The daily gazette., 1877-03-12
Letter from Samuel Tosonsesd.
(For the Gazette.)

see by the papers that large Demo-
cratic meeting has been held in Whining
ton, and resolutions passed protesting
against proposed legislation for WIZ
mington. am glad that one town or
city has spoken out. If the State of Del
aware had for the last twenty years been
under the rule Of the Whig or the Re-
publican party, and all sorts Of oppres-
sive laws passed against the Democratic
party, aEd that party having got control
ol the Legislature, would have in less
time than the present Democratic Legis-
lature has been in session repealed and
altered all oppressive laws that might
have been on the statute book; but as
the Democrats have had uncontrAdicted
Possession Of tho Delaware Legislature
for several years, and during that time
have had the laws digestsd once or swice.
by able lawyers, 1t appears hardly possi-
Bile that said laws nesded, at the last and
present sessions, ssch Wholesale altering
and amending by members who know
but very little law. But this present Leg,
islature have firmly persisted In only
giving the names Of mere chapters they
are altering, TO keep, L suppose, the mass-
es in blissful ignorance Of said changes,
and to compel them to hire lawyers after
the session Ia over to tell them what
changes have been made. The Legisla-
ture should have at the States expense
hired one reporter of their proceedings
and gave to the people Of the State every
day what was going on in the Legisla-
ture; then people would have had some
chance to protest against changes of the
laws. As 10 is, nobody outside of the
Legislature, except few Dover lawyers,
know what changes have been made.
The Legislature has proceeded as though
their constituents had, by electing them
to the Legislature, conferred upon them
imperial powers to do as they please,
regardless of the voting classes. There
Is no reasonable excuse for o Delaware
Legislature holding such long sessions to
make laws for 900 people. The Penn
sylyania Legislature makes laws for five
millions of people, and 1t has as few
members as our Legislature, and can
pass two or three laws to one of larger
body. If our Legislature soiU not reform,
the UOting classes must do ii for them.
Therefore, the Democratic party and the |
Republican party should come to an I'M
Outstanding next year, and pass resolu- |
tons at their State conventions fixing the
utmost limit of time that Legislature
should continue in session. would IA
vor the 18th day of February; after that
day all pay should cease. And in anoth-
or resolution compel all Legislatures of |
Delaware hereafter to hire and pay one
reporter, who should report all laws and
changes of laws, SO that the
public would know what was being done |
by the Legislature. have received the |
liquor or license bill; it starts |
but as though every man who sold liquor |
was a rascal-that he should pay 800 |
and sell only to persons drinking it on |
The premises, and if he should let any |
fellow get drunk he subjected himself to |
ine and imprisonment. / utterly des-
pise suck legislation, to rob men of one |
hundred dollars and then make him feel |
As If he was felon. My style of Demo
cratic legislation is to lift q man up and |
make him believe himself one of Gods /
Democrats, not sneaking, hiding thief;
FAR better would it be to pass law allow
ng no liquor to be sold in the State then
people would divide on the question and
lend men to the Legislature who would
lot try to ride two horses at once. The
State Is so small and Insignificant in ter
'itory that we could be supplied with Ii
Iuor from Maryland on one side and the
Bay on the other side, as two steam
quirts could pretty near throw a stream
If whisky across this wonderful little
egislated- ut-to-death State.
SAMUEL TOWNSEND.
Townsend, March 10th, 1877.