Smyrna times., 1871-02-08
l"For the Smyrna Timcs."I
The State Legislature.
DOVER. DEL Eeh

The Legislature has during the past week,
put q QUietuS to the Criminal Prosecution Bill.
and the bill to change the usury law of the
State.
The 2400 signatures to the petitions of the
Liquor Dealers union in favor of the passage
OF the bill proved to be but "a feather in the
scale compared to the avalanch of public opin-
ion as 1t made itself known Though remon-
strances and the public press.
The bill to amend the usury law of the State
which passed the Senate by majority of ore
met with determined opposition in the House
which culmlnated in its deteaton Friday morn
ing. Mr.. Newton, alone voting for it on its
final reading.
The Legislature has also shown its opposi-
ton to any increase of banking capital in the
State, by defeating the bill n the Senate 10
incorporate the Commercial Bank Of Delaware
! City.
The bill to authorize the erection of a pivot
bridge over Duck Greek, at Flemmings Land
ing, is meeting with general favor, it having
passed the Senate, and received one reading in
the House.
There has been no move yet By the Com
mlttee on Education, to introduce any improve
ment III the School law of the State. although
1t is admitted by nearly all well informed per-
sons that the present school law has outliyed
Its day OF usefulness, and is now in many in
stances worse than 20 law at all In the alb
sence OF any general movement to revise the
school laws OF the State, much local legislation
Is done for isolated districts where asked for.
Inc most important petition of that kind
comes from the town Of Leipsic, which fully
sets forth the evils attending the holding of
school elections and leaving the question of
tax or no tax, to popular vote. l send you
copy OF the petition, and the bill accompa-
nylng 1t, which shows an extraordinary pre-.
caution to exclude citizens of African descent
and which if tested would hardly measure mn
TO the full intention Of the Fifteenth Amend
ment.
The petition reads as follows:
10 the Honorable the Senate and House nj
ReprcsentdtireS, dc
Your petIil JneTs residing in United School Dis.
trcts Nos. III and 81, Kent County are labor,np
under the disadvantage nd inconvenience ce of having
no public school in our Dstr cts, in consequence o
winch from one hundred and fifty TO two hundred
chhdreh are being deprived Of Means Of obtaining
an educaliOn-whlch We deem and irreparable los.
to the children and an injury to society, We
therefore pray your Honorable body TO enact suck
law as Will relieve us from our present embar
rasment and secure 10 US each and every wear 8
public school. With our present Inhabitants o.
these United School Districts we are any veal
liable to lose the benefit of our general school Law
]
to enact law for the benefit of education in these
United School Districts that will impower th,
School Committee at the Commencement of each
scholastic year 10 levy and collect out of the
sable citizens and property holders in these districts
sum sufficient IN amount 10 amply support two
gooo Public Schools for period of not less thar
ten months in each year. BY so doing you will con
Ter an InestImable favor many Of our citizens
amongst them many poor widows whose only np
portunltes are the Public schools, And YOU
/ petitioners will ever pray. &c.
Signed by Samuel Hargadine and 72 others GU
OF " Ites IN the Districts.
In response 10 the prayer of the Petitioners III
following bill has been intr .duced
An act to ncourage education in United Scboo
Districts u and 81, in Kent County.
SEC |. BE- it enacted by the Senate and Hous
| OF Representative Of the Stale of Delaware il
General Assembly met, That from and after th
passage OF this act the School Commissioners IL
their successors in United School Districts | an
81 in Kent County are authorized directed an
required 10 levy and collect yearly lin addition
such sum as may be levied at a stated meeting) th
sum OF 500 to support free white school in sal
Districts.
SEC. 2. The sums above stated in section
shall be levied and collected out oF the white cit
zens OF said Districts in the way and manner othe
taxes are collected in Kent County.
Speaker Biggs, during the last week, ha
presented petition from II. L. Cochran an
others. of Middletown, asking for law
| authorize the colOrcd people to tax themselvC
D for the support Of their own schools. The D,
tltion has been referred to the C1mmittee o
: Education, from whence it has not yet nnd
its appearance. The members from Kent an
= Sussex generally oppose any action on the prt
e posed measure, while it is strongly urged /
v many of the New Castle members. IL is DO
il sib!e that law Of the kind asked for may pas
= but 1t so, it will only. apply to New Castle co
> Mr. Smith has introduced bill to amen
3 the law in relation to taking out marrine
e licenses. AS it now is colorod people pa
j nothing for marriage license, but simply q
permit from Justice of the Peace. Nj
D. Smiths bill will compel them to take out
l. license the same as white persons; but no pa
a OF the tee paid for such license is to be apple
= to the School Fund of the State, but is 20 /
'o paid into the State Treasury, to be spent
e carrying on the State Government. Oh, tn
D :, n negro in tho ,woodpile, +" like the ghost
e Banguo, 1t will not down, at the bidding
"a our Legislature.
The bill to prevent the killing of small insec
: lverous birds has passed both houses and b
j. comes law; also the bill TO prevent the XII