The Cecil Whig. [volume] (Elkton, Md.) 1841-current, 1869-01-09
LETTER FROM CECILTON.
CECILToN, Dec. 31st, 1868.

Mr. EDITOR 1T is not often we see
anything in your paper from our quiet
town-quict since king alcohol has not
been allowed to hold his court, openly,
in the limits of the corporation. But
as there has been quite an excitement
created here on account of the boys
and youth, in the anticipation of Old
kriss coming-thinking they could eel
citrate his coming, as has been done in
time past, by fireworks and bon-fres,
commenced their display on the night
before Christmas, without the consent
of the town authorities, and the "Ofli-
cial Representative" in particular, (who
is one of the commissioners when he
is clothed with little authority, as
sumcs to himself great dignity, and
presumes that he can do as much as
the frog in the fable thought he could
swell as big as an OK, and | am inclined
to think he has in this matter met the
fate of the poor frog-bursted himself
and the learned Squire, who acted with
him, and who shares with him the HON
EST modification at seeing the Bylaws
of the great corporation set at defiance.
Whereupon the insultcd "Ofiicial repre-
sentative" whips off to Elkton, gets the
Sheriff to come down and arrest such
as he points out-the Sheriff carries
them before the Squire, and the Com
missiontrs of the corporation, who as
sumo more authority than the legisla-
ture of the State of Maryland has
they assume the authority to pass an
ordinance or bylaw to suit the case be-
fore them, and after the act is commit
ted, and the Squire, who is one of the
commissioners, also, assumes to himself
more power than the judge Of Circuit
Court would q think take, and commits
them to the county Jail, because they
will not pay the amount he decides they
shall payunder their new and clearly
cX post facto law-and that without
allowing them any opportunity to prove
their innocence, or the informant, who
had them arrested without oath as to
facts, proving them guilty ofthe charges,
but simply read the 18th section of the
Bylaws to them, and because they
would not pay the amount of his judg-
mcnt, under the new law, committed
them to jail.
What right had he to commit them,
even had they refused to pay the fine,
under the old Bylaw, when the act of
incorporation says, all their fines for
violation of Bylaws, shall be collected
as other debts.
The 18th section of their Bylaws
is: ENACTED, Any person or persons
firing any cannon, gun, squib, shooting
cracker, or any kind of fireworks or
firearms, or having any bon-fires within
the limits of the town of Cccilton, ex-
cept in the fields or woods, and not less
than one hundred and fifty yards from
the public road, shall be fined in each
and every case not less than fifty cents
nor more than one dollar, unless such
firing be of seeming necessity, and
not for amusement. The Bailitf shall
be paid fifty cents in addition to the
above fine"
Where did the learned Justice get
his authority from? He certainly did
not get it from the above section. He
must certainly have been dreaming of
the old laws of the State of MARYLAND,
when you could imprison for debt but
those days have long since passed and
gone or could he have been outside
of the corporation limits, into the do
minions of the king above alluded to,
and had imbibed some of his spiritual
understanding, as the Bailiff was said
to have done, for it is said of him, that
he AID become so much infatuated with
the king, that he was entirely to disloy-
al to entrust with the execution of
these most important Bylaws; hence,
the necessity of calling in the Sheriff
of Cecil county to collect the fee of fit.
ty cents, for the Bailitf; for l am in
formed they RENTED the fine Of one