Delaware gazette and state journal. (Wilmington, Del.) 1883-1902, 1892-01-28
Ex-Governor Hail.

In the death of Ex-Governor Hall the
State of Delaware loses a son who had
served her with honor and has left
valuable life lesson for the young men
of the present day. Thrown as boy
on his own resources, in q community
where no great opportunities were
offered, he went quietly, steadily, per-
sistently ahead, conquering difficulties
and accommodating wealth by sheer tire
less energy and thrift. In working for
his own advancement he was also all
the time helping along the town and
locality where he was born, where he
lived and where he died. With the
prosperity of his mature life and later
years came public honors which he
showed himself well worthy to wear
And when, in the evening of his days,
he yielded to the earnest solicitation of
his party to allow the use of his name
on the Legislative ticket, that name was
universally acknowledged as carrying
with it great strength. How fortunate
it was for the party itself that he
consented to serve is now clearly
realized by all. He, and his worthy
colleague, the Hon. James Williams,
were soon needed to save the party
from the instruction of younger, less
experienced and very much less worthy
leadership. And they did it. Il was
duty that called for backbone as well as
integrity of purpose. Both were found
in Ex-Governor Hall. Immovable as a
rock he withstood the pressure and the
solicitations alike of the organized forces
before which the other members of his
party in both houses, with the honor
able exceptions of Senator Williams
and Representative Eisenbrey, had gone
down. He would be just and fair,
nothing more, nothing less, and the
time came before the session closed
when the party at large gave those who
would have led it astray TO understand
that where Ex-Governor Hall stood they
must stand. 1t was so in New Castle
county; it was the same in Sussex
county. The emergency needed the
man and, fortunately for all, ex-
Governor Hall was there. II was a
noble rounding out of well spent life.
The introduction of bill in the
Maryland house Of delegates to repeal
the eastern Shore" bill directs public
attention to the fact that the practice of
selecting one of Maryland's senator's
from each side of the Chesapeake bay,
which many have always supposed to
be merely an old custom, has been reg
ulated by law since 1910, with the ex-
ception of brief interlude about 1867.
In that year the law was repealed and
Governor Thomas Swami, from the
western shore, was elected TO the United
States Senate. After his election the
eastern Shore" law was re-
enacted and has been observed
ever since, though its constitutions
atty has been several times called
in question. The law was originally,
like the legislative representation of
the three counties of Delaware, based
upon an approximate equality Of popu-
lation Of the sections, but, since 1910
the western shore has been steadily
drawing ahead of the eastern until now
the former numbers $4,000 inhabitants
to the latter's $4,000. This tremendous
disparity is the chief argument in favor
of the revocation of the law and the
choice of United States senators with
out restriction as TO their domicile east.
ward or westward Of the bay.
An Indian on the war path in mid
winter at New Castle reads like remi
niscence of the pioneer days of Fort Cast
mir. But this particular red man wal
ingloriously taken into custody by the
pale faces before he had tested the edg,
of his scalping knife. And when liz
had sobered up sufficiently to take tn,
trail out of town with meagrc suppl,
of wampum he realized that the rail
road was good thing in its way wher
a man is in hurry to get away from
town where he has made consummat,
fool of himself
The Philadelphia Ledgei says in al
editorial note;
The Delaware barn burners who ar
said to have been instigated by desire /,
revenge themselves on the du l'ont family
and who set fires that endangered the grea
powder works, have been sentenced 70
their crimes. The principal has been con
demned to ten years in prison, one hour il
the pillory, to receive 10 lashes, and is re
quired To pay Sl4O00 restitution none
, and $1,000 fines. The other conspirator
: have been sentenced to three to eigh
years Imprisonment and fines Of $50
each: The punishment is not too severe
, for the barn burners willfully endangere,
. many lives from the meanest motives.
' .ss.--.------ea@ss.-.-sH.sA----n.~
Dropped Dead In the Stable.
Patrick Mellon, aged 81 years, nativ
, Of Ireland, dropped dead from heart dis
case near his home in New Castle, 81
Tuesday. He was in apparent goo
health up to few minutes before hi
1 death, having gone out to his stable t
Iprs.~ e. 4