Daily Republican., 1881-04-06

80 = - -4s-a
cratic assessors, their ixght to be placed
upon the assessment ol'tks ,tllcir right u
contribute 10 the expenses Of the State,
| their right to qnalify to vote and how
! was that demand met Was Il
met in good faith? were they treated
fairly? No sir These officials unmiud-
iul OF their official oaths which bound
them 10 fidelity in tho performance of
their duty, threw every obstacle in the
way Of placing tluSe men on the assess
mcnt list. They were exceedingly
prompt 10 adjourn for dinner: exceed
ingly prompt to adjourn ut 5o'clock ) in
the afternoon and. il II said, ore Of
them went even so far rs 10 have Il
fraudulent subppna served upon him
from the Court in New Castle In order
that he might be taken away from his
post of duty, in order that he might
haV" an excuse for emitting to do what
h" had Solemnly sworn he would do.
But, sir, il Is not merely question Of
leaving men of the assessment lists. 1t
is fact that in New Castle county last
wear between four and five hundred ulcn,
vino were Democrats, and who had
lrecN returned rs drliuQuents and who.
Under the act OF 1873, ,aluld not with.
in the space of u year be placed upon
the assessment lists. were within that
tinr placed upon the assessment lists
uy the democratic SSsCSsors; aHd, When
the matter was brought 70 the attention
.oi III" Levy Court ut New Castle, they
Sat speeches and refused to undo this
trrrqf ,.,~,utr 'rhny h,u ,n ,,,,,p,, Co.,
il: thoy did not attempt TO pa,liatc it,;
bU they sat dumb and did nothing and
these four or live hundred men, who
under the act OF 1873 were not entitled
20 go upon tho assessment lists and were
not entitled t" qualify 10 vote, voted,
and voted the Democratic tickrl.
Bat, sir, the Levy Court is but IN i'll
Strumenr, and, more, an instrument
ality under partisan diCtatiou for the
purpoSc Of carrying into effect the in
iQuitouS provisions Of this act Of 1873.
In New Castle county, and, an in
formed, in til" lower counties. men by
the tens, twcnfica and iittic& went be-
for" the Levy Court for the plrpo.r of
having their names pla%d on the assess
m"nt lists; and how were they met? 1t
80 happened that these men were prin-
cipaIly Republicans, and the case
was that, instead Of appointing Il
day or days for the purpose of
putting these men on the aSs,~Smcnt
lists, the Levy Court refused to appoint
any day, and these men were obliged ~
return from day 10 day, At great cN-
pcuSc and from considerable distances,
Tor the purpoS, of having th,i" names
placed upon the nSSr4Imrnt lists in
order thar they might exercise the most
sacred right Of American citizens. What
WAS the result? The result was one
onl! natural 20 cNpGct--lnany Of these
men We" dislranchis"l. They could
not afford 20 return day atttt day. and
theY did not return.
Now, sir, that matter was brought 20
The attention Of the Levy Cour; of New
Castle county they were requested 10
appoint days for the purpose "a placing
names on The assessment lists that had
been omitted they were requested
upon two on more OyCaSiUn>. hy most
responsible citizens, and they utterly
failed Ia do 50. What is the cNpl#ua-
ti0n" Simply this-p"rtisanShip The
LrVy tOurt war u Democratic Levy
taur: these men were principally Re
publicaIS and the Court threw every
impeachment in their power in ia" way
Of these ncn getting upO.r til" asScSs-
mont lists.
But, sir, il docs NOT stop with the
levy Court. nor with the nS,csNur>.
The history % this State during III"
past few years shows, demonstrates.
THAI The collectors are equally guilty.
Why in New Castle county. whatever
may have been the CASE in the lower
counties. collectors were hunted like
tugltlVcS from justice, by men whom
they were "nLcavoriHg to rob of the
most sacred right they posses rd con
coa!ing themselves, in their houses: nor
in public; abscnting them
selves from their offices. to such 4 de-
gree that II was well nigh impussiblc
for the taxable 10 find them and pay
his tux.
But one Of the greatest evils Of tn"
act Of 1873 in this it gives The option
10 the collector 10 return or not, As he
plcaScs, as dclinQu"Ht>. men who have
failed % pay their taN"L what is the
practical operation Of rhr law " Iou
have Il Democratic cOllcrtor who is ah-
certain 10 return all Erpuhii-
ans rs deinqu"nt+, who fail 10 pay
heir taxes. bur h. does not 81 return
Democrat" who have failed ~ pay lhrir
taxes. bur carries their tl\oI and keeps
hem on the aSScss!nclu Isis. trusting
g III" future 10 lH mad" good.
Eu;, sir, this is not the last Of the
wis that may be realized under the act
# 1873. Under thar set il is pr>Slb!r
or . man 10 br absolutely diStranchi>-
1t: il is poH>ibl" for iinl 10 hc di>tran-
'hiSrd for two years. iluder thr existing
Avs. thc Levy Court has ~ right iu
'lHcc any mans uamc On the IsSc-s-
nent list after he last day Of March, !
SuppoS" . ease in which a man has
'ctn returned rs Il delinquent. W" will
uplUSc that he has been allowed rs 4
ON the ;uth OF March | n
ler the act O,' 1873. tor II period of twclv"
months, his name cannot b" placed upon
he assessment list by any Levy Court I.
" ANY assessor.
Now, air. snppos" That the Levy !
'ourt the following wear Strs tit to Hd-
ourn on the 2Sth Of March: that man is .
for two years: hy the dI-
'ecr operation Of the act of 1873. for the
irst wear: for the second year. by the
"fthr levy Court one day
,ciorc the expiration "i the legal year. !
50 shat It man who has Notcd al thcla .
general election may be absolutely un-
Iblo 30 qualify in either Of the sucrc,d- .
ug two years for The purp"s" ol' voting p
II the next "n>uin% general election .
Tint Is not right ii is nor proper, il i,
lut fair
N"r is it prudent T., hcst"w nrsn
my tribunal 4 power No Liable To br
wrongly used for the pmrpos" CT hr"'-
itting party. am informed. Sir tllH
he case just sIlggc~t'd has occurred
II tn" lower part ol' tlit state Upon one 7,
" more occasions; casd$ i'll which the
rvy court has adjourned before the r>-
,iration of tn" year, thereby, absolutely .
,tfrrtinu rh, citizen in hiS rirDI tH