Year: 1878

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latter tart, andan Assessor may uA
his owa iudgnsnt absst going over bic
district. The ASSESSOR for Wilmington
however both being Democrats have
chosen to Assess Democrats especially,
and as a precaution against assessing
the Republicans who have been dis
lfranchised they are furnished with
books by partisan Levy Court, con-
tanning the names Of those who he 10
expected to leave Of the assessment.
The plan works like charm, and
Archie Given, constable Pritchett and
Clerk Springer rub their hands with
glee at the grand success Of the law
which sanctions these manipulations.


When the Assessors have made out
their books they give the disfranchis
ing mill another turn Of the screw, and
as required In the law post their As
sessment in five places in their districts
at the same time giving notice where
he may be found on a certain day to
have corrections made In the Assess
,nent. Any person who has reason
to believe that his name Is not
upon the Assessment can, provided
he be not one of the dsfranchised, come
forward and have his name put on;
provided again, that he proves his iden-
tity by some freeholder he may bring
with him. The freeholder who Is will
ling to be qualified that the person he
brings with him is the identical person
he represents himself to be, is required
to subscribe to the following AFFIDAVIT


81, do swear (or afirm) that
| am a freeholder of - county,
and that is the identical person
he represents himself to be, known TO
me personally to be such /; that he IL
twenty -one years ofage, and that he is
bona fie resident in --- Hundred,
in --- county, in the State OF Della
ware" These affdavits are to be re-
turned to Mr.. Springer, Clerk Of the
Peace, who will pigeon-hole them to be
used in emergencies. and where he Ca.
easily find them II necessary to be used
in evidence against Republicans, and
where they can easily be lost if required
to be used In evidence the other way.


Before 1873 such precautions were
never used but the Assessors and the
Levy Court were deemed to be hon.
est men who would do their duty with
out being hedged with such restric.
tions as we have shown. This to the
masses should be treated as one Of the
most obnoxious laws on the Statute
books, in that it gives prominence and
preference TO man who may happen
to be the owner Of lot in a marsh, a
few feet OF land in somebody's cellar or
at the bottom of well and his affidavit
l., required before his neighbor who
may be a man of advanced intelligence
and may be possessed of property a
hundred times more valuable than
his voucher, can be assessed. AS a
fitting finale to this partisan law the
the Levy Court is empowered to place
upon the Assessment list the name of
any person who may have been omit


ted by the Assessor, and who will ap-


ply at the session of the Levy Court


with his freehold voucher. This 1t


will he seen will involve loss Of per


haps two or three days time both


to persons who may want to he assessed


aud his voucher, to say nothing OF the


expense of attending. One day would
be sufficient, but the court might be


engaged in the consideration of some


little bridge question, and the applicant


especially if he he Republican must


wait until that is settled. Down in


Kent County the Levy Court has short


er and surer way of disposing Of these


harrassing assessment cases. There
they agreed upon certain day to be
. devoted to placing names upol the
assessment, and when the hundreds


of Republicans came upon that day
, with their vouchers, they found to their
. chargin and modification that they
had been cheated, the Levy Court hav-
ing hurried its business and adjourn
, ed the night before. This assessment
law like its twin brother, the law tor
the Collection Of taxes" is but a part
, of the Democratic machinery to cheat
. the State out of taxes and the Republi-
: cans out Of votes.


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