Delaware tribune. [volume] (Wilmington, Del.) 1867-1877, 1869-02-25
Dividing New Castle County-A Petition
from Sam. Townsend.

To the Honorable the Senate and Honse Of Repre-
sentatires ofhe State Of Deidtcare, in General
Assembly met:
TheuHdersigned citizen fAppoquinimink hun
dred, New Castle county, respectfully calls your
attention to the justice and necessity of making
two counties out of New Castle county. He docs
not, at this present session, feel 1t his duty to
more than call your attention to this great mat
ter but at the time assures you that his anx-
iety is unabated in this measure. Four years ago.
Mr. Alderdice, the Republican member from
New Castle hundred, in this county, brought for
ward In the Legislature proposition to give New
Castle county representation according to popula-
tion, and this doctrine being the corner store of
Democracy, no Democrat could gainsay 1t, and
therefore the Democratic members from Kent
and Sussex counties were put in an uncomforta-
bly, tight place, and they looked around for some
way TO get out. was written to among others,
to come to Dover, for consultation. went and
there proposed to make two counties out of New
Castle Brandywine, Christiana and Mill Creek
hundreds, and the city OF Wilmington to make
one county, and White Clay Creek New Castle,
Pencader, Red Lion, st. Georges and Appoquin-
mink hundreds to make another county. This
proposition was accepted and IL spiked Mr.. All
derdice's guns-he let the matter drop. The
Kent and Sussex members relieved from their
tight place, tcere exceedingly eheertui. Then IL
was VIC of the six lower hundreds pushed the mat
ter of separation, held large meeting in Middle
town, circulated petitions, obtained signatures,
calling on the Legislature, asking them to divide
this county. Then it was discovered by grave
iaryers at Dorer that there was a hitch in the
way-the Constitution of the State would have to
be amended to arrange the judicial districts, and
the Constitution could only be amended as fol-
lows: The General Assembly, whenever two
thirds of each House shall deem 1t necessary,
may, with the appreciation of the Governor pro-
pose amendments to this Constitution, and at
least three, and not more than six months before
the next general election Of Representatives, duly
publish them in print for the consideration of the
people; and If thTec-fourths of each branch of the
Legislature shall, after such an election, and be-
fore another, ratify the said amendments, they
shall be valid to all intents and purposes as parts
of this Contribution.
At the next session, two years ago, the Demo-
Gratis having the Governor, and the necessarytwo-
thirds Of each House of the Legislature, and enc
above that number in the House, member from
Wilmington, we again petitioned. A committee
was raised on the subject and that committee
made two reports, one by the majority and one
by the minority, both, in substance, the same
refusing our request to make two counties, the
Wilmington member very active in his opposi-
tion, and claiming to represent his party in Will
mington. II therefore cannot in all after contro-
yersies be denied that il the Democratic members
in the Legislature had been in favor of the great
Democratic principle of representation according
session of the Legislature have so far accomplish
ed that measure for New Castle county, as the
making of two counties, one manufacturing
county and the other an agricultural county, with
the same identical interests as Kent and Sussex;
but no, Wilmington opposed this measure, which
would have made her a county seat for new
county, given her county buildings, saved her
thousands of dollars in travelling expenses to New
said new county to tax and bridge as much as she
pleased, without authority, as she has done for
the two late bridges, one over tho Christiana and
one over the Brandywine, robbed the county
treasury without shadow Of law, and for which
ii is your duty TO impeach the Levy Court, who,
in this matter, acted us the willing tools for VIII
mington This control Ut the four upper hun
drcds, in new county, does not satisfy the pride
of Wilmington; she wants all the increased repre-
sentaton OF New Castle Co., or the control OF it,
and its patronage. Only last week, without con-
sutation with any of the lower hundreds, or by
county meeting, a few wirc-pulling Democrats
took the responsibility to meet in the Gazete OIL
flee and fix on an increase OF the number OF Levy
Court Commissioners of this county, and named
two men, one from Wilmington and one from
Brandywine hundred. They were afraid IL would
have looked n little too transparent, at present,
to have named both of the proposed members
from Wilmington; hence Brandywine was TO
shoulder one, and because You, In your cnlight-
ened wisdom, failed TO pass such partisan meas
rire as would have given n few wire-pullng DEM
ocrats in Wilmington the appointing of all our
county officers, the Gazette, in an editorial, raps
you over the knuckles and lets the cat out of the
bag. here quote the very words of the Gazehe's
editorial. 1--WE would be glad il our Kent and
Sussex friends would grant this city what 1t GER
Iany ought to have q larger representation IL
Is becoming too serious a question TO delay much
onger and may he the means of much unpeas
INT feeling in party ailinities hereafter" Now
your honorable body eau see by this implied
threat Of these Wilmington Democrats that they
want increa ed representation. The Republicans
IN Wilmington are us detcrminedly bent on the
same measure, and may in these strange times Of
Republican legislation, give niggers the right to
vote, quarter nigger soldiers in Wilmington 10
see that niggers do roie, and in my opinion the
white Republicans of Wilmington, with few ex-
,cptions for the love of power and Office, would
willingly accept the aid of Niger votes, and by
he same kind of legislation that Congress now
proposes, representation in this county could be
increased by them. Then bv the aid of nigger
votes in Wilmington, TO elect members OF the
legislature, where would be your Kent and Sns-
lex balance OF power? Would 1t not be wise in
rou now to do Justice before It is too late-make
wo counties out of New Castle county2 That
will, in measure, give representation according
o population, and save trouble hereafter. And
your petitioner will ever, &C., &C., &c.
SAMUEL TowssESp.
To,raseRd Feb. 9th, 1860.