The daily gazette., 1881-01-06
RRomsDovER.
DIVORCE PETITIONS - SHOULD THEY
Bx TAvoRA1LY Considered

DIVORCE PETITIONS - SHOULD THEY
nm FAvoRADLY Considered
Special correspondence OF the Gasette.
Down, Del, Jan. 8, 1881.
The House to day was enlivened by
Q short debate upon the divorce Ques-
tion. Mr.. Pilling offered resolution
that, IN sa6stonss, the Legislature
should not take sognisance of any
case which would properly come with
In the purview of The statute touching
upon that subject.
been offered By those ambitious Of leg
islative fane ever since the statute
controlling the subject Of divorce has
been enacted. The resolution was nm
almost verbatim rehash Of section o
chapter 30 OF the Revised Code Of u.
Now II there is provision BY statute
for the regulation Of this bransh of
legislative business what 10 the use Of
Q resolution refiecting the provision Of
that statutsf It certainly would fall
or at least be unadvisabls should our
legislators take no other reason into
consideration.
Mr.. FILLING seemed to think that the
members Of the Legislature In per.
forming their duties were not compe-
tent TO ds inguish the guards and
qualifications embodied and spesifical.
ly laid down In the statute. Forth
nately this view was repudiated by the
House. although every republican
voted for the resolution, these By ac-
knowledging Q consciousness Of their
own ineompetency to make distinc-
tions between cases properly belonging
to the courts and cases cognizable BY
the Legislature. The spirit and intent
OF the statute giving such causes to
the Legislature is one of bias and
philanthropio cost, and contemplates
the Inexpensive undoing ofthat which
would otherwise be expensive. In
other words the law as It stands 10 the
peor mans friend.
Mr.. Bradford IN the debate drew q
lawyer like parallel between the func.
tions Of the law making and judicial
branch Of the government, but in con-
clusion following ont logically the Sc
quence Of his premises, overthrow his
colleagues and gave victory to his an
tagonists.
At the same time Mr.. PillIng pro-
claimed in support OF the resolution
that 1t was In the same words Of the
statute and to verify this called the At
tention Of the members to sec. 8 chap.
Dc Of the Revised Code. Now, leaving
or all other consideration, would it not
be just as well for Mr.. P. to introduce
. resolution that We should abide by
the first clause Of the constitution OF
the State Of Delaware or that the mem.
bers while in session should sit In their
seats.
We were surprised that Mr.. Brad.
ford and Mr.. Williams should with
eloquenoe ani learning urge such an
absurd measure.
Aside from the above there was O
decided tendency to railroad the meas
ure through. Hasty legislation should
be guarded against and proper consid-
Grafton given TO the most trivial meas
ure.
TIE STATE DEBT.
The committee on joint resolutions
Submitted by Chas. II. HcWhortsr for
The funding CT the State debt, met this
evening to consider the subject for
about two hours, came TO no ultimate
conclusion, but having debated the
question agreed to submit bill divid-
ng the State debt into three several
series Of bonds payable in 8, 10 and Is
Tears.
The committee 10 composed Of @. Fl.
Mo Whorter and Pennewell of the SEN
lte and Messrs. Bradford, Vanburka- |
ow and Jones. A. NJ. G.