The evening telegraph. [volume] (Philadelphia [Pa.]) 1864-1918, 1866-10-24
Maryland ON
From The Wortd.

Maryland ON the Brink of civil War.
From, he Wortd.
The proceedings commenced on Monday at
Annapolis before Governor Swami, and the
spirit of mob resistance which prevailed during
the day in Baltimore, are of grave and painful
import If 1t were mere exhibition of local
lawlessness it would still be deplorab!e, but
would not have the portentous look which is
given 1t by the encourage ment of the radicals in
other States The radicals of Pennsylvania, by
the insGgation OF Forney, are secretly preparing
to march in arms to Baltimore and aid the in
surgents in resisting the State and Federal
authorities. General Butler, so one of our cor
respondents informs us, has telegraphed to the
Police Commissioners stimulating them to resist,
and Offering to 90 to their aid at the head OF
ten thousand Massachusetts soldiers, who, he
says, would fly with alacrity to aVenge the
Massachusetts blood shed in the streets of Bati-
more on the 10th of April, 1861. Unless the
radicals are trying to practise upon Governor
Swami by empty bravado, the whole party will
side with the Baltimore mob, and are ready to
pour out men, arms, and money 10 drench the
soil OF Mary land with the blood OF her own
citizens.
In Baltimore itself public feeling is described
as running as high as 1t did at any time during
the surglng exc ,tement in the spring OF 1861.
Mobs ale already patrolllng the streets, making
threatening demonstrations. Yesterday they
assailed the Office OF Democratic ne WsDaper-
the IrdnSCript-and tore down its bulletin board
AT the corners OF the streets, in the liquor
saloons, in every place where knots of men
assemble, thew rave, and threaten, and gesticu-
late, and ian the rising flame Of civil discOrd
Governor Swami would lose his selC-respect
would expose himself to the contempt OF all
men of spirit, it he quailed before these efforts
at intimidation. 1t is his duty to proceed
calmly with an impartial Investigation of the
chalees against the Commissioners neither
allowing himself to be prcjuoiced against them
by the violence OF their abettors, nor weakly
condori ing their odense if the evidence esta6-
lIsEes their guilt
Thus far, Governor Swami is clearly acting in
pursuance of the law, ami the radicals arc
Drawing and delying il. Sworn charges have
been made, and the Governor cannot, if he
would, reuse to examine them. The Commis-
sloners dare not face the accusation, and SO
they deny the Governors jurisdiction. Hon.
Reverdy johnson, the leader of the Maryland
bar, and perhaps the ablest lawyer In the coun-
denial OF jurisdiction is absurd. No fair minded
man OF good intelligence can read his opinion
without considering 1t as entirely con-
elusive. To be sure, he does not prove
tho guilt OF the Commissioners; that depends on
evidence yet 10 be produced. But he does
prove, by arguments which cannot be success
fully coniroverte0, that the law would make
the Legislature the judge of their guilt, il the
Legislature were In session, and that the Gov
ernor, in the recess of the Legislature has pre-
cisely the same powers. That the Police Com
missloners choose TO dispute position so clear,
produces an impression alike unfaVorable to
their candor and their innocence. They have
the horrors of civil war rather than submit to
q trial by an officer expressly clothed by the
law with authority to remove them for mis-
conduct.