Port Tobacco times, and Charles County advertiser. (Port Tobacco, Md.) 1845-1898, 1851-09-10
TO THE VOTERS OF THE FIRST CON-
l. GRESSlONAL DISTRICT.

lIfuSuot, "toul peNlS dlIle Dy reason oil their dS-
tracted counsels to make any nomination for Con-
gress, considered their functions at an end and
accordingly determined that my name should not
be again presented to the same body of men, fthey
should undertake to Reasonable themselves. In
the meantime took every occasion, both publicly
and In private conversation with my friends, to de-
clare that | should not consider myself bound by'
any subsequent action of that body and if thought
proper so to do, should feel myself at liberty to be
an Independent Candidate for Congress. With
this view, took an early opportunity of informing
such of the delegates from my own county of nv
determination, and authorized my friend, SAMUEL
III. BERRY, Esq, the only delegate | had an OPP
portunlty OF seeing personally, to withdraw my
name from the Convention, as soon as it should
meet, and not to permit it again to be presented
for nomination. If Mr.. BERRY thought proper
to disregard my instructions, and did offer my name
as a candidate, he did SO on his own responsibility
| have no doubt such responsibility was assumed
from the best and purest Of motives as well of
personal friendship for me, from desire to pro-
duce harmony and reconciliation in the Wing party
but, certainly, am in no way whatever account
able for it. If the Convention had made nomi-
nation on the 10th of August, as | had agreed to
go into that Convention, should have felt myself
bound by its action, provided it had been in all
respects conducted with fairness, and had legiti-
mately reflected the wishes of the Wing party :;
but know mo power which that Convention had
to break up, without coming to some determine
ton, by making nomination. This was the very
purpose, and the only purpose for which they had
assembled. They possessed no other powers than
such as were necessary TO execute this purpose
The Wing party had confided to them no other
power and of course they could rightfully exercise
no other power. If they found themselves, as in
fact they did. unable to agree upon choice their
plain and simple duty was to return to their con-
stituents and report to them the reasons of their
failure to discharge the specific duties assigned to
them so that their constituents might have an op-
V for TO. oyn
other selections, who might prove more harmcn-
Gus. But the Convention having failed to make a
nomination on that day. had no hesitation in de-
carlng to every person met with, that felt no
difficulty in being a candidate for Congress- on the
score of propricty, if | should make up my mind
to allow my friends to use my name for that pur-
pose do not mean to contend that the Conven-
ton had no power to adjourn. The power to adj
Ijourn Is an Inherent, necessary power, belonging
to all deliberatWc bodies, whether political or
otherwise. 1t is the only way in which they can
terminate their existence, and therefore, neces-
sary power. SO also, they have the power to ad-
journ from day to day, until the business is done
for which they have assembled. This is also q
necessary power, and for this reason only, is, or
can be exercised by them. But the power to ad-
journ over to distant or remote period, or to post
pone their deliberations to distant day, is alto
gether another question. This is not inherent,
necessary power, and therefore is not possessed by
any collective body of men, with delegated pow
ers. Before such a power be exercised by
any such body of men, it must be found to exist
as one of the enumerated powers confided TO them
Iby the grant under which they claim to exercise
their authority. No such power was ever dele
gated by the Wing party of this District. No such
power expected to be exercised, and its actual
exercise by the Convention was nothing more nor
less than clear case of usurpation of power, and
therefore, does not command the obedience of any
portion of the Wings of the District. This was
the view taken by two of the delegates in the Con-
yention from Prince George 5, who, in consequence
of feeling convinced that their powers were at an
end on the 10th, refused to attend the eassembl-
ing of the Convention on the 30th ultimo. In tns
opinion am convinced theJ we1fright. 1t is a
power that has never been claimed by conventions
BEFORE and one that has never been exercised
and is therefore altogether novel and without pre-
cedent to sustain it. 1t is, moreover, dangerous
power and may lead to great and alarming abuses.
If political convention has the power to postpone
the discharge of its duties for fortnight, they
would have also the same power to postpone to a
much longer tlmc-to an Indefinite PERIOD and
even to day beyond the time of election, and
thus Illustrate the wishes, and PROSTATE the polti-
cal success of their party. Such power, if pos
sessed at all in the hands of artful and designing
men, might be used to the utter ruin of any party.
There should be some limitations to the powers of
these conventions-some period at which their
powers should cease to exist. If they be allowed
to retain their powers beyond the day on which
they were appointed to exercise them, at what
time, ask, could those powers be Withdrawn from
them, and who would have the authority to revoke
them? The powers of all such bodies must neces-
sarily cease, at the expiration Of the time when
they were required to exercise them, or else, they
become permanent powers afterwards, and forever
irreyocable, which would be a condition OF things
too monstrOus to be tolerated for moment. Be-
sides all this, the postponement for such length
of time would be favorable to the preparation of
frauds upon the political rights of the people, and
might conduce to the formation of combinations
and conspiracies against the rights of others. And
thus, instead Of answering the purposes for which
COW cntons rignally designed, that of pro-
ducing union and harmony among the various por-
tions of party, promoting its general good, and
the success of its principles, they would be con-
verted into theatres for the display OF corruption
and intrigue. and mere brothels of political char
Iatanry. The honor, the interest, and the success
of the Wing party imperatiyely require that they
should frown down ali such usurpatlons OF power
by any and all conventions that profess to be the e-
gitmate opponents of their principles.
The letter of my friend, Mr. BERRY, which
have subjoned to this address, sufficiently speaks
for itself, to eXonerate me from all lmpuatlons OF
a violation of the rules of proprcty good faith
in the position | have now thought proper to as
sumo, of an independent candidate for Congress
The argument | have submitted on the Istrped
power of this Convention in nominating candidate
for Congress on the 30th instant, am willing to
cOnlde 10 the lntelllSchce Oh discerning PuoiiC,
and challenge its successful relutatlon by any and
all my opponents. | am not, then, fellow citizens,
in opposition to the legitimate nominee OF the lc-
climate Convention, as my enemies would have
You TO believe but simply in the exercise of con
stitutonal political right. which every citizen in
the land enjoys. and which never will consent to
abandon, but with my life. do not feel myself
embarrassed by the action Of properly consttu-
ted and organized Wing Convention, but in the
absence of all such proper and legitimate action,
by any organ ofthe Wing party, which has right
to claim my allegiance, | have awaited myself of
my undoubted right, to declare myself a candidate
for Congress. In doing this, beg to assure you,
fellow citizens, that | am no volunteer; am but
Welding to the urgent solicitations of the Wings
my own native county, and of a large portion OF
them, in other counties of this Congressional
District | do not feel at liberty to oppose their
wishes They have hitherto extended to me a
generous and liberal support, and feel should