282 



DAVIS, DAVID. 



DELAWARE. 



After the death of Lincoln, his old friend was 

 asked to administer his estate. 



In 1870 Judge Davis, in sympathy with a 

 minority in the Supreme Court, held that the 

 acts of Congress making Government notes a 

 legal tender in payment of debts was con- 

 stitutional. In February, 1872, the National 

 Convention of the Labor- Reform Party of the 

 United States placed him on its ticket for Pres- 

 ident. The essential features of the conven- 

 tion were its declaration in favor of a national 

 currency " based on the faith and resources of 

 the nation," a demand for an eight-hour law 

 throughout the entire country, and suggestion 

 as to a method by which the national debt 

 could be paid " without mortgaging the prop- 

 erty of the people to enrich the capitalists." 

 In his letter of acceptance, Judge Davis wrote : 

 u Be pleased to thank the convention for the 

 high honor which it has conferred upon me. 



DAVID DAVIS. 



The chief magistracy of the republic should be 

 neither sought nor declined by an American 

 citizen." The Convention of Liberal Republi- 

 cans, which met that year in Cincinnati, gave 

 Judge Davis 92J votes on the first ballot for 

 President; but when the regular Democratic 

 and Republican candidates were in the field, 

 Judge Davis wrote another letter, declining the 

 Labor-party nomination, and refusing to enter 

 the contest. On March 4, 1877, he resigned his 

 seat on the Supreme Court bench, in order to 

 accept a seat as United States Senator from Illi- 

 nois, having been elected by a combination of 

 Democrats and Independent Republicans in the 

 Legislature of that State. He was considered 

 an Independent, but his support was generally 

 given to the Democratic party. In 1881 he was 

 chosen President of the Senate, when Vice- 

 President Arthur assumed the presidency upon 

 the death of President Ga.-field; but in 1883 

 Judge Davis retired from the Senate and from 

 active lite, to his home in Bloomington, 111., 

 where he resided until his death. The degree 



of LL. D. was conferred upon him by Wes- 

 leyan University, by Beloit College, and by 

 Williams. 



DELAWARE. State Government. The follow- 

 ing were the State officers during the year: 

 Governor, Charles C. Stockley, Democrat; 

 Secretary of State, William F. Causey ; Treas- 

 urer, John M. Houston ; Auditor, Nathan 

 Pratt; Attorney-General, John II. Paynter; 

 Superintendent of Free Schools, Thomas N. 

 Williams. Supreme Court : Chief-Justice, Jo- 

 seph P. Comegys ; Associate Justices, William 

 G. Whitely, John W. Houston, and Edward 

 Wooton. Chancellor, Willard Saulsbury. 



Finances. During the past two years the 

 State debt has been reduced only $15,000. 

 This is principally due to the liberal appropria- 

 tions for schools, without any proportionate 

 increase in the revenue. The message of the 

 Governor to the Legislature of 1887 reviews 

 the refunding of $120,000 of the State loan in 

 4-per-cent. bonds, taken in New York at 

 $1.05.03. On Jan. 1, 1887, the State debt 

 amounted to $824,750. This debt is offset by 

 interest-bearing investments, aggregating $1,- 

 168,799. To this may be added : Prospective 

 receipts, amounts due Jan. 1, 1887, $57,796.31 ; 

 amount of sinking fund, arising from the oys- 

 ter revenue, $4,629.79; balance in treasury 

 belonging to the general fund, $8,977.86. The 

 report of the State Treasurer shows the receipts 

 and expenditures to be as follow : Receipts 

 balance in the treasury at settlement with leg- 

 islative, committee January, 1886, $7,815.49; 

 receipts since that settlement to Jan. 1, 1887, 

 $121,190.61 ; probable receipts, due and paya- 

 ble January 1, $57,706.31; total receipts, 

 present and probable, $186,802.41. Expendi- 

 tures total amount paid out to Jan. 1, 1887, 

 $120,028.24; leaving a probable balance of 

 $66,774.17. The sinking-fund biennial collec- 

 tions and outgoes show a balance to its credit 

 of $4,629.79. 



Education. The Superintendent reports the 

 following statistics : Number of school districts 

 in the State, 422 ; schools, 562, an increase of 

 18 since last report ; number of months taught 

 in 1886, 8-42, against 7'87 in 1884 ; white chil- 

 dren between the ages of six and twenty-one 

 years, 36,468; colored children, outside oi 

 Wilmington, 5,750; white children enroll* 

 29,421 ; colored children, 3,563; average dailj 

 attendance, white children, 19,235; coloi 

 children, 1,008; average white children t< 

 each district, 86 ; averaged enrolled, 68 ; avei 

 age daily attendance, 34 ; number of teacher 

 including Wilmington, 635 ; average monthly 

 salary, $32.40. Year after year, the report 

 says, shows a gratifying improvement in the 

 school system of the State, and in the interest 

 taken by parents and guardians. In the col- 

 ored schools substantial and encouraging prog- 

 ress has been made, the schools now number- 

 ing 69 outside of Wilmington. During the 

 past year the disbursements amounted to $7,- 

 166.69, of which amount $4,655.63 came from 



