The aegis & intelligencer. [volume] (Bel Air, Md.) 1864-1923, 1870-11-04
A SHOWING OF HANDS-TEE RADICAL
MEETING IN BEL AIR.

The Radicals held their meeting, according
to programme, at the Court House, in this
town, on Saturday afternoon and evening of
last week. The design was apparent from the
beginning that this was to have been a meet
ing especially designed for the aohate element
in the party, both from the character of the
remarks made by the speakers, and from the
fact that few of the negroes were posted as
to the time at which it was held. Careful
preparations were made to secure the atten-
dance of whites, and such orators as Messrs.
Peter Negley, of Washington county, r.
Stockett Mathews, of Baltimore city, VIM.
NJ. Marine and George M. McComas were
secured to fix the wavering faith of those of
the organization who, it is evident are begin
ming to faltor since II h?H - a.
that They are 70 fraternize with negro oath
bound leagues, on pain of party ostracism.
The necessity of some action TO accomplish
the work above indicated was apparent to all,
as, literally speaking, the Radical party
in this county is becoming daily and hourly
party of negro leagues alone, guided, it is
true, by few of the whites belonging to the
organization for Interior objects, but beside
these, deserted almost entirely by the white
voters of the county About thirteen of the
latter class assembled at the Court House in
Bel Air on Saturday last. A few of the ne
groes of the village congregated, apparently
for mere curiosity, outside the railing of the
bar in the Court room, inside of which were
assembled the number of whites above stated
Mr.. Peter Negley was the first speaker and
said his little piece" with no very marked
point or aptness. Then followed probably
the best stump speaker belonging to the
Radical party in the State-Mr. r. Stockett
Mathews-and it is to some of the latter gen.
tlemans remarks, as those of one who speaks
by authority, that we propose to direct the
attention of our readers. We disclaim any
desire to distort or pcrvert from its true
meaning a single utterance that M. Mathews
saw fit to make on this occasion, for we con-
slider the issues now before the people of the
State far too grave and momentous in their sig
nifcance to be so treated. We will take occa-
sion, nevertheless, TO repel and hurl back the
insinuations and false statements INDUCED in
by that gentleman in his attacks upon our
county. He was soured most likely, at the
poor compliment paid him by his friends in
the absence of an audience, and he suffered
che fact to be betrayed in the ill-natured
tone of his speech
After the usual preliminary remarks lau-
datory of the Radical party, he went on to
say that the people of Hartford were, as he
elegantly expressed it, "hide bound" That
strangers from distance dared not settle
in our midst for fear of social persecution
when they differed with us in political opin-
ions; that he met with but few wagons on
the road to the metropolis of the State, carry.
ing the productions of the county to market
and the census returns showed that the coun-
ty was depreciating in material wealth. &C.
&c. These were but unfounded assertions
and amounted to but little after they were as
serted but Mr.. Mathews did not choose to
stop here He charged that our people, the
respectable white people of Hartford, were
guilty of one of the highest grades of felonies
known tothe law-the burning of school
houses, churches and barns. We ask for
these base calumnies the scornful indignation
of the calumniator OF the hands of every de-
cent citizen of the county. They are not only
false in every particular, but are calculated
to do harm, as base SANDER to the material
interests of the very people among whom
he comes as the apostle of the party that calls
itself the progressive party of the country.
We are glad to note the fact that one of
our citizens stood forth in his presence and
branded his assertions with the falsehood
that belonged to them. Every one in this
community remembers -and the blush of
shame accompanies the collection-the fact
that unolfending. respectable citizens of this
community were taxed to pay the loss by
fire ofproperty that they were as innocent of
all connection with as The most remote cti-
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