True American. [volume] (Steubenville [Ohio]) 1855-1861, 1857-12-02


stitute military despotism in Maryland,
called forth the following address to the
Americans of Maryland from Hon. Jacob
Broom, Chairman of the American Ma
tional Executive Committee. 1t is writ.
ten in patriotic spirit, and clearly and
strongly sets forth the dangers TO the
rights of citizens to be apprehended from
the establishment of the precedent set by
Gov. Ligon, and the tyrrannical and op-
pressive measures 10 which the leaders Of
the Democratic party are willing to resort
to TO attain their purposes:
ADDRESS OF THE CHAIRMAN OF THE Ma
TIoNAL EXECUTIVE COMMITTEE
PHILADELPHIA, Oct. 81, 1857.
americans Of Maryland:-
Impressed with deep sense of duty
in the present crisis of our political histo.
ry, feel constrained on behalf of the
American party Of the United States, 10
address you. ..
Your countlymen have read with in
tense interest the correspondence between
Gov. Ligon and mayor Thomas Swan, Of
Baltimore, which is we'll calculated to
excite adherence Of the high-handed as.
sumption Of the former, and to elicit ad-
miration for the firm and patriotic action
and spirit Of the latter. Neither of them
have in the least, belied the position Of
the political association to which they re-
spectively belong, and the whole affair
only goes to show the desperate and reck-
less struggle of the so.called Democratic
party, and the high-toned, patriotic, and
firm adherence of Americans to the ge-
MUS, spirit, and letters of our civil inst-
Ftutions.
The course of Gov. Ligon, sustained
as he is by his political friends, in calling
out the military in a time of perfect tran
guilty. would imply that The Democratic
party believe our form of government to
be a MILITARY DEsPoTIsM, and that the
Governor is the ruler and can at his plea
sure sci aside The civil power and order
out the military 10 usurp all authority.
How far this may be considered Dem
ocralic may be determined upon the re-
Election that one of the very causes OF the
great American Revolution was 10 be
fund in the tyranical action of George
III. in quartering his troops in the city
of Boston, 10 inlimidate the people and
bring them under subjection to the will
of The Governor.
This is not the frs! instance even with
in a year, in which The civil power has
been entirely ignored by the executive
authority and military called into ser.
vice, and made to supercede the Constitu.
tional provisions of the Government
Emboldened by the illustrious example of
the Federal Executive. Governor Ligon
has moi only called out the militia Of
Maryland, but has appealed TO the Presl'
dent to carry out his policy, adopted in
June last at Washington, and formally
demanded of him the U. S. Marines to
be marched 10 Baltimore, to aid in con.
tinuing The exercise Of this Democratic
measure of government inangurated by
the present national Executive.
AS Americans we deny and utterly re-
pudiate this idea of military government,
and recognize the Constitutional theory
of a resort 10 the military only IN times
of grea. emergency, after the po'Oer O
The ciUu arm has been erGuSted or found
TO be inadequate. In no other case is il
either Constitutional or proper for the
government TO turn the arm of our national
defense against any portion Of the people,
either in tile sacrifice of life OF in the hope
of deterring them in the exercise Of their
rights-lor The latter, take it, is the real
object for which this move ment is made
10 alarm the community and deter the
peaceful citizen from visiting the polls
It is the design Of the Democratic party
10 take up arms to maintain the control Of
government against The will of the peo.
pie, let them avow it openly and above
board. II it is to be their policy in the
future, wherever they have the power, to
order out the military in every densely
populated district where clear and large
majority exists against them. or, other
words, where "there is reason TO oppre-
hend' that the Democrats are likely to
be outnumbered, now is the proper time
for the people quietly and constitutionalIy
10 decide at the ballot box whether such
policy shall exist, and firmly, even 10 the
face of "the military" TO exercise their
franchise. Il is to he hoped that every
true American. at the risk of his life, will,
in such an emergency, visit the polls and
exercise his sovereign authority 10 rebu.
king this new Democratic idea, and
maintaining the civil freedom for which
our fathers pledged and expended their
lives and their fortunes.
Truly II is lime that the Democratic
party should be checked in its career. -
II has, oflate years, not only covered its
elf with iniquitles, but has brought the
country to the verge of civil commotion;
and now, as il to precipitate il, has, with
the threat of the military" eldeayored
to wrest the civil power from the mu,
nicipal fnnctioneries Of your own choice,
AMI thus to take from the people Of Bal.
timors their sovereign authority guar