Delaware Republican. (Wilmington, Del.) 1843-1874, 1873-03-03
For The pala,eare Republican.
TUT tItU 0etWI0IffU IttTNVFttU''
nip Van NinikIe visits D0ver-He pro-
nOunces Delaware HOmmd.

For The Deldicare Republican.
Rip Van NinkIe visits Dover-He pro-
81 nOunccs Delaware SOunu.
When Rip Van Wrinkle walked from sleep,
He said he'd like to take a peep
Into our Ealls Of Legislation
To see what was there reformation:
He first concluded he would take
A trip into the Diamond State
lie gathered up his traps sLraigbtway
Aud oil TO Dover went that day;
The Old State House he recognized,
The sight brought tears into his eyes,
Not tears Of sorrow, but Of joy,
10 think that since he was boy
There was one object he had seen
That from his boyhoOd still has been
The same, as he had always seen,
The "Old State House on Dover Green.
iIe viewed it DER, and DER again,
Tile dom,, the ROOT, each window pane,
Then cast glance across the square
And recognized Old SAKE, there,
| lie wiped the dust from off his feet
Then oped the eoor, and took peep
Then stepf ed into the hail. halfway,
To take u look at the stairway;
1t was the same he oft had seen,
When but boy, on Dover Green.
lie closed his eyes in iervent prayer,
50 thankful there was one place where
| No innovations had been made,
| Whilst he asleep, 50 long had laid.
lie 10 the House then went straiglitway
As of. he'd done in his ea.ly day,
And in the lobby took his scat, t.
But there he found no friend 10 greet;
| lie viewed the Speaker in his chair,
The Clerk, as he stood reading there
| Gave "ltip 10 kAow there was clause
10 alter the old Usuiy Laws,
Thea after hat he read Il bill
To 10. W, man make will,
And then another, which did say
That women have no rights to day,
And then proposed that thce should be
i y law 10 make II woman freq,
| And henc1tulth and forever be
Equal with man in property.
hip never heard su,n things before,
lie thought such laws would cause war
} lfthey SHOULD pass: though that cant be,
1t must he all in fun thought lie;
} He wiped his specs To take II gaze,
! When some ole called The yeas and nays
r 10 let woman make II will:
Then next to change the Usury bill,
And then, to let u woman be
4 Equel with man in property.
t "Rip" then discoveredi 1t was true,
I TLey did propose those things TO do;
s But when they called the Yeas and nays
o Old "Rip" was very much amazed;
d He thought he'd hear a constant nay,
Il But nearly every one said yea.
1t took the old man by surprise
And tears OF sorrow filled his eyes.
!" Then from the blouse he went straightway
Wishing he'd slept until this day;
4 But us he passed the Senate door
II lie thought he'd look in there, once more,
Tie courteous Speaker from his chair
10 Politely bowed, without u stare,
And asked old "ltip'' TO please to be
re Seated on the old sGttcc.
M The old man bowed, and took his seat
NJ Glad that he did such treatment meet:
m He scanned the Senators with care
And revereneed those who had grey hair.
At once, he thought l. cannot be
Nose men will change the Usury,
- Or let u woman make Il will,
3 If she has gol !, husband still;
!, Nor will they let woman be
:" Equal with man in property;
Because t!ey We lived full long TO see
That none ofthosc new things should be.
One moment more a rap is heard,
A falling pin would Ihsn have stirred
The Stiffness ON that ''Senate" floor,
When the blouse clerk did opc ths door;
A message from the "lIousc," said he
On wonalus rights, and UslIry
And also here's another bill
For teh,aic coteri'S right 10 will.
Whist he did lead, quick did view
The Senators, right through and through,
| thought | saw Il pleasant smile
Play on the Speakers face the while,
| was afraid he W Juld not be
Sound on the law OF suiy,
And then saw another there
With handsome face and auburn hair,
Who looked as though he'd like to see
The "Senate" with the blouse agree
On womans rights aud Usury,
10 make wills, and hUla property.
But when cast a glance around
On those OF ripper years, found
Their looks denoted, they would say,
Onall OF Wcm, we VIII vote nay,
Just then the man with auburn hair,
Proposed TO have those bills read there;
The speaker bowed, and quickly said,
Wen Lave the one on Usury read,
And then in regular order came
Tho others, which oft did name,
And to committees We're referred
hoped, TO ne'cr again be heard;
then concluded would stay
In Dover, until the third day.
To see those bills all laid away
Until the resurrection day,
NJ The third day came, | went once more
y And took my seat beside the door.
u, Ihe man with auburn hair did say
Gu Wen try the "Usury Bill, TO day;
Inc Speaker then said with will,
nc lis the third reading of the BILL
IheiyounS man called the yeas and NAYS,
Nv which caused a smile from all the Qrags.
y" Inc clerk then called the names all DER,
:, But OILY three, upon that floor
~ Did dare say yea, which pleased me more
"a Than anything Id seen before
az, au In regular order then they came
=. nc And all did die, without a name.
70 70 AT this uttered forth prayer
~ God bless, our little Delaware.
az | was content that did stay
~ ~ Upon that floor till the third day:
lao Ana at Its close l sail my prayers
,"o And thanked the members with grew hair.
,as Before left thought ia SEQ
ia Inside Of the Estate Library
| was afraid the Code was new,
'os But no, found old .ifty-two,'
III, opcd the good old book, and read,
~" That negro slavery was not dead,
IL, yet had fears it was not true,
lie l thea scanned all the new laws through,
,av But not one word in them did say
'ho ngger's not Il slave 10 day,
was content, an dleft straightway,
knowing that Delawares sound to day.
r. @.
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