American citizen. [volume] (Butler, Butler County, Pa.) 1863-1872, 1866-11-07
The nTarYInnd TroubIes.

From our reading OF tne prahu fafce
the mock trial of the Baltimore Com
missioners, we believe the following from
the New York Tribune is fair conelu-
sion of the whole matter. 1t is but an
other step in the grand conspiracy against
popular government, entered into at
Washington city, and now being carried
out where ever he can find willing tool
like Gev. Swami to carry out his behests.
The following is the article referred to !:
The trouble in Baltimore is not of re-
cent origin. 1t began with the Rebel
lion, and dates as far back as the Spring
of 1861, when the Rebels of Baltimore
fired upon a Massachusetts, regiment
marching to the defense of Washington
A large number of the people Of Mary
land were Rebels, aud Maryland regi-
ments fought in the ranks Of Lee and
Johnston. Fortunately the geographical
position of the State placed it, from the
first, nnder the protection of the govern
nent, and the courage Of its loyal peos
pie prevented it from being dragged into
secession. After the war, in self-protec
tien and simple justice, the loyal men of
Mary land amended the State Constitution
to prevent returned Rebels from voting,
and by strict registry law they have
thus far succeeded in saving the State
from the rule of its worst enemies
Since Andrew johnson adopted the pol
icy of placing the whole South under the
rule OF the Rebel leaders, the men who
sympathized and aided the Rebellioa in
Maryland have made bold effort to re-
gain the power they had forfeited by
treason, and Governor Swami, elected as
Union man in 1864, has done his best
to sustain it. Baltimore, the hea dquar-
ters of all the Rebels north Of Richmond
was TIE point of attack The laws of
the State, strictly enforced by the Police
Commissioners, enabled only Union nen
to vote, and at all the recent elections,
including that of Gov, Swami, thousands
Of known Rebels were disfranchised So
long as the Police Commissioners remain
ed in Office it was certain that the laws
would be honestly administered, and that
the barriers erected by the loyal eommu,
nifty for its protection would not be bro
ken down or evaded by the men who
sought to join Maryland to the Confed-
eracy. This did not suit Gov. S@ann,
whose change of politics compelled him
to depend on Rebel votes for political
advancement. lie determined to remove
the Commissioners and replace them with
men less devoted in their Unionism; for
this purpose tue charges were preferred
which have been investigated before the
Governor at Annapolis, and upon which
he has removed the Commissioners.
We have carefully examined the e1i-
donce on the side of the Governor, and
compared it with that for the defense, and
cannot see how any respectable lawyer
could conscientiously say that the char
ges had been proved. The witnesses for
the prosecution, of whom 66 were suns
moned, testified that only Radical judges
of elections were appointed in certain
wards that in some cases there were no
boxes used to deposit rejected votes to
preserve them for future adjudication ;
that legal votes were refused that the
police force was used to intimidate voters
| by violence that Commissioners Wood
had been seen drunk in the strcets-ln
short, that the recent election was ille-
gally and uniustly conducted. Every
particle of this testimonv-so far as the
charges against the Commissioners are
sustained by it has been rebutted by the
/ 4 g.. tba l,f. %
doubt, that there were abuses and irreg-
ularitios at the polls, for these are newt.
able in all large cities, but it has not
been shown that in single instance the
Commissioners were responsible. They,
on the contrary, appear to have done all
in their power to secure full and fair
and legal vote, without respect to party
interests the good character of the
Judges of Elections was fully proved, and
their "Radicalism" seems to mean that
they were Union men and not Rebel SYM.
pathizers the ballot boxes we're proven
to be those always in use, and used in the
election of Governor Swami in 1864, in
several cases the use of rejected boxes
was proved when witnesses for the pros.
ecution had sworn they saw none the
responsibility of the special police was
established; the charge of drunkenness
a. ainst Commissioner Wood fell to the
ground, and is not even cited in the Gov
ernor's decision while in many cases the
witnesses for the prosecution we're proven
to be men Of immoral character, gradu-
ates Of the prison, or candidates for its
honors. The credibili.y of tho main
points of the testimony in support Of the
charges is destroyed by the overwhelming
evidence in behalf OF the accused. As
an instance OF the manner in which the
Commissioners conducted the election, we
quote the instructions of Marshal Car
michael to the police force The Cvi-
dence shows that they were faithfully OBJ
served:
PoLIcR DEPARTMENT, 0FFicEoF THE MARSHAL
BALTIMORE Oct 9, 1865.
CAPTAIN LYNCH You will instruc.
your whole force, and impress the en-
torcement rigidiy, of the rules and regu-
lations in relation to the non interference
with politics at the polls in the approach
ing ele ,tion, which will take place to-
morrow, the 10th inst 1t will be their
imperative duty to suppre IS all manifest
atiope of Jicordar X aa,, tba rolio oloor