Port Tobacco times, and Charles County advertiser. (Port Tobacco, Md.) 1845-1898, 1871-10-06
THE PORT TOBACCO TIMES AND CHARLES
A Pleasant PrOspect.

The despotic character Of the measures re-
lied upon to perpetuate the power of the pres
ent Administration, as manifested by the
unscrupulous use Of money and Federal pat
ronage to control the action of Republican
Conventions in the North, and the use OF
troops and cannon to overawe the represen-
tatives of the party in New Orleans. receives
further illustration in the unlawful proceed
ings instituted in Texas to carry the approach
ing election in that State by the Republican
Governor, whose friends exultingly proclaim
that he is acting under the instructions and
with the full support of the authorities at
Washingto
An election is to be held in Texas, begin
ming on Oct 5, and continuing through four
days, for the choice Of Representatives to
Congress and certain local officers. Under
the pretence of guarding against distur dances,
Gov. Davis has issued an election order of a
most extraordinary character, prohibiting the
people from the exercise of privileges which
in their Bill of Rights are guaranteed to them
in unequivocal terms. Under this order the
voters are not allowed to hold any political
meetings during the progress of the election,
and it is announced that any gathering or as
senblage in any county "shall be presumed
to be for the purpose of intimidating voters,
whatever may be alleged as the pretext there
for, and the peace officers and militia are d.
rected to disperse all such assemblages, should
any take place. All "shouts' are forbidden
during the time of registration and election
and citizen who should dare to hurrah for
his favorite candidate would be liable to i'm
mediate arrest. The militia are ordered to
see that persons who do not reside at the
county seat on coming to vote shall deposit
their votes with the least possible delay, and
then Immediately return to their homes and
usual occupations, and not remain about the
polls or at the county seat under any pretext
whatever-no matter what business they may
have to transact in the place. And yet the
Constitution of the State expressly provides
that every citizen shall be at liberty to speak,
write, or publish his opinions on any subject,
and that the people shall have the right, in a
peaceable manner, to assemble for their COM
mon good, and to apply to those invested
grievances or other purposes by petition, ad-
dress, or remonstrance.
For the enforcement of this despotic order
the Governor relies not only on the militia
and State guard, but he assumes by procla-
nation the supreme command of all peace
officers in the State, including sherfs and
their deputies, and city and town police or
marshals and their deputies, all of whom are
ordered to place themselves under the di:ec-
ton of officers to. be designated by the Gov
ernor. Moreover, the Governor calls into
service an electioneering army consisting Of
twenty-six hundred special police to be dis
tributed through all the counties of the State.
who, for twenty-four days previous to the
election and during its continuance are order
ed to be paid each three dollars day from
the public funds.
This order, and the evident intention Of the
Grant faction to carry the election by any
means, fair or npaturally created in
tense excitenN and it is signi-
6cant fact that VIM the Democratic papers
generally advise quiet and forbearance, the
most prominent Administration papers are
exceedingly aggressive in their tone, haunting
their opponents with the preparations made
to overawe them, boasting that they have the
whole power of the Federal Government on
their own side, and daring them to resist any
of the provisions of the Governors illegal or
der. This defiant attitude is explained, when
it is understood that by the provisions of the
election act, in case of disturbance at any
polling place the vote shall be dsregarded.-
Under these circumstances, if the Opposition
should be goaded into any demonstration that
coald be construed as constituting disturban-
ces, they would naturally occur in Opposition
strongholds, and result to the advantage OF
the Grant party.
The situation in Texas is highly interest
ing in connection with other recent develop
ments, as foreshadowing the kind Of Presiden-
tial election we may look for in 1872. should
Grant succeed in forcing the Republi~'
uominaton.-N. y Sun.