The aegis & intelligencer. [volume] (Bel Air, Md.) 1864-1923, 1866-03-09
RADICAL MEETING I'M BALTIMORE.

RADICAL MEETING IN BALTIMORE
The Radical party held a large meeting at thu
Front Street Theatre, on the evening of the frs
day of March, at which resolutions were passed
and speeches made, condemnatory Of the course
pursued by President johnson in regard, chiefly
to the Freedmens Bureau Bill and reconstruc
ton. The American of Saturday pronounce!
the meeting unusually large and enthusiastic
There is, perhaps, no intelligent man in th'
State, no matter what his political sentiments
"s'', Tho five years ago, could have dreamed
that II 80 short tluIv Coating, oorld h
hold in the city of Baltimore; and especial,
would he have doubted, if he had been told tina
at such meeting Senator of the United STATE
would in public speech, declare that he would
unite with any man, white or black, to preserv,
the fruits Of the victories. won on the battlefield
Yet the american of Saturday thus reports Sena
tor Cresswell, of this State.
Now, one of the important fruits of the wal
was the abolition of slavery; and as Mr.. Cress
well appears so very anxious, in former part
his speech, that his party should remain united
so that success may attend their efforts, and the
abolition of slavery being the chief plank in theiI
platform, we suppose that this is the fruits to
which the honorable Senator principally refers,
and for the preservation of which he would unite
with any man, white or black. But the speeches
of Mcssrs. Trumbull, Mckee, Nye, and John l..
Thomas, Of this Congressional district, were
equally ultra and incorporating. The whole
burden of their speeches was abuse of the Presi-
dent, and an abortive attempt to place him in q
false light before the people of the country
This they expected TO accomplish, by showing
his inconsistencies; but this like all other of
their efforts, had only the effect to disgust the
public the more with their dishonest efforts to
retain power against the will of the nation
The well-thinking portion of the American
people have long since decided in their own
minds the fate of this destructive and dangerous
faction, and are only waiting the chance to ex-
press their sentiments through the ballot-box,
and this is not unknown to the men who met at
Front Street on Friday evening last. They see
the handwriting on the wall, and hence this ex-
traordinary effort to break down the President
anu al tuOoO WIZ uSt Win anu suStulu Ilul, III
his patriotic efforts TO restore the country to its
former unity and prosperity, and the people to
their wonted peace, plenty and contentment, of
which they have been robbed, more by the ma
chinations of Abolitionism, than by any other
cause under heaven.
The meeting at Front Street gave evidence of
but one real object, and that an inordnate desire
to retain power and to this end they struggled
with zeal worthy of better cause. To assist
in the accomplishment of this purpose, they re-
commend the continuance of the dishonest and
infamous Registry law in this State, so that they
urge the disfranchisement of better men than
themselves, that they may hold the power which
they now have, and which was so unworthily
obtained.
These gentlemen, i'll charging Inconsistency
on the President, forget their own ground and
lofty tumbling. Their memories are so short
that they seem not to remember that during the
continuance of the war they contcnded that the
seeding States were not out of the Union ; and
now that the war is over, they declare that they
are out of the Union, and shall not RETURN
Now, gentlemen, which of these positions do you
prefer2 If you are right in what you now as.
sert, that these States cannot get back in the
Union without action on your part, then you
most assuredly acknowledge the right of seces-
sion in its broadest sense for You admit that by
an act of the Legislature State can sever Her
connection with the rest of the States. But if
you hold that your fret proposition, that 'the
States were never out of the Union" is true,
the rebellion failed Of success, and, as a conse-
quence, left the States precisely where they were
in the beginning. If then, the doctrine which
you taught for four years. is correct the rebelling
States are still in the Unon and all either House
Of Congress can do, is to judge of the election
and qualification of its own members. Not keep
State out Of the Union rs n State, but when
she presents her Representatives for admission to
seats as members of either branch of tho National
Legislature, then pass Judgment on the election
and qualification of the person so-caiming to be
o member.
This appears plain to u.s. and has always seem.
ed to be the true course; and, as we understand
the President, he asks nothing more. But
some of the orators at this remarkable gathering,
to show their sincerity, declared that they would
adhere to this radical and dangerous policy if
they thereby lost the places they now SO unjustIy
hold. We would say to them-Gentlemen put
yourselves to no trouble to get rid of the Offices
and places you now fill. Only let the people
speak through the balot-box, and the places
which now know you, will soon know you no
more forever. .-,
as
The ILLUSTRATED PHRENoLoGloAL JOURNAL FOR
MARcH-Contains Cornelius Vanderbilt, Hon