The daily gazette., 1879-09-19
PRIMITIVE POLITICS.
THE DECLARATION OF A DELAWARE

THE DECLARATION OF DELAwAR P0-
LITICAL SOCIETY ORGANIZED IN 1874
Ihe GAZETTE, Wtdn lay, meniioued
the fact that MIR. VIM. Duane, of Phila-
delphia, had prese nted to the Historical
Society of Delaware, a copy of the "De-
claration of the Political Principles of
the Patriotic Society of New Castle
County" printed 10 1894. THIS old doc
uDeGt rs in a well preserved condition,
and was printed in Wilmington by
Adams and Smith, who were then the
only printers of q e town, and were also
publishers of the DELAWARE GAZETTE,
then the only newspaper IN Delaware.
The Declaration of Principles then
adop' ed sound very peculiar, when one
considers the heated political feeling
that existed Mt that time, that continued
to exist, and that prevail without aba
tement mt the present time. AS curl
Gus political utlerauce, rs well az relic
of tie past, they are given below, that
the readers Of the GAZETTE may see for
thems elves that political ''fres-think ers"
are ot an institution 3f the present era,
but fiourished nearly centuro ago;
DECLARATION
OF yHE
POLITICAL PRINCIPLES
OF THE
PATRIOTIC SOCIETY
OF
NEW CASTLE COUNTY,
t IN THE
STATE OF DELLA WARE.
WILMINGTON;
PRINTED BY ADAMS AND sMYTH
1884.
As free citizens, both natural and con-
stitutIonal rights will en'i'le us to meet
togeI her In an associate capacity and to
consult for our common benefi'.
In our associate, as well az our iudi-
vIdual capacity, we have right TO de-
termlnr for ourselves, whether the
transactions AMI administrations of Gov
ernment be right Or wrong; and to pub
lish our optuiou.
We apprehend that associations are
not moe necessary for the cultivation
OF arts ana agriculture than for the I'm
proveinent of political knowledge.
With view, therefore, to cultivate
and disuse IA just knowledge Of rati Qua
liberty, and transmit the glorious inheri
tlnce of free republican government
uniIn oa red to poslerity, WE, the suit
sen bers, unfetlered by religious or MI
lional distinctions, unbiased by party
and uninoved by ambtion-the pubh,
goDd being our sole object,
DO DECLARE,
Ist. That the PEOPLE have the inner
ent ighl aud power OF making and after
ing forms of government.
2l. That the Republican Constitu
tons of The United States, and of tn,
State of Delaware, having been frame,
by the People, IL IL our duty to supper
them; and In order to do so effectIlally
| 1t is b 9TH OUR RIGHT and OUR DUTY IA
well as that of every other freeman, t.
RhGARD with attention and DISCUSS
with freedom, tie conduct Uf the publ,
servants IN every department Of tn
| Government.
Sd. That we believe the infirmitl, s O
| human nature often bias men in power
and induce them 10 exceed the rules b
which they are inited. II Is, therefore TIL
DUTY of every good citizen to estee 1
men and measures, according to the IN
TRINsIc me,ii; and to approve ard al
such as have an influence IN promotin
thr public good.
4lh. That in the choice ofporsons to ii
the offices of government, it is essentia
| to the existeuce oil "a fee republic tea
every citizen should act according to HI
own Judgment and therefore any al
tempt to corrupt or delude the people, IL
exercising the rights of suffrage, eithe
by promi sing tue favor OF one Candidate
or traduclng the character OF another, Il
an otfsnce equally injurious to mora
rec;itLue aud civil liberty.
9th. That the people of the State o
| Delaware form but ons community
whose interest, rights, and prosperil,
are the FINE; IL is, Therefore, che duty o
every good citizen, and shall be the con
| stanJ endeavor of this society, not onl,
to remove preju'iices, TO conciliate th'
| affections, to inform the understanding
and to promote The happiness of all ou
fellow citizeus,-but to detect and pubttS,
to the world, every violation OF our con
stitutions or instance of mai -ldminis.ra
| tion.
| This declaration is followed by tn
constitution, which is in the same teno
of the constitutions usually adopted b.
political or social organ zaLions, except
Ing the portion IN relation 10 member
ship, which reads as follows: GAIL citi
zens of the county who shall sign th'
Declaration and Constitution now agree'
upon, and pay fifty cents 10 the Treas
urer-except Senators aud Representa-
tives of this State and OF the Unite,
States, and any person holding office un
der this State, or any the United States
other than officers OF the mllltia-shal
be members.'
The constitution also provides for fou
general meetings each year, at New Cas-
| lie, and for meetings in the differen
hundreds. The instrument was adOpte'
on August Both, 1904. at New Castle.
| R-iecUOcalS