Delaware state journal. [volume] (Wilmington, Del.) 1870-1883, 1873-02-15

The Middletown 7ransevipt disclaims q
my desire, either on It's part or on the
part OF the people OF Middletown, for the
location of the county scat OF the lower
county in that town, In case OF county
The chief reason why II fayors
county division, 1t declares, lie the ineon-
venlence. annoyance and expense to which
the people OF the agricultural hundreds
are subjected at the busiest seasons OF The
spring aud autumn, to attend long sos
slons OF Court as jurors, while the major
portion Of the business before such Courts
sones from Wilmington. 1t agrees with
the Wilmington public that Courts ought
to be held in our city, but 1t wants Will
mington TO have them entirely to herself
This, It seems to Us, is an admission that
the Courts ought to come here In ease the
county connot be divided.
But as an argument for county division
1t Ia tho only valid one we have seen, and |
II enough people Of the lower hundreds
think this way to be willing to bear their
proportion of the expense Of bringing
about such q division, and arc willing 10
accompany such act with the acceptance
Of their jus, number Of representatives In
the Legislature, aud the granting to US OF
the upper county the number to which
our population Justly entities us, we shall
cheerfully say to them, so far as we are
concerned, 60 in peace but to auyscheme
to still further TX and establish the exist
ing inequality Of representation by the
creation OF a smaller county than any yet
existing while each county has an equal
aumbsr OF Representatives, We are unalter-
ably opposed.
No consistent advocate Of representation
according to population can for a moment
considers proposition to divide this county
until population is made the basis of rep
resentation in this State. Al present the
majority Of the people Of this State
reside In this county, and are deprived
Of their Just and reasonable share
OF representation through sys-
TEN which gives 70 each county an
equal number Of representatives without
regard to the number Of Inhabitants. The
sustom Of political parties has secured tho
dislributicn Of the unjustly small number
Of representatives allowed this county,
! also according to territory instead OF popu'
= latlon, so that the lower hundreds have
} practically suffered far less injustice thar
have we, in the densely populated portion
of the county. They are beginning to fee
, however, that they are not quite eaf'
under an arrangement which rests OF
c nothing more substantial than the usag'
Of political parties, and II they are no
I through the success Of this division schem'
enabled to actually become benentte'
, instead OF injured by this inequality o
}. representation, they will see it to thei
e interest before long TO unite with u
e heartily In efforts for the establishment o
the district system, with representation
e based on population.
s We say then frankly that the majorit
L Of the people of New Castle county, llyinI
It outside the six lower hundreds, csnno
is afford to consent to tho erection Of thos
d hundreds into a separate county uude
y existing circumstances. The effect woul
l. be not merely to deprive ourselves Of h
lie active help Of those whose interests al
is bound up with ours at present in behalf :
W Just representation but to give them a SELLS
a interest along with the other two countl'
E. in opposing Justice. 1t would be, In fact,
lie change them from the position Of wil!in
ly or unwilling allies into active oppoueh
in In our battle for Justice, and in less tbs
ig twenty years the present evil and injusti
ia would be aggravated, for the upper conn
re would then have half the population wi
only oue-fourth tho representation insts,
Of one-third as at present, and the conte
lie. for justice would be against instead
re l against 2.
u. Let our people keep this matter clear
We their minds. What We want, and VIII
be simple justice demands is that men, a.
is. not land, shall be represented in the Ia
ast making body. This is the issue, and
lat cannot DO lodged BY any adroit eTpediel
RS, or political tricks. The sound demoera
,ur principle, that population 10 the prof.
lat basis Of representation, once adopted, j.
ace representation will always exist, let
our State be divided into three or twenty-th
nbt csunties, Ifti is not adopted. Justice CAM
lay be attained and maintained by any posi-
CO. division Of counties. Let us then I
led after no Jack o. lanterns OF this kind, /
in be deluded by any promise Of sppar,
present benent, into tonsentIng to an
go rAngement which will only in few ye
OF bind our chains more tightly on us.
'ro- the people in the lower hundreds help
any get just representation established, I
are then, If they wish it, we will discl
TO freely and literally, the question
At sounty division with them.
hot