200 



DELAWARE. 



practiced at the recent elections in this 

 State 1 '; pointed out the effects which such 

 practices must necessarily produce, if not put 

 down; and concludes with these words: "I 

 desire most earnestly to recommend that you 

 take into consideration the necessity of adopt- 

 ing surh measures as will prevent the repeti- 

 tion of such offenses against the purity and 

 freedom of the ballot." The General Assem- 

 bly then eii.u-teil a law, entitled " An act to 

 secure free elections." It imposes a penalty 

 of from $500 to $1,000 fine on any person, 

 linn, or corporation that shall endeavor to in- 

 fluence, by bribery, threats, or intimidation, 

 the vote of an employe 1 ; and empowers the 

 employe 1 , in addition, to bring suit against his 

 employer for the payment to him, as in an ac- 

 tion for debt, of $500. It provides further 

 that, if the employer be an actual person, he 

 shall be liable also to one year's imprisonment. 

 The act of any officer of a corporation, acting 

 for the corporation, shall be considered the act 

 of the corporation itself; but such officer shall 

 also be individually liable. 



A special joint committee was appointed by 

 the two Houses " to examine the State Libra- 

 ry," which committee performed its duty, and 

 reported a joint resolution, authorizing the 

 State Librarian to cause all necessary shelving 

 for books to be erected; requiring him to com- 

 pile a catalogue, and have it printed for the 

 usual distributions ; and empowering him to 

 draw on the State Treasurer for $500 to pay 

 the expenses of its publication. 



The session of 1881 closed on April 9th. Of 

 the ninety-eight days of its continuance, about 

 sixty-five were employed in actual work. 

 Among the acts and joint resolutions of a 

 general character passed at this session are the 

 following: 



An act " for the preservation of the public 

 health." It authorizes the establishment of 

 local boards of health in all the towns and vil- 

 lages of the State, and defines their duties. 

 "To provide for the registration of marriages, 

 births, and deaths in the State of Delaware." 

 " To provide for the better security of life 

 and property in case of fire." It imposes on 

 the owners of hotels, factories, school-houses, 

 and other public buildings, the duty of provid- 

 ing them with suitable fire-escapes. "To ex- 

 empt sewing-machines of seamstresses and 

 private families from execution, attachment- 

 process, and from distress for rent." " To 

 provide a uniform ballot for election-officers." 

 It prescribes that the ballots shall be printed 

 on paper-pieces six inches long and three 

 inches wide ; tha paper to be furnished by the 

 Secretary of State. The ballots are to be 

 without any distinguishing marks of any char- 

 acter, except the name of the party printed on 

 the inside. No ballot is to be counted which 

 does not conform to these provisions. " To 

 prevent political parades in the night-time in 

 this State." It imposes fines, ranging between 

 five and twenty dollars, on every person tak- 



ing part in any political torch-light parades, 

 marching through any public road, or street, 

 in this State, in the night-time." " To provide 

 for the better analysis of fertilizers, and for the 

 proper stamping of every package sold in this 

 State." " To create the office of a State Com- 

 missioner on Fish and Fisheries, and to provide 

 for his compensation." The act authorizes the 

 Governor to appoint such commissioner ; de- 

 fines the commissioner's duty to be to receive 

 fish and spawn, and distribute them into places 

 where they are needed ; fixes the term of his 

 office at two years, and the compensation for 

 his services at two dollars for every day act- 

 ually employed in the performance of official 

 duties, besides the reimbursement of his ex- 

 penses. An act relating to the militia of the 

 State, "in amendment to chapter xv of the 

 Kevised Code." The act appropriates $1,200 

 annually for the support of the organized mi- 

 litia; empowers the Adjutant-General to sell 

 all useless arms and accoutrements, and dis- 

 tribute the proceeds among the several militia 

 companies pro rata; and fixes the salary of the 

 Adjutant-General at $200 a year. The act de- 

 termines also the Governor's staff. 



The following joint resolution in relation to 

 the Irish troubles was unanimously adopted by 

 the House of Representatives on March 3d, and 

 concurred in by the Senate: 



Resolved, by the Senate and House of Representatives 

 of Delaware *. General Assembly met, That the peo- 

 ple of Ireland, oppressed by the misgovernment of 

 rulers, and excited by the selfish appeals of domestic 

 agitators, are entitled to the sympathy of mankind ; 

 and this General Assembly tenders to them the assur- 

 ance of their sincere regard, and the expression of 

 their earnest wish that such settlement of their diffi- 

 culties may be had as will secure their highest and 

 most enduring prosperity. 



By the viva voce vote, separately taken in 

 the two Houses on January 18th, Mr. Bayard 

 was re-elected United States Senator, the votes 

 having stood as follows : In the Senate Bay- 

 ard 8, Higgins 1 ; in the House of Representa- 

 tivesBayard 14, Higgins 7. 



The office of a State Commissioner on In- 

 surance has been established in Delaware, and 

 it was organized for practical operations on 

 July 1, 1879, under the provisions of a special 

 law passed March 24th of that year. The first 

 report submitted by this officer to the Legislat- 

 ure, in February, 1881, shows the number of 

 insurance companies doing business in the State 

 in 1879 to have been 53 ; namely, 6 home com- 

 panies, 27 fire and marine insurance companies 

 of other States, 17 foreign fire-insurance com- 

 panies, 2 life-insurance companies, and 1 life 

 and accident insurance company. During the 

 year ending January 31, 1881, these corpora- 

 tions numbered 67, classified as follows: Six 

 insurance companies chartered under the laws 

 of the State, one of them being a joint- stock 

 company, and 5 mutual fire-insurance com- 

 panies ; 32 fire and fire-marine insurance com- 

 panies of other States, 20 foreign fire-insurance 

 companies, 8 life-insurance companies of other 



