Delaware tribune. [volume] (Wilmington, Del.) 1867-1877, 1867-04-04
CORRESPONDENCE.
THE LEGISLATIVE PROCEEDINGS.

If1E LEGISLATIVE Fh0CEEDlNGS.
The Failure of the Wilmington Loan
Bill-Corrected report OF Senator Jack
sons Speech.
Editors Of the Commercial In perus-
ing the reports of legislative proceedings as
contained in your daily issues through the
course of the past session observed few
times that mention of the introduction or
readings of important bills were omitted, and
shrewdly guessed that the reporters had spe-
cial instruction In some cases where certain
ends were to be attained by failure of pub
licity.
In your report of the last days proceedings
the action upon one very important bill was
left entirely unnoticed. This may have been
accidental in the hurry of closing up, but has
rather suspicious appearance us II some
parties were afraid their action might meet
the public eye.
The bill alluded to was to authorize the
City of Wilmington to make loan of $40, O00
for widening King and 9th streets, and for
other purposes. After passing the House il
had laid for many weeks in the hands Of the
Senate Committee on Corporations, and was
reluctantly permitted to be dragged forth on
the last day of the session. Mr.. jackson OF
the Senate argued at some length for thepas
sage of the bin, setting forth the high charac-
ter of the numerous petitioners for its pas
page, and the smallness in number of the real
representative men and property holders
of the City, contained in the remonstrance
against it. He also endeavored to show by
facts stated in letters from responsible gentle
men, the safe financial condition of Viii
mington, the absolute need of the improve
fr,,n f,fr oh, t1np,
now before further delay should add further
difficulties in the way of their accomplish
ment, and further additions to the cost OF the
work. Unfortunately, however, votes are
seldom cast in the Senate upon the merits Of
a queslion, but upon some party ideas deter
mined by outside influences and not unfre-
quently before the question is fully examined
and understood. The bill was lost by vote
of four to five, all of the Kent and Sussex
Senators recorded their votes against it ex-
cept the Speaker, Mr.. Ponder, who voted
with the members from our own county, and
who deserves the credit in more instances
than this, ofmanifesting more liberal spirit
than some others of his party.
The impromptu remarks make by Mr..
jackson upon the offering of compliment
tary resolution to the Speaker Of the Senate,
had a wider range than your reporter gives
thcHi, anu ut tht ouSSNctioi Vi cohic iiiShts
l have asked his help in making more cor
rect report. The following contains the sub
stance and as near as may be the language
used on the occasion.
MIR. Speaker and gentlemen of the Sen
ate, rise to express my hearty concurrence
in the resolution Just offered, thanking our
honorable Speaker for his uniform courtesy
and kindness throughout this extended SEES
sion, and would like also to express similar
feelings towards others Of our fellow-mem-
bers. My time during the last hours of the
session, as you are aware, has like your own
been closely occupied, scarce afiording us
leisure to collect our thoughts and allow
them to flow in the train they so naturally
fall into on occasions like the present Had
| the time and ability, / would be most glad
to go further and endeavor to give express
sion to some of the thoughts thus so natural
ly recurring
| might, for instance, congratulate you,
Mr.. Speaker and gentlemen, upon the evil
dences we have witnessed, of the energy
and industry of the people Of Delaware.
The numerous corporations we have helped
to create for the building of Railroads and
various other purposes-the ditch bills and
road bills, all evidence the fact that our peo-
pie are not cast down by the troubles that
are past, but ON the contrary are alive, hope
tul and energetic, giving assurance Of pro
gross, and II prosperity truly encouraging to
every lover Of ON noble little State
might also ask permission to express the
pleasure felt in knowing that however we
may differ in our present views of State pol
icy. we can all Join in looking back and re
calling with pride the patriot names that
Delaware has in the past given to the rolls
of fame, and in encouraging in ourselves
the laudable ambition, like Them to cast
l'asidc all minor differences and fulfill our fu-
ture duties in the spirit of enlarged and en-
I lightened craftsmanship
And going still further Mr.. Speaker,
might venture TO congratulate you on what
seems to some of lis, the hopeful assurance
we now have that the storm of revolution
which has passed over our beloved country
is fast dying away, that "every obstacle
heretofore hindering the perpetual growth OF
| liberty and peace" will ere long be removed,
and our glorious Gland OF the free" unitedly
press forward toward the fulfilmcnt of oul
most sanguinc hopes and aspirations.
With these bare hints Of what might be
appropriately said on this occasion con
| clude by repeating my hearty approval o
the resolution just offered and doubt not il
will meet the unanimous response of this
body. A MEMBER.
II is due TO the reporters for the CONNER
GAL to state that their copy was often con
sidcrably clipped in our office, in order Il
get it ready for the press. We would not
of course, have purposely omitted any i'm
portant bill, but ii might have happened &C
cidcntally. We have had full confidence il
the perfect reliability and good faith Of on
reporters and feel that our corresponden
does them injustice COMMERCIAL