Smyrna times., 1866-12-19
Delaware Criticised.

Adrert'$eT on the excursion to Norfolk, thus
judges Delaware through car-window:
No city in the recent slave States is making
such rapid strides in population and wealth as
Wilmington. 1t has indeed scarcely any the
elements OF a Southern city. 1t has been thor
oughly loyal during the war, and, from its own
treasury, when the State would do nothing,
has voted money and equipped regiments for
the Union cause. 1t has population Of 50,
900, OF which 1000 are manufacturing opera
tives. Situated at the junction of the Della
ware and Brandywine rivers, it has in the lat
ter river extensive water power; the Christia
Ma creek, which will float the largest ships,
meanders through the town, giving it an extern
slve water front. On this creek are two large
establishments for building steamboats, Har-
Ian, liolngsWorth Il Co. employ 600 hands,
and Pusey, Jones l. Co. 300 hands. Shoes
leather and carriages are also largely manutac-
tured. The annual product ofits manufactures
is $l2, ,0OO,0O0. In everything but its tame
Philadelphia architecture, contracted lots, and
open sewerage, 1t appears like Northern city,
On the political questions of the day the peO-
pie are fully up to the New England stand
ard, and a little beyond.
The county Of New Castle has more than
halt the population and fVe-sixths of the wealth
OF the State; and yet by the Constitution it has
no more representation in the legislature of the
State than one Of the two lower counties.
There is little prospect, therefore, for many
years of seeing Delaware with a loyal delega-
ton III the Senate Of the United States, On
leaving Wilmington on our trip, the limits of
the county OF New Castle were obvious from
the well cultivated farms, and fine peach Or
chards and neat farm buildings We then
plunge into the county of Kent, and later into
the lower county of Sussex The farther south
we go, the lower is the stratum of civilization.
The houses turn into Shanties, and the fields
into barren wastes. The only indications of
the crop are Il few acres of stunted Southern
corn, which would not yield more than twelve
bushels to the acre They have no barns, and
they cure no hay. For more than hundred
miles | looked i'll vain for field that had been
mOwn. Corn tops are the only material gath
cred for wlntering their stock. The top is cut
OFT close to the ear which is, except in the
meanest fields, about four feet from the ground
The corn is not yet harvested. The ear drops
over upon the stalk, and a field of corn has the
appearance Of flock of cranes The tops are
generally lett stocked upon the field, but some
times are put into ricks near the house. saw
no one at work. unless it was u negro leading
horse to water, or slatternly woman driving
IN the pigs. In the lower counties of Della
ware the residents have not energy enough to
support plg-pen. White men were seen loaf
ing about with hands in their pockets, or sun
ming themselves, with clay pipes in their
mouths. The Hon. Mr.. Salisbury lives in the
county Of Sussex, and represents these people
in the United States Senate. 1t is reported
that Mr. Salisbury constituents drink great
deal OF whlskey, or did when that article was
cheap. This statement is evidently slander,
as the rigid temperance principles of that gen
teman are well known, and his influence among
them IS supreme, except when another party
will pay higher price f0rv votes. A managing
politician OF the State informs me that a party
in Sussex county endeavored in the late cleo
tlOn to contract with the Republicans to fur
nish eleven hundred votes at stipulated price
per head. The price has risen so much of late
that both political parties have determined to
break down the combination by refusing to pay
| the current rates.
| Refore the revolutionary war the lower coun-
ties OF Delaware were among the most densely
settled portions OF the country; but they have
been worn out by tobacco and slavery. In the
late rebellion, their young men sympathized
with, and many of them fought for, the con-
federacy. The country has still much fine oak
timber for shipbuilding, and the land under
the cultivation Of Northern settlers would pro-
duce good crops.
I4eC lne say WOrQ OF my travelling c0mQan-
lOns for to me men are always more interest
ing study than things Not a drop of spiritu-
Gus liquors was provided by the managers of
the excursion, nor did | see or hear of it in the
possession of any one of the party. Could the
same be said of any similar excursion party of
New Englanders? / mention this to show the
high moral and social character Ofthe business
men of Wilmington who arranged tho excur-
sion, Yet more jovial and hilarious compa-
ny it never was my fortune to fall among Fun
was the order of the day. Every species Of
fancy stock was offered for sale through the
train, and their merits enlarged upon with a
world OF humOr and satire by dignifCd railroad
and city officials. While stopping at every
station the lots in the vicinity were sold al
, mock auction, to the astOnishment of the sleepy
settlers. Our bulky Alderman was mounted
on stump and made to deliver himself of q
speech. On board the boat an eminent indi
, vidual was tried before an improvised tribunal
for certain alleged offences. The charges were
t proved by unimpeaohable testimony, and the
, culprit acquitted through the ingenuity Of
, counsel.
THE RAT NUISANCE. Catching rats is Otter
, difficult as old rats are proverbially cunning
Laying around poison is dangerous not alone
but also Objectionable, for the reason that rat!
! may die at inaccessible spots and contaminatC
the atmosphere with the well-known detestabl,
odor. A better plan has been adopted by on,
of our correspondents, by which he takes ad
! vantage of the cunning habits of the rats. Ii,