The spirit of democracy. [volume] (Woodsfield, Ohio) 1844-1994, 1858-11-17
Condition Of Things in Baltimore

The condition Of affairs in Baltimore is
almost without parallel in the history Of
American cities. Ruffianism and the reign
OF brute force are indisputably in the as
tendency. The elections of the peoples
rulers there are bloody farce. Gangs of
cut-throats and villains take possession of
the ballot-boxes and do as they please with
them. Whoever they declare shall b.
elected shall be elected The great mass
of the people, struck with terror or frozen
with apathy, seems to make no effort to
free themselves from the ignominious vas.
salaee to which they are subjected. The
Car Of Russia is not as omnipotent in his
rule as the Baltimore Plug Uglies Who
ever otfends them does it at the peril of
his life. Not lorg since policeman,
while in the discharge of his duty, was
cruelty murdered by one of the gang of
tscoundrels. lie, strange to say, was ap,
prehendsd, tried and convicted The
principal testimony against him was anoth:
er policeman, who Witnessed the occur
renee. The second policeman, for thus
tes,ifying, has been shot down in his own
house, surrounded by his wife and children.
by some of the first rufflan's friends. The
District Attorney of the city is mobbed
in his own house for urging the prosecu-
ton. 1t is necessary to station military
force at the Jail to srevel. rescue of the
murderous villains who are there incarcer.
ated, Judges are browbeaten on the
bench, and editors are lynched and assail,
ed by rufians for exposing and suitably
commenting upon the dastardly outrages.
Robbery aud murder are committed with
impnnity.
The Mayor, Swami. the creature of the
mob, elected and kept in Office by it, and
whom we consider no better !han his gov.
ernors. is powercss, of course, to maintain
the law, even if he had the disposition so
to do. The power behind the throne is
greater than the throne The Mayor is
as weak as was the French committee to
prevent the onsrages of the men, of the
Fautorgs during the Reign of Terror il
France in 1893. Those who made, him
can unmake. lie can not contcnd success.
fully with those whose stufing Of the bal:
lot-boxes and other outrages at the elec-
tion made him Mayor, and the conseq equence
SIS, that his officers are shot down with i'm.
pun;ty. ..ali,s. ..4.,6-l ... ri :
The poisoned chalicer has been com.
mended to his own lips He and his
friends have 'sowed the wind and they
will reap the whirlwind For their own
base purposes they called into being and
organized these clubs of ruffians to carry
elections, and under the watchword of
Americans must rule America allowed
them to commit any excesses: Having
vauquished all other opposition they turn
upon those whom they have elected and we
see enacted realization of the, fable Of
'Act@on by his own hounds Fran this
contest between the ruffian class and the
Police, which they have made, will result
The citizens will hasten to resume their
lost authority, and will, we hope. inaugur-
ate better state of things by deposing
the Plug Uglies' in Office and ridding, by
a summary process, the community of the
atrocious scoundrels who have so long sri
umphed over them.