The Daily Gazette

FIRST EDITION
Democratic Association.
ADDRESSES BY
GEN.
WM. REYNOLDS
AND CHAS.
D. CRUTHFIELD—SOME
FACTS AND FIGURES FOR VOTERS TO
CONSIDER.

At the regular meeting of the Democratic Association, last night, the President introduced the first speaker Gen. Wm. Reynolds, of this city, who was received with a round of applause.

Gen. Reynolds said that in this campaign every voter should carefully consider the questions at issue, and therefore he would confine himself to a brief statement of our home financial affairs, which would tend to show what party can be most safely entrusted with the affairs of the people of Delaware.

Previous to 1860 Delaware had no State debt, but during the war bonds were issued and sold to the amount of $1,110,000, to enable our poor citizens who were drafted to procure substitutes. Recently the State has advanced for Railroads in Kent and Sussex counties bonds to the amount of $502,000, secured by first mortgages on the rolling stock and other appurtenances of the roads assisted. This made our total State debt on the 1st of January, 1874, $1,612,000. During the administration of Governor Ponder $338,000 of the State debt was paid off, and the assets to meet the remainder amount to $1,123,189, leaving our actual State debt only $489,811.

Within the last two years some of this amount has been paid off, and at this present time the State Treasurer is calling in bonds which are not yet due, and for which he is ready to pay principal and interest.

In 1873, when the Democrats came into power in the Levy Court of this county, they found a bonded debt of $90,000, which had been piled up by the Republicans during the three previous years, besides a large floating debt. After the first year the Democratic Levy Court gradually reduced the tax levy, and in three years have reduced the bonded debt to $30,000, while they have assets which will meet every dollar of the floating debt. And further, by the end of the present fiscal year the bonded debt will be still further reduced to $20,000.

In 1873, the Democratic Trustees took charge of the County Alms House. They found it in a dilapidated, run down condition, and oppressed by a floating debt of $34,200. In three years with the same yearly appropriations as had been previously made, they renovated and refitted the property at an expense of $6,100, cared for a larger number of inmates and kept them in better condition, and yet during this time saved enough out their appropriations to pay $11,000 of the debt.

Such is the record of the Democratic party in Delaware. Compare it with the record of the Republican party, in State and National government, and every man will find it to his personal interest to vote for the Democratic party—the party of honesty and reform.

Gen. Reynolds concluded his speech amid great applause, and during all his remarks the telling points in regard to Democratic economy and good management were vigorously applauded.

The President next introduced Chas. D. Crutchfield, Esq., of the Morning Herald.

Mr. Crutchfield responded in a brief but effective speech, in which he reviewed the brilliant record of the Democratic party of the past, alluded to its promises for the future, and compared its whole career with the few brief years of corruption and misrule that Republican control has imposed upon the country. His remarks were frequently and loudly applauded.

The chair announced that on next Friday night the meeting would be addressed by Hon. Eli Saulsbury and Hon. B. T. Biggs.

The Association then adjourned.