Delaware tribune. [volume] (Wilmington, Del.) 1867-1877, 1875-03-11
nm, county D.vi.,.n scA.u...


enp OF this city but people from tho outside
undreds, who helped swell tho pronounced af-
rmativs vote on the resolutions which renew
he demand for Increased representation aud ,
eclare oppositjou to she 6vision Of the county. !
Ioorss and hundred. came TO the door, aud ind. !
ng the Hall full, Went away.
THE ORGANIZATION.
Allen Speakman called the meeting to order. =,
md on his motion Win. G. Whiteley. Esq.,, wss
made president, aud tile following gentlemen,
Washington Hasenga. Edward
Moore, l.ewia thompson, Warrington Jotsea, A.
Thatcher, H. u. Jsnkins. Jas. W. Wars, Jno.
burg. Joseph Teas, D. Chandler, Henry r. du-
pont, James Dslaplains, Amos BhArplesa, Jr.,
Jno. @. Jackaon, DR.. 8. Chandler, George
Springer, Lewis Zebley, John Pugh, and u. II.
kcMullen. Secretaries were elected - follows
Jno. II. Moore, John E. Frock, s. W. McCanl-
MI. whiteley stated the objects Of the meeting
in brief speech In which he referred to the for.
n ltiou Of the county two hundred years sgo and
said that It 20 happens that the county has been
pree ervsd ~ then formed until the present time,
and that New Castle county has about 6O, 900 poo
pie with like number about equally divided be-
tween the two counties of Kent aud Sussex. All
In this county, he said, are In favor Of Increased
representation, but some members OF the Board
Of Trade, with the hazbor frozen over aud moth
seek TO mix the question with diviaion OF the
county. He would say, however that Of the peo-
pie Of the county
EroHr-TRNTHs OPPOSE DIVISION,
because by that measure equal representation
will be killed but hS claimed II increased repre-
sentation had been asked for 1t would have been
obtained and will bs yet il sought. Our present
and let US keep 1t, not quarreling about division
Int uniting 6OuRl REPRESENTATION.
II you divide the county what will you gain
inquired Mr.. Whiteley. II will be this that
while your taxes are now % or SO or 40 cents on
the one hundred dollars, thsy, viii then be four
built, and In our day We have moro enlarged
views Of what such buildings should be than
formerly. These will cost from e30O, 600. to
+AG0, 000., which the people are not able to
stand. But this In not all. What will you do
about the poor-houss In swapping the farm
at Hares Corner for the property on the hill, F"
the difference will have to be paid, and this will
add from 900. to 800, 900. to the cost. So
far ~ future expense II concerned, 1t il not
probable that three hundreds can run . county
as cheaply az eleven.
Further, Mr.. Whitley claimed that by diyi-
sion Of the county the people would not
ESCAPE GOING TO NEW CASTLE
for hundred or at least fifty Year,. The va
rious officers Of county government may be
started, and the people will still have to 10 to
New Castle for their titles. The records, he said,
can't be copied for t200, 600. And after they
are copied what are they worth not more than
the paper they arc written upon, for searches
will have to 10 made both here and at
New Castle, as the people don't believe in
copies, the ease with which errors In copying
occur being generally understood. 1t Ia also
possible that forgeries might be committed in
releases Of Judgments.
Referring once more to the division scheme
Mr.. Whitley said the county is none too small
for population Of lG0, 900. But by this demand
for division he said the Legislature bad been
| perplexcd a. increased representation had
| frst been asked for, they now don't know what
is wanted. The body Of the people OF this coun.
| ty, however, he insisted were not i" favor of
dividing the county but Of increased represents
| ton.
At the conclusion Of Col. whitelcy's address
on motion Of Col. Grimshaw the following cou
mittee on resolutions was appointed: A. II
Gfimshsw, Z. q B'siford, Jr., J. II. Publ. II.
II. jenkins, C'ias. G. Rumford, aud Allen
Speakman.
SPEECH ny ANTHONY HIGGINS, Lsq.
