The Cecil Whig. [volume] (Elkton, Md.) 1841-current, 1874-04-04
NEW ENGLAND TOWNS.

NEW ENGLAND TOWNS.
While every one has heard of the New
England Towns, comparatively few have a
true conception Of the Importance of these
to,cns. They are usually compared with
our Election Districts; while they serve
the purpose of the Election District, they
are of vastly more Importance in the social
and political organization of society and
the State. A writer in The Baltimore
american in suggesting the town system
for Maryland in connection with the extern
sion of the limits of Baltimore city, fur
nishes didactic article which will be of
interest as well as instructive to many in
explaining the true character and use of
the famous Yankee to,on:
"Whle the subject of the extention of
tbs city boundaries is occupying the atten-
ton of the Legislature and the people,
would it not be we'll to institute some in
quiry into the "town SYSTEM" which was
adopted by the first eolonists of New Eng
land, and which has since been adopted by
the Western States. Under the New Eng.
land system-as is no doubt known to
those who have been in that part Of the
country, or who have given any attention
to the subject-the whole territory of the
State is divided into towns or townships.
averaging in size from four to five miles
square. Each county has its county Or
shire town, where the court business of the
county is transacted, and where tho land
records are kept, but beyond this the divi-
sion of counties is scarcely known. The
towns, through very simple form of local
government, manage their own affairs, such
as the levyng of town taxes, laying out
and repair of roads and bridges, control of
public schools, management of the police,
and in general everything that does not
conflict with State authority. The advan-
tagcs of the township system are too many
to be enumerated in this article, and would
require an ADLER pen than mine to do them
justice. For whatever of prosperity, what
ever of social, moral, religious and educa-
tional advantages the Eastern States have
enjoyed, they are more indebted to the
early division of the States into towns than
to any other cause.
We are all creatures of habit, and it is
quite natural that every one should regard
most favorably the institutions Or systems
under which he has always lived. The
relative advantages of the two systems,
that is, of towns, divisions or of counties
only, can be justly appreciated only by
those who have lived undor both. To
those who have lived under the latter sys.
TEN, the advantages which would be claim
ed for the town system by those who have
had an opportunity to compare the two,
would perhaps appear to be eXtravagant
and unreasonable. The custom or law for
dividing the States into the small territories
called towns, each with its own local gov
ernmeut, is said to have had no precedent
elsewhere, but to have originated with the
early colonsts of this country. 1t has at
different times received the most careful
attention and highest commentator of
able political economists. During the pro-
gress of General Lafayette through the
Eastern States, in 1926, it was the subject
of frequent inquiry and favorable comment
on the part of members of his suite, and
De Tocqueville, in his democracy in
America, enters largely into the consdera-
ton of the subject.
1t is true that in the early settlement of
the country there were special reasons for
creating towns or local centres, such as the
establishing of churches and schools with
in convenient distances and for defence,
each town having its own military organi-
cations of the interior towns that, at the
breaking out of the war of the revolution,
the New England States were better sup
piled with arms and ammunition than any
other part of the country. While some at
least of these considerations are equally
applicable to the present time, there are
others also of a practical nature that might
be mentioned. The numerous local gov
ernments accustomed the people to eeliber-
ate and act upon all questions of public
concern Again, the church, schoolhouse,
go, hi,
centre of the town, the blacksmith, carpen-
ter, shoemaker, store, &c, follows, soon
forming a village which becomes the source
Of healthy moral tone, and gives rise to
those local attachments and interests which
lie at the foundation of n sound, patriotic
sentiment. The concentration of the popu-
lation III villages also leads to a diversity
III occupations, and ultimately tends to en-
gazing in manufacturing pursuits.
Under the town system referred to Mary
land would be divided into, perhaps, three
hundred towns, each having its own simple,
local government, assessing its own taxes,
attending to its own roads, bridges and
schools. providing for it's own poor, if any,
and, through generous rivalry with other
towns, would add to the general prosperity
and well being Of the State. Baltimore
county would contain. perhaps, thirty or
loIty to"Hs, SEVERAL vi WHICH WOulQ DeceS-
sarily bind on the city. The city limits
could then be extended as the votes of the
city and any adjoining town or towns
might determine, as has recently been done
in Boston and New York.
Is it too much to hope that system
which, after an experience of two hundred
and forty years, has proved to be one of
wisest measures of the county colonists,
which has comm anded the careful study
and received the highest commentator of
some of our ablest public men, and which
confessediy lies at the foundation of the
prosperity and well being of the States in
which it exists-is it too much to hope that
a subject of So much Importance may secure
the attention of the Legislature, so far, at
least, AS to lead to the appointment of
committee of inquiry with a view to the
adoption of the system in Maryland. if on
full investigation it should be thought to
be advantageous to the State? Happily,
the subject has no political bearing.
ADVANTAGE OF HAVING Coon STocK.-
At the sale of portion of James For
sythe's dairy stock, in Colerain township,
Lancaster county, on the list ut., 81 cows,
some of them nearly full bred Attorney.
sold at an average of $50 12t The best
sold from $50 to $50. There was quite a
demand for good cows on the part of those
present. Mr.. Forsythe was offered large
prices from some of the cows which he
reserved. He has now a very select lot of
about 30 cows, nearly all full blood Alder
rfnrJ Dr<es