Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1870-03-29
The Maryland Democracy ana the
Fifteenth Amendment

The Democratic Conservative State Central
Committee of Maryland assemblies at Annapo-
lis to-day IL is not known what Ii the object of
the meeting, but the fact of 1t taking place at
Annapolis during the session Of the General
Assembly, and when no election Is at hand or
to occur for some time, has attracted attention
and caused considerable comment.
The Baltimore american says it is generally
supposed that the gathering has been occasioned
by the delay OF the Legislature to take the
necessary action to place the laws of the State
in accord with the Constitution of the United
States; in other words, the Democratic State
Central Committee, il Is said, want the Registry
law SO amended as to provide for the registra-
tion of the colored voters. They are not actu-
ated, however, by any desire to allow the
recently enfranchised citizen the free exercise
of his rights, but are forced into action from
the fear that If something Is not done in the
matter before the Legislature adjourns, next
week, Congress may avail itself of the power
granted it in the second section of the Fifteenth
Amendment, and Immediately pass laws "to
enforce this article by appropriate legislation"
The representatives of the Democracy do not
want the voters Of Maryland registered by
United States officers; and whilst many Of them
believe, with Hon. Benz. G. Harris, that the en-
iorcement Of the Amendment should be resisted,
they make a show of acquiescing in it, for the
purpose of preventing what they call " Con-
gressional interference"
Meanwhile the Democratic papers throughout
the State are a good deal divided as to the
proper course of action to be pursued by that
party in relation to the newly-enfranchised
" man and BROTHER The Centreyille Obserr,r.
organ OF the Queen Anne's Democracy, esti-
mates the probable colored vote in that county.
and concludes that " the vote in the State and in
our county, tcU both be rery close, painfully So
The Observer therefore argues in favor of beat
ing the Radicals at their own game, and secur-
ing the colored vote. 1t believes that it is GER
tain the Democracy " can 50 manipulate the
negroes as to secure many votes from
them" but 1t aids this can only be
effected "by treating them kindly, foster
ing their institutions Of learning, and be-
ginning in time to teach them upon which side
of the contest their true friends may be found"
The Edston Star, organ of the Talbot county
Democracy, holds to the same opinion, and
thinks the negro can be won over by "benevo-
lence or by whisky" The Frederick Union, one
of the mouth pieces of the Democracy of Fred
erick, kicks in the traces and sharply assals the
Democrats who are looking after the colored
vote, telling them 'that the time may yet arrive
when it willb necessary to hold them up to the
scorn and contempt which they are earning for
themselves" The Cecil Democrat thinks the
negro unfit to vote, but as he is to vote the
Democrats may as well "conciliate" him. The
Annapolis Republican, the organ of the Democ-
racy of Anne Arundel, fears that some of its
Democratic contemporaries have "put their foot
IN it, by their denunciation of the amendment
and colored suffrage, and the tone of other
Democratic papers OF the State is in favor also
of "conciliating" the negro vote