Wilmington daily commercial. [volume] (Wilmington, Del.) 1866-1877, 1874-10-17
FIRST EDITION.
THE STATE CANVASS.
DELAWARE QUESTIONS FOR della.
WARE VOTERS.
TzAE ISSUES 1F OUR OWN STATE
DISCUSSED.


AND DIR. DAvIDsoN-aooD NEWS FROM OUR
BRETHREN, BELOW.
The City Hall was crowded, last evening by all
enthusiastic, but attentive audience. John W.
Hawkins was elected President, and Robert Lee
Secretary The first speaker was Geo. V. Mas.
sey, Esq, Of Dover who said that he came to
the people OF New Castle from the lower part
OF the State, with auspicious indications OF VIC
tory, instead of a forlorn hope, tho sure fore
| runner of defeat, as In former campaigns. While
the Democrats have much to mourn in Kent,
they are hoping for much in New Castle. This
being the off year in politics an opportunity is
presented to discuss State issues and regulate
our own governmental policy. These are issues
which interest us more than any before presen-
ted.
Mr. Massey paid a glowing tribute to the mer-
camille and manufacturing interests of Whining
ton which had been oppressvely taxed, and. in
relation to protection for those industries said
that the Republicans of Kent and Sussex stand
with the Republicans of New Castle There is
no embarfassment on the part of Republicans in
| the lower part Of the State IN awarding to New
Castle their rights of equal representation. 1t
remains with the Republicans OF New Castle to
say whether they will have the representation
they deserve. They will find no unmeaning
verdict from Kent OH the Sd of November, and
if they will but do their duty in New Castle they
will have representation according to their ask
ing.
| hlrs nlahbeV bulu ne WOulu enter INTO no lndl-
vdual detraction; a Democrat is entitled to his
| opinions. We cannot stiiie truth, nor trample
| personal liberty into the dist. 1t is with State
politics we have to deal, and we have in the pre-
sent year as great an anomaly iu politics, as two
| years ago when the Democrats followed tho flag
of Horace Greeley.
| Not word is said in their platform about
| State affairs Their mouths are silent. Their
| resolutions commence with an admiration of
| themselves and end with suffering Louisiana,
| mat woala Whan thav cd
about State affairs, they answer by referring to
| their unswerving devotion and fidelity to the
Federal Constit ution.
Mr. Massey then referred to the assessment
law, which made it impossible for poor man
to get upon the assessment list unless vouched
| for by freeholder. A man, no matter how
respectable, or in what business he may be en-
| gaged, without freeholder cannot be placed
| upon the assessment without the sworn state
ment Of perchnnce some poor colored man who
| owns a small lot upon the borders of some
marsh The legislature of the Democratic party
is in favor OF property and against the working
man. Even in the case of citizen applying
| for license to sell intoxicating liquors, he must
tramp all over the ward, or Hundred to hunt
| sgneis who might happen to have lot with no
honse upon it, IN preference to the handwriting
mechanic who might live next door, and knew
| all about the case This is the party the labor
ing man is called upon to support whose whole
| legislation has been in favor of capital against
| labor. You cannot get the attachment law
pealed. Giving way to the popular pressure,t the
legislature attempted to modify it but in
apple and threw the core to the laboring man.
hlr. NJ said he saw before him gentleman than
whom none labored harder in the last Legisla-
ture to have liberal exemption law passed, and
this gentleman to whom the aborng man owes
| a debt of gratitude was none other than the
Hon. Lewis Thompson. Cheers.l Threatened
with the indignation OF an outraged people, the
Democrats were compelled finally to pass an ex-
lutf nf oHA fI.att
ply only to New Castle County Mr.. NJ said now,
as he said two years ago in the same place, that
liberal exemption law is the life of q manufac-
turing and mercantile community. Lift up a
| man, do not hunt him down with bob-tailed
constable or a one horse sheriff.
They have done nothing towards taking the
onerous tax off your Building and Loan Asso-
Citations where the poor mans earnings are kept.
That would be dong something for the laborng
man, and II finds no favor with them. The State
| taxes are unevenly distributed. The farmers of
Kent aud Sussex have been little selfish in this
matter and have been willing to lot the taxes
come from the manufacturing interests of New
Castle, bnt this has been entirely wrong.
Under Democratic State Legislation the bor-
rover is made to pay two taxes-one for the real
estate and one for the mortgage against 1t one
for what he don't own aud another for his debts
while the bloated landholder, about whom
they have said 80 much, and whom they profess
to despise, gets clear of paying any taxes. This
love of the Democratic party for the poor man
s all chin music, but il wont buy land.
The Republicans OF Kent and Sussex accord to
New Castle county representation according to
population and will place it by Constitutional
Convention in the Constitution of the State so
that no legislation can overthrow it. They are
determined that New Castle shall have her
rights, too long withheld from her, regardless
OF themselves.
DIR. Davidson was then introduced. who spoke
of the vital consequences of the present stua-
ton to New Castle county particularly; and to
tl.e1 1f..t,
that this was realized by the voters of this coun-
ty, and he was assured that they would appre-
cate the situation as it deserved. The speaker,
at some length, declared that the right of suf-
frage was an inherent one and not acquired by
the few to be conceded to the many, and that
this dogma rightly belonged to the Democratic
party as consistent with its avowed policy, and
necessary to the maintance OF its own doctrines.
Mr. Davidson then spoke of the issues which
had been fairly made by the Republican Con-
vention on our local government, and asked the
question why have the Democrats evaded them ?
lhe answer is easy. They have every reason to
wish to bury the record which they have made
for themselves in the past, by refusing to dis
cuss those demands which their own legislation
has made clamorous in the present. They dare
not discuss their own record, and are towards in
the face Of their own work. declare to you
that in proportion to the taxes and resources OF
our State, our debt OF 81 800 900 is greater than
that of the National debt which has been con-
, tracted to crush fratroidal rebellion forced on
the country by the act and aid Of that same par
ty which is to-day clamoring for its Reputation
! in the West
What have we TO show for this burdensome
, weight of taxation, and this debto million and
+ half dollars? Where our great institutions
, our schools, our penitentiary, our institutions
of benevoence founded, it would be supposed,
by the expenditure Of 80 much money. The re-
, cord exhibits not one. 1t has been debt con-
, tracted by the Democratic party during the past
eighteen years without 30 much as one great
, achievement to show where the money has gone.
And yet they talk OF economy. decent regard
for the intelligence Of their own party should
keep them quiet ut least upon this rather dan
gerous point
J My friend, Mr.. Massey, has only briefly men
= toned our school system. Let me say to you
! that 1t is a shame and scandal to our state.
: We want an improved school system and we
can't get it until the Democrats have been
beaten, and we have Republican Legislature.
The speaker then touched upon general ma
tiona issues md the record of the Republican
party in the past. He said that the party were
not in favor of the Civil Rights bill because it
was the friend OF the negro bnt in favor OF
any special legislation for any class of citizens.
We are willing to give the colored people all the
rights to which they are entitled before the law
and we are sure that they desire nothing more.
Mr.. Davidson closed with an allusion to DIR.
= Jump and Mr.. Lofand as representation men in
: the State.
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