Middletown transcript., 1874-10-31
From the Delawarcan.
Delaware Finances and Radical
Misrepresentation.

misrepresentation.
Every taxpayer should be well in
formed in regard TO the finances OF bis
sta.e and their managen ent, aud the
officer entrusted with their care should
feel it his duty to furnish the public
with true statement Of their condition
" 1cnever the information may appear
to be necessary for proper UNDER
standing of their nature or character.
The recent appearance in some Of the
~ pers Of this state Of false representa-
lions in regard to the states financial
cundition. whereby honrst people may
hr misled, or receive erroneous impress
-ious. has, for the reasnDs stated. con-
strained me to, and is my apology for
writing this article.
Our state debt proper was GRATED for
|ahrre specific purposes. viz: To pay
hounties to volunteers to serve in the
late war; to pay c"mmutaticn money to
ihe general government for men drafted
into the military service Of the Unit,.d
States, who we're not able to pay it
themselves, and to enable those not
willing to 60 to the war to furnish sub
.titutes. after the general government
had refused to accept communication from
drafted men amounting in the aggre-
gate to 81 lilo, 900, as follows. viz: :
Beunties to volunteers Sl51. 900
Communication money to general government
for drafted men 1874, 200
For substitutes 765.oOO
Total as above 81, 900
The state has also loaned her aid ia
internal improvements. and for which
-he is secured by FIRST mortgages on the
Junction & Break water. and Break
water & Frankford Railroads. The
former to the amount of $4OO. 900. the
latter S2OO,OOO. The Junction L.
Breakwater Railroad Company has
always paid the interest on her mort
gage. and it is likely she will 70 con-
,inue to pay The interest on the
mortgage for two years on the Break
water & Frankford Railroad has been
paid in. advance by the reservation of
S24. 900 Of the aid loaned that company
:" The state. having heretofore always
Aheen reimbursed for whatever Of interes.
she may have paid on the Internal Tn
,provement bonds loaned to those cons
panies ID the apaynIent Of inserett BY
ihem on their, respective mortgages.
In view Of the above facts, can ii BE-
,ruihfully said that it is debt for
which the state has nothing to show Z
What has the state to show for the
81 ITO. 900 war debt. and which is. in
TACT. the only debt for which revenue
must be raised to pay the INTEREST," She
mas gratitude enshriued 10 the hearts of
her ci izrns by giving those who. with
patriutic motives. volunteered in the
service Of the United States $l5l .OOO.'
Aud when there were none who wished
10, volunteer. aud the general govern
,nent was williDg to accept communication
impney frcm drafted men. the siat,
eamc pr"mpily to their relief and ap-
propriared $l94, 900. And when tn,
general government had refused to ac
cept commutati,n for drafted men
With draft after draft depicting our agri-
cultural districts Of ,neu. drafting into
The military service only those who hal.
not the specuniary means ito prucure'
many Of whom converted
their little sll into money to enable
them to procure substitutes, while
others contracted debts never to be
paid. for that purpose-with gloom anu
despair depicted on the countenances o.
our citizens At every approaching draft.
aud in answer to the prayers aud anxi
Gus solicitations Of citizens Of all p0lifi-
ca. parties Cor relief, the legislature.
with that true devotion to the welfare
of its constituents. which hope will
always characterize it, came promptly
totheir relief and appropriated $765.-
900 to furnish substitutes. The ciiizens.
many Of whom were the recipients OF
the muri6cence of the state, have, at
every subsequent election, endorsed the
action of the legislature in the creation
Of this debt Of $l.l1O.OO0. aud l doubt
not they will SO continue to do. The
demands Of humanity. and the con-
>ciousne>s Of having performed gener-
ous act is the full consideration for this
debt. which is in rapid progress Of ex-
Within the last three
years this debt has been reduced $257.-
900. The demand, upon the Treasury
in January next to pay Sill. .OOO, the
balance Of the debt due at that time, il
is believed will be promptly met with
out borrowing. Now. Mr.. Editor.
what is thought o the Editor Of the
Milford Nems, who wrote and published
q statement that 1.-The Democratic
party in.the State of Delaware had en-
tailed debt of one and half million
Of dollars and for which We had moth
ing to show" when. in fact, as every
"ne knows. the debt is $1,1lO. 900.
and $500 of that debt was paid directly
to that editor to procure substitute
He who had not the bravery and pa
troitism to face the foe, and is now fed
at the public crib. was the recipient OF
the muni6cence of the state to the
amount Of $500. now has the effrontery
to publish an editorial to be read BY an
intelligent public that 1.-THE Democratic
party has entailed debt Of 81. 500. 900.
aud for which she has nothing to show
We are taught that ingratitude is a 81"
If the greatest magnitude. to be atoued
for in the greatest humility.
l cannot close this desultory COM
munication without referring 10 gu,
Representative in Congress. James K.
L"Aand. E>q,. who. during the canvas
in which he was elected. made profus,
promises that be would. if elected.
hiring the subject Of our war debt before
Congress with the view to obtain an ap-
preparation to pay the same-,hat if