Delaware State journal and statesman., 1863-10-23


Legislature, but as yet the puolie have not been
favored with sight ct its enaa''nents. Chapter
OF the Revised Code makes it the duty Of the
secretary OF State, to publish forthwith all pub
nc shtuies when passed, duly enrolled, signed
ny me speakers, and deiy red to him. This
provision was signed to expedite the pHblica
u"n oil the laws, so that the courts and the public
hoei not remain in ignorance of recent enact
'neuis, The long delay in their appearance in
print this year creates the impression that they
are designedly kept back. We notice in one Of
the papers favorable to Mr.. Smithers election
to Congress the boast that "with the exception
Of Governor Cannon, no one in the State has
been more energetic in thwartng the efforts of
the last legislature, in its reasonable acts -
Docs Mr. Smithers consider the acts Of the Le-
gislature Unreasonable" and hence refuses to
send them before the people If SO, he has
taken upon himself large discretionary powers.
We have heard that official oaths were taken
with - mental reservations now days, and we
fear that there is too much truth in the saying,
Judging from the attempt Of our Governor and
and his Secretary to evade their lawful duties
under the plea that they are 'thwartiug treason
able acts'-a term which, being being inter
preted, means, in plain English, subvertng the
tights and liberties Of the people.
We copy the foregoing article, entire
from the Delawarean of last week, for the
purpose of showing our readers the diff
Guilty under which the Copperhead party
labors in finding fault with the Union
candidate for Congress-Hon N. B.
SMITHERs Being altogether unable to
scare up anything tangible or trae against
hlm-politically or socially-they are
driven to the petty business of grumbling
at their own misrepresentation of his
want of energy in his official character Of
Secretary OF State.
To remove the anxiety about the
Laws" which seem to trouble the edi-
tor OF the Delawarean SO egregiously we
will inform him, first, that the State Laws
were printed at this Office Second That
the Secretary of State placed the copy in
our hands, in accordance with Chapter
of the Revised Code for publication
"tor'hwM y and that, whatever there
may have been Of delay, was caused by
the extraordinary circumstances of the
times, which, as every business man
knows drew so largely upon the indus
trial classes of the community, in every
branch of trade and mechanism, for the
army as to make it exceedingly difficult
to procure competent workmen upon any
terms or conditions. The slow progres,
made with the work, in consequence OF
this difficulty, was as much a source Of
anxiety to Mr.. SMITHERs as it was oil
yexation and pecuniary loss TO us; and
notwithstanding his frequent importuni.
ties to push the work out, we could not
in justice to our numerous job customers
meet his desire with all the obtainablc
force at command, albeit we employ per
manently, and keep constantly at work
more frStclass 'oorkmen than all the othel
offices in Wilmington combined.
We will inform the Dclawarean further
that the Courts and Judges are not igno
rant of "recent enactments.' A bound
pamphlet copy of every law passed at botl
sessions of the Legislature was sent tC
each of the Judges, and also 10 the Chan
cellor' at least three days before the ses
sion Of the Sussex County Court; there
t9re, the energy of Mr. SMIruERs was no
directed toward the suppression of m,
reasonable acts Of the present Copper
head Legislature, as the Delawarean in
sinuates
And now, while upon this subject of of
fetal neglect and delay, will the editor o
the Delawarean tell US why the Bill il
relation to the "Game Laws of the Stat,
was suffered to remain a practical MULTI,
for three montds after it had passed boil
Houses, for the want of the signatures 0
the respective Speakers The pamphle
laws tell us that the Bill was passed OIL
the tenth Of March but was not sipDe,
until the tenth of June following. Her
we have, on the part of the Copperhea,
Speakers, not delay-but gross neglect
What right had they to thus nullify lay
OF the State for three months Ripht o
no right they did it; but nobody com
planned about it, nor has any Union man
so far as we know, ever attributed to ther
a disposition TO eyade their lawful din
ties" as the Delawarean most uniustl
and meany charges Mr.. Smithers with
Had the laws been printed with all pos
sible dispatch, they could not have bee
closed until the one in question had beei
signed. We would advise the editor q
the Delawarean, before he undertakes f
mpugn the motives of Mr.. SMITmERs. O
charge him with want Of official fidelity
to look ut home little; and until hi
Copperhead friends in office can show
record free from "neglcct" or "ment,
reservations" to hold his peace hcreafte
1t is well understood that it was not th
delay in the publication of the Laws tn,
prompted him to indite the article we ha,
quoted but it is a desire on his part
have fling at one of the most faithfu
honest, industrious and energetic publ
men we have in the State Of Delaware.
~-A--%-~~-
Tue HONEST sincerity and earnestness {
purpose manifested by Mr.. SNrrugRs at Il