Montgomery County sentinel. [volume] (Rockville, Md.) 1855-1974, 1856-02-02
1)olitttal.
From the Annapolis Republican.
Nv SUGGESTIONS TO THE OLD LINE

head, and we commend it to the serious
and thoughtful consideration of all con-
sentative Wings who have not enlisted
under the dark, black, secret, piratical
and proscriptive flag of Know Nothing
ism. AS regards the eloetien of Presi-
dent of the Senate, we can bear testimo-
ny to the truth of what the writer states,
and further there were other Wings who
were ostracized The writer says
"The condition of the present politi-
cal parties renders necessary serious
consideration on the part of the Wings
Of the course necessary to be taken by
them in the coming events affecting the
destiny of the country.
Defeated at che last Presidential
election, the Wings of Maryland made a
struggle two years ago and succeeded in
carrying a majority of the Legislature.
In the interval between the election of
1858 and that of 1855 new party,
shroudcd in mystery, and secret in its
purposes and objects, sprang into exis-
tence, which, by the aid of the Wings
succeeded in carrying majority of the
Legislature. The Wings, ignorant of
the secret machinery and concealed OBJ
legations of this self-constitutcd or}cr,
gave it their support to a considerable
degree, prompted by desire na;ur-
al in all parties to defeat the party
which had so long opposed them. When
therefore this party supported by them,
and elected by their votes, came into
power, the large body Of wings who gave
them their sympathy and support natu-
rally supposed that general agreement
in principle was the test by which union
Of action should be procured. This is
the principle heretofore known to polti-
cal divisions as well as political organi-
cations. No Wing supposed that in
casting his vote for the Know Nothing
candidates he was electing to official pO-
sition those who owed allegiance to law
higher than their constituents, superior
to the Constitution, and opposed to the
principles of the Philadelphia Platform
which was promulgated to the people, as
they honestly supposed, in good faith.
The principles of the platform alluded to
are contained in the 7th article, in the
following words:
Hostility to the corrupt means by
which the leaders Of parties have hither-
TO forced upon US, our rulers and our
political creed. Implacable enmity
against the dcmoralizing system Of re
wards for political subscryiency, and OF
punishmonts for political independence
Disgust for the wild hunt. after Office
which charactcrizes the age These on
the one hand On the other: Imitation
of the practice of the purer days of the
Republic, and admiration of the maxim
that Office should seek the man, and not
man the Office and of the rule that the
just mode Of ascertaining fitness for Of
fee is the capability, the faithfuluess,
and the honesty of the incumbent OF
candidate
"Whcn the Legislature, elected by
the aid Of a large portion Of the Wings
and by the acquiescenco Of others, met,
what n commentary on this fair seeming
profession was furnished Eleven Sena-
tors held their seats by the election oil
| 1853. OF this number ten were Wings,
and one a Democrat. Three Of these
thus holding over and elected as Wings,
on the opening of the ession were as
certaincd to have joined this new party
+. and subject to the secret obligations Of
this so-ealled oryer. Twenty Senator,
appeared in the Senate Chamber on tho
day named in the Constitution for the
/, meeting Of the Legislature, and two
: were absent from indisposition Tho
first act of the eight newly elected Soma.
tors Of the Know Nothing party, aided
, by the three before mentioned who had
joined that party, was to displace the
President Of that body, consistent
/ Wing, who, actuated by a just rcgard
for the proper obligationsof public rep.
rcsentative, adhered faithfully to the
, principles Of his whole life, and to tho
Wing constituents who had elected him
{ and whose qualifications for the station
: had been attestcd by elections at va.
rious times as President of the Senate
z This act was the more strikingly in con.
Gict with the 9TH article of the platform
! before quoted from the fact that those
who thus displaced him were not ma
! jority Of the Senate, and that advantage
J was taken Of the temporary absence d
two Senators, who if present would have
+ prevented this act Of partizan proscrip-
ton Of member Of the party without
whose votes none Of those who thus acted
could have been elected. But as re.
markable as was this whole proceeding
that portion Of it which showed the ex.
8 istencc Of a fealty to party and regarC
for some despotic power heretofore un
known in the history Of parties, is to be
, found in the fact, that the gentleman
elected President Of the Senate by those
r not constituting a majority Of that body
declined to rcciprocatc votes Of courtos,
J with Mr.. GATHER. The known regard
Of that gentleman for the amenities o
life and the courtesy which governs tho
conduct Of gentlemen, forbids the ide,
that such refusal to interchange vote
were dictated by any cause other thar
the obligation Of the orlicr or paytg Il
which he belonged, which obligation for
babe him from voting even as an int.