The aegis & intelligencer. [volume] (Bel Air, Md.) 1864-1923, 1869-06-18
The Democratic Party ia Mary
land

The administration of President Grant has
been comparatively but newly inauguiated,
and the first days of its existence, WITHOUT de-
veloping the full scope of all its purposes, un-
der this reticent Chief Mag strate, have shown
sufficient to indicate the drift of its policy.
Whatever else the radical party may be, it
is one of progress, SO far as that word signi-
fies change. The purpose it avowc1 at the
beginning, to revolutionize many of The fun
damental principles of this government, it has
already accomplished, in these its first days
of political supremacy. What will be the
complete fulfilment of its aims is a question
that few, probably of the more conservative
of its own members are fully Informed upon,
or would wish to contemplate. We do not
care to stop here to trace the steps by which
so great departure from the original plan
of this government has been made. Whither
we are drifting is a question of vital impor-
lance; but the fact that should first be dealt
with is that we are drifting, and with such
rapidity Of movement, as will shortly carry
us to an established change of system. The
outward forms OF this government, should
revolution be consummated, will survive the
wreck Of its real principles bpt these, too,
at the last, will be swept away, or remain
only to remind us, with bitter recollection,
of the earlier days of the Republic.
What is the position occupied by the DEM
ocratic party in Maryland, in relation to the
general government and what influence can
it exert to arrest this tendency of public af
fairs +? We occupy here border ground, ey-
cry inch of which is to be disputed to the adj
vance of radicalism, Do We fully appreciate
the shape in which the real attack will prob
ably be made, as the advance is attempted
1t is plainly evident that the pncopstitution-
al powers that have been welded by the
leaders of the radical party, in some sections
at least, were conferred upon them by will
ing people-and right here is the source of
the danger that confronts us. Negro suf-
frage, as exercised in the District of Colum-
bia, will be attempted to be imposed upon
every State where that element exists in suf-
ficient numbers to exercise controlling in.
upon us. But here. it can be accomplished
only by educating the people up to the adj
vanced ideas" of the party that seeks to press
it. Whilst there is no immediate cause of ap-
prehension that such result can be brought
about at once in Maryland, yet the attempt
may not be so far distant az TO rpa,rart
in closing ygr .,yes to the danger The pre-
cautions to Dc exercised against this particu-
lar peril and the advances of the dominant
party in general, are the preservation of thor
ough harmony and organization in the DEM
ocratic party in this State, and to that end
the awakening of deeper interest in the
minds of our citizens upon the political issues
of the day, If we supinely rest upon the
consciousness of superior strength, here in
Maryland, without seeking to preserve and
even augment and further extend that
strength, it will diminish, by imperceptible
degrees, if not in more sudden manner.
1t is not merely negative position that is
now occupied by the Democratic party in
this State; it has active aims and objects to
attain and active duties to perform-to pre-
serve the strict integrity Of its principles in
the State government, and in SO for as in us
lies, to exercise that vigilance in observing
and resisting every attempted innovation
upon the rights of the republican form of
government which is guaranteed to lis as
State, that is the price ofpur liberty
1t is, We believe, impossible, in the nature
of things, in this age and country, for one
man or set of men to usurp supreme CONTROL
as was the fashion in olden times, unless the
people themselves are willing to confer the
power. That they can ever be brought to
do this at one step is not probable. By in.
sidious advances it may be accomplished
Let therefore, every voter now identified with
the Democratic party in our county and
State, take that active interest to preserve
the strength of the organization to which he
belongs, that will insure not only its present
triumph, for that is assured, but also its fl
ture stability.
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