- temptible fanatic." etc .. ete.

Meanwhile the anti-slavery sentiment grew apaer, and there beeadie enough who held those views to control State elections, by acting as a third party, ana thus in one instance to control the vote of a great State at a Presidential elcetion, which was thereby decided. The progress of these views now was more rapid ; slavery was attacked in both Senate and House of Congress at every assailable point. To satisfy the scruples of the citizen who knew his duty of non- interference under the Constitution, and the stings of a conscience called to act under a belief that citizen- ship with a slavehokler was sin, the principle of a higher law was proclaimed, which relieved the con- science from the obligations of the Federal Consti- tntion. The progress of anti-slavery views now was rapid. One of the great political parties of the country was demoralized and broken up, and an anti- slavery candidate for the Presidency brought forward, who carried every free State but tour, and thus was almost successful. Four years of bitter anti-slavery contests ensued in which the object was to deteat the extension of slavery to any Territory by preventing the creation of any authority for its existence there. This was to be done by a direct prohibition by Con- gress, as some urged, or by absolute non-interference by Congress, but by the decision of the settlers. Meantime the slave-holders were told that the contest was " irrepressible," that it would go on, from the very nature of the question, until all the states became free, or all became slaveholding. At length by the Presidential election of 1860, the administration of the Federal government was put into the hands of the anti-slavery party. Snch had been the bitterness of the contest that seven of the extreme Southern States took steps immediately to withdraw from the Union. The reason on which they attempted to justify their aets was that, in their opinion, it was the determined purpose of the Republican or anti-slavery party to so interfere with their domestic institutions as to render it unsafe for them longer to continue in the Union. On the other hand, this great party 1 See speeches of Horace Mann, successor to ex-President John Quimy Adams, and others.

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THE CIVIL WAR.

after a struggle of years, had won the rightful poste- wion to the seeptre of the nation, and were indignant at these proceedings. They preserved a moody silence, and defied the consequences.

The Congress of the United States assembled on the 3d of December, 1860, and on the 20th the State Convention of South Carolina, after a brief debate, passed the ordinance of secession, by a . unanimous vote. Mississippi followed the example of South Carolina on the 9th of January, 1961 ; Alabama and Florida, January 11th; Georgia, January 20th ; Louisiana, January 26th ; Texas, February lat; Vir- ginia, April 17th ; Tenne-see, May 6th; Arkansas, May 18th ; North Carolina, May 21st ; and Kentucky, November 20th.

Delaware, as an exposed and frontier slaveholding State, had a larger practical interest in the mainte- nance of the guarantees of the Constitution in re- gard to slavery than many of the inflammable seceded States. From her geographical position, she had a heavier stake, proportionately, in the preserva- tion of the Union, so far as her material prosperity was concerned, than many of her sister Common- wealths. This was elearly demonstrated by a con- sideration of the sourcesof her wealth, the nature and direction of her industry and of hier commerce, ex- ternal and internal. Bound to the Constitution and the United States by every tie that interest could weave or strengthen, she had been uniformly faithful to the performance of every obligation imposed by the one or suggested by her devotion to the other.1

Not only this, but in all the dissensions which sec- tional feeling and fanatical agitation had promoted, her support had always been given to moderate doc- trines and conciliatory counsels. Sympathizing with the South in its wrongs and just resentments, and ready at all times to make common cause with it in the Con-titutional maintenance of its rights, Delaware had always kept aloof from its mad heresies and pas- sionate bitterness. Outraged more than any of the eotton States by the aggressions of the North, and prompt to repel them, within the limits of her Consti- tutional resources and Federal allegiance; she did nothing whatever to widen the breach between the antagonistie seetions of the republic, or to weaken the hands of those conservative Northern citizens who were at this time nobly struggling to maintain the good faith and integrity of the national compact. In the position which Delaware had thus historically assumed the election of the 6th of November had rooted her still more firmly. She had given her

1 At the second session of the Thirty-sixth Congress, which began at Washington on Monday, December 3, 1-2, Senator Willard Sailbury. of Delaware, in the debate on printing the President's message, said: " My State having been the first to adopt the Constitution, will be the last to do any art or rountenatice any act calculated to lead to the sepa- ration of the States of this glorion- Union. She has shared too much of It4 blessings : her propde performed too unich service in achieving the glorious liberties which we now ettey, and in establishing the Constitu- tion under which we live, to cause uhy son of bers to raise his hand against those institutions be against that Counts, Sur, when that Cannot shall be destroyed by the madness and fully of others (if, unfortunately, it shall be so destroyed), it will be titne entoagh then for Delaware and ber Representatives to say what will be her course."

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History of Delaware : 1609-1888, Part 80

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