Delaware gazette and state journal. (Wilmington, Del.) 1883-1902, 1891-01-22

f@Nf1A@Ss -
public interest.
ELECTIONS.
One of the earliest duties of the General
Assembly will be to reform the methods
and protect the purity of elections by the
enactment of such regulations Of the ballot
as shall secure the honest expression of
public opinion Mt the polls. A free, I'M
purchased unintimidated ballot is the es-
sential basis Of free government and in the
exercise of suffrage it is the duty of the
State to throw every safeguard around
each voter for the secure enjoyment of his
individual and private right to cast his
ballot according to his own free will and
conscience.
The Australian SYSTEM of ballot has
been the subject of favorable comment.
OF this ] recommend the examination,
and comparison of the late legislation on
this subject by many of the other states,
in order that we may draw from their
experience and statutes the best features
for the protection of the individual voter
and the exclusion of all intrusion upon
his sacred rights.
This subject is second to none that will
engage the attention of the Legislature
and | urgently recommend the prompt
formation of a joint committee of the two
houses who shall have authority to employ
and compensateable counsel to assist them
in the preparation of judicious ballot
law in harmony with the constitution of
our State and Our system of assessment
and tax laws
All attempted invasion of our elections
by corruption and intimidation must be
repealed, and the individual conscience of
the voter be thoroughly protected. The
report of such committee should be
accompanied by such proposed amend
ments as will effectually restrain and
punish corrupt solicitations of the voter,
and the practice Of bribery in connection
with the elective franchise.
The necessity of preventing degrading
scenes of disorder at the polls renders il in
cumbent upon the General Assembly to
more strictly define the powers and duties
Of the judges of election and protect them
in their exercise, especially in view of the
possibility of the passage, in disregard and
in defiance of the late emphatic disap-
proval by the American people, of the
revolutionary and partisan measure now
pending in the United States Senate as
Stunning unprecedented power oyer con
gressional elections throughout the Union.
This proposed law implies want of CON
tidence in the people and presupposes the
existence of a superior virtue deposited
elsewhere in class of officials who are
alone to be trusted to control functions in
herent in the people of the several states,
and expressly reserved to them by the
terms Of the Federal Constitution, which
provides, in its first article, that the MEM
beers of the House of Representatives
shall be chosen every second year by the
people of the several states" and the right
Ito choose is assuredly overthrown and
destroyed when the power to decide upon
the qualifications of the voter, and the re-
Ception of the vote and the ultimate certifi-
cate of the results of the election are con-
trolled by any other authority than that of
the State entitled to be so represented.
The elections held in this State in 1886
and 1888 were peaceably conducted under
the sole supervision and control of our
state officials, without the presence or in
reference of any Federal authority, ex-
cepting the supervisors at each precinct.
and without the slightest intervention on
their part or report by them OF any I'M
fairness or irregularity. But at the cleo
ton in November last the polls of every
voting precinct in the city of Wilmington
swarmed with deputy United States mar
shals all selected as partisans of one of the
political parties, whose presence tended
merely to increase popular excitement and
add to the confusion and disorder, and
whose occupation consisted mainly in
manipulating the most degraded body of
voters, whose race prejudices had evidently
been intlamed by Inscriptions politicians.
The presence of these men was not only
heavy and useless expense to the taxpay-
ers but wholly unnecessary for any prir-
pose in the interest of honest and fair cleo
tions.
CONSTITUTIONAL CONVENTION.
The grave question of reforming our
present State constitution has long been
agitated and efforts for the revision and
legislative proceedings authorized by the
constitution have been defeated. Good
faith demands that the question of consti-
tutional revision and reform be now sub
mitted to the full and free vote of the
people, and that. by recourse to the popu-
lar will, as the ultimate sovereign power of
the State, party promises may be honor
ably and fairly kept and genuine test Of
public sentiment upon this most important
subject be made. |, therefore, recommend
that by present legislative enactment a
special election be authorized to be held on
the third Tuesday of May next ensuing, in
which the voice of the majority of our citi-
zens can be declared and recorded for or
against calling convention, and that in
accordance with that decision, action pro.
viding for the election of delegates to
convention to revise and amend our pres
ent constitution can be authorized by the
succeeding Legislature.
THE STATE MILITIA.
I commend to the consideration of the
Legislature our State militia system, the
late reorganization of which has created
an increased public interest. 1t is believed
that the real object of this branch Of the
public service will be greatly promoted by
a revision of the laws in relation thereto
and by the continuance of proper appro-
priations for its support, coupled with
strict accountability for its expenditures.
While public approval of proper encour-
agement OF our State soldiery is undoubted,
yet it is accompanied by desire to learn
fully and accurately the objects and
manner of expenditure.
STATE HOSPITAL FOR THE INSANE.
The statutes creating State hospital for
the insane direct the legislature to pro-.
vide an annual sum for the Use and sup
port of said hospital. No class of our
citizens is SO much entitled to the protec-
ton and care of the State as the unfortll-
nate inmates of this institution. | COM
mend them to the consideration of the
General Assembly and suggest such
liberal appropriation as will enable the
trustees to provide the proper attention
and comfort for them.
THE WORLDS FAIR.
Theinterest which is manifested through
out the country in the national and inter
national exhibition to be inaugurated at
Chicago, the Queen City of the West, in
1888, warrants the conclusion that the
combined efforts of the national and
several state governments in pro-
motlng this undertaking will be
crowned with signal success; and
that the diversified exhibit to be there
collected, of our ''arts industries, manu-
features and the products of the soil, mine
and sea, will afford a comprehensive idea
of the vast resources of the United
States; attest in most emphatic
manner their phenomenal develop
ment furnish to other nations
more adequate knowledge of the progress
of civilization in the New World" and
demonstrate as we'll the beneiicent influ-
ences OF a government by the, people in all