Clearfield Republican. [volume] (Clearfield, Pa.) 1851-1937, 1866-11-14
The Maryland Eiecftos a TIT
umph OF Popular Fcrbe0r-
nlff.

feel profound satisfaction in the re-
suit of the election here ON Tuesday
last There is a Significance in il far
beyond anything connected with the
triumph or defeat OF. .onc of two polit-
ical organizations contending for the
advancement Of their particular meas
ures of policy on the success Of their
representative men II furnishes con-
vincing proof that so long as the forms
.of republican institutions are preserv-
cd there is never a necessity for re-
sorting to force TO vindicate the rights
OF the people. For time they may
be trampled upon-ior time the com
binations of designing men may be so
artfHlly woven as TO suppress the
voice Of the majority, and the forms
of law be so used as to tyrannize over
the people and wrest from them their
rights, in the very name of liberty it.
seli-but there is a limit which re-
stricts the purposes Of evil, and an in
hercnt efficacy in truth and right
which will turn the combinations of
evil against itself, and when the full
measure of its iuiquity is reached, the
hour of its supposed highest triumph
becomes that OF its utter overthrow
an overthrow not gradual, but instant
and complete; an overthrow from
which there is no recovery an over
throw for which there is no sympa-
thy. Since these United States pro
claimed their independence there has
been presented no parallel to the sit
uation in which the people of Balti-
more have been placed for the last
two years. By the cunning device Of
the men who had been elected as tho
agents of the whole people, clause
was inserted into the constitution
which they framed disqualiiying three
fourths of the constituency from pas
sing upon the work of their agents.
Taking advantage Of the war, which
at that time was in progress, they
raised an artful clamor for the pur.
pose OF confounding with traitors all
the citizens of the State whom they
kne y or suspected to be inimical to
their dominion, and by their devices
succeeded in excluding them from the
ballot-box. Then. proceeding TO Sc
leet fit ministers for their purposes,
they still further, by perverting the
registration law, reduced the body Of
electors so as to make Of them close
corporation, extending to only about
ten thousand men in the city of Balti-
more, out Of nearly forty thousand,
the privilege of voice in public of.
fairs. All this the people bore with
exemplary patience, protesting against
but not resisting the fraud upon their
| liberties. Emboldened still more by
success, every place was filed with
ready instruments, who interpreted
the law as il suited caprice o. the in
tcrests of the moment, still further TO
narrow the privileges oflrcemen. The
municipal election of the city, on the
10th Of October last, was conducted
under circumstances which made ii a
mockery Of the popular will. But
still the color of law was used, and
the people, rather than appeal toiorce,
suffered the fraud to be enacted be
| fore their eyes Nevertheless, they
did arraign at the bar Of public opin-
ion, and before the constituted au-
I thOrities, the chici actors. Upon that
investigation such abuses OF power
were disclosed as led the Governor of
the State to depose from Office the
men who were tried before him. ln-
stead Of submitting to the authority
of the law, colorado pretexts for eva
ding its mandates were resoried TO,
and behind its outward forms its spirit
and its obligations were perverted
and the rights of the public dehed and
trampled upon. Again, the love Of
order and the peoples reverence for
law were appealed to, and their con-
! tidence in the ultimate triumph ofright
urged, and again the people scqui-
esced, and bore with patience q glaring
usurpation Of authority and contempt
for the maiesty of right. What was
the effect, the silent, certain effect, Of
these proceedingsl The mighty pres
sure OF sentiment within and without
the State, gathering strength through
out these two years, with every per
version Of right, and every new act of
reverence on the part Of the people to
the majesty of law, has at last over
come every obstacle. The ballot-box,
hedged round by restrictions, and
kept in custody Of those who, by the
Judgment Of tho law, had forfeited all
right to its guardianship, has, under
I all these adverse circumstances, been
the instrument Of triumph CON-
plete aud absolute triumph. The ma
Cninau5ns by which its custody was
retained have resulted IN making its
keepers the unwilling witnesses that
they no longer have the shadow OF
title TO rule the people Of Baltimore.
They claimed that the body Of the
people was with them they repudia-
ted the Judgment Of the law, which in
I proper form had been rendered They
clung TO power BY force they tried
to eludc the processes Of the law by
availing themselves OF certain delays
which 1t allows; they appealed 10 the
bailotbox in their own possession,
and, as they vainly imagined, under
their own control, to reverse the judg.
ment Of the law Under all these cir
cunstances, of their own selection and
/ contrivance. the appeal has been heard
and concludcd and its immediate judg-
ment is one Of utter condemnation.
The people have been rewarded for
their forbearance and patience. Ad-
herIng with nnsNcrvinr n.iIh 10 neacn.