Milford chronicle., 1883-02-02
THE LEGISLATURE.

Thursday jan 25d.-In the Senate, Mr.. Cav
ender gave notice of his intention to utroduc,
an act to provide for the inspection Of steam
boilers.
The following bills were passed; to incorpo
rate the jackson Lime and Marble Company
to incorporate the St. Mary's Total Abstinence
Beneficial Pioneer Corps; to incorporate the
River Front Improvement Company.
The immigration bill was passed, making the
amount to be expended torimmigration purposes
81 300 the first year and $500 for succeeding
years It also provides that the Commissioners
shall not bring into the State any persons whose
presence will interfere in any way with peace,
morals or health ofthe community in which they
locate,
In the House William Hunter was appointed
janitOr, at a salary Of $500.
The bHli irtne cCatteg the R ibbing Hose Com
ZEN the. purchase and mahrs,,.rsa5 II .D.s-.
psny the Capitae at Morristown which Sc
ver Glass Works Cop occupiedas hisi third
time and passed.
F5iday jan 29A.-ln the House there was
very interesting session. Mr.. Bates called Mr..
Justis to the chair, and then introduced an act
to increase the number OF members in the Gen
eral Assembly Of this State and to appOrtion the
same.
WHEREAS, It is iged necessary that the num-
Der of Senators aud Representatives in the Gen
eral Assembly OF this S ate shall be increased,
and in order to provide for such increase and for
the Just appOrtionment there f: therefore
Be il enacted by the Senate ant House OF Rep
resentatives Of the State Of Delaware in General
Assembly met (two-thirds Of each branch there
Of concurring therein.
Section 1. The house of R representatives. in
the General Assembly shall be and the same is
hereby increased TO the number Of thirty Repre-
sentatives; of which number there shall be
seven Representatives chosen in Sussex county,
seven IN Kent county and sixteen in New Castle
county. Of Representatives chosen in New
Castle county aforesaid nine shall be elected ~
the qualified electors of the City of Wilmington
and seven shall be elected by qualified electors
Of the remaining part Of New Castle county.
Section q. The Senate in the General Assem-
bly, shall be and the same is hereby increased to
the number Of thirteen Senators of which num-
Der there shall be four Senators chosen in Sussex
county, tour in Kent county and five in New Cas-
lie county.
Section 8. That the G neral Assembly now
in session and the offices Of the present Senators
and Representatives shall not be atieete in any
way by the provisions ct this act, it being m
tended that the first election for ssnators and
Representatives as increased and apportoned by
this act shall be held OH the Tuesday next after
the first Monday in the month Of November, A
D. eighteen hundred ana eighty-four, at the gen
eral election Of that year.
Mr.. Bates rose at the close of the reading and
said that it was bis intention to introduce the bill
without waiting for the decision of the questo
submitted to the judges. He wished to have tie
subject brought up at once in order that it might
be before the House and open to the consldera-
tion that il demanded. Discussion would show
what the Legislature desired and then when the
decision Of the judges was renderedit would only
affect the form ia which it should be put hefUre
them for final action. Mr.. Bates introduced a
Joint resolution providing that in order to iacili-
tate discussion the Representation Committees
of the two Houses act as joint committee at
their own pleasure. Before the question was put
on this resolution Mr.. Bates made a very strong
and effective speech, settiag forth the purpose of
the bill, the principle upon which it had been
drawn and some reasons why it should become a
law. ain fixing the number of Representatives,
in the House, he said, 'you will observe that
the suggestion made IN the Governors s inaugu-
raj address has been adopted, it seeming to be
the most reasonable and suitable that offered it.
SELF In considering the number to which the
Legislature was to be increased we are met with
the embarrassing provision Of our constitution
which provides that the Senate shall number
not more than one.half nor less than one-third
as many members as the House. have there
fore given thirty as the proper number for the
House, and in apportioning them among the
several counties have proceeded on the basis
Of population as being the only principle to be
acted on in a free Government, particularly in /
that branch Of the legislature which IS so peeul-
inrlv representative Of the people. 1t is the
principle acknowledged in every State of the
Union, in every free Government, aud in our own
National House of Representatives. I can md
a works on subjects kindred to this no analogy |
between the Senate of the United States and the
3euates Of tile several States. Nevertheless I
lave treated the Senate as a body so made up as
o constitute 10 this case a protection against
nat mysterious influence sodreaded by the Peo- .
BE Of the lower connties-the growth and infu
nee Of a large city. cannot conceive anything
more unfair than the position in which the city
# Wilmington has been kept for the last fifty
-ears She has submitted during all that time