American watchman and Delaware advertiser. [volume] (Wilmington, Del.) 1822-1828, 1825-07-15

The Corporation of this Borough have passed an
ordinance which has produced great excitement,
amongst our citizens. Its provisions, some Of
which are very good, are TO take effect from and
after the twentieth of the present month. We have
only time at present 10 notice the sixth section,
which is as follows.
De ordained by the authority aforesaid That shall here.
after be unlawful for the boys minors collect and
semble in the public Streets lanes alleys, any yard
or lo any WHAT, in either of the Markethonses
in this Borough, without the written permission of their
parents, masters guardians any time after the setting
Of the or at time during the first day of the week
or Sabbath day and in case of any such assembage
collection the said Burgesses, either of them, shall
have power and shall be their duty upon knowledge of
such assemblage collection, to dispense the same and
in any more Of the persons assembled
collected shall refuse 10 dispense peaceaby when
mandcd, the said Bugesses or either of them shall have
power and it shall be their duty to call to their aid
more of the constables other officers of the said
rough to assist in dispensing the and whenever in
their opinion may become necessary for the public peace
to dispense the said assemblage to commit to the cell of
the Town Hall, any Of such minors, whether
they may have such written permission aforesaid not
for any period not exceeding twenty -four hours.
A high measure this truly-and one that does
most rankly smell Of tyranny" This section might
do for the latitude of Charleston or Savannah, ap-
piled TO the slaves but we are far wrong in our
many Of their constituents willing to submit to the
degradation they have attempted to impose upon
them. There are, to be sure, in all communities
men lost 10 honor and independence Of spirit, as
basely cinge to those in power, for the sake Of
gaining their fayors and some such seryile wretches
may perhaps be found in this Borough; but we be-
lieve that great majority Of the parents, masters
and guardians of the place, will nobly resist this
attempt to play the ,yrant, Oh the part of the cor
poraton, as did their forelahers resist the attempt
10 ensIave our whole nation.
/ After the recent manifestation OF disposition on
the part OF some members Of the Council, 20 ex
ercse an unjusfable rigor, 1--WE allude TO the pro-
ceedngs at the Town Hall on the night when John
son was committed to the cell) we expected that
that body would proceed in their despotic measures;
but we never thought that they would make such
| bold attempt as the present They must possess
strange ideas, indeed, Of the people they have to
deal with, if they imagine they will submit to be
trampled upon by those whom they have chosen to
be their servants. Wettink that they have over
shot the mark, and gone beyond all authority and
right.
We have not the most remote idea that this law,
if attempted to be carried into execution, will be
administered impar,ially. We believe it will be
made to bear particularly hard upon apprentice boys
The children Of paricans, it will not do to modest.
And is it not unsuerable, that apprentices, after
having been confined in the house all day in the
performance of their duty TO their masters, and la
boring for their good, shall not be permitted in the
evening TO meet their acquantances and inhae the
fresh air without WRITTEN permission! They
already have the proper permission TO appear in
the streets, and their masters responsible for
their conduct. If they msbehave, the corporation
have the power, without the aid of this new ord-
nance, to them. We think the council ta
king the direct method by their arbitrary measures,
to produce in the minds Of the people dsrcspect
TO wholesome and sauary laws, and bring the Bo
rough into state Of anarchy, by rendering the sta
ton Of officer OF its police, odious and disre
putabe, that respe ctabIe man will consent TO fill
an office in the government OF the town.
Our bosoms are fred with indignation at the idea
that the parents, masters and guardians of Will
mington are called upon to come and PROSTATE
themselves before the corporation of the place. and
humbIy beg their honors to "please to let my son
pass -" for the love of Heaven, be SO gracious
and condescending as to permit my apprentice TO
appear in the street after sun down. and speak to
his acquaintance, and your petitioner will ever
pray ;''-"be so indulgent as to grant my ward the
liberty walk the street, and inhae the blessed air
of Heaven, and do not commit him TO oathsome
dungeon, without Cause
For our part, we are determined, with hundreds
Of our fellow citizens. who have apnrentices and