The daily gazette., 1882-10-18
WILMINGTON, DEL, WEDNESDAY,. OCTOBER g,

adapted to the objects sought but that they
being such, are binding upon all parties
equally binding and equally obligatory,
and either party having the enforcement of
them Is equally liable to the penalties i'm
posed for unfair or illegal conduct of them.
But the Republicans have charged that they
have been illegally administered bv the
Democrats, and their voters, (chiefy of the
colored class) disiranchised by being de-
prived of the opportunity OF assessment and
payment of taxes. THIS is a hypocritical
assertion. 1t Is known to be such by the
Republican press and leaders and has been
proved TO be insincere beyond refutation.
What is the proofs
Here are the facts When the laws were
passed no serious objection was made to
them, and not word of opposition was
uttered by the Commercial, then the organ
of the party In Delaware. The payment of
taxes from year to year was q heavy tax
upon the party purse and the politicians at
length became negligent, and finally failed
TO pay the taxes, and when the negroes were
dropped from the assessment lists, failed to
get them on again. In Wilmington this was
Intentional. The Higgins-Jenkins faction
paid the taxes and the Bird rd-Gallagher wing
got the negroes votes, beating them in party
contests every time. This led the Higgins
men to neglect the taxes and to beat Gal
lagher and his crowd this was Intentionally
done. The campaign was allowed to go by
default In 1878, no effort or desire being
shown to get the men assessed, and 80 it
went on.
OF course the assessors showed no great
desire to get the negroes on, and the col
lectors no eagerness to see that their taxes
were paid before they were dropped off the list.
But suddenly In the early part of 1880 a stir
was made by the Republicans, and they
raised elamor about getting their men
assessed. This clamor was set up just as
the assessors were completing their work
and were about to make their returns to the
Levy Court. 1t had been neglected up to
that time. The Higgins men were still smart
ing and had taken but little interest. The
sudden activity is attributed to word sup
posed to have been sent by the National
Committee to make a fight on senators.
These men went before the Levy Court, ac-
companied by business men who had been
duped, made inability to get on the assess
ment list mere pretext and impudently
asked that body to lay aside It's regular
duties and assess negroes who were off the
lists by their own default and wilful neglect
of duty. Because the Levy Court would not
do that and oblige men who would not
oblige themselves great hue and cry was
raised. They succeeded, but their success
put them in position OF shameless in
sincerity.
The truth of this whole matter is, and the
history of all this establishes it, that the as
SCISSORS and collectors have done their whole
| duty, as the Republican has editorially ad-
| mitted, and that so also did the Levy Court
Commissioners as the Republican committee
on assessments publicly avowed when II
thanked that body at the close OF the session
| of 1880 for what 1t had done. Again, how
out of all this misrepresentation little fair
ness will crop forth now and then, is shown in
an editorial In the Republican of April 3d
last. The concluding sentence of this article
is candor itself, to this effect There Ii
not man who is now disf anchised, who
| could not at some time since last June hAv'
paid his county taxes, If he had tried toI de
so, and we can only say to these disconsolat
voters who are now disfranchised that WI
hope they will learn lesson and not ALLOW
| such thing to occur again."