Year: 1878

Democratic papers please copy.


A GOOD SIGN OF IMPRovEMENT.-A
casual visitor to New Castle yesterday,
who wended his way into the Court early
in the afternoon, if accustomed TO enter
ing that Court, would have been much
surprised at the appearance there on the
third day Of the Term. Their Honors,
the learned and very able Associate |
Judges were leisurely reading the news |
papers, the Chief Justice was absent in
Wilmington; the Prothonotary and his
clerk conversing in suppressed tones, while
the Sheriff quietly slept in his great chair;
not lawyer was to be seen, the reporters
all save one grave and earnest looking
gentleman in spectacles who busted him
self in examining a newspaper, had va
moosed; no juryman or witness was to
be seen, and some four or five other per-
SONS constituted all that were present.
There being no business the Court was
about to be adjourned for the day, when
one of the most venerable and learned
lawyers of that ancient town, Hon. An
drew G.. Gray, made his appearance in
the room, it is said for the first time in
fifteen or twenty years. He was Immediate
ly welcomed by their Honors and invited
by Judge Wootten to be seated i'll the
chair of the Chief Justice, which he filed
with very becoming grace. 1t has been
50 long since Mr.. Gray practiced at this
bar that many Of his own townsfolk
scarcely know that he ever plead case ;
and yet he was one of the most able OF
the many brilliant young lawyers Of his
day. And they were such able men toe
as James A. Bayard George b. Rodney
George Fraim, VIM. IL. Rogers and JOIN
NJ. Clayton. Names that will live for
ever in the annals of Delaware jurispru
dence.


But what has all this predatory matte
to do with the heading of this article is II,
doubt the inquiry in the mind of the read
er. 1t is of local circumstance and VIII,
introduce it here? Well, it has been sal,
that such a circumstance as the adjourn
ment of our Superior Court and Court q
General Sessions, on the third of tn
Term to wait for something to do has nc
occurred for twenty years before. An
the absence of business denotes a great in
provement inthe morals of the people, an
sure evidence Of their disposition to ha
monte and compromise disputes inste;
Of resorting to the extremes of the lay
The whole of the criminal business W
completed last week, and We were i
formed that only few arguments We
expected to be made and the Court Won
probably conclude the work of the Ter
and adjourn on Friday, making the shol
est term for many years. This is not a
sIrer index to improvement is yet to
told, and it will be found in the grt
saving Of expenses TO the county, unl'
the present accurate and reliable coul
treasurer is III error, and this is not like
His calculation is that the saving as
tween llle tAptIlSeS ol llllS Term anu
last will be quite if not fully $1,000, a
the county will be that much richer
this particular alone. Indeed there see
an evidence of moral and industrial
provement everywhere in all parts Of
rural districts as well as in the toy
and cities of the State, and we feel q
pleasure i'll congratulating our citiz
upon the matter. Let it progress,


more rapidly the better.


About $1,000 of the expense last "


it is said, arose from the great numbe
witnesses summoned in liquor c;
through the several temperance organ
tions i'll this city and elsewhere in


county.