Middletown transcript., 1875-04-24

Dover. the capital Of Delaware, is
unique in appearance. Situated 10 the
midst of vast sandy plain. unlike the
houses mentioned in the Scriptures, 1t
has stood in the same spot for centuries,
and at present exhibits no signs of top
pling over when the foods descend and
the rains beat against it.. Like Wash
ington, it is a city Of magnificent dis
tances, but. unlike that notorious capi-
tai, and 10 fact most other capitals
nowadays, the "smoeth, even virtuous
undercurrent" of its existence is seldom
ruffled by tortuous deviations from rec
titude. The Governor Of the State,
Hon. John P. Cochran, resides at Mid
dletown. which is in easy commuDica-
tion with the capital. and comes down
to Dover whenever his presence is re-
quired. His Office is no sinecure. as
be is compelled to sign every license
issued in the State. and nothing can be
sold without one
The Senate is composed Of aine mem
bers, three from each cousiy, and the
House has twenty-one. The legisla-
tive halls are not large. but they are
neatly and luxuriously upholstered,
and ample for the requirements of little
Delaware for many years to come. ln
the Senate the inducements to speech
making, that bane Of modern legisla-
ton, are ineonsiderable. eight members
not constituting very imposing audi
ence in point Of numbers, and the
populace taking bat little interest in
questions before the Legislature, which
are in the main of a routine character.
Indeed. except for the looks Of the
thing, both bodies might meet very
comfortably iu the Executive Chamber.
and IN sort Of sociable family council
in a very short time adjust the affairs
of the Commonwealth.
GOVERNOR COCHRAN AND THE cENTEN-
NAL.
The Governor is a well-preserved
gentleman, about sixty years Of age,
fine looking. affable in conversation and
with very pleasing manners. The Her.
aid correspondent called upon him at
the Executive Chamber to learn his
views about the Centennial and what
aid Delaware would probably contri-
butte. Governor Cochran said he
thought it sipgularly unfortunate that
the hundredth anniversary of American
independence should happen in 1876.
The country had not recovered frem
the effects Of the late war Trade and
commerce were paralyzed. and there
was not that unity between the different
sections Of the United States SO abso-
lutely essential to any proper recogni-
ton of an event of this character. In
some aspects the affair was amusing
The idea Of John Bull being invited to
Philadelphia on the Fourth Of July to
participate in jubilee in honor of the
drubbing he received from the Ameri-
can people was laug liable; but there
was another light in which to regard
it which might render il painfully
humiliating to all true. lovers Of their
country.
President Grant bad already usurped
powers that were not exercised by any
sovereign in Europe. and he had threat
ened to continue bis usurpation. while
the majority in Congress was to all ap
pearances doing all in its power to aio
him in his schemes The people could
not stand everything. and If these en-
eroachments brought absut their legiti
mate result-alicnalion, discomfort and
civil eonvulsions-the representative:
of foreign nations might not take home
with them the lessons they had beer
invited here to learn.
The Governor said be had not giver
the matter much consideration. HI
was isaugurated very recently, and BIZ
address to the Legislature partook mor'
Of the nature Of an inaugural than |
message. In it be had not mentioned
the Centennial He had received {
letter from Mr.. Welch, Of Philadelphia
urging action, and he bad laid the sub
iect before joint committee appointed
by the Legislature. The committe
had met several times informally. ant
would in all probability report bill
appointing a commission for the Stat
Of Delaware and appropriating a sum O
money to defray the expenses Of th
State in Philadelphia This was abou
as much as the State could be expecte'
to do 1t was proposed to appropriat
S12. 900 to Centennial work
J LITTLE PLAIN TALK.
, Her resources were not large. he
paople were impoverished and the Stat
vas in debt. Under these circum
stances it would be wrong, he thought
to make large appropriation simpl
for the purpose Of making big shov
r and getting up jolli6cation of doubt
ful propriety. Where large arpropria
tions had been made BY States it wa
his impression they made their contr
buttons contingent upon the aid granite
t by the United States Congress ha
3 done nothing beyond giving it th
scantiest recognition.
/ Taking practical view Of the ma
ter be said Philadelphia would be
q great gamer by the Centennial; th'
. she was a great manufacturing city an
|, the Centennial would unquestionabl
3 give an impetus to all branches of trad
and manufactures, and the park, muc
Of which was at present unimprovet
/ weuld become one Of the wonders
II the age. Expositions Of the charact
; proposed seldom paid those who d
- signed them. France and Austri4 h;
lost millions by their ventures, and Il
g impetus said to have been given to Il
re different industries might or might n
Z be healthy and permanent. Only tin
! could determine the theoretical value
such exhibitions. and the Centenni
preparations had been made at peri
IL Of depression unexampled in the histo
e, Of the nation. However. the Americ