Whilst the resolutions were being prepared
Mr.. Higgins was introduced. and reiterated hit
deep personal interest in this subject, and ex
pressed his belief from the evidences before
him that tho people are against division OF ths
| county. He did not want to separate from old
| friends unless for good cause, and still less did
he wish to put bar across the very thing do.
sired Remarking the necessity for unity in &C.
ton he expressed the belief that il representa-.
ton by the district system had been asked 10,
unitedly it would have been granted. He then
| went OIL to explain what is meant by the district
| or hundred system, where each hundred
elects its own representative, saying that Sussex
| county is willing not only to give to the hun.
dreds IN this county that representation in the
Legislature to which they are entitled, but also
| to.give to Wilmington that proportion by which
her adequate wants may be attended to- He
| also claimed that by this system increased rep
reservation would not only follow, but 1t would
H'D 20 OF THE DEEr-sEATED PREJUDICE
e is sss.sd t. sast fGSanSied wsut
be better satisfied 1t 1t elected its own represen
tative to the Legislature, instead Of the present
system by which the city elects the representa-.
tives throughout the county. The unity Of
thing which creates prejudice, and division Of
the county will not remove the source Of hostili.
ty.
Mr.: Higgins dwelt with some emphasis on the
possibility Of dead lock in the legislature which
might be created by the division Of the county
and the formation Of four counties in the State,
II two counties should be arrayed against the
other two, observing that under the present sys-
BILE.
Referring to the objection by the dividers OF
an unequal distribution Of the revenues Of the
county he thought this might be settled in bet
ter way than by division-by q change in the
manner Of the application OF the revenues, the
hundreds maintaining their own improvements
and the city Its own. And when, after division
shall come the division Of the poor house fund,
how shall it be made. he inquired? On the ba..
sis Of population or wealth and ne then showed
the difficulty Of such proposition.
In the matter Of
THE ADMINISTRATION OF JUSTICE
Mr. Higgins thought the court house should be
st Wilmington, it being the centre OF business,
occupation and travel, and he expressed his de-
sire for the removal Of the public buildings
hlther. Cases, he said, could more cheapy tried
here and more rapidly disposed Of, while it would
also AFFORD an opportunity for = more pro-
per adjudication OF disputes, and bring into the
Courts many things which would be settled there
put which are now fixed up in other ways. But
while he perceived the necessity for the ,catiop
Of the county buildings here, he was unwilling
to bring them through county division, AZ It
wJuld have tendency to keep away the
people of the lower hundreds whose business in
tercourse We desire and need. The Christisna
il already too much OF a division line he said.
between the people OF this county, and we need
greater familiarity with each other and more
homogenety We want to increase the habit Of
the people outside in bnying their supplies here,
which county division will not promote,
THE RESOLUTIONS.
During Mr.. Higgins speech the committee on
which were received with much applause
Resolced, That this meeting renews the ex-
preston OF the desire OF tile people for Just
increase OF representation frnm this county in
the Legislature, and We urgently present to that
body the injustice Of n further continuance Of
the present unequal apportionment
R.soiced, That We hereby declare our opposi.
ton to the proposed division Of New Castle coun-
ty as a measure not desired by the people, and
certain to increase greatly the expense of our
local government, and, consequently, our taxa
ton.
Resolred, That the question OF . division of
the county has no necessary connection with the
question Of increased representation, and IL a
measure of radical and violent change, not dc
handed by any adequate public consideration,
Reso'ref, That the chairman OF this meeting
be and Ia hereby instructed TO forward these
resolutions to the Legislature now in session at
Dover.
Pending the adoption Of the resolutions,
some confusion ensued, few Divlsionists who
lad gone into the meeting with crowd Of bows,
'a.ing loudly for John O'Byrne and making
'ther demonstrations but when the vote was
AIKEN it was in united voice which could not
'e mistaken. but sweled loud and full through
mt the hall. A few negative votes were given,
The meeting adjourned early with three
ieatty cheers for New Castle County.
The Size Of COuusies