The Baltimore County union. [volume] (Towsontown, Md.) 1865-1909, 1866-11-10
Baltimore.


For several days preceding the election the
city of Baltimore was the scene Of great excite
ment We stated in our last that Gov Swami,
assuming the powers of Judge, had investiga-
ted certain charges of alleged official miscon-
duct against the Police Commissioners of Bal
timore, and, although there was not particle
OF evidence to substantiate the charge, he passed
an order removing them from their positions
Messrs John T. Ford and John W. Horn were
appointed to the position, but they declined to
serve, as did Geo. R. Berry, Esq. The choice Of
the Governor then fell upon VIM. T. Valiant and
James Young, Esqs., and these gentlemen ac-
cepted the commissions and were sworn in by
Judge Martin. They then demanded possession
of the office, but Messrs. Hindes and Woods, the
old Commissioners, denying the power or jurs-
diction of the Governor in the matter, refused to
vacate, and gave orders for the arrest of the new
Commissioners if they undertook to assume con-
troll of the police force or public property of the
city. Messrs. Valiant and Young then applied
to the Sheriff of the city to be put in possession,
and Sheriff Thong son Immediately commenced
In the meantime the matter had been brought to
the attention of the Criminal Court, and Judge
Bond issued bench warrant for the arrest OF
the new Commissioners and the Sheriff of the
city, as disturbers of the peace. The writs were
served aud the parties carried into Court
Judge Bond required each of them to give $25,-,
900 security to keep the peace, and not to at
tempt to assume control Of the city I'M
til the question of their right to do so had
been adjudicated by the Courts The parties ar
rested refused to give bail, and were committed
to Jail. This was on Saturday, and on that
evening Judge Bartol, of the Court of Appeals,
was applied to for writ of hdbeds corpus and
granted it, commanding that the parties be
brought before him on Monday morning. The
writ was served on Warden James, of the city
Jail, on Monday morning, and at o. clock Judge
Bartol appeared at the District Court room to
hear the matter Under the law the party upon
whom the writ of habeds corpus is served has
three days in which TO make return of it, and
this time Warden James claimed After long
argument, Judge Bartol decided that he could
not insist upon the return of the writ under three
days, and therefore adjourned the case until
Thursday morning at 9 o'clock. This left the
city under the control of the old police Board,
and they Immediately appointed Judges to con-
duct the election, giving the conservatives one
Judge and one Clerk in each precinct.
Of course, this affair created an intense ex-
element in the city. Immense crowds were
congregated each day at various points in the
city, and at times a conflict seemed eminent but,
so admirable were the police arrangements, and
so firm the officers in the discharge of their du-
ties, that, beyond an occasional knock no
difficulty occurred. A number of United States
troops had been brought TO the city, and were
quartered at Fort McHenry. Gen. Grant was al
the Eutaw House during thewhole of the trouble,
but, after conferences with the Governor, Mayor
and both boards of Commissioners, refused to in
terfere, but advised the compromise which was
afterwards effected
Governor Swami, by bis persistent efforts to
overthrow law and rightin this matter, has gained
for himself the execraton OF all good men, He
stands to- day, with the successful party, it is
true, but yet the barayer Of the trust reposed 10
him by his former and steadfast friends. They
chose him to the highest position in our State
and when they refused to support him for a seat
in the United States Senate over another whom
they also loved, he basely turned from his own
party, and became the pet of the rebel ele-
ment of our State. All this, however, was a
matter in which only his own conscience was
concerned, but he was not satifed with this
His g vauting ambition would not allow him
to wait quietly the verdict Of the people, but he
must attempt to overthrow law, to violate the
peace of great city, in order that his ends might
be accomplished. But Tau and order triumphed
bis schemes fell to the ground. The election in
the city was conducted by the properly constitu-
ted authorities and that it was conducted fairly
issevidentsfrom the large conservative majority
given Gov. Swami aud his rebel party have
been successful be WI probably gain, by his
apostacy to the Union party, a seat in the Senate
of the United States but let him bear with him
the knowledge that his political course has made
him despised BY majority of the loyal people
of the State.
Su. We believe there is not an experienced
Southern statesman living to-day, who does not