The daily gazette., 1875-01-19

over-thrown the numerical equality
which previously existed between the
several counties and thus nccccssita
ted change in that apportionmcnt.
Whether this change shall he upon
the basis of population alone, and to
the full extent of that principle, is
worthy of grave consideration.
To my mind, in view of all the pc
culiar circumstances surrounding thc
question in this State, the adoption of
such !. rule, particularly for both
branches of the Legislature, would be
prove detrimental in practice.
When our early Constitutions, re-
cognizing populationEls tlie basis of
representation, were adopted, no great
centre of population existed in our
State. But with the rapid growth of
Wilmington in recent years this is no
longer the case. Ii wonld be exceed
ingly unwise in a small State like ours,
to accord representation in full pro
portion to population to Il growing
city whose inhabitants might quickly
outnumbcr all the other people of the
State
TO do so, would be to enable a city
| to overshadow aud control not only
the county in which it might be situ-
atcd, but also the entire State, and,
through its particular representatives,
/ to favor and foster its special and
local interests at the expense ofiall
other localities. .
Besides, it would disregard that dis
tinctiOn between an urban and rural
| .nl, l,oo nI hnnp
recognized by all practical statesmen
in prescribing a just rule Of repreScn-
| tation.
So we'll settled is this distinction
4 that it may be safely asserted that in
no State Legislature in the Union is
representation accorded in full pro-
portion to urban population.
1t would, therefore, seem that the
rule in question, if adopted in this
State, showld be applied with such
wholesome notifications and limita-
tions as would not suffer any city, or
indeed any county, to overshadow and
control the rest of the State.
With these considerations borne in
mind there appears no sufficient reason
why fair and reasonable increase OF
representation should not be accorded
to New Castle county.
In making such increase it would
seem most advisable to confine it tC
the House of Representatives, leaving
the Senate with an equal representa-
tion from each county as mt present.
, This would recognize the principle
a of territorial representation, as we'll a
that of population, and would estab
lsh conservative check upon til,
|, popular branch of the Legislature,
= 1t would also harmonize with th
;, long settled habit of considering cacl
" county as of the equal dignity in re
O spect to territorial representation, ant
e so allay any sectional prejudice o
q feeling which might otherwise be al
|; rayed against the project.
Among the various plans for cffcc
:, ing the desired result, there are tw
J. which seem most practicable. First
e by division of New Castle count
into two separate counties, thus mal
d ing four counties in all, each havin
le representation in both branches of IL,
N legislature. Second, by raasonabl
s. addition to the present rcpresentatio
a of New Castle county coupled wit
h the district system, so that each d.
trict shall vote only for the reprcscl
Is tatives of it's particular local interest
IN This would introduce the princip
ne of local representation and at the san
IN time confine the influence of larl
d, city population within its sproper lii
III its.
!, ~ To accomplish either of the
~, tIaf (Nnncfit1t ION
VI amendment will be required, to
u adopted by Constitutional Convc
!. tion, or to be proposed by two-thir
~ of each House of the General Asscl
IN bly,, with the appreciation of the Go
.u ernor, and ratified by three fourths
" each branch of the next succeedil
IA Leglature after having been du
u, published for the consideration of (
nm people.
:" Hence it would appear to be impt
III sible to secure the desired increase
,ai the action of single Legislatnl
90. For, although the present General 1
hc sembly may by law, with the conc'
or renee of two-thirds of each bran
'" thereof, increase their whole numl
mr. by an equal addition to each count
"a vet it is at least doubtful whctl
10 they can add to one county alo
are without granting a corresponding
10 crease to each of the others.
sex Wherefore, it seems to me Il
+ both necessity and true policy
or ouire that either the first or the s'co
er- plan have suggested should he adj
OF ted
or The proposed division of n
Inc castle county would require
ION hange in the judicial syst
or of the State, and the construction
IRE the proper county buildings for one
IN the new counties resulting from ST
'S division.
700 On the other hand, reasona
,or' addition of representation to New {
ies tie county. in connection with
~ district system would be PRACTICAL
ora. division of the county so faI rs c
cen Germs the separate election of rel
,six 1entatives of distinctly local intere
and If this latter plan should be ador
and and the full increase in proportion