The Portland daily press., 1866-11-05

MARYLAND PRECEDENTs.-The Baltimore
American publishes the following instructive
precedents, bearing upon the present trouble
in that city, and drawn, il will be observed
from the official career of Gov Syann himself:
In October, 1857, the city elections were at
| tended with much disorder-so much SO as to
provoke the defeated party and to create dis
Satisfaction amongst many who really sympa-
thlzed with the majority. The present Gov
ernor was then Mayor. He had been elected
by the Know Nothing party-Goyernor Ligon
had been elected by the democracy. and that
party appealed to him to defend them in the
approaching State election. He came te Ralti-
more and took measures for calling out the
militia, ostensibly to preserve the good order of
the city; mayor Swami protested against this
encroachment on his authority, and, under adj
vice of counsel, prepared to resist the Govern
or foutrdnce. Things assumed for a time a
most alarming aspect. On the eve of the cleo
ton, however, meeting took place between
the Governor and Mayor. Mutual concessions
or explanations were made. The Governor
withdrew, and the elections were con Quoted
under the supervision of the Mayor.
We refer to this precedent as showing that.
in the opinion of Mayor Swami, the emergency
must be great which will justify the Governor
i'll disturbing the quiet of our city by crowding
our streets with a military array, and that i'm
the event of a collision of opinion between the
Governor and the municipal authorities nei-
ther party will compromise his official charac-
ter by rendering explanations to, or listening
to oyertures from the opposing party.
In 1860 Mayor Swami was at the head of the
police OF the city. The Legislature passed the
Police BILL and the first Board of Commission
ers appointed Hereunder required the MayOr
TO surrender up the Police Department of The
city to them. He refused, and prepared TO re-
sist the ingress of the new board Under adj
vice OF their counsel the Commissioners resort
ed to their remedy by naanddmus They sue
ceeded in asserting the validity of their ap-
pointment, and Mayor Swami gracefully Weld
ed. The conclusion hence resulting, in the
opinion of Mayor Swami, is that when it is
proposed to remove one Board of Police Com
missioners by the substitution of another un-
der state circumstances presenting doubt
ttll question of right it is the duty of the
Board in power to hold over until there shall
be a judicial determination of that question.
With these presidents in hand we care not
for the opinions of the protested friends of
Governor Swami. They presume too much
when they require Governor Swami to convict
Mayor Swami of official misconduct in 1877 in
arraying himself against Governor Lyon; and
again of official misconduct in 1860. when he
paced himself in opposition to the first Police
board. He may have erred in assuming the
ou.n,ority to try the Commissioners He NAV.
o,,; Tue evidence to be laid before him. find them
5a ny oi onlcial misconduct, and for that cause
bo ,u;Hy a relnove them from office But there
Ill, on,s S..op. 1t cannot be imagined that he
a..a11;atn Precedents which he has himself
eSIap!isheu with general apnrovaJ for anv
ques9lonaDie advantages which n,a,1 III c'ny
violent and immediate channa result rom
power of the city. III the police