Montgomery County sentinel. [volume] (Rockville, Md.) 1855-1974, 1858-06-04
Correspondence Of the Sentinel.
CaAcKLIN DIsrR1cr, Nav 81. 1858

4Fr. Editor: The battle has been
fought and won. The boosted issues adj
vanced by the Know nothing party Of
this State have received the most pointcd
and significant rebuke which an intelli-
gent and independent people could posi-
bly, express. Significant, because it
clearly indicates an entire want of conf
dence in the justice and wisdom of its
own measures and policy. From the day
Know-nothingism obtained foothold in
Maryland, up to the day of the last cleo
ton, that party has labored industriously
to convince the people that the organic
law of our State was 50 glaringly dcfec-
tive as to require its Legislature to anti
cipate the period prescribed by the Con-
stltution, and to pass bill authorizing
the sense of the people to be taken "for"
or against convention. The corrupt
practices and the dangerous and accumu-
lating influence Of the naturalized citi-
zens was sounded through every penny
whistle, and shricked by every advocate
Of the party's doctrines, and a constitu-
ton was promised, embracing such "a
modification of the right of suffrage as
to compel every foreigner to remain
twenty-one years in the State before he
would be entitled to vote. It's press
and its orators have immortalized them
selves by the most unmitigated denunci-
alton Of the elective Judiciary; the Or.
phan's' Court system, pronounced "a
jury of three men.") The election of
Clerks, Registers, and States Attorneys
was the prolific source Of base corruption
and unhoard-of dangers simply because
the law provided for their election by the
people. BE it remembered, these were
the doctrines Of the Know nothing party
the popularity of which was so great
that the majority for u convention was
to be enumerated by thousands. Now,
what is the verdict Of the people {? What
is the verdict Of the conservative portion
Of the Know nothing party itself, upon
its own issues and its own measures p
Why, simply this they have voluntarily
admitted the injustice, the inexpediency
aud the improperly Of their favoritc and
once boosted, but now fallen, doctrines.
They have confessed in unmistakable
terms the unmitigated folly and injustice
of their Incorporate persecution Of the
naturalized citizens and the Catholic
church. They have proclaimed to the
world that they desire no State constitu-
ton abridging the rights or impaiiing
the privileges which the Federal Consti-
tuition, in the plcnitude of its hospitality
and justice, has conferred upon the poor
cmigrant. The aggressive policy of
the Catholic church, they concede to be a
humbug. The trucking partiality and
base corruption charged as the conse-
quence of the elective judiciary, they
freely discard and disbelieve. They have
affirmed, after all they have said to tile
contrary, that the people, not the one
man, is the safest repository Of power.
In word, they have grossly stullifcd
themselves by tacitly acknowledging that
their platform of principles, which start
led the people three years ago, from a
calm rcpose, and which was worth to
them SO much persecution, Islander, strife
and discord so much sacrifice of prin-
ciple, consistency and peace; go much
base corruption, brute violence and eff
fusion of blood at the ballot-box; so
much misrepresentation of tho senti-
ments Of the honest masses in the ma
tional Legislature; and so much compro-
missing the credit and dignity of Mary
land as a Southern State, were absolute
ly so rotten, so unjust, aud so untenable,
that they were not worth being reflected
in constitution of their own choice. -
Surely, the day of Know-nothingisn is
passed, and bright and peaceful future
must be III waiting for our good old State
for we cannot believe the tricksters of
that faction will dare again to destroy
the rcrose of the popular mind, after
such rebuke, from such source. I'll
the principles of the party were conserv-
alive, just and liberal-if they were
essential to the honor and glory of our
State, and the happiness and prosperity
of her people, and if the grievances com
planned Of in our constitution were well
grounded, the people would have order
ed conyention-a constitution would
have been made, submitted, and ratified. |
remcdying all the owls complained of. !
But they were narrow, bigotod, illiberal
and dangerous; aud the masses involun-
tarily shrank from the idea of having
constitution which would inaugurate n |
line of policy disgraeeful to the State
and ruinous to the rights and interests of
The people. No people, scarcely, are SO
subject 70 paroxysmal waves of the pop
ular mind as the American people are
acme 50 ready and willing to discard dam
gerous and lmpracticablc theories of gov
1rnment. The decision of the people,
last Wednesday, will e==ssTF stand as les
son and warning against that mcddle-
some and reckless spirit, which assumes
to change the organic law of our State
upon triline and friyolous nretexts