Delaware gazette and state journal. (Wilmington, Del.) 1883-1902, 1897-01-21

present,
Mr.. Horsey presented a petition from
Little Creek hundred. Sussex county,
asking that clause be inserted in the
Constitution allowing the people the
privilege of voting upon the question Of
the sale of Intoxicating liquors. The
petition was referred to the committee
on the manufacture and sale of intoxi-
cants.
Mr.. Dasey secured unanimous vote
on his motion to change the hour of
Meeting from II until TO- 30.
Mr.. Hearne then moved that the con-
vention resolve itself into committee of
the whole on the second report of the
committee on the Governor and other
elective officers, which was agreed to.
MIR. Biggs then called Mr.. Salisbury
to the chair, ana when he took the
floor requested the members, for the
guidance and information Of the steno-
grapher. to announce the page and
title of all books or authorities they
may quote.
The discussion on the report began
where it left off at yesterdays session
whether the clause which made the
prothonotary elective should pass, or
whether this office should still remain
Governor to the Judges.
Mr.. Richards favorsd the appoint
ment of the prothopotary, and said that
one time the prothonotary of Sussex
in entering a bond reversed the names
OF the obligor and obligee. This caused
litter and the president remarked
that the man must have been drunk.
''No he wasn't; he was total alb
stainer," replied Mr.. Richards.
Mr.. johnson favored the report as
printed, saying that the office should
be kept as near the people as possible.
In Wilmington the people complain of
the way the office is conducted, because
laymRn ia not treated as he should
be when having business in the office.
Mr.. johnson then created cuniderable
merriment by asking Mr.. Richards IL
the man who he referred to in his ad-
dress as making the mistake 10 pre-
pairing judgment was "a man learned
in the law" or layman. Mr.. Richards
replied that he was not.
The ayes and nays were then taken on
tho motion to strike out, resulting:
Ayes. z; nays, 81. The motion was
therefore lost
DR.. Carlisle moved that section 8 be
amended by adding the words Super
intendent of free schools, justices of
the peace, and such other Offices as
may be established by the law and not
otherwise provided for "
Mr.. Spruance thought the matter of
Buperintendent of free schools was
matter for the committee on educa-
tion, and the justices of the peace
should be considered by the judiciary
committee. $50 far as the Justices of
the reace in the State at present are
concerned" SAID Mr.. Sruance, 81 am
free to say that we could not have a
poorer class of justices under any system
that we could possibly adopt"
DIR. Carlisle withdrew his amend
ment for the present.
That portion of the report which in
cluded the clerk of tie peace, register
of wills, recorder of deeds, register in
chancery and clerk of the orphans'
court was then adopted by vote of 90
to 4.
Mr.. Spruanca then moved to adopt
section 4, the idea being to take the
sense of the convention as to salaried
officials. Three propositions were
befnre the convention regarding county
officials. One was to allow fees to
stand as at present; another to re-
quire them to turn ever to the county
treasurer all fees in excess of certain
sum, and the other to salary officials
and require them to turn over the entire
receipts of the Office.
DR.. Marshall offered an amendment
to the section which read: "A il fees
received by the sheriff and other county
officers shall be paid to the county
treasurer for the use of the county.
Mr. Biggs objected to the amendment
because if these officials were saiaried
they would be Indifferent about Gol
lecting the fees, and each county would
lose thousands of dollars every year.
think the section should be adopted
as it appears in the report
Mr.. Spruance suggested an amend
ment to the above by adding after the
word "oilicers' and before the word
"shall" the words in excess OF the
amounts hereinafter to be provided. "
DIR. Cooper wanted the word
amounts" changed to "salary."
Mr.. Salisbury called MIR. Moore to
the chair and introduced an amend
ment to Mr.. Spruance's amendment to
strike out all of the amendment after
thu word amounts and to insert ito
be provided by law. I" He claimed
that the salaries should not be made
ny ihC 'tdb lbib
to the Legislature. The business OF
these Offices, especially in New Castle
county, are constantly increasing, and
what would be an adequate salary now
might not be adequate a few years to
come. the Legislature, meeting every
two years. could readily remedy this.
1t would also prevent constant tinker
ing with the Constitution.
A question was raised as to whether
Mr.. Saulsbury's amendment was 10
order and he withdrew it.
Mr.. Bradford SAID he thought it
would be unwise TO attempt to fix a
maximum compensation in the Con-
stitution.
Mr.. Chvender called attention to the
special order for 2 o'clock, and at
tempted to offer motion that the COM
mittee rise, but Mr.. Spruance, who
had the floor, refused to YIELD
The convention then adjourned until
2o'clock.
The afternoon session was devoted to
hearing the representatives OF the
Woman Suffrage Association. They
occupied two hours in advocating their
case and when they retired the conven.
tion adjourned until 10. 80 tomorrow.
Dover, Jan. "a There was full at.