Smyrna times., 1855-03-07

show the utter fallacy of the Reporters COM
parison of the number Of petitioners for the
law with the entire population of the State
men. women, ,childrenand negroes. He knows
well that the great bulk of those petitioners
were legal votefs, aud he knows, too, that the
proper way. of making the comparison is, to
conpare those petitioning legal voters with the
whole number of voters in the State; but the
Reporter enters into this subject with nc desire,
by free and fair discussion, to elicit the truth
Not he-the truth is the very thing he mostly
breads.
The Reporter complains that we did not con-
hne our petitions to prominent men, but that we
took signers without regard to prominence of
character. This is new Democratic doctrine
prominent leading men may petition the Leg
lslature, but the great mass of the people may
not petition! Yes, Mr.. Reporter, we did 90 to
the Legislature backed by the petitions of the
PeopIe-the honest, Industrious sober hard
working ptople-who were tired of the evils
resulting from the rum traffic-tired of paying
live in ease and splendor while their poor
abashed victims were shiverng and covering in
rags and wretchedness, and want. And now
we are told, in effect by this PRETENDED cham
pon for the rights of the people, that we might
properly have gone to the legislative halls with
the petitions of the select few, but we had no
right to take the people with us! All, Mr..
Reporter, with all your professed love for the
dear people, you are forced to drop the mask
sometimes, and give us glimpse at your true
character The Devil, it's said, when he clothes
himself as an Angel of Light, has great trouble
with his cl9yen foot and long tail
You predict that the law will be found impoli.
tic and mischievous Well, Just hold in. and
wait and see. That you most devoutly pray
that it may be SO, | have no doubt but we are
taught in Sacred Writ that the PRAYERS of the
wicked shall not prevail.
AS to responsibility, the Legislature and II 6
party that passed he law. expect to take the
responsibility. They are willing to RELY on III,
virtue, patriotism, and good sense of the peonl,
OF Delaware, and they expect to be sustaine,
In their action by an overwhelming minority Of
the citizens of the State. We DO feel, Mr.
Reporter, that we have "sins enough of ou1
own to give an account for" and, therefore. W,
have no desire of adding to them the deep an,
damning one of longer sustaining the run
traffic in Delaware. We agree with YOU. too
that man should, to God alone, be responsible,
for his actions, SO far as they do not trespas
upon the civil rights Of another. But that
just why we wage war politically upon the run
traffic, because it does trample on our civi
rights. When it increases the burden of taxa
ton upon us, does it not touch our civil rights
When it sends its maddened victims forth in In
community a curse to themselves and all wit
whom they come in contact, does it not trampl
on our civil rightsi When it takes our son
and transforms them into brutes, does it nc
trample on our civil rights! When it take
American citizens from their high position an
utterly units them for the discharge of the du
tIes they owe to their country and their fellor
men, does it not trample on our civil rights :
Ah, Mr.. Reporter, you are getting Yourself
bad way-he who fights against truth an
right before the people of the State of Del.
; ware has, in the end, a hard battle, and is SUI
to get the worst of 1t. Let your own goo
sense, your sober conscience, speak for yo
hereafter, and you will fell the better for
aHd appear in a better light than your late u,
fortunate editorial places you.
One OF THE DEAR PEOPLE