Port Tobacco times, and Charles County advertiser. (Port Tobacco, Md.) 1845-1898, 1850-07-31

A friend has requested us publish the fol
lowing communication, addressed by B. G.
HARRIS, Esq, to the Editor Of the ST. Mary's
Beacon:
Mr. HAYDN In the Beacon of the 2Oth
|ult., find my name used in connexion
which j, might be supposed acquiesced
In, did not take steps to prevent that i'm
preston. After speaking of the probable
course of the Wing party in regard to candi-
dates for the Reform Convention, you state
that you have understood that the Demo
cratic party contemplated running ticket
also, and on the list Of names mentioned, /
find my own. am not aware that either
party, in or out of the county, have deter
mined to make the election Of delegates to
the Reform Convention a party question.
nor do think that the masses of the two
parties have any such wish. 1t is, in my
humble judgment, against the interest Of the
people Of the State that the formation fthe
organic law that is to control our rights for
possibly long time to come, should be given
into the hands of mere poli,icians,-mcn
who will 60 TO the Convention elected by
party spirit, with the view Of subscribing
mere party interests. 1t would be perfect
ly ridiculous, if it were not too serious
matter to laugh at, that the Bill Of Rights
and the Constitution Of the good old State
Of Mary land should be given up 10 the kind
nsysing of party caucuses and party cliques,
as'they mus. necessarily be, if the delegates
60 to the Convention as party men. This
believe the people of neither party are in
favor Of, although it may be lavorile
scheme of the selfish politicians of both
parties. The people wish Reformers to
attend the Convention, independently of
their party feelings or predjudices. ] do
not think, moreover, that it is contemplated
in wha. is called the reform bill, thu, party
spirl, should have anything to do with the
Convention. In that bill i. is provided .ha,
any citizen of Maryland of proper age,
whether he be Judge, or Chancellor, or
whatever other station he may hold, may
be member Of the Convention. The Le-
gislature, in making these and such other
officers eligible, must have desired that they
should stand before the people for their
votes, upon their capacity TO serve them in
a crisis so important as the making new
Constitution for the State. 1t would be a
sorry sight 10 see such men as Chief Justice
TANEY, Chief Justice DORSEY; Chancellor
JOHNSON and the like, whose high talents
and character have won for them the high
stations they fill, mingling in party strife
to obtain seats in this Convention, which
all parties should be anxious they would
consent to occupy. The fac, is, that max
ing it party question will keep the best
talents in the State from seeking member
ship of ibis body, and throw i. into the very
worst hands, SO far as the ohjec, Of the Con
venlion is concerned, that could be selected
! mean the mere politicians of the day, who
if they should have ideas above, will, fear
never have the spirit to look beyond what
will serve this or that party, or this or that
clique.
These being my views, then, you will
readily see that it is impossible for me to
be favorable to the nomination Of candidates
for the Convention by either party, and
especially that ] can never consent that
myself should be party candidate for that
station; an impression that nigh, have gone
abroad, from the article in your paper above
alluded to, unless had taken occasion to
define my position.
| B. G. HARRIS.
P. S. Since the above was written, have
had an interview with Messrs. KEY and
MILES, whose names are mentioned in the
article in your paper, and they concur in
the above views; and from conversations
had with Col. BILLINGsLEY, have no doub
of his concurrence. B. G. Ii.
Julv 9, 1850,