Delaware State journal and statesman., 1865-03-31

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THE eDEmocRATIc', PARTY OPPOSED
TO THE POI.zTICALs EQUALITY OF
THE WHITE RACE. u. 90
The question of representation accord
ing to population and taxation is now
fairly before the people of This State
The proposition which was before the
Legislature was fair, liberal aud just, and
every Union representative recorded his
vote in favor Of it, and every so.ca lied
Democrat recorded his vote against it.
We think by this action this question has
assumed complete party aspect and
we eandidly. say, we regret it. When
the measure was called up in the House
for final action, a leading member of the
majority SAID, he looked upon the whole
thing as farce The Gazette endeavors
to be iacetious on the subject, but the
day will arrive when it will be a serious
matter. More than majority of the
white people of the State reside in New
Castle County, and yet they have only
one third of the representation. This
great wrong is sustained by party
claiming to be democratic -
The Gazette seems to think Samuel
Townsends proposition troubled the
friends of the measure presented to the
Legislature, and almost took "the wind out
oftheir sails.' Inlis remarks, Mr.. Alder
dice alluded 10 the movement to divide
New Castle County by the Christiana
river, and proved conclusively, that the
wrong would not be righted by such a
division--that the upper county, by that
line, would have nearly twice the popu-
lation of the lower county, and yet it was
proposed to allow the same representa-
tion for each county. That at the election
in 1852, the upper Hundreds polled 4474
votes and the lower Hundreds only 1886
votes, and in the election of 1854 the dis
parity was even greater. MIR. Allderdice
also said, he was not welded to any par
tlcular mode of securing the political
equality of the voting population Of the
State-he had delayed calling up his
bill, in the hope, that those who were of
the ruling party, would feel the importance
OF action upon this vital question, and if
they were opposed to his bill, would
Introduce some other proposition to secure
the operation of principles, which were
at the very foundation of free government.
This they failed to do, and in the face of
defeat, the bill was pressed to vote.
In this connection, we may mention,
that Mr.. Allderdice exhibited TO the
House, q correct tabular statement of the
population Of each county in the State,
at each decade, from 1890 to 1860, which
was kindly furnished him by the Hon. ].
q. G. Kennedy, Superintendent of the
Census. 1t shows that at the adoption
OF the FIRST constitution of the State in
i'3Z, the white population of the counties
stood as follows -
New Castle, I6.4s7
Kent, t.sss l4O50
Sussex, 1918
When the constitution was amended
in 1881, New Castle and Sussex had
very nearly the same white population
but Kent was falling behind In 1860,
tile white population in each of tho
counties was as follows;-
New Castle, 46,355
Kent, 20.33O
Sussex, 23,9O4
Thus showing the white population of
New Castle County to be 2l2l more than
Kent and Sussex combined. Men, call.
ing themselves Democrats" shall not be
allowed to close their eyes to these facts.
Their refusal to remedy this glaring injus-
tico is evidence, either of their ignorance
Of the first principles of democracy or
their contempt for those principles.