Delaware journal. [volume] (Wilmington [Del.]) 1827-1832, 1829-02-27
DELAWARE JOURNAL.
WILL. a..MNNS GHcNS
EriAay, February OF, 1929.

Owing to an accident our inside form was thrown
into pie,-this we offer as an apology for any de-
feet which may appear in this Number.
We commence to-day, the publication of the
act providing for the establishment OF free schools,
IN this State, which was passed at the late SEES
sion OF the Legislature 1t will be seen, that there
is no tax imposed by the act. The provision for
that purpose, originally embraced in the bill, hav-
ing been stricken out. The last section, which,
we understand, was added to the bill in the SEN
ate, repeats the act of 1921, which allowed TO
the teachers Of poor children, the sum of one
dollar per quarter, for each pupil of that de-
scription. We suppose that the continuance of
this act was deemed incompatible with the general
system about to be established by the new law,
and with the effective application OF the school
fund under it. 1t would have been well, however,
to have preserved the act of 1921, until the new
law shall go into actual operaon-forw we believe
that the aid furnished by it land which is now
Withdrawn, limited as it was, was productive of
great good in This place and elsewhere that un-
der the auspices of benevolent individuals, very
considerable number of destitute children in Will
ming,on, Newcastle, and other parts of the State,
were enabled to receive the advantages of a COM
mon education from that small pittance, who would
have been iet In utter ignorance without it,
Vngi,a-Thc people of this State have been long time
ngaged agltatng the question, whether Convention shall
be held for the purpose reforming the Constitution The
inf
OF scontent, are, believe, two fod--irs-he limitation
Of the right ofsufiage freehoders excusivey-and,
ondhe mode of representation in the Legislatureeach
county having an equal number of members, without regard
to the disparity of population The Virginans stickers
they for equal rights, have lived under this unequal
system for fifty years and more For years past however
spirit Of oppugnaon to these anepubcan features in the
Constitution, has displayed ITSELF particularly in the Western
and most furnishing part of the state where the rapid increase
population renders the inequality of representation more
striking and ntoerabe gri The Eastern portion of the
Legislature, holding power and forgetting right for long
time resisted the demand for Conventionior long time
opposed the emancipation of the non-eehoders and OF the
populous counties, with ostnacy not whit behind that
with which the British Government has resisted the claims
the Irish Catholics 1t is instance show, that the love
of power finds a, natural home under republican garb
on kngy throne Popular opinion, however, is rather strong
er here than England and must prevail sooner Or later
The opponents of popular rights were obliged yield IN Vr
gna and during the last year, the question of Convention
or No Convention formally submitted to the people
and the Convenonists might be expected, carried by
= large majority This point being accomplished the Legislature
~ undertook give effect the popular will by liking the mod
t. in which the members the convention shall be elected
q and the time of meeting Of the Convention This has been
IN o course the topic of prominent in the Legislature
IL during the present ion plans without number have bee
proposed each of which had its due share of elaborate discus
sion If has at length been decided that the election of mem
beers of the Convention shall take place in May and that tn
u Convention shall assemble October The representation
H. the Convention is understood be fairly apPorioneI to tn
re nonu,aonbut in the choice members the Convention
sc rirbt of suffrage still confined tofeehodes This res
IT, n which said to exclude go 900 eeme from any ager
cv in the Conventions is producing great excitement
Virginia tits another proof of the tenacy with which pow
err however obtained even dying struggles will hold
TO its grasp more direct usurpaton or unfair distinction
H. under the circumstances can scarcely be imagined tn
calling ofa Convention re-oganize or enovate te govern
ment seems to u.s. so far to supersede all former restriction
whether constitutional legislative as at least 10 lhVestt
whole body of the citizens with the sacred and natural rig
of choosing the persons whom power OF such magnut
is to be entrusted act of the people in their origin
and sovereign character, with which legislative body has
more right to intermediate for the purpose OF control or re
friction than any other inferior power would have 10 obsu
or tamme the legal authority of its superior any eglsl
tive enactment necessary it could only be for the pr
nose of giving full and fair effect to the wishes and intention
I of the people The principal question at issue between
eeholders and the charlottesville &c. 900 non-ifeeho
ers claim from the 40 or $4,000 feehodcrshe right OF s.