Delaware state journal. [volume] (Wilmington, Del.) 1870-1883, 1873-03-01
MEETING IN OPPOSITION TO THE PROPOSED
REMOVAL OF THE COURT HOUSE.

REMOVAL OF Tue COURT hOIbh'
DOVER, Feb. 27th.-Mr. Maris' Court
house removal bill was further postponed
this afternoon. This was done to give
Col. Whitley, Geo. Gray, ESQ.,, and other
gentlemen of the New Castle bar, an OPP
portunity to speak against the bill and
submit their side Of the question to the
consideration Of the members of tie Legis-
lature.
At o O'Clock this evening meeting was
Organized in the House aud the gentlemen
opposed TO removal given patient heal
ing. Senator Leslie called the meeting to
order and introduced Geo. Gray, Esq, Of
New Castle. lie referred to the fact that
New Castle is historic ground and consid
cred the question of removal n most serl-
GUS one-ouc that, before being decided in
the affirmative, by good argument and the
best of reasons. Mr.. Gray denied that
four-fifths of the business coming before
the New Castle County Court came from
Wilmington, aud proved by figures that
not one-third of the business came from
that place. He didn't believe the tax
PAYERS of Wilmington favored the propo'
sjtion of removal, and asked the Legisla-
wre 10 consider well the subject before de-
Gliding the question.
Col. Whitley was next introduced and
81 id he was not the only person in VIII
/ mington opposed TO Court House removal
| lie opposed the proposition OF removal on
/ the ground of principle, and denled that
/ be was a feed advocate, as had been
| charged lie could not be hired to oppose
or favor any proposition that was wrong
and didn't believe any honest man could.
As the question of removal did not enter
into the last campaign II should not be
! f.T OF hmf mazda issue III
1874. He contended that those in favor OF
the removal were in the minority an1
many of the most substantial men in vii
miugten were bitterly opposed to it. III
was unfavorable toeubmittlng the question
TO a popular vote ut present, for nc though
that almost imlraeticable and questioned
the right of thu Legislature to delegate Il
the people the authority to decide sueh
question, for it was formerly Legislative
measure. Wilmington would strip tn
State of every thing if permitted aud de
f uoluced what he termed Wilmington
inpudcnt assumption OF superior lnlelll
gence aud power.
Alexander b. Cooper, ESQ, followed
He referred to the statement Mr.. Bayar
q recently made that "the interest on all 70
G county would be required to expend woul
be saved from the extra mileage that IN
! county was compelled TO pay for the a
4 tendance of witnesses from Wilmingto
I in criminal cases." and said the ticl
e failed TO prove this assertion. The sui
d umna docket in the office of the Clerk
r the Peace at New Castle shows that du
e ing the year 1872 sll witnesses were sun
y maned before the Court Of Oyer and TIE
i miner and Court Of General Session
Many of these were returned non est, WIN
d others never received a cent. Out Of u
a slt summoned, hut 400 were from W
J. mington, leaving All to the balance OF I
e The witnesses from Wilmington avs
If ar,d an attendance Of four days. III
IN would entitle each to Sl.44 day, MAXI
ie the aggregate for the 400 witnesses anon
III to 1910. Deduct from this the extra
le additional mileage of 220 witnesses livi
a below New Castle, which would be cons
c. quent upon the removal of the Courts
/ Wilmington, amounting in the aggregi
i'll to s3l6.S0, and you nave balance
n. $25920 the amount of the extra miles
of Witnesses from Wilmington. Inc c.
for erecting new county buildings Wo'
M Zee $3.50, 900, and under the pres sent propo
nd ton New Castle County would have
ire pay SIS, 900, the interest on which wol
AZ. be 81 500, and, in accordance with ,
A DhNhlQ AAftts bA WYNN
res to pay 1t with.
liz Ii is alleged that Wilmington pays I
rs. thirds OF the taxes Of the county, but
.lv 1872 che did not pay three-sevenths.
,er that year Wilmington paid $50 600,
or the bal .nce of the county slo5,0OOi bu
,of S7S suits brought at the November term
or. 1871, but 142 were brought by citizens
Wilmington. 1t is said that $4,000
yn raid by Wilmington loan associations
'ias searches for judgments, but the fact
mn the whole county does not pay 5000
nut year for this purpose. Mr. Cooper ass
,ed ed that the present county offices are Ia
I'M enough for present purposes, and
nh. commodlous enough To accommodate
nd. business of the county for at least tift
of years hence.
,en Samuel Townsend next addressed
Inc meeting and created mucn merrimeni
nv. his quaint yet forcible sayings. He AZ
IN Gated county division as the only rem
,at for Court House removal, and said he
81 tired of the eternal buzz Wilmington
lie. singing in the ears of the peege OF
,ate lower hundreds. W. D.