Delaware gazette and state journal. (Wilmington, Del.) 1883-1902, 1884-10-23

ratification, 1t cannot receive the votes o.
three fourths Of each OF the two houseE
Of the Legislature, which are necessary Il
ratify II.
Mr.. Grubb then recited the objections
advanced by the Republicans to the
amendment, As follows
/. That it does not give to New Castle
county iuoreRse in both the House and
Senate In iull proportion to population.
2. That it doe5 not divide the State
Into senatorial and representative dis
triots, securing to each distriot, represent.
atiye in both houses, in proportion to
population.
8. That it takes out Of our present
constitution the clause empowering the
General Assembly, heusver it may judge
it necessary by a two.thiIds vote OF each
house, TO increase the number Of senators
and representatives in either house; and
which provision, 1t is claimed by Repub-
lioans, empowers the Legislature, by such
two-thirds vote, to add to one county
alone, without giving corresponding in
crease to each Of the others.
Tha. IL does not abrogate the rule OF
N4aRhAhy W OOahtaSo th bho Poh6tos
s. That, II ratified, 1t will postpone,
for generation, the adoption OF juSt
and adequate measures OF reform.
To the Republican objection that this
amendment will not give to New Castle
county an increase in proportion to her
population, We answer
1t does not do 30, because Kent and
SUSSEX, whether controlled by Republicans
or Dsmoci ats, will not accord it, since it
weuld enable New Castle county, now, to
control the Legislature and the rest Of
the State, and, very soon, would enable
Wilmington to control both the rest Of
this county and the residue OF the State.
According to the census Of 1880, Kent
county had population Of 80, ,874, SUSSEX,
36,0l8, and together 6S,s92; while Nav
Castle alone had 77,7i6 Of whioh
Wilmington had about AZ 900 and the
outside hundreds about $4,000.
This shows that in 1850, Nsw Castle
county had an excess OF 8 1000 population
over Ksnt and Sussex combined.
Nov, il the Republican party carried
out their own pro,essed principles in
their conventions, they should give Nav
Castle 9 representation which wonld be
sufficient to control Kent and Sussex and
their psr;y's entire State convention.
This they do not do, and will not; and
New Castle county Republicans dare not
ask IT.
Until they do, they are estopped from
objeoting to this amendment. For II the
Republicans will not carry out their own
professions In their State convention
where they have the power now, neither
will they in the Legislature, il they
shall get control there, hereafter.
But when our Republican opponents
are confronted by this fatal exposure OF
both their oowardics and inconsistency
what is their answer
They plead in way that ia pitiful, 10
tine light Of fact and figures, that, sinos
the last apportionmsnt OF delegates in
their State convention, the inequality
between the population Of New Castle
county and Of the residue Of the State, has
been so slight that NO has thought Of
again applying the principle of represen.
| tation on the numerical basis Of popula-
tion, to the election OF delegates Indeed
But Is the inequality so slight 7 Let
the figures answer. The present sppor.
tionmsnt of delegates in the Republican
State convention In this State was made
in 1868 upon tho basis Of the census Of
1850.
Since 1868 no effort has been made to
reapportion them, and yet Republicans
pretend that their party in Delaware
furnishes practical demonstration Of
representation in proportion to popula.
tion." What shameless Hypocrisy
According to the census of 1880, the
population of New Castle county was
29,720, OF Kent 1913 and Of Sussex
27,l15, making total in the Stats OF
| 76,748. By the census OF 1860, Nav
Castle county had 54,797, Kent ~, S04
and Sussex 29,6l5, a total in State Of
l12,2l6. BY the census OF 1880, New
Castle had 77,7l6, Kent 32,S74 snd
Sussex 36,01S, State totsl of 146, sos.
Now the total number Of delegates In
the Republican conventions Of this State,
is 100, Of which NeW Castle county has
rs, Kent 40, and Sussex AZ. These hsv.
ing been appoFtioued according to the
census Of 1860, gave one delegate fol
every 70l OF our State population. Bui
IL apportioped according to the rate oi
one delegate for every 70l of population
in the State, on the bases oil the censuf
OF 1880, this would now make total Re-
publiosn convention of 209 delegates, o.
whom New Castle county would b, an
titled, according to population, to Ill,
Kent to AZ, and Sussex to 81, thus
eiving New Castle l3 more thar
Kent and Sussex combined, instead
Of four less, as At present. In othel
words, it would give New Castle county
Republicans absolute control over Keni
AID Sussex Republicans, and make tn,
former, instead Of the latter, the diciAtori
OF their party's nominations and policy
Has the inequality then bstwesn this
and the other counties, in Republican
state conventions, been 80 slight, snd tas
advantages to them 80 insignificant, tina
the New Castle county Republicans hsv,
never even thought OF correcting II BY
the requisite increase What sane oiti
zen believes such hypocritical pretense, ,ol
what honest, manly voter but does dsspis,
such insinoere opponents OF the pending
amendment ?
| II the increase in population from 1886
to 1860 suggested and made necessary
the said increase in Republican oonven
tions, l6 Vears ago, 30 should that from
1860 TO 1880, now, for II has been equally
as large Is the former, as the said censul
returns show. The truth is, that th'
Republicans OF Kent and Sussex viii
never ooncede to New Castle county 10
presentation in proportion to population
either in Republican State conventiOns,o %
in the Legislature, and their psrty's pro
fessions to the contrary, are dishonest Al
they are desi liable.
The present spportionment OF rs dele
gates to New Castle county, out Of tn
l60 OF the entire Republican Stste oor
vention, sccords her but about 4S pc
osnt of the whole number. But on
much abused representation amendment
which aooords IL representatives 10 New
Castle county, out Of the proposed total
rs, in the General Assembly, gives on
county "A per cent thereof. So thR
there is no great difference between th
measure Of justice accorded to thi
county, by either the Democrats or Re
publicans Of Kent and Sussex. After all
the real objection of Republicans is not I
the amendment, itself, but to its being
Democratic instead of q Rspublioa
measure of reform.
II our Republican opponents are resll
sincere advocates Of the principle {
} representation by distriots, and OF givin
each district representatives and seni
tors in proportion to population, who d
they not apportion those now belongin
to New Castle county by districts, so q
allow Wilmington to nominate the mi
! jorily Of both the senators and represei
tatives from this county, to which h,
J population Of 1000 would entitle he
as against the outside hundreds SO, 900
By changing their county ruleB govern
! ing nominations. they have the power
I do 30. After the Democrats OF tn