The aegis & intelligencer. [volume] (Bel Air, Md.) 1864-1923, 1870-11-18
THE LOGIC OF LATE POLITICAL EVENTS


Now that local and partisan issues have
passed away for the time being, and we have
emerged from the contest that lately obscured,
to some extent, the clearness of vision of
many who participated therein, it would be
well if the newly enfranchised class of our
citizens should profit by their first expert
ence in the political arena That these were
deprived of freedom of choice, however it
was effected, in the matter of casting their
ballots, by INSCRIPTIONS white leadcrs-for
the honor of the State, however, few in num-
ber-was patent TO the most casual observer;
but this was in itself the least evil that was
or is likely to ensue from the negro element
arraying itself in antagonism, us class,
against the whites. Fortunately for them
selves, as much as for those against whom this
combined class antagonism was directed, the
result has shown that such efforts, in this
State, at least, must ever prove abortive-
The stronger race is the white race, and even
had the negroes in the State of Maryland, by
joining themselves to the Radical party en-
masse as they did, achieved q political con-
quest, the consequences must have resulted
disastrously to them in their more really inn
portant relations as employees, and to some
extent dependents upon those whose political
interests they thus sought to overthrow. Such
result would have inevitably provoked the
further antagonism of class distinction as en-
ployees, &C., which is but the single step be-
You'd the political distinction which they them
selves inaugurated, and which all the enforce
ment laws ola Radical congress that have been
OF could by possibility be passed would have
been powerless to prevent And thus the
victory achieved by the Democracy, ifweare
correct in our opinions above given, will re-
suit as much to the real advantage of the mi
nority, composed as it is of the negro ele-
ment in our midst, as it will to the victors
themselves.
The means sought to bring about differ
ent result in Maryland we do not lay SO much
to the charge of the negro as to the unscru-
pulous character of his political advisers
These, however, were forced by stress oftheir
desperate situation to resort to such meas
ures as planted the seeds of destruction in
their own party organization for when they
made the issue between the white and negro
classes of the State, as peculiarly the champi-
ons of the latter, right or wrong, and as forcing
them to the from. rank to win the honors fthe
political combat as an organized distinct class
from the white man, they forfeited the respect
and lost the support of the large majority of
disinterested white voters, who had hitherto
honestly and cordially given them the influ-
cnce of their votes. The result has clearly
demonstrated this fact. In 1867 Governor
Bowie's majority was 41,712, the largest
majority by which the Democrats have ever
carried this State. Between $1,000 and 49,
900 negro voters since then have been regis
tered, and in the face of this, the State has
now again gone Democratic by 1918 ma
jority.
And here we think it due to make the &C.
knowledgementthati in this community we are
indebted to many who, when the contest was
narrowed down to the issue of white or ne
gro supremacy, rose above the prejudices
of mere party utilization, and nobly contrib
uted to the recent result. Our allegiance to
the Democratic party is founded upon prin-
cipes too much fraught with right and JUS
tice to deny to such the full need of praise
which such action deserves; and it deserves
the more recommendation, from the fact that the
issue was an extremely doubtful one, SO far
as the State at large was concerned, in the
face of the figures above given, The danger,
however is averted and the negro himself, if
he is shrewd enough to profit by his expe-
rience, will never again be found arraycd, as
class, in the minority against the white peo-
pie in Maryland.