New Orleans daily crescent. [volume] ([New Orleans, La.]) 1851-1866, 1866-10-24
rHE pAIrIMeRE pIFr1cu1rY.


war, the United States government, in pursu
ance Of the policy which had been adopted
Of REFRESHING all adverse expressions of opin
ion. whether through the press, on the hus
tingsa or at the ballot box, gave armed assist
ance to the Maryland Republicans, thus ena
bling them to get possession of the Stat
government, and of the municipal admin
istraton Of the city of Baltimore. The fac
that the Republicans were IN an immens,
minority vas notorious but political con
sideratiers, or, as the phrase ran, military
lnecessitB" required that the voice of the ma
ioritg should be suppressed. And the voice
of the majority, in other words the voice o
the people Of the city of Baltimore and tht
State Of Maryland, was suppressed in thai
rude and summary manner, previously IN
known in this country, but which has since
Income unhappily familiar.
Elections took place on the usual day, bu
net by any means according to the usual plan
The United States military authorities tool
control of the ballot box, and established en-
tirely new and arbitrary rules and qualifca
tons. NoneSbut 4loyal persons were per
nitted to vote, and loyalty consisted in {
known Intention to vote the Republican
ticket. New and unusual tests were applied
for the purpose Of excluding the mass of the
population; and the potent bayonet was evel
ready to guard against the intrusion Of any
Objectionable form of opinion. But as this
process led to a reduction of the aggregate tc
a number SO small that the result became
ridiculous, the hiatus was filed with the votes
nentIy patriotic object Soldiers from Massa-
4 ehusetts and New York voted as often as was
required to make a respectable numerical re-
turn; and Republican election judges made
out lists to suit themselves and their party.
i In this manner the Republicans obtained
possession Of the political power in Maryland
and Baltimore But they knew that as soon
as tie military pressure should be removed, as
soon as the people of the State should have
an opportunity to express their real opinions,
the oligarchical reign Of the minority would
come to an end. They, therefore, resolved to
perpetuate their power by establishing sys.
tenn Of registration and test oaths under which
only their own party would possess the quail
deaions of electors 1t is the system which
has been established in Tennessee and Mis-.
souri,, and which the radicals now aim tc
establish in every Southern State the system
| BY which the .'party Of great moral ideas 7
illustrates its attachment for universal suf-
fage and liberty Of conscience, by disfran-
ehising all who do not approve of radical
doctrines, or who have been opposed to radi-
cal practices; it is that system. the most
odious, the most oppressive, the most tyran-
nical ever invented in any civilized country
by which political rights are made to depend
On political opinions
For time the method accomplished all
that its authors desired 1T enabled one
fourth Of the people to obtain and hold pos
session of the offices. But such a system
could not endure for any great length Of. time
without provoking opposition. Reverdy
johnson and others had already advised the
people Of Maryland that they could take the
test oath, and ought to take it, in order to
overthrow the faction which had SO corruptIy
and despotically excluded them from the
polls but this advice was not extensively fol-
lowed until the termination of the war had
the objections which were enter
tanned. When peace was restored, however,
something approaching general registration
took place The radical Office holders became
alarmed. They knew that they would be-
beaten at the first fair election that might be
held. They attempted, through the regis
trars, to prevent their opponents from regis
tering. But this plan failed. They then
resorted to an expedient which, for auda-
clous criminality, has no parallel in
political history. The police commits
sloners have the appointment Of inspec-
tors OF election in Baltimore. These commits
sioners appointed radicals of course, and in
strueted the latter to refuse the votes Of all
persons registered this year Such a decision
naturally excited great commotion and indip-
nation but the commissioners and the IN
speetors persisted in their project, and actrl-
ally carried it out at tho recent municipal
election, when only 1000 votes were cast out
Of $4,000. Thus the radicals succeeded in
possession of the Baltimore city
But it happens that Governor
Swami, gentleman who, although he was
elected By the Republicans, desires that the
reign Of law and justice be restored in Mary
land, has taken the side Of the people in this
controversy Thestatute confers on him the
power to remove the police commissioners for
Of their duties, and he considers that
they could not be guilty of a grosser violation
of official duty than that involved IN
the violation Of the registry ana tile dis
Of three-fourths Of the people.
he has, consequently, avowed his deterrai-
nasion 70 exercise this power by removing the
The radicals, who had pre-
pared 70 carry the State election by repeti-
ion Of the expedient which was So successful
we weeks ago, are stunned by this announce
nent They threaten resistance to the cover
aor's order. They declare that they viii re-
folt aiaa inaugurate civil war in the streets
u Baltimore rather than let their power slip
rom their hands. These threats would be
Considered only the idle yaporing Of a disap-
iointed faction, if the Maryland radicals relied
a their own strength alone But they look
broad for assistance They expect to receive
ID from their friends ia the neiehborinq