Daily Republican., 1880-09-25
what Will Ex.CIerk springer dO
about fIr

uwWub
There is nothing q man holds more
sacred than the elective franchis.
right. He may not exercise it at every
election, but he does not liks to be de
prived Of 1t. He always wants to bt
in condition TO vote ii he sees prop
or to do 30 and if disfranchised he
wants it to b. by his own voIition, &C
tion or neglect and not Of another. W.
are led to these remarks by the fact
that large number Of persons who
were assessed at the extra assessment
last winter and spring by the regular
assessors and the Levy Court, who are
thus far virtually disfranohised, BY the
neglect Of the Clerk Of the Peace to
trsnsoribs their names from the assess
ment duplicates to the TAX duplicates
Of the collectors. Having had ocular
proof and demonstration, a representa-
tive of the REPUBLICAN, is open and
positive In the assertion that hundreds
Of names regularly assessed either by
the assessors or by the Levy court, have
been dropped, omitted, overlooked, or
neglected to be put upon the tax du-
plicatss by John P.Springer, late Clerk
of the Peace Of New Castle county, or
by mis- deputies for whom he stands re-
sponsibls. Through the kindness of
Mr.. Cochran, the present gsntlemanly
Cleik Of the Peace and his deputy Mr..
Osborne, equally gentlemsnly y Jour rep.
resenta.ive was allowed to psruse the
assessment books and what purpor.ed
to be the record of the Lsvy Court pro.
essedings yesterday for the fsw hours he
mad to spare for that putposs. daVtng
number of names of parsons vita
him who he was we'll couvinc-t had
been regularly assessed and kgoHing
that these same persons had called upon
one or the other of the Wilmington tax
collectors to pay their taxes, only to fud
that their names were not on the tax
duplicates, he compared them with the
assessment books and with the pur
ported record Of the Levy court and
found that these same persons were
regularly assessed and their names are
recorded in one or the other OF the multi
plicity Of books used in the assessment
as witnesses of either the inoompeten-
cy or the inexcusable neglect, of those
who attempted t, transcribe he names.
The manner in which this blundsr-
ing Job has been done is fully shown in
our local columns. Now what is to be
done about it Are these hundred or
two hundred men who have made such
successful effort to be placed upon the
assessment, to be prevented from
exercising the elective franchise this
fall, simply on account of the careless
ness or neglect Of John P. Springer to
have their names transcribed upon the
duplicate tax book of tnr collectors 7
Precedent shows that nesn errors can
and have bsen corrected by the clerks
of the Peace, and it Is said that Mr..
Cochran, the pretent clerk, though in
no way responsible for tle errors Of
his predecessor, is oer. willing to make
such corrections, ana certificates will
be given to have 5ucE omitted names
yet placed upon the collectors dupli-
Gates. As Mr.. Springer b. lunteeI ed
his assistance in correcting any errors
which he mas made, he has an ample
field in which TO carry into eff.ct his
promises, and We rather think that the
sooner he does 80 the better IL will be
for all parties concerned, himself espe-
oialiy. 1t can be done without him,
but 1t can be done better with him II
he will only go honestly and heartily
to work in the matter. The aisfran.
chising Of hundred or two hundred
veters through his carelessnsss, If it be
carslsssness, is no trdng matter an