Daily Republican. [volume] ([Wilmington, Del.]) 1874-1890, 1889-01-04
THE SUFFRAGE.
A FULL AssEssMENr W IL
CURE THE EVIL.
4 Litsis ovsrhsaling o. osvsrnsr
Hisss' message Upon that sub
jses-A Few Suggestive
Eixursa.

telllGence II he expectcd them to accept
what be says on the question Of suffrsae
as being his honest sentiments. The
Governor 10 too intelligent q gentleman
10 suppose that what he Gays upoa that
subject would be accepted az truth. In
tcIligent Democrats In this city smilc as
they refer to his remarks, and say that u
IA q pity that he made use OF them, as II
casss . shadow OF doubt a. 10 his ain
certify upon other State topics discussed
In bis message, and which in the maiu
sfe unobjectionable.
The Governor makes the remarkabls
declaration that, ~ feel no hesitation in
declaring ~ the Executive Of this State,
ihzt there is no other btAte In the Bnion,
whare the proper exercise of the elective
franchise y more properly and iully
ecurcd without restriction or qualiaca-
ion In respect to race, color, or previous
oudition Of feryitude, than It is In IhIs
State. The same regulation that applies
III this respect to the while man, sppllse
% the black man, and none other.
Equality OF right In this respect ls fun
damentsi principle Of our law, guarded
aud protected 50 ~ 10 result in harm 10
none, Who appreciatinq the value Of thIs
right choose to avail themselves Of IL
free aad proper exercise"
This greatest charity that can be exer-
c'sed for the Governor Ia tho foregoing
remarks Il 10 believe that he was insin-
cere ia making them. No ono knows
better than Governor Biggs, the obstruc
tions that have been voluntarily placed in
the way OF FREQ exercise Of the suffrage
by the party TO which he belongs, and a
glance at the election returns will show
and prove that these obstrnctions had
reached the height Of their operations at
the very election which was little more
than jarce at which he was elected
Governor OF the State OF Delaware.
Perhaps feW figures from the election
returns OF that year and from the election
four years before, also for Governor, will
save TO refresh and strengthen his mem
orr. In 1886, the year Governor Bixxs
was elected, there we're only 81 III votes
cast compared with 81 ,l9b yo o. cast in
1889, four years before, for the same
Office. Here is . difference OF o,41o votes
In these two elections. II the years were
reversed and the larger number Of votes
polled in 1886, the showing would not be
so bad for The Governor. As there are
no restrictions or qualifications In re-
srect 10 race, color or previous condition
Of servitude," and II 1t IL true that the
same regulation that applies In this re-
speet 10 the black man, aud none other, {"
perhaps his Excellency will be so kind As
to inform his fellow citizens, who are
evidently taken 10 be more illiterate than
himself, what became Of the 0, 40 persons
who did not vote at his election and yet
sSSs SSiss 8s BssIs pf5ssSG SssSe 4 .
to the franchise that 0 419 voters viii
voluntarily refrain from voting at an
election, where the same ofsicss are 10 be
hlled? Voters have not become SO lndlf-
ferent as this all at once.
They did not remain away from the
polls with that amiabls and Kind feeling
that Governor Biggs would have the peo-
pie believe Is born OF indifference as 70
who was 10 be elected. Upon the con-
trary the comp'a aint OF disfranchisemen
through Ubiquitous assessment laws, and
laws 10 relation TO the collection of taxes
that plainly mean not to collect from Re-
publican poll tax payers, the complaint
has reached the ears Of the press beyond
the State.
The Governor has fully recognized this
when he says; at III becomes those who
are not citiz,ns Of this State to carp at
laws TO which they are not su oject, and
In which they have no interest"
II Hts Excellency will but take the
time TO think he cannot hip but come to
the conclusion that the last expression
quoted is very ungenerous and uncharl-
table thrust at tbs expression OF Tree
thought against grlevous wrong.
The virtual disfranchisement Of q,4t9
voters out OF 81 ,196 10 no light or ttif ing
ni-iter. IL 10 the same syatem that re-
suits IN South Carolina in the casting OF
Une vote out of about five, In Georgia OF
vote In about ten snd In Mississippi
there Is no President to elect.
But "let us alonen was the demand of
Jefferson Davis In his attempt TO dis
member the Union, and Ia 1t possible that
this has become the rallying cry Of the
LGovernor OF Delswares Toe words of
che GoverAor are weak, grabbed, pusrile,
childish and foolieh. The press outside
n Delaware has the same right to discuss
D grievous wrong In Delaware as tho
rress In Delaware has 10 condemn q
i rievous wrong In the franchise OF Rhoad
Ltland, and the press everywhere, thanks
o an enlightened and liberal sentiment,
has the same right to expose and con.
demn wrong wherever it sees IL and IL
will do 1t notwithstanding the muzzle
Delaware's Governor would slip over It's
A farther reference TO the election re-
turns shows that Governor Biggs was
Blected Governor of Delaware BY the
smallest proportionste vote cast IN the
State for any Governor. His whole vote
was but 1S,9a2, less than the vote that |
he late Albert Curry, Republican candi- |
late for Governor, received four years |
before by G98.
However there Isl redeeming trait in the |
remarks OF the Governor upon suffrage,
rs indeed there always is In all the Cover |
nor says. Though often wrong he is |
more often right. The suffrage was the |
political stumbling block OF his annual |
though It must be confessed
that he has perceptibly weakened uIon |
Ihe Constitutional Convention question, |
lie Acknowledges the whole abuse of the |
he recommends an amendment, That It |
should be misdemesEor, punishable by
Ilne and imprisonment for collector OF |
The county tax 10 refuse 10 give tax /
receipt to an assessed voter when the
same shall be applied for by him In
person and the amount of tax assessed
lendered by such voter"
So far, very good. But the Governor
has not word TO say against assessors
who do not assess. ST, Georges Hundred,
10 which Governor Biggs resides, has q
zreater number OF nnassessed dIsfran-
,hised voters than nny 'ther Hundred I'm
he State In proportion to population.
His Recommendation to punish with
ieAyy penalties collectors who refuse to
i've . receipt for taxes offered falls for
,autbt, while assessors are lett TO get in
heir hne licks BY not assessing voters as
hey do in 81 Georges. Full assessments
re what Is wanted. but this part Of the