Port Tobacco times, and Charles County advertiser. (Port Tobacco, Md.) 1845-1898, 1858-03-25
TCOMMUNfcATED.7

Mr.. EDITOR: An article appeared in you,
issue OF the 18th instant, over the signature oil
"Lndependence," which l think deserves notice
And for that purpose ask the use of the same
means by which that communication found its
way to the public.
The object of independence" as it appears to
me, is at least fourfold. First to notify the
people of Charles county of the fact that at the
last election for State Senator, their verdict was
ito let the free negroes alone" Second, to as
sert the tyranny, and declare the writer's iade-
pendence of party organizations. Third, to
show the wonderful tenacity and "verbatim" fl
deity of the writer's memory. And, fourth, to
question the right of minority of the citizens
of Charles county to petition the Legislature
upon any question upon which they happen to
be in the minority.
Upon the first branch of the communication,
1 have but this much to say, that I sincerely
hope and humbly trust that the pubic-spirited
zeal of independence" evinced in that notifica-
ton, will not be permitted to go unrewarded,
but that it will meet with such commentator
at the hands of the people as it certainly de-
serves With this other single remark that
IN common with great many citizens of this
county and State. l agree with Independence, :"
that the fIee-negro question furnishes an i,npor-
tant subject for legislation dismiss that branch
Of the communication.
The second demands more extended notice
and is the one to which | propose at this time
to address myself. l have been taught that
when great ends Of deep public concern are
sought to be attained it is wise to adopt the best
means proportionate to that purpose. I have
been likewise taught, that in movements of this
description the surest guarantee of success is to
be found in harmony, sentiment and concert of
action. These lessons Lave been TAUGHT by the
history OF the world, from the foundation there
OF to the present day. They were taught by
parental love to its darling charge long before it
was illustrated and enforced by the familiar ia
bic of FMe bundle Of stichs." They were taught
by those ineradcable instincts which has made
man, in all ages take refuge in society, from the
irremedia Inconvenience, unavoidable neces,i-
ties, and alarming terrors of a perfect indepen-
deace. They were taught upon that sublime
occasion, when the congregated Fathers of the
Revolution, burning with patriotism scarcely
less ardent and pure than that of Independence"
himself, pledged to common cause ''their lives,
their fortunes, and their sacred honor" They
were taught and gloriously illustrated by the
triumphant contamination of that common
cause" in the establishment of our national in
dependence and the more perfect union of the
States. They were taught by the subsequent
conduct OF these same patriots, when they be-
came the organizers and leaders of political par
ties for the purpose of Incorporating certain
principles and measures in the policy of the gov
eminent. Unduly impressed with the force of
these lessons, it seems there are 'still some old
fogies among us" silly enough to initiate the
example of the founders and supporters of our
free government, by allying themselves with
party organizations, for the promotion and en-
|couragement of such political views, the gene
raj adoption of which they deem essential to the
safety aud prosperity of the country. And
stranger still and more to be deplored, these
same old fogies, independence" informs us,
khaye been imagining themselves free all the
while! Vain imagination lamentable conceit
unaccountable stupidity how they could help
seeing that to adopt principles and measures re-
commended by party organization, however
admirable IN themselves, is nevertheless reducing
those who adopt them to 'an AFFECT state of
vassalage, yielding servile obedience to would-be
political leaders" precisely, sufficiently, and in
controvertibly because those principles and mea-
sures are recommended to their adoption mo
matter how free) by party organization! But
still more and worse, how could they help seeing
that by SO doing they commit, in addition, ''un-
natural crime" by making horses Of themselves
''to be forced into the harness under the lash of
a political drirer!'
How they could help seeing all this must in
deed be matter of great surprise to a person
possessing the uncommon sagacity Of "Indepen-
dence," and their blindness in this regard must
be truly painful to heart of such enlarged and
public-spirited benevolence as his To ''Inde-
pendence," no doubt, the above propositions are
all as clear as any mud in 'Murky Swamp"
1t must be source of joy and proud consola-
ton to the Young american philosopher, weep
ing over the almost hopeless ozd-togyisna of
Charles county, to see that the 'scales" have
entirely fallen from the eyes of at least one of her
citizens, and that one man in the county at least
realizes, all By himself, Gin its most practical
sense, the idea Of what it is to be a freeman!
In the name then of the people of Charles coun-
ty, and of the ''somc old foges still among u.s."
I exhort Independence to continue his valu-
able labors, informing the former in due season
of the verdicts they render at each election, and
favorng the latter occasionally with his patent
scientific spectacles, by which they may see that
they are slaves, when to their unaided vision
they appeared to be freemen
l could say much more, Mr. Editor, but |
fear shall tax your columns too much with
what | have already written. In conclusion
then, would say to "Independence" in all Sc
riousness, that to an old fogy, like myself it
does seem that the idea Of dispensing with par
ty organization as an engine for the accomplish
ment of great political ends, aud as corolary,
of having a candidate for every political senti-
ment in the country, big and little, is about as
ridiculous as was the offer of that valiant son of
the Emerald Isle, who proposed, upon memo
rable occasion, to go alone, surround the fort of
Gibraltar, and starve out the garrison.
OLD FoGY.
March 22d, 1858.
SWEARING THEM IN.-The following obliga-