Civilian & telegraph. [volume] (Cumberland, Md.) 1859-1875, 1864-06-23
GRyMBLuN0.

On certain oecae1on Wlthtn tno men
@y. Of the younger inAabitants. iswd
|repcrsed that the late Archbishop Hughes
tsa.e u.serancs TO the diesum that 'tlwal
q constitutional right Of The American
people 10 0yumbA. We Incline to tht
lopiniou that Be would have struck neare'
70 the truth II be had said II was theiI
natural right. which i. the higher aaU Of
the two. But that point is immaterial to
the subject-ma.ter in hand. Yet it be either
lie Is .practced universally on both these
positions; every body and every thing in
this country grumbles. Old and young,
men, women, and children, canine, fline,
and porker grumble. even the winds and
rivers grumble, and grumble loud too.
Be it constitutional or natural right
we claim our turn at the business on this
occasion, and mean to have tro chances;
not that We are in an especially bad or
ferocious humor, for we are enjoying our
meershans placidly, but because We do not
mean that the business phall be monopo
lized by others.
IN the FIRST place, then, from its i'm
portance locally, and being home sub
ject, we win grumble our respects to the
Constitutional Convention, and we want
them to believe that we are in sardge
earnest with them. Understand us, gen.
tlemen: we DO not mean ell the members
of that body; our grumbling is intended
for the especial benefit of the majority,
not for the use of the minority in any
particular. The majority is leld rcspon-
sible by and to the people for all and
every act done and permitted to be done
in that Convention. The people did pre-
sumo that you could and would finish the
work which they entrusted to your hands
in, at most. six weeks time; that period
has expired, and what have you accom-
plishcd? Not yet voted one fourth of the
Preface through! But you say, wha;
eau we do? Jericho; what a question
The answer is comprised in monosylla-
bles do; rote. The people did not send
YOU there to discuss what they have for
the last two years discussed and settled
on as what they want; they selected You
to do what they had decided on. They
did not send you there to give an oppor-
tunity to copperheaas to hiss their venom,
or traitors to yentilate their treason before
the Hobbies of the Statehouse or spread
them on the records of the State at the
expense of the industrious tax payers
They did not, send you there to try to
make nice speeches for the ears of a lobby,
or to refuse to utter arguments, if they
were needed. unless you could do SO to a
galaxy of ladies or idlers in the lobby.
They supposed that they had entrusted a
great but defined and settled work TO
hands faithful and Jealous to do their
will. instead of squandering the public
treasure in vain and idle debate with men
who went there for the sole object and
purpose of delaying and defeating the
will of the loyal, enterprising majority of
the State. They did not willingly incur
an expenditure Of some six hundred dol
lars per day for the enactment Of scenes
like that exhibited ON the 17thinst. They
neither desire the exhibition of AS poet
ical knowledge or BIS proficiency in bill
lingsgate. Neither yellow skins"
false as hell. 80 roguery," nor NOR
monism," were intended to find place
in the Constitutional Convention, its rec
ords. or the Constitution. If members
desire to place themselves on the record
in that light, the people do not desire tina,
the State shall be birdened either with
the expense or the rcproach which is in
separable from such exhibitions.
We here suspend our grumbling for
more agreeable purpose. and that is to
return our thanks to the President of the
Convention for the firm, prompt, and
decided manner in which he applied the
gag and stopped the scene, and We hope
the responsible majority will not only
prof. by his example but sustain him in
his course.
We now return 70 the former job. If
certain members End il necessary for their
health, or to prevent their explosion to
hois. their escape valve, favor them with
evening or night sessions, when they can
blow of steam with less danger to them
selves as well as others. The people do
not expect the majority TO bow to the d.
rect or indirect domination of the minor
ity on account of either ,eeakness Of Knees.
or wit, or fastidiousness of parliament
airy courtesy, and much less the twaddle
about the rights of the minority. If that
minority have any other rights than the
right to halter i. is not that they shall be
allowed totalk away precious time, squan-
der the peoples money, and malign them
and their representatives. National and
State. and defeat the deliberate will of the
people either by the continuance of their
talk, or by adjourning over, two weeks to
go home aud harvest at an expense Of
five dollars per day each to the State Trea-
sury! We are trying to grumble for the
people; bu, if you do this. We fear the
people will take the business out of or
hands, and grumble for them selves.
We had intended to grumble whole