Wilmington daily commercial., 1874-10-24
PRACTICAL EQUAL EXPERIMENTATION
THE OPPORTUNITY, NOW

II il folly to talk, year in and year out about
Equal Representation, unless the people now
disfranchised injured, and abused, mean 10 take
some practical measures toward securing it. To
get up the question, between elections, and yapor
over II; to denounce the adverse action Of Demo-
cratic Legislatures after they are chosen and to
talk abont rebellion, notification, resistance, and
all that IL sheer NONSENSE, unless it ia coupled
with the positive and practical act Of voting for
candidates for the Legislature who are commit
ted TO Equal Representation. and who will do
their utmost 10 secure 1t. The changes nave been
RING in denunciation Of the ''shAmeIeas depot
Ism" 10 often that many people ignore all that
tho newspapers may have ~ ray about ii, feel
ing that nothing new can be brought ont in the
discussion, and that, unless ZONE practical and
reasonable mellod Of obtaining justice Is pro-
pOeed, it IL idle TO bring up the subject.
Now citizens Of New Cattle county, and all
others who coHcede the injustice Of cur existing
system, you are summoned ~ the opportunity
u practically showing that you deslre equal rep
ressntation in the Legislature. You have the
chance % say ~, aud u Hsy It 70 that your dee
iAration will be needed. You can put your de-
rnznd IN a shape that will hurt. You are now
face U face with the occasion when son may
rpeak, and can speak eTectiveiy.
You will do this by voting for the Republican
candidates for the Legislature, and against the
Democratic candidateA The former stand On q
positive and explicit declaration in favor Of
equalzed representation. They are sincerely
and unequivocally committed 10 it, by renou
tions adopted in their State Conventions Of 1864
and 1874, in the following words
Hes0loed That we regard representation nc
cording 10 population, coupled with & diatrc
Hyntem, az cardinal principle Of Republican
government, and that we are in favor OF adopt
ing such rneahureA AZ will speedily and subetan
TALLY effect the practical application Of this prin
ciple 10 the Legislative Department Of our Stat
government, 10 remedy the unjust and uneqna
proyiHions Of our present system.
This il the Republican resolve, and it il sup
ported by the party, not only in New Castl
county, but throughout the State Contrary t
the charge sometimes made that the Republican
in Kent and Sussex are not friendly to it, tho
are open and earnest in their aHsurances thi
they support it to the letter and only wait IL
chance TO aid in securing it, the moment Repul
lican members Of the Legislature shall DO cleo
cd from these counties.
What, then, have We on the other handy He
il the reason for electing Republican Legisl
ture, il We really desire equalized representatio
what III the reason why Democratic Legiglatu
should not be elected
The answer to this il the strongest possibl
The Democatic party in Delaware III nhexib
opposed to equal representation. All propoI
tons looking upon such reform have be-
steadily voted down by Democratic Legislature,
At the last session, the Democratic membe
III. \ Ii.
the measure, aud put themselves on record
unyielding and determined in their purpose IL
it should not prevail. On the 4th Of April, 49,
in the House, Mr.. Lewis Thompson, of this cou
w. called up and moved the adoption Of a ser
Of resolutions, which he had introduced in FL
ruary, the last OF which was az follows =
''rhat joint committee, consisting of +
members on the part OF the Senate and three
the part Of the House, be appointed with instr
tionA 10 report bill, authorizing and requiri
the election Of a greater number of Senati
and Representatives than ~ now provided
by law, and apportioning them TO tho sevc
counties Of the State, on the inst and equta
basis Of population
This was put 10 vote. Every Republican
the House, seven in all, voted for it. Ey
Democrat present, twelve in all, voted agai
it Here in the record -
Maris, Silver, Joel Thompson, Lewis Thompi
II.
Nays. - MeHsrs. Clough, Davis IIickm
jones' Martin, Stevenson, j. r. Thompson
Gassen, Wids, Wilson, Wright, Mr.. Speake
u.
So justice was defeated, once more, by Del
cratic opposition. More than this, however,
Senate, also, took the same course. On the
Of February, during the same session, SEM
Riddle, Of this county, called up bilffo incre
the number OF Senators and Representative
which New Castle county should be EMIT
Upon the vote, he only, there being no OF
Republican in the Senate, supported the
and the other seven members present, all de-
crdts voted No This is the record
Yeas.-Mr. Riddel.
Ndys--Messrs Ellis, Mustard Records, Sto
ley Vandegrift, Watson and Mr.. Speaker.