Smyrna times., 1888-11-21

OBITUARY NOTICES viii be charged Five Cents
per line.
If THE EUeniRg Journal had quoted
our language in reference to the choice
of a United States Senator viz: that
the choice should come from the coun-
ties represented in the Legislature un-
less able men, that is men, of more dis.
tinguished ability could be found else
where, the editor would hardly had
the occasion to characterize ours as a
narrow vision" The TIMES has al
ways been an advocate of the best men
for the offices whether in the Demo-
cratic or Republican parties, especially
to represent us where other states send
their strongest men, nor have we been
a stickler for county lines. The trou-
bic with the EUening Journal is that it
has choice, a pet candidate that it
would like to see elevated to the place
Of Senator without regard to the politi-
cal circumstances attending the case.
and has his vision circumscribed to the
city limits of Wilmington. Without
wishing to draw comparisons between
candidates we claim to compass as
much in vision as our esteemed cotem-
porary, while Kent has the undoubted
vantage ground of a full delegation,
which counts a good deal as against
none.
And here comes a very pertinent
question, why is New Castle county
which claims to have majority of Re-
publican voters, 1000 votes in the min
Ority? The assessors and collectors
you say! Kent and Sussex have the
same instruments of the same law, and
yet they fall behind at no such rate as
this. There never was a time that
voters by the fault of themselves or the
assessor, failed to get on the list, and
there may be criminal negligence on
the part of the assessors these late
years, but were it not for unlawful re-
ceipts furnished on election day, the
complaint against the autocratic con-
troll of these officers would not be so
great. Perhaps it is because the peo.
pie down here are more persistent in
claiming their rights. Why, some
years ago a collector who left his home
to avoid receiving taxes so as to keep
certain persons from voting was hunt
ed like dogs after a coon all over Dover
Hundred until he was treed and made
perform his sworn duties, and at our
last election a collector who did not
want to receive a poll tax because all
the other taxes were not included was
told by the individual to either take
the money for the tax or his fist. and
seeing that he meant business. he chose
the money and the man got in his
vote.
1t looks incredible that so many men
over 5000 it is claimed were defrauded
OF the right to vote in New Castle
county. If the men of Wilmington and
that county had more of the spirit of
rs and less of the commercial spirit
this could not happen. Have they ap-
preciated the liberty that has been be-
queathed to them, and the privilege of
the franchise as they should? Have
they first done their duty in complying
with the law, or have they been so wrap
ped up in commercial matters as to lose
sight of the obligations of citizenship.
the crowning privilege and duty of
which is the casting of the ballot? The
men who it is alleged deprived them of
the right of franchise misused their au-
thority of law from the same CONNER
eial or meEcenary considerations-not
to benefit the people but to, in spite of
them, get the Offices for selfish, personal
ends. The condition that Wilmington
Is IN, to say nothing of the rest of the
State, is one that the Fathers of the
Republic and the writers on popular
government every where declare to be
fraught with the greatest danger to the
liberties ofa people
It's time for the State and particn-
larly Wilmington, which appears to be
bound in the coils of the most desuer-
ate Office seekers, to wake up and
stand erect in the full stature of man.
hood. Think you that the men of '7s
would have allowed the officers of
King George to have gone on for fif-
teen years depriving them in increased
numbers year by year of the highest
pledge of liberty? Rather, we think
they would have done their full duty
as citizens in pursuit of their legal
rights and then if disfranchised bv such
ca0als as the Assessors or Levy Court
would have taken them by force, as a
necessary lesson in law, and pitched
them into the Christiana. No 2eople
can have a proper appreciation of their
citizenship who will thus bow their
neeks to an unprincipled set of Office
holders Look at the result of the As.
SCISSORS and Collectors rule of fifteen
years, aided by the Levy Courts the
disfranchisement of the Republican
party the disruption of the Democratic
party, and the stranding high up on the
shore Of Secretary Bayard and Senator
salisbury. Such power which neith-
er belongs to the spirit of our institu-
tions nor the civilization of the age
should be rooted out, and the people
have it in their power one way or an
other to do it.
We agree with our esteemed cotem-
porary the EUeaing Journal that the
selection Of a Senator should be made
after taking in view the entire situa-
tion, and finding in Kent the man
who most nearly meets the re-