Raftsman's journal. [volume] (Clearfield, Pa.) 1854-1948, 1866-11-07
Gov. Swami of MARYLAND.

The New York Post, of November I'd,
makes the following statement relative to
Gov. Swami, of Maryland, which will be
read with interest in connection with the
existing trouble in Baltimores
In 1860 the present Governor of Mary
land was Mayor of Baltimore, and as such
at the head of the city police. The Mary
land Legislature, at that time, passed the
police bill, and the first Board of Commission
ers appointed Hereunder required the Mayor
to surrender the police department OF the
city to them. He refused, and prepared to
resist the ingress of the new board ''Un-
der advice OF their counsel the Commission
ers resorted to their remedy by mdndamus.
They succeeded In asserting the validity of
their appointment, and Mayor Swami grace
fully Yielded as matter of course. That
is to say, the Mayor held over antil the
courts had decided against him. He did
not call on the Federal Government, or talk
about bloodshed and revolution Nor did
the Governor at that time indulge in such
threats against Mayor Swami if he had,
that gentleman would no. doubt have ex-
pressed great contempt for the Governor.
Indeed, Mayor Swami would have resist
ed the Governor and the whole Federal
force at his back; as he promised to do so
on another occasion, OF which prominent
citizens of Baltimore gives the following
account:
'-In October. 1857, the city elections ere
attended with much disorder-so much so
ss to prov oke the defeated party, and to
create dissatisfaction amongst many who
| really sympathzed with the majority. The
present Governor Swami was then Mayor
Swami. He had been elected by the Know
| Nothing party. Governor Ligon had been
| elected by the Democracy, and that party
| appealed to him to defend them in the ex-
| ercise of their elt ctivc franchise at the ap-
preaching State elections He came to
| Baltimore and took measures for calling out
| the militia, ostensibly to preserve the good
order of the city. Mayor SWAMI protested
against this cncronchment on has datt0ritg,
and, under adrice Of counsel, prepared to
resist the GOrernOr q EoutroRce Ito the ut
termost. Things assumed for time a
most alarming aspect On the eve of
the election, however, meeting took p ace
! between the Governor and Mayor. Mutual
concessions or explanations were made. The
Governor withdrew, and the elections were
conducted under the supervisions of the
Mayor
To say in the face of such a record, that
! Governor Swami can now decently resort to
force, and avoid the courts is absurd. He
would make himself ridiculous to do so.
To push matters to extremes, to make a
deadlock to appeal to arms and threaten
with violence, force and bloodshed, when ar
affair can be conducted peaceably, when tho
courts are open, and their decisions will af
ford all necessary remedies-all this is tt
inhict serious injury on the State and OF
society, and to help make free government
difficult, and in the end impossible. Gov
ernor Swami has not done wisely to run t.
Washington with his complaints-as though
the Federal Government were kind of dry
nurse to the State of Maryland, and the
Governor was only an agent of the Presi
dent. We do not doubt that there are law
respecting citizens enough in Maryland tc
support the Governor in lawful course
and it is his business to act lawfully, to give
those he condemns all the benefit of an!
doubtful construction of the law, and tt
appeal to the courts for a decision, if dis
pute occurs. 1t is not the part of Cover
nor of free State to begin trial with
threat of bayonets and enforce his own con
struction of a disputed point at law Will
United States regulars.