The daily dispatch. [volume] (Richmond [Va.]) 1850-1884, 1867-05-16
The MARYLAND Radicals,

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The Radicals Of Maryland are appa-
rently worse than those ofany other STATE
A large majority of the white people are
evidently opposed TO their schemes. N''
only so. but even during the war, while the
Radicals held all the offices, and, with the
aid of Federal bayonets, ruled the STATE
with a rod of iron, the great mass OF the
people sympa,hized at heart with their
brethren of the South. At present the
Conservatives are in power. But the Radi-
calls arc not willing TO submit to the rule OF
the majority. They wish to fill all the
Offices dispense all the official patronage,
and pocket all the money, whether their
number be large or small. They cannot
tolerate the idea of exclusion from place
and pelf. They would remove all obstacles
in their way by the strong arm Of Federal
power, and degrade their State Govern
ment into mere satrapy in order that they
may iatten at the public crib, and wreak
the vengeance of malignant imbecility
upon the intellect and the wealth Of that
noble State. Having for several years
held the reins ofpower, though constituting
but a small minority of the people, they
see no good reason why this state of things
should not continue. Ii it was right, they
argue, for them to rule the State against
the wishes of her people for three years,
il would be right for them TO rule II now,
henceforth, and forever. They regard
themselves as the very salt of the political
earth. and the Democrats as the enemies
Of the "beSt government the world ever
saw" and therefore entitled to no consde-
ration at the hands of loyal Congress.
Impelled by such motives, and earnestly
desiring to mount once more the chariot
of State, they have initiated movement
which has for its ultimate object the re-
storation OF themselves to power, but the
present avowed purpose of which Is TO
confer the right of suffrage upon the
negroes in defiance of the COnSttu-
ton and laws of Maryland. In word,
a revolution has been set on foot with
in few miles of the national capital;
and the revolutioniSts expect 10 succeed
only by the aid of the National Legisla-
ture, A convention of these malcon-
tentS-rebels, they are, in fact-asSembled
in Baltimore on Tuesday, and, after listen
ing to Incorporate harangues from both
black and white speakers, passed resoiu-
tions looking to the subversion of the pre-
sent State Government By act of Congress,
and demanding that the Offices Of the
State shall be conferred upon them. One
of the colored speakers told his audience
that the point was pretty well settled that
the negro has equal abilities with the white
man. The revolutionistS demand the entire
equality of all citizens, without regard to
color, in political and civil rights. They
call upon Congress to pass law making
the negroes voters in all the States, north
ern and southern. And they invite the
Radicals of Delaware, Maryland, West
Virginia, Kentucky, and Missouri, to unite
with them in this movement.
We are not sorry to see these questions
raised in this form. Either the reserved
rights of the States must be respected, or
the Government will soon become mag
nificent despotiSm. SO long as Congress
legislated only for the lately Instruction
airy States, the northern people could see
no danger to themselves in unconstltu-
tional legislation. But when they shall
see State which has never been out oil
the Union trampled out of existence, and
its laws repealed by act of Congress, they
will surely begin to reflect. They must
open their eyes to the dangers which lie
lust ahead of them, and become convinced
that it is necessary to keep the Federal
Government strictly within the limits de-
fined by the Constitution. Whenever they
reach this stage of opinion the country
will be safe.