St. Mary's beacon., 1854-05-25

Town a Upper MarIbtro' Il haa Tie honor q
b callcd q. preside And, II pursuance she
1esoluuors ADOPTED hY't.c meeting, hHewifh
hand you copy Ct the preAnbie an resolu-
tibns
beg Fave further d. ste Lat 4 hfo me )
.sousce &C plcanre, a. The humble agent 0l
yeur numerous friends, % bear these aldiuon-
al assurances Of their confidence and esteem.
Your Ersend and ODE. Serv.
THOS- BRESeE.
- s ~ .SUsrEs.5I.aLsoRo'. -
kmi Sui, 1854.
To THOMAS BRrcE, Esq, Chairman, &C.
My Dear Sir so have received your letter
enclosing copy OF the proceedings Of a meet
ing OF the citizens of Upper MARRIOTT anal is
vicinity, convened haze on the 41h inst, g
express their diSarptu hafion Of the course pur-
sued by certain persons IN publishing series
OF resolutions denuneiaiory otme, the Bar, and
the people OF this districI: (proiesSirg 20 have
been passed az nleenng held 1t Bucna v lsszts
a post Office IN tnS county, some time AZ
April last } and also TO express tae:r ccntnuel
and mistaken confidence IN my private AMI
professional integrity.
cannot too highly estimate this tribute Of
confidence and esteem on tie part Of those
who have known me so long and intimately:
- ehp,sl1 be but btsTaying weakness bcz-
Aa&sg.lf dld not freely CON
sa my BOSOM emp
- s hhankfahess.a
en- pleased I'd say that
= 49, which You presided, IN point
Of numbers and rrspecfabIiiy, was ono of rs
decided character az you have ever seen rs
sembled in the town of Upper Marlboro.' TO
meeting thus constituted, voluntarily assenl-
bied, and influenced b; no Other con ii iera-
lions, than those TINT belong 70 the high st
| and most honorable impulses of cur nature,
may be justly as:rabei a degree of moral pow
Ger, which ought to silence forever the tongue
of calumny. The fttul delir u4n of n distem-
pereJ mind, or the spasmo lie illusions of vim
dicnve msl,glty, may feveI for awhile IN the
Gepraved luxury OF their own prunent rancor,
but when brought to the Ordeal Of a Just, mag
unanimous, and eniigEt,n"d public sentiment.
the bascneS> Of her shallow devices are al
most always sure to be exposed, and the poi
soned shafts which they would tain hurl III 9th
erS. are made ID recol upon themselves.
have taken some pains to ascertain the facts
In reference 10 the so called Indignation meet
ing nj Buena Vista, and learn from the most
authentic information that but thrce ur perhaps
four persons were present at that meeting,
who participated III ITS proceedings; to vii
the Chairman, the Secretary, and two others I
What possible motives could have induced
these gentlemen, thus secretly to assemble,
and put forth % the world series of resolt,-
tons, aimed AZ the destruction of my private
and professional reputation, am equally at n |
loss with yourselft TO conjecture. Their avow |
ell reason is, the use Of certain language ~ be
found in the resolutions introduced by me-. and |
which werc passed at meeting held carly in |
February last at Mr.. Harris Hotel In this |
place, in relation TO the removal of the seat of |
Justice from Upper Marlboro to the Long Old |
Fields. But it will be- recolected that those |
resolutions had been passed and published Tor /
more than two months before the convocation
of the Buena Vista council: and if the ayow-
Ell, had III fact been the real, motives which
actuated these four gentlemen who alone par
ticipated Ill the gra, deliberations Of that au-
gust body, II IS more than probable that an
for the expression oil Their nery Inauguration; or
the evaporation OF their pent-up wrath, aitea
so long an interval Of time, might have been !
fairly presumed. Be this however rs IL may, t
nothing can Justify so v.o!cnt an outrage rpUn
the pr va,e and public rights OF any citizen,
however exalted or however humble, as the !
calling together Of secret inquiSition of two |
or three persons; and without notice TO lin, |
without proof, or even without the formal ties |
OF trial, proceeding TO pass sentence OF con |
demnation, BY which he is to be deprived of |
his means of living. his character detained, his |
professional reputation asSa;led, and hi!nself !
pronounced unworthy Of public or private con- .
iidencc, and then ali this proclaimed to the /
world, rs the deliberate judgment Of the com !
munity IN which he lives. Such proceedings !
may Justly be suspected of being either the
fruits Of invcterate prejudice, or what is moro
probable, of malignant Gementation; and 1.-THE
gentlemen who acted As the President and Sc
cretary of that extraordinary eonvocat.f n,
were not known 20 be men OF ordinary prti-
dcnce and discretion, it might be said, that
even they had become the unfortunate victims
of species or MALAY sometimes contagious,
with which one of Their coa1jutors has, it is
believed, been so long afflicted. But sur, the
resolutions which you have enclosed to me,
expressing as they 90 the sentiments and opEi-
ions OF 50 large and respectable body of my
fellow citizens, have more than compensated
me for the injuries inflicted. rejoice TO know
that live in a community in which the repu-
tation of a public servant Is not regarded az
mere private property; such feelings are hon
orab!e TO the human heart; and when exhibit
cd on occasions that properly call for tier
exercise. cannot fail To exert that wholesome
aaI conservative influence which always
makes true and enlightened state Of public
opinion the only reliable criterion BY which we
can Judge OF human character or conduct
To such condtio.sofp public opinion, for what
ever Of private character or professional repU-
tation possess, | am willing TO submit, it.r
an impartial judgment But that sort Of pub
lie opinion which ~ sought TO be mar
ufactured by artificial and fraudulent contri-
vallccs, whether in the form |" Of Indignation
meetings" gotten UP by the maievolence Of q
few wicked men, prompted BY the cratic and
unsound dclusons OF another, or bred In the.
sloughs of private resentment for supposed
wrongs having no existence in fact, is an Or
deal which mvokcs the indignation of every
/ honorable mind, and viii be sure 70 find It's