Wilmington daily commercial., 1872-03-29
THE LEVY COURT.
The Plot to Disfrancbise Repub
Ba Hcan Citizens.
Fraud TO DO what a Fair Vote
Will Not.

The Levy Court, of this county, now in ses-
sion at New Castle, presented lively scene
yesterday The committee appointed by the re-
cent Republican county meeting, knowing that
efforts were being made to strike hundreds from
the list of voters, by returning them as dead" "
:, left the State" non est, " can't be found, I"
&c, when in fact, their existence and residence
within the county can be abundantly verified,
have been at a considerable expense Of time and
money. waiting and watching, and begging the
members of the Levy Court for access 10. the
error liet. All of these, with considerable diff
culty they have now obtained, with the excep-
ton Of the one for West Wilmington, which has
been 30 well managed by Archie Giyens, his
employee, Charles Bedford, and by Mr.. Price, a
member OF the Court, and others, that thus far
the committee have not been allowed to inspect
it. - .
Yesterday, VIM O. Spruance, Esq. on behalf
OF the Republican Committee, applied for and
received permission to address the Court, which
he did at some length, stating that for the last
teu.days, he had either personally, or by repre-
sentatfxes, applied daily to the Court, and to
individual members thereof for access to the
Error Lists, hut that no Republican had, thus
far, been permitted to inspect the Error List for
West Wilmington, and that what he had failed
to obtain by courtesy, he now asked as q right
aud requested the Court to clear itself Of any
imputation Of oellusfpn in this matter, by order
ing the Clerk of the Peace to submit said List
for his inspeotion. Several members of the
Court denied being parties to the concealing Of
said list yetMr. VRndeyer, of the Clerks Off O.,
in whose custody the document should be when
the Court is NOT in session, had told the gentle
men who asked for it on Wednesday, that he had
it not and that it must be in the private desk OF
some one of the members. In addition to this,
Mr.. Spruance submitted the testimony Of DIR.
Cameron that he was witness to Mr.. Price hav-
ing said List in his private desk on Tuesday lest,
the 26th, though it had been passed and dispo-
sed of by the Court on the Friday previous-the
Dad inst.
The Court however declined to give Mr. Spru-
ance the list, but on motion they requested the
Clerk to give it him, If not ~ use. This move
had the Intended effect, and to Mr.. Sprhances b
application the Clerk replied with an air of tri-
umph MS in use !" and the likelihood is that it
will be kept :" in use by it's present possessors,
while the Court is in session, at least. Had the
members of the Court desired to dispense any
measure of Justice to the Republican Committee,
hIr. Spruance's representations, and appeal to
their honor, should have made them blush for
shame to think that they could even be suspected
Of lending themselves TO screen and encourage
dishonesty
Mr. Spruance again addressed the Court, stat
ing that he had lists of names that had been
struck from the assessment rolls, which he
claimed should be replaced, and suggested that
a Committee of the Court be appointed to exam
inc and report on the samo. On motion Com
mttee of five were appointed for this purpose
who retired to make the necessary examinations
In the corner of the same room, sat Jackson
Holmes, of Christiana, Archie Given's mar
Bedford and William Woodward, whose office il
was to keep the West Wilmington list secreted
These persons evidently felt that they were
serving in very mean capacity, but they were
| equal to their work.
Besides Mr.. Spruanee, the Republican Com
mittee was represented by Jas. Scott, Leandel
| Riddle, Ii. F. Pickels Dfs.s Cameron and Nolen,
| Edw. Provost, and others. A large number oi
colored men were present from different parts
of the county, prepared to testify that IN nldnl
| instances, the names of persons had been i'm
| properly struck from the assessment rolls. One
instance will suffice to show the barefacednest
of the work which the Republicans were endeav
| oring to check The Rev. James Wilmer, Of st
| Georges Hundred, who had paid his tax and had
| his receipts for the taxes of 1871, was returned
| by his Collector as a nonresident in the State
! Abraham Jones, of st. Georges hundred, had
/ paid eighteen dollars taxes, last fall, and was
| likewise returned as an absentee The Cour
adjourned at an early hour, while the committee
to whom Mr.. Spruances lists were referred
| continued at work later
Spectators were admitted during the investi
cation, until by the advice Of Archie Givens ant
John Springer, who seem to rule the Court the
room was cleared of all except the committee
Mr.. Spruance, and Leander Riddle, and whoeve
might be called to give evidence.