The daily gazette., 1878-12-21
SECOND EDITION
Letter from Samuel Townsend
For the DELAWARE GA zETTE.

vi thC DELa WAhE OALEI E'
Somebody sent to me yesterday the
Wilmington Daily Republican of the
9th of November. In it l saw long
editorial on the division of the county,
and opposing it and very ingeniously
insinuates, for the purpose of trying to
help kill the movement by dividing the
people in the lower half of this county,
that we want Middletown for the lower
capital, or capital of the lDwer county,
Now, at once l repudiate such an idea.
For one declare and affirm, in the most
solemn manner, that / never have nor
ever will, directly or Indirectly. favor
making Middletown the capital of the
lower half of this county; nor do believe
one person in hundred favors it. And
further, know the people of Kent and
Sussex pretty well, and have frequently,
at sessions of the Legislature, asked their
members to favor making members of
the Legislature and Levy Court elected
by single districts-that is, by the hun
dreds separately. They always opposed
it, as they always have representation ac-
cording to population. Therefore, if
New Castle county ever exp poets any relief
| from unjust taxation and more justly get
her share of the school fund she will have
to consent to make two counties, and
this can be done without costing the tax
payers one dollar. Give the new county
of Wilmington the Poor-house grounds
and buildings. The ground will make 8
build courthouse jail and offices give
the New Castle property, courthouse,
jail and offices to the lower county, and
hat fbn
corner lately sold for and that will
save the lower county from laying out
one dollar. Then the people of the lower
county can, as Kent and Sussex do gen.
orally get through with the Court busi-
ness in one week of each term. The
new county of Wilmington could save
her poor people the expense of travelling
from 5 to miles, and losing time to at
tend Court at New Castle. The repre-
sentation of each County should be as
great as Kent or Sussex, for we have as
much population as both Kent and Sus-
sex, and more wealth. But nothing can
be done unless Kent and Sussex say so,
and the Governor recommends, for the
constitution has 10 be amended, and if it
should be amended l am in favor of the
court house row offices as in Philadelphia,
being elected by the people. This present
Legislature, soon to convene, should
lower taxes, alter and amend the license
law. The charge for selling spirituous
liquor is too high and any person after
being honorably recommended by the
hundred or ward he lived in, should, on
application to the Clerk of the Peace and
paying the fee, be granted d license, then
afterwards if he kept a disprderly house
he should be presented TO the Grand
Jury, who would find bill against him,
and then the States Attorney should
prosecute him. But, our present form of
license now, is humiliating to the Ameri-
can people, to first be compelled to get
respectable signatures and then submit
them to the Judges of the Court. That
is not Democratic, and, am told, the
Judges would like to be relieved of this
unpleasant selection business. But, at
least the people should have more man.
hood than support men who make such
laws, as it tends to degrade the liquor
business and the men who follow it.
SAMUEL TOWNSEND.
Townsend, Dec. 20, 1878,