The aegis & intelligencer. [volume] (Bel Air, Md.) 1864-1923, 1865-11-03

long the assembled wisdom of the State expect
ed the war 10 last? If they did mean that this
imbecile and tyrannical abomination should
! cease with the war, they could have so provided
in the instruments themselves that the obnoxious
provisions of both should become null and void
on the return of peace. Laws are frequently
limited by their own provisions-but no such
limit is TO be found in the Constitution or the
Registry law and we therefore must believe
that these distinguished loyulists intended that
this REGISTRY law should last for all time, or so
long, ut least, us it excluded from the polls all
save their own political friends Now, if this
was not wise legislation, it was, at least, profit
able 10 the ollicescckers of this never-to-bc-for-
gotten one-third. But, we repeat that We would
be glad TO he informed Of the reason why two
thirds Of the people Of this State arc so much
more oppressed than the inhabitants OF the other
States. When, some months ago, the State of
Mississippi held her Constitutional Convention,
and in the instrument framed by llat body there
is a provision declaring that no pers,n shall lie
dtStranchised or deprived Of any other Of the
rights of citizenship, in consequence of any part
| Johnson lost no time in sending despatch TO
Governor Shalkey, 10 he read to the Convention,
congratuatug them on the prompt, wise and
patriotic manner in which they had discharged
| their duties.
| Now, it will be remembered that TIE State of
Mississippi early joined the rebellion, and every
one almost of her citizens, who were subject TO
military duty, were at some time or other, dur
ing the last four years, under arms and diSputng
the advance Of the Federal forces, while almost
all other of her citizens lot subject to military
duty, were engaged in various ways in assisting
and encouraging the rebcl!ion--and yet Missis-
siPpi is eulogi2ed b. the President of the United
States fer her wisdom ard patriotism. But Ma.
ryland was rot under arms. None but that
noble and patriotic band OF one-third were per-
mittcd to carry arms. There were hardly guns
enough left with the disfranchsed two-thirda,
particularly on the routes Travelled by the militia
~, to get up decent shooting match. Not
withstanding these truths tie Inhabitants of the
State of Mississippi arc frGcmen, and entitled to
and enjoy all the rights of citizens, while two
thirds of the people of this State, which rendered
no assistance as a State to the rebellion at all,
are still bound hand aud foot os far as one of
their dearest rights is concerned, by the work
ings Of this infamous Registry law now in force
in Maryland.
We believe it was John Quincy Adams who
said of the old Federal party, that at was held
together by the cohesive power of public plum
der, and hatred for better men than them
selves" If the sold man eloquent were now
living, and had applied this language to the
Adolf ion party Of this country, we think in
view Of the Immense frauds practccd upon the
government during the last four years, by Abo-
liton appointees, that he would find few men,
outside Of this band of fanatics, who would dis
putc this point with him. When President
johnson addressed the Mississippi Convention,
he did it from high standpoint. fle had for
many years been connected with the govern
mcnt and was familiar with all its workings;
he knew the rights and needs of the people; be
knew the difference between republic and a
despotism; he saw what was needed TO re-unite
the country, and what was necessary TO make its
people prosperous, conIentcd and happy and to
do which he has, from the first, endeavored to
cultivate friendship between all sections of the
country, and among the people generally; and
hence his despatch TO Governor Sharkey, above
referred to. This was the act Of a statesman and
patriot, who looked to the life Of the nation and
the good of its people. Now, Maryland being
loyal State, and in the Union, it would be natu-
raj enough TO suppose that her people would he
permitted TO manage their own internal affairs:
but how has this one-third governed us2 Have
they adopted the wise and conciliatory course of
President johnson, whom some of them profess
TO admire so much of late? We think not
Have they ever passed single conciliatory act,
or done anything to reconcile the great mass of
the people? We have only to look to the statute
books to satisfy ourselves on this point. On the
contrary, they appear TO have been determined
to disgust by their legislative enactments, every
well disposed and honest man in the State, and
by nothing more than by the unjust and arbtra-
ry provisions Of this engine of oppression and
fraud, known as the Registry law. But this, of
course, is another of the beauties OF the one
the one-third rule.
The patentees of this new rule in arranging
it, differed somewhat with the President. While
he looked TO the good Of the nation, they looked
to the good of their party; while he looked to
the prosperity of the whole people, they looked
to the prosperity of themselves and while he,
in the appointment Of officers for the Southern
States, looked.for the hest and most acceptable
men, they provided for their own advancement
TO office; and while he was restoring confscated
property to rightful owners, they were pocket
ing that which did not belong to them.
THE LADY's FRIEND -Grandmas Portrait is
the title Of very taking Steel Engraving
in the November number of this favorite MONTH
ly: II is household scene and one of the
youngsters is drawing Grandmas picture on the
wall. The double colored steel Fashion Plate is
as usual superb. LOVE VcrSuS FILTRATION is the
title of the next engraving which illustrates On