The Democratic advocate. [volume] (Westminster, Md.) 1865-1972, 1870-10-20
Judge Smiths Refusal.

Why is it that Judge Smith persists
in not meeting Captain RitchieY The
people Of the Fourth Congressional Dis.
trict--both black and white-are 10
search Of information. The black want
to know how it happened that in the
Legislature of 1861 he voted to sell free
negroes into slavery, and the whites are
equally anxious to ascertain whether it
is true that in the State Convention of
1864 he zoalously declared himself in
favor Of banishing free white men, or
imprisoniug in Federal basti!es. These
are ugly blotches upon his political re.
cord, aud his silence in regard to them
only makes them the more damnatory.
The journals of the Legislature, and of
the Convention, emphatically confirm
the truth ofthese charges, and no sooner
does Captain Richie dare Judge Smith
to deny them than the latter finds it
convenient to make tour of the Al
leghanies, instead of confronting his
adversary among the fat pastures of
Frederick aud Carroll counties.
Tho sudden disappearance Of the
Judge was for time, source Of great
anxiety TO his Radical associates, but,
we are happy to say, he has at length
been heard from. The Frederick Re
publican announces that he is "on the
rost rum, among the mountains" do
ing all sorts OF wonderful things. 1t
adds, ecstatically Ale is making the
hills aud riyulets aud wales vocal with
the cloqucuce of liberty aud the justice
Of Republican rule"
Never were grand words more ludi
crOusly misapplied. The ponderous
Judge has no more appreciation OF the
true significance Of the word elderly"
than the fat boy in Piekwck. As to
+" the justice Of Republican rule" Judge
Smith gave remarkable illustration OF
that when, in 1864, he advocated not
only the imposition of an infamous test
oath, but also the exile, or Imprisonment
of his white fellow, citizeus. He did
this, too, with that clause ofthe Consti.
tuition of Maryland staring him in the
face-a Constitution he was assisting ut
that time to frame which declares
"that no man ought to be taken, or i'm.
prisoned, or disseized OF his freehold,
liberties, or privileges, or outlawed, or
exiled, or in any manner destroyed, or
deprived of his life, liberty or property,
out by the judgement Of his peers, or by
the law of the land" His idea of.the
justice Of Republican rule" is, that, Us hat
socver the Republicans do is just; that
they may reduce States to vassalage by
a free use Of Federal bayouets that
they may tax the poor for the benefit
Of the rich that they may plumber the
public treasury aud debauch the public
morals, aud that the men entitled to the
highest honor are those who have prov.
en- themselves the most blatant proies.
sors OF loyalty" and at the same time
the greatest adopts in rascality. But
Judge Smith, We may believe his
admirers doing far greater icats than
making the hills aud valleys vocal. "He
is marching says the Republican, "oa
the enemy's lines" AS the cnemy's
lines happen to be exactly in the oppo
site direction, this piece Of politico mil.
itary strategy is quite unaccountable,
unless we are to understand that the
farther man gets from his adversary the
nearer he i, to him. No sooner does
Captain Richie challenge the Judge to
meet him than the Judge responds by
turning the whole breadth of his back
upon his challenger, and, with n alacrity
that is absolutely alarming in a heavy
weight" goes elamberiug upthe rugged
Alleghauies. Its ia their solitudes that
he is now said to be pitching his scran-
mel pipe. If discretion be the better part
Of valor, nothing could be more COM
mendable than the discreetuess with
which he is acting but what is called
marching on the enemy's lines" looks
to us exceedingly like running away.
At the last advices the Judge had
abandoned his vocal exercises, aud. nc
cording to his faithful chronicler, with
the sword and scimetar of Saladin in
hand, was piercing the cohorts ofslave.
~ aud despotism at every blow"
Now, why will the Judge cut aud
slash about in that dreadful manner |!
We know that the "cohorts" are as i'm.
aginary us Falstaff's men in buckram !;
we coucedc that he is the happy posses.
sor Of two lethal weapous--bought ut a
a junk shop-whieh may have belonged
to the famous Sultan, Saladin but why
he should grasp both sword aud seine
tar in one hand, and 60 iusauely slosh.
lug about, is circumstance to marvel
over. Would il not be better for him
to cease these antics, so entirely uube.
coming an ex Judge? Even his we'll,
wishers are anxious he should descend
safely from his mountain rostrum.-
His new friends, the negroes, are partic.
ularly DESTROYS to ask him how il hap.
peued that only ten years ago he voted
to sell every idle freeman among then,
into slavery; whilst his white fellow.
citizens want to know if he really did
make speech at the State Convention
10 1864, in which he vehemeutly de.
Douuced all Of them who did not think
us he did, aud called upon the Federal
authorities to arrest, aud Danish. aud
imprison them, and seize aud confscate
their property without warrant Of law.