Middletown transcript., 1896-12-19
LETowN, DEL, DEC. 10. 1896
A REMARKABLY FACT.

The TRANSCRIPT has stated several
times that the political condition in
the lower counties and especially in
Kent county is but little short of rev.
olution. The editor Of the "Dela-
wareann who has accepted the 5 to 5
compromise and is sitting as a dele
gate in the Constitutional Convention
in making a personal statement COW
ering over two columns says: "In our
opinion the condition in Kent county
has not been far from the state of rev.
olution.o Others bear the same testi-
mony and yet there are those who
laugh at the idea, and there are poll
ticians in the State, in New Castle
county, who favor pushing these politi-
cal contests to the consummation OF
their dishonest purposes and thereby
reap the political rewards. One object
Of the bitter contest in Kent county is
to rob New Castle county.of the Re-
ceiver of Taxes by legislating him out
Of office. This has been done 80 often
before that it is expected Republicans
will quietly submit to it. 1t was to
accomplish this steal that Mr.. Cheairs
was counted out and Dickey was
counted In. The move of the Sussex
Union Republicans in contesting the
election of the Democrats to the Gen.
eral Assembly will act asa check mate
to this. They have served notice OF
contest in Sussex county, and it is well.
We believe in fair and honest elections;
in just count and return; in equality
before the law and the courts. When
these are all denied then honest men
excrse themselves for "6ghting the
devil with fire." If revolution must
come, if the State must have two bod
les claiming to be the General Assem-
bly, Of the State, before the men who
are responsible for the affairs of State
realize that Mr.. Salisbury is right in
his opinion of the present condition
and they insist on pushing matters to
the verge of desperation, let it be
known now where the responsibility
lies. Let the men who are willing to
take such great risks stand out before
the people that In the future they may
be held responsible for that which they
have brought about. With two Legis-
latnres in session neither would prob
ably be legal body. The Governor
might recognize one but to attempt to
force its edicts upon the people under
certain conditions that might exist
would produce revolution in fact. The
politicians had best call halt.
All>of these matters are Of vital in
terest and good citizens should throw
their influence upon the side of right
and law and justice. But the most re-
markable fact in the whole matter ia
that while the Democrats in Kent and
Sussex counties contend that the great
crime is bribery, and while the attor-
ney general has tiwce offered, both be-
fore and since the election, rewards for
proof of violations of the bribery laws
and so far as we know not single case
has been brought to his notice. Bribery
SO open as has been stated, and sufici-
ent to warrant the throwing out of the
votes of two thousand citizens and yet
not case brought to the attention of
the officers of the law, and with all the
State officials within the ranks Of the
offended partyl Is it not remarkableP
What is the explanationp Can any one
give satisfactory reason for such a
condition? An honest man at our ell
bow suggests that "where all are alike
guilty there can be no accusers." That
may be true, but it supposes a miser-
able lot of hypocrites. The conditions