Port Tobacco times, and Charles County advertiser. (Port Tobacco, Md.) 1845-1898, 1868-11-06

[ARYLAND., FRIDAY, \
surely must be admitted by alt. The second
point urged in proof of its illegality is, that a
majority of the registered voters did not vote
upon it's ratification. 1t is intimated that
this election should have been conducted up
on parliamentary rules, upon the ground that
the Legislature in remitting its authority re-
mitted Herewith it's rules of government. l
do not exactly understand what he means by
remit. presume he intended to say trans
fer. Taking him in that sense, which is GER
tanIy the one meant, deny that any autho-
rity was transferred, or remitted, if you please.
What is a transfer of power? 1t is clearly
the giving Of a right to another to do some
thing which the bestower alone possessed the
right to do. The Legislature possesses the
right to frame and pass laws. Until the
Legislature by formal act bestows this right
upon some other body it cannot be said to
have transferred it's authority, Did it confer
this right upon the people Charles county ?
Did the people of Charles frame and pass the
law in question? Not having done SO by
virtue of any such transfer, but having simp-
ly ratified one framed by the Legislature, the
election by which its ratification was effected
must be classed with other general elections,
and was valid if but hundred votes were
cast. f7.. , -
Having thus proved that all the forms
under which the passage of this act was ef-
fected were legal, nothing remains to be con-
sidered but the charge against its constitu-
tionality. Upon this ground / forbear to
meet him, though think he has been sue
cessfully answered here by "Pomonkey."-
The courts have not 'remitted" to me their
authority to pass judgment in this case. 1t is
to them alone that the right belongs, for
whether the Legislature has or has not the
right to transfer its powers, it is certain that
the courts have not Neither has citizen a
right to resist law upon the assumption of
its unconstitutionality. Laws must be obey
ed until they are declared to be null by COM
petent authority, and not by a handful of ar
rogant pretenders. Whoever resists them is
amenable to lawful tribunals. And in this
category stands "No. g." He slurringy calls
for the orphans court and bailiff for those
who dare question the propriety of his cause;
with how much more reason could the sheriff
and criminal court be appealedstp for bis dis
posal.
But the feeblest cry of all is yet to be heard.
AS if in despair of finding sufficient num-
Der of reasons and excuses for his conduct, be
at last seizes upon another terrible catchword,
somewhat similar to involuntary servitude,
with which to rouse the democratic passions
of his "victims." And pray weat is the word?
Why, nothing less thar-.iaa k1,nan- -poscer. !"
And THE -=Aaoheese4 F a. Coz, some
voluntary vervitude, if there weres no illegal
forms attending the passage of this act, if
there was no false election, if am not to be
allowed to take the law into my own hands,
where shall flee for pretexts to sustain me.
Will nothing come to my aid ?" Then
bright thought strikes him, he culls over the
vocabulary of catchwords and finally chuckles
to himself. He has found one, when 10 ! the
rushing sound goes forth: cit is against the
one-man power we are contending." Now
here is another paltry effort to confound op-
posites by CHASING them together. What is
one-man power? Who does not know that
it is despotism exercised over nations by one
man, the Unlimited will of one man unre-
strained by any earthly power, holding by
banded armies with fixed bayonets entire con-
troll over everything dear and sacred to man
kind. This is one-man power, yet this. de-
testable name is applied to the law-appointed
and law-restrcted duties of our road super
intendent. Was ever more far-fetched and
utterly fallacious com parison nlade7 Might
not all the residents of each of the districts of
the county have heretofore complained that
they were contending against one-man power,
for had not each district formerly road su-
perintendent? He might with the same show
of reasoning complain that the government
of his State is a one-man power, for have we
not Governor to see to the proper admins
tration of it's laws? We have but one sheriff
he may call that a one-man power. In
fact, upon this plan of reasoning, the whole
world might set itself to murmuring against
may set up the cry-the postal agents may
echo the chorus, for have they not all SUPER
Even the "whihing school-boy,
creeping like snail unwillingly to school,"
might cast away his book and play truant
upon the ground that he was contending a.
gainst one-man power Let this whimsical
dnctrine prevail and what would become of
public order, tranquility and progress?
Since then, Mr.. Editor, the opposition to
this law cannot be sustained; since the snphis-
try brought against it breaks and dissolves at
a glance from reason, as the mists vanish be-
fore the rays Of the sun, let US hope that re-
sistance will cease. What purpose can be
served by the continued agitation of this SUBJ
ject? Rather, what consequences may not
result therefrom? What must be the effect
of this agitation upon the minds and feelings
of large portion Of our people The inevi-
table result must be the enkinding of jealou-
sizes, the engenderiag Of bitter feelings, which
once brought To lie will not quickly die. 1t
may seem at first sight harmless thing, a
little exciting pasime, if you please, which
will soon flicker put. This may be so, but
the nature Of the opposition points to a diff
frrent conclusion, 1t contains withiu itself
all the elements of combustion and dscord,
for when one class in a community is made
to believe they are wronged and oppressed
by another the fires of anger are at once
lighted, and u,less arrested must ere long
burst into raging flames. in which everything
that gives peae and pleasure to society must
be destroyed. And is it improbable that this
hateful consunmation may be ultimately
reached by insessant clamor upon this sub
ject? In the name of peace and good order
of society, | ask the active opponents of this
measure to pause and reflect before they raise
a storm which they may not be able to con-
troll. The cuntry is already too deeply ours
ed with factipn and promoters of faction. i 4
large nun,ba Of our unhappy countrytnen