The daily gazette., 1879-06-05

hardly paper that l published that
had not something written on this sub
ject. l spoke to members Of the Levy
Court and got others to speak to them in
relation to the matter. II was brought
before the Levy Court Il think in ls4D
but they declined topnake the purchase
at that time.
Then at the next election in 1848 / |
published my determination Of support
lug no man Of either party for the Levy
Court who would not pledge himself if
elected, to purchase and make free the
Wilmington bridge. wrote circular
containing this question, printed several
copies of it, and getting several citizens
to sign it with me l inserted it in my
editorial columns. 1t contained the fol-
lowing question:
"Whether If elected you ,ciN .fdcor the
purchase, and making free the Whining
ton bridget" Your answer is respectful
ly requested on or before the Sth inst.
(November). The election taking place
on the 14th of November. This circularI
sent to every candidate for membership of
both parties, ,forLevy Court and also declar
ed in my editorial columns that would
print tickets, and electioneer at the polls,
and use my utmost influence against the
election of every candidate that answer
ed in opposition to it, or neglected to
answer. / received the pledges, of, be-
lieve, all that were elected. | now see
upon hasty examination of my files,
that John nj. Turner, Thomas &. Brad
ley, David w. Gemmill, Samuel Candy,
and Amor Chandler, were Levy Court
Commissioners that year. And that the
letters of all Of them pledging themselves
to purchase and make free the bridge
were published in the Blue HENS Chick
en- on the 10th of November, S4S, except
Mr.. Chandler, and l believe his pledge
is also published. But l did not exam
inc further to see.
When the Legislature met in JANUARY
| lS49, the measure was brought before it.
But previously to the bill being acted
on, some gentlemen who opposed the
measure, called al my office for copy
of the Blue Hens Chicken containing
the correspondence. 1t was given to them
and they placed ii before the Legislature
and advanced as an argument, that 1t was
not fair to grant an act allowing the pur-
chase as the members Of the Levy Court
elected was all pledged in its favor. AT
this time, New Castle opposed Whining
ton in every matter, and being the resi-
dence of all the County officials, who at
tended to, and made their living almost
entirely by politics, they generally car
ried everything in opposition to this city,
whose citizens had nearly all their time
engrossed in their own business. The
| life, the existence, the whole end and aim
of New Castle at that time was politics.
| Nearly all their citizens made their living
! directly indirectly by it,whilst Whining
| toms whole mind was manufacturing and
commerce. Again there were many
citizens of Wilmington bitterly opposed
toit. They thought it injured their in
dividual iIteles. They were men Ao
influence, some of whom held stocks il
our turnpikes, which they thought il
would injure; All these influences com
bined caused the Legislature to refuse tt
pass the bill to allow the Levy Court O.
New Castle Co. to purchase and make
free the Wilmington bridge.
AS soon as it was known In Wllm ng'
ton that the Legislature had refused te
pass an act for this purpose, the city was
in a perfect ferment. An excited meet
ing was held at the City Hall, strong res
olutions were passed, and body of citi
zens were sent to Dover to get the Leg
stature to rescind their action. Thi.
, however, the Legislature as usual in sucl
| cases refused 10 do.
1t was then declared that the Lev.
Court had a right to purchase and max
J free the bridge, without an act OF Legis
L. Iation. The lawyers even differed greatly
. The Wilmington lawyers generally as
serted that the Levy Court had the right
, The New Castle lawyers that they hd'
$ not the right. l thought they had th'
r right, and urged the purchase OF tn
= bridge without legislative sanction. l
| was then agreed to refer it to tie Hon
, John w. Houston. But Mr.. Houston
n declined to decide tie question. 1t wa
S then left to Judge Layton, who gave a
,, elaborate opinion based principally upo
o the ground that the Levy Court wa
the creation of statute, and that atute
!, should be strictly cons rued. And as th
l. statutes of the State gave Them no p0u
:. er to purchase bridges, they therefor
l, had not the right 10 do so. Thus ende
3, the mat er, and the excitement in relatio
is to 1t died away.
! The next election came in Novembe
" 1850, and then 1 questioned both II
70 members OF the Legislature and u
= Levy Court. / issued circulars, and sci
- one to each candi late for membershi
i tor both bodies. They were publisht
in the "Blue Hens Chicken" at tn
m time, together with the following edit
e. rial:
o. From the Blue Hens Chicken, of Oct.
FLEEING THE WILMINGTON BRIDG
Below will bs found the drafts OF tv
letters, a copy of one of which we ha'
1t addres 'ed to each candidate of our Sta
Legislature, and the other to each cant
a. date of the Levy Court. 1t Is needless
ne say, that every member OF either boz
wv ele ted from this county, must tie pledg
w ia favor of the measures. Five yea
iS have passed away since we first agirat'
1u the question, and although it has m
'lr almost the unanimous approval OF &
ed citizens of the county, yet tr0t from o
al cause, and then from anotL er, 1t has
py ways been po oned. At the last ele
he ton every member of the Levy Cot
ar was pledged in favor of freeing t
CT bridge. No one dreamed of ITS meetil
"a am opposition from the Legislature.
1d For who would have supposed IN II
as enlightened age, the supreme power il
OF State would be guilty Of such absurd
nd and wrong as TO refuse county q
nd privilege OF purchasing with their ov
90 money, for the benefit of the citizens,
,o bridge, which separated State al
nc county in two sections, and ma lie ingre
g. and egress more difficult to it's first ci
n than to city 80 miles fu ther in anoth
IS State? Couseq quently the Legislature !
e, mained unquestiOned. This time v