Smyrna times., 1896-12-23

A matter so plain as the law in relat-
ion to the work of the'InspectOrs in
counting and tabulating the returns it
it was thought the Court could settle
in a day or at most two days, but it
has allowed technicalities to defeat the
plain provisions of the law and thus as
far as possible by dallying with justice
enable the grand larceny to be con-
summated.
The Court was asked to define the
law, which after consuming nearly two
weeks did grant the mandamus and
order the returns counted and signed,
Technically" Grubb dissenting, but
as the latter had opened the way, the
Court decided that an appeal to the
Court of Error and Appeals was sup
ersedeas to all other proceedings, and
thus the matter lies, the latter Court
not meeting until the latter part of
January. How it resulted in relation
to the Constitutional Convention is al
ready known: in less than two weeks
the Legislature will meet with none of
the delegates from Kent with a com
mission. Such a condition stands
without precedent in our State and is
without parellel so far as we know in
the nation.
The SUSSEX Republican which backed
up the deal that resulted in the Hig
gins voters assistant and in speaking
of the pending election trouble says:
The efforts of the dishonest leaders
of the Democratic party in Kent county
to cheat the Republicans out of the
fruits of their recent victory, is likely
To lead to serious results. Some fear
that when the Legislature cOnvenes at
Dover to organize on Tuesday, the 9TH
dav of January, that there will be riot
and even blOodshed The Republi-
cans Of Kent are determined to contend
for their rights, and many of the best
thinking Democrats are in symw-i-
with them, and say that the Rel"
can members of the Legislature were
elected and ought to be seated.
The course of Democratic leaders in
that county in their efforts to count
the Republican members out will prob
ably lead to a contest in all three Oi
the counties of the State, and may re
suit in a rump Legislature, or two leg
islative bodies, and a struggle as tC
which will have possession of the State
House. As the Republicans propose
to contest the seats of the Democrats
m all three Of the counties, and hav'
four hOlding-over members in the Sen
ate and the Democrats but two, the,
will refuse to swear in any Of the thre'
newly-elected members until the con
test is settled. This will give the Re
publicans the organization and the ad
vantage.
TheEUery EUening quotes the abov
and says such talk is reprehensible
1t takes the ground that Delaware is
fully organized State with a govern
ment of law, though it knows that pc
litical tricksters as did the eleven il
spectOrs in Wilmington who wer
caught in altering the figures, and th
.csavassing board in Kent who refuse
toagnnt the vote of Republican Hun
dreds. In the light of this the sam
paper says ''there is no feature of IL
pending contention which should M
he.settled in a peaceful, orderly an
legal manner. Our courts are open
all and it.eannot be justly charged tn
they viii encourage anarchy, endori
fraud, or refuse to render righteol
Judgment upon any issues brougl
before them"
The Milford Herald, Cndependent
asks Of the State of Delaware, sis
a republic, an oligarchy, a mobocrae
or is it in q condition of anarchy
and says:
There is not TnsB in the State OF
side the realms of idocy, who do
not know that there were ten delegat
10 Tie Constitutional Conversion ch
sen, by ihe people of Kent county
the late Aection, and that every o
of these ten elected were Republican
The election was held and conduct
n manner as quiet, peaceable a