Daily Republican., 1880-04-01
NOTE.
The Assessment Over.

the politica! campaign ct 1880 is over
Accor ling to the peculiar character Q
the laws Of Delaware, what marks or
important epoch in the campaign o
other States within a month orStwc
weeks of State and Presidential elec.
tion, takes place in Delaware six months
before the same election, and previous
TO that tine the work is spread ont
over four OF FIVE months more. What
it requires three days or a week to DO
in the neighboring States of Pennsyl-
vahia, New Jersey, Maryland and New
York, it requires about six months 10
do in Delaware, and that, too, under
the greatest difficulties. The Assessors
are elected at what is called the little
election in September, at which time
they begin to prepare for their work.
The Levy Court meets in October to
give them instructions concerning their
work, so that they cannot 60 far astray.
At the same time copy of the error or
delinquent list Of the hundred or dis
trict for which the Assessor is elected,
is put into his hands for his guidance,
to prevent him from violating the Law
by assessing some one who may have
been returned as an error or a delin-
quent tax payer. Immediately the
Assessors, npon the delivery of such
instructions and error lists, set
out upon their work, the OBJ
ject provided for in law being
full assessment of taxable property
and the assessment Of all persons who
having 10 property are liable for poll
tax. The assessors have from the time
these instructions ara given, up to the
hrst of January 10 DO this work. At
that time they are supposed to have
completed their assessments when thew
take two weeks for the preparation of
their assessment duplicates which are
on the ffteepth Of that month rosted
in one public place in each Ward or
Hundred in the county. These Gupli-
Gates are to remain POSTED at least ten
days that citizens may have full o.
portunity to examine the lists and see
whether they are assessed or not, No
tlce at the same time is given by the
assessors that they will sit On the last
Saturday Of January at specified place
within their districts or Hundreds. ia
hear appeals, adjust errors, and place
on the lists the names of persons who
may have been omitted by the assessor,
and If they cannot accomplish that
work in one day they are allowed to
adjourn over for two more successive
working days, so that there may be
full assessment and that the assessment
isis may be presented to the Lew
Court full and free from errors and L
untainted by tr.skery and fraud. 10
The shameless manner in which this a
has been cone in the two districts of It
Wilmington and St. Georges Hundred f
has been fearlessly exposed by the RI. (e
PUBLICAN and the assessors OF ,he,e dis. lc
trists stand before the public in any IN l.
enViable ligls. The recent struggle r
at the City Hall by the hun 0
dreds Of disfranchistd citizens to get 9
assessed, who crowded and jostled each Z
other without accomplishing their o5isc. a
Will not soon be forgotten by those who t
participated. Appeal day or DAYS t.
over, nothing remained for those who a
failed to get assessed up to that time |!
Out 10 still make further appeal to p
tbs Levy Court itself which in addition
to other do les is required to sit as an .,
appeal court during the month of -
March commencing on the first Tuesday ~
OF that month. The doings of that BODY :,
in regard 10 the assessments fre sol
fresh in the minds of cur readers that :.
we resd not repeat them. The Cont >.
partisan in its make up, would gladly N
have avoided doing its duty ,ould il T.,
but have found loop bole for esca ne. -
The dI Is dali ings Of that body t, es- ~
cape its duty are painfully rem embered T.
by many no went before it day after p,
day at a great loss of time nd money! =
to &c assessed. The disr,s psct y
with which tn slpcalj OF re-
spectacle and tusilsss dsleos,;o,s a.
from Wilmington for full, fair and w, W,
honest assessment was met, marks an :"
action OF incivility and dogged deter vi
mination to do wrong that ID but col a.
iom Seen in the deIib>ra-ive bodiss ~
to be intelligent and honor. a.
'ble. Had the Levy Court acted az re-
luested by the several cor plittees that -
waited upon them the assessments "a
would have cen completed in very II,
ew days, the business f tho c,upty /,
you'd t;vs all been transacted and .,
he Court could have ad oarnrd by the &,
irst Of April.
II the Court expested by Ito psrvsrse h
md stubborn action to 70 disco 1rare bs
he hundreds Of citizens VIII, bad I'D to n
he time Of its meetings been virtually tn
hsifanchlsed 80 that they would M th