Delaware gazette and state journal. (Wilmington, Del.) 1883-1902, 1891-02-12
LEGISLATION ON THE QUIET.
Levy Court Adopts a Secret Reso-
luton.


tion Wh;cS pr,cticai,v Assumes Con.
troll of the "Excessiver Debt.
Immediately after converting yesterday
afternoon week the levy court discharged
assessors from attendance as follows !:
Red Lion. Mill Creek and White Clay
Creek hundreds, until this morning;
Brandywine hundred, until tomorrow
morning; New Castle, Pencader and
Blackbird hundreds and the Third dis
trict of Wilmington hundred, until next
Tuesday morning.
After half an hour had been devoted
to revising the assessments Mr.. Jolls
arose and stated that he had a resolution
which, with the unanimous consent OF
| the court he would offer to be recorded
in the records Of the court. just pre-
| vious Chairman Buckingham had been
summoned 10 his desk and when he
raped for order his seat being occupied
by another member of the court, who
with another gentleman was scanning
some assessments, he stood at the left
side Of the desk "There being no OBJ
iection,n the chairman said, sit will be
recordedn M ohioct,on yos made and
,,,;,l,.,,. f,,..l, ,.s.,- H., ,,,,,,,,,,,,
"is.,eu' - siei ieii,a,A Wy onaii iti''ti
reached over 10 MI. JOBS, look the reso
luton, which was neatly folded, and
passed it to the clerk.
This virtual adontion az a resolution
,Yi,hort /. hai,,a - .a,,saa ~ III.
"isi4oue = o,iils ~, e"aseu ~ ~
prise among those Wlthlh the pat OF the
court but this apparently unprecedented
action caused considerable commotion
among the outsiders who were mite
,,,,,o,.,,,,s III ~ IL a,,aa 100, - III.
- :. 80 II
each oIler what u meant Nopouy
knew and although curiosity was not
appeased the excitement soon subsidized.
Surprise At this strange fashion Of trans
octing nnl,lic h,,s;nass Nos q ,,on;fost l.,
M el rs1,. e m, y -, !,
inc couhlehaIce OF HE GAAETTE
representative mat Chairman BucklnS-
ham crossed over to where he sat and
said: eve don't want YOU fellows to be
TOO hard On ne. NO don,t wish ID wbite.
,,ast, ar,,haan W. - ,a.a1a
WASH "nS p"uy' /" ueslle ~ W 'ai"ue
100 fnuch before s,,i the pubic the finances
OF me county. ms IS at the suggestion
OF Attorney Bradtord.
MI 5ncklngham further stated That
ne cou!a not teli me contents OF the
resolution ana inc reporter could not
see y. subsequently an interview with
vi. Joils was mad lie Declined 70 say
What the resolution contained ana sala
the reporter could not see It then. I'VE
deem y best, he added, ITO say nothing
about IL before tomorrow (lhursdayl
morning, When u VIII be read IN the
minutes ana You can obtain copy OF II. :.
| Inc purport oil the secret levy court
resolution soon leaked out. 1t related TO
the county outstanding notes and con
talned instructions TO the sundry banks,
holding them That court desired TO waive
| protest upon certain notes maturing IN
the near future. This waiver simply
asks the banks TO hold the notes up
until their payment can be provided
| Tor.
The Democratic members Of the court
at once saw the stupid blunder the ma
| jority was about to perpetrate in the
passage OF a secret resolution and then
to withhold it from the public and they
chuckled with satisfaction. This same
resolution was of general public
Importance inasmuch as it related
to SSS,0O0 of the county's debt, but it
went through on the quiet, the Demo-
Gratis refusing to vote, and restraining
themselves from making protest as
they probably felt grim sort of salts
faction in seeing the majority putting
itself in a hole the second day of its Off
cial control.
The Democrats had no hand whatever
in this secret legislation, and whatever
suspicion Or distrust such action must
awaken rests upon the Republicans, and
when the session adjourned the Demo-
Gratis were jubilant at the "bad break"
the majority had blunderingly made.
/ The Democrats are aware Of public sem
timent upon star chamber methods of
transacting public business, and they
feel that yesterday afternoon the Repub-
licans put themselves in queer light.
But still further they hold that the
secret resolution which was prepared
and passed at Attorney Bradford's sug-
gestion, nullities Mr.. Bradford's opinion
of the morning. Upon that occasion
MI. bradford held that the Individual
members ol the court are responsible
for the excessive" Indebtedness, but
| his resolution, they hold, practically
makes the lew court assume the respon-
sibility for the outstanding notes.
Ranaatb tha y,hgia ,nottor . i di,oor,,os
the INTENTION If The Rennblicans 70 , 90
to the I,egislature for authority 10 fn5d
Inc Ss3, 900 of floating debt Bnt the
Democrats will onnose such action ana
nronose 10 rive Ike majority an onnor.
tunitv "a illustrate ;ts eeononicaI direc-
tion ~ coIntv sffairs Nv nav;na No
floatinr debt ont If he taxes s Va ra;s sai
| during thc neyt Two years Tbers / re
NJ brid,,ns ~ I,,ild n Ne naxt to- - =,