The Wilmingtonian, and Delaware advertiser., 1826-12-21

The conductii., OF tllc water from Rodney's
Spring through iron pipes, into the rooted reser
yoir, and structure thereof (intcnded eventually
to supply town 1000 inhabitants)and the cree
ton Of the fre-plugs, have involved the Borough
in debt of not less than $4,000: and we are now
suffering under an cXorbitant tax to quidatc this
debt, for the expenditure of which money, we
never have nor never can derive any permanent
advantage. And permit me here to inquire
where is the justice Of that procedure, that COM
pels US to dcfray the expense of article, which
never has been in our possession, and which
was not obtained through the medium Of our or
de-.
But the Council has now done its duty. And
VIC as citizens Of this town arc called upon BY
the emergency OF the case to do ours, we are
called upon TO protect our own houses from the
depreciation of fire, and preserve our ncighbors
from total destruction. And how is this to be ac-
compshctl' the answers sclf-evident,--by be-
ing pientifuiiy supplied loia rnter; for we have
every other convenience thatis requisite to arrest
Its progress.
The water cannot be obtained from the spring,
and the only source is the Brandywine; situa-
tion perfectly attainable; from which the water
must be forced to some convenient reservoir,
situated sufficiently high and of sufficient dimen-
sions to supply the town. But to obtain all this
through the medium Of the council is utterly i'm
possible, for our treasury is now too restricted,
and was the Council only to leyya tax on the
whole of the inhabitants, equal to the interest
that is now liqudated by q minor part of the cit
izens. murmurs would hang upon the lips of eve
ry one. And yet, what is most remarkable, this
minor part do now willingly defiay the interest
of principal f6ur imes superior 10 sum That
Could be adequate to the Performance Of this most
essential ,cork.
The plan then that appears to me the most ell
igiblc, and in which imagine the majority of
you will coincide, is that ofraising the necessary
sum by LOTTERY, the privilege of which will
ofnecessty have to be obtained from our legis-
lature. Now am well aware that to this project
many objections will be attempted, which will
be deemed by some as very forciblr; that a Lot
terry is species Of gambling, and of consequence
immoral, and that we are under obligations not
only to desist engaging i'll it, but we must make
use of every endcavour to arrest its progress;
however, those very persons who are most clam
orous, are certainly disposed to be ranked among
those who arc proverbal for wisdom and discre-
ton, and with these when two erils present them
scires they insritaby sctcet the hdst. And it is
also law admitted in philosophy, that if good
effect can be accomplished by an evil cause, it
may be attempted, provided the effect intended
to be produced, shall be more than equivalent to
the evil that effected it.
Now Lottery would completely efectuate
the purpose, and raise tile necessary sum almost
inscnsibly, at least obylatlng the necessity Of
dinnng our ears with the various murmurs that
are daily agitated concerning taxes.
Privileges to obtain money upon this system
have been granted by our Legislature TO defiay
different expenses and accomplish works certain
ly less important to our state. And our borough
now contains several offices for the vending of
tickets, many of which are in lotteries entirely
foreign to our state, exhausting our money with
out aflordng any remuneration; and since we
suffer under an evil, Gf they should be proved
SOY why may not we participate iii the benefits
derived therefrom' For if | mistake not there
appears much injustice in that course of conduct
which will patiently submit to al evil, and then
refuse to be benefited by its advantages,-evi-
IDENTIFY permitting Gin the language Of the old
proverb) other states to "mih tie coiv aUhile ne
are satisfied ,cith holding her JyMe horns"
These remarks present to the unpreiudiced
and circumspective enqurcr--to the renter as
we'll as the freehoder, and ask them wisely to
consider whether it would not be preferable to
submit to an evil for short time to derive per
manent good, than permit our houses and tlirni-
ture to be destroyed. For at the present, should
fire be communicated to our houses, ii nil be
impossible to arrest its progress.
A CITIZEN.
HHT III "A TaTTAFStGs