Saint Mary's beacon. [volume] (Leonard Town, Md.) 1867-1983, 1872-08-29
JUDGE BLACKS LETTER.
To Hi2iam n HeiS., Esqr,, Editor o
the Baltimore Gazette

10 VtfLSm IL. Nel&4, ESF,, kdtf0r 0f
the Baltimore Gazette ......'
Ny DRsR SrR: I promised the gss-
tleman who delivered your letter that !
would answer it fully and as soon as
could consistently with other engagements.
I a'n fulfilling that promise. IL take
more time anG space than might be ex-
pected. you will please to remember that
I and great many OFT Democrats are
in position which ressires something
more than mere definition. We canpot
avoid misconstruction without furnishing
a rather full explanation.
admit that the next President must
be Grant or Greeley. The circumstances
of The political situation limit our choice
TO these two men. as strictly as if nobod y
else were legally eligible, We must
weigh them against one another. and, like
practical men. decide the case before us
in favor Of the best. Even if we end no
good in either of them. We must take that
one who shall appear to be leost bad
Il is nndcniablc that the leading meas-
ures of this Administration are no, only
unconstitutional. but abti-constiiutional.
showing not merely contcmp.uous in4if-
ference To constitutional obligations, but
a Settled hostility TO those rights Of. tte
Estates. and those liberties of the people
which the organic law was made to secure.
The Presidents appointment Of officers
and his general exercise OF public ntshor-
/, ity, under the influence Of men who paid
him large sums of money. are scandalous
i, outraces, and the effort to defend them
has combined with other like causes to
, extinguish among his sutordina.es all re-
spect for ttoss rules Of morality which
r used to be held sacred. When wo con.
, slider What these men have done in the
, North. and add to it the larrc.haEIed
, robheries pcrpetra.ed in the Souti, by the
,retainers Of the Presiders. with HE direc,
aid and assistance, We arc compelled ia
acknowledge tha: no other, government
. now in the world is administered SO en-.
tirely for personal and partisan purposes,
or in such complete disregard for thc
rights and interests Of the general public
This decentralization is not confined to the
Executive branch. the tide Of corruption
rolls in upon the Legislature. and in some
places it has risen high enough to touch
the feet Of the judiciary. Even the rank
and file Of the Presidents party have be-
come detauct cd, let rs hope not altoge:lr.
er. but certainly in a fearful degree
Acts which in former times a hardened
criminal would hesitate to whisper in the
ear of his accomplice can now be openly
advocated by political leader. not only
with safety, but with tolerab!e chance O
being sustained BY sort of public opin
ion. That love Of liberty aud justic,
which used TO pervade the whole cnmmu.
nifty now "reneges all temper" and yield,
without resistance to the unpri,icipled
demagcgues who would enthrone fraud
'Make the hoar lsprosy adored place thieves
And give them title, knee and appreciation,
With Senators on the BENCH
IfGeneral Grant had been equal IL
mind and heart TO the cxigencies of III.
times. he could easily have made himsel
great public benefactcr. He nigh
have purified official and political noral
/ by simply setting the example in his Owl
/ IsctS"u VI dc"au-uauucu u ucNVtscu tb uusN
His own obedience to the laws would hav,
-resscred them to universal supremacy -
All the objects Of tho Constitution as re
cited in the preamble would have bee,
accomplished but for the distractions viii
which he himself fimpedel them. Unsor
tunately the interests of certain rings vcr'
in conflict with the interests of the coun
Try. aud they. by large presents. sedueet
him into their scrvfce. - The public cnn
trscsed to give him the salary whi,,b hi
predecsscrs had been content with I; th
rings offered him more he accepted thei
bounty. fell over 70 them. and took n
Govcrunsent into iis hands as 'sa Bseel
Republican job"
Now. as to Greeley. II cannot be rre
tended that his political life is very sym
me,rical BE was in the ranks of III
radical Abolisicnists far good rnsn
years. That Is bad: for sneh association
would haze q uasnrai. tendency y to debas
him, But we must not forget that. thoug
he was riti them. he was DOT always q
|, them. he refused 70 be psrtaker ]
thsir worst iuiqsities he had noce Of she
diabolicai hatred for. thss sCeassisasion :
|, ibid not lend his lips TO their ribald b'a'
! phemies. and his feet we're never swirl
rsaninss 10 shed ianscsss blseia Beesl
ths sress ees4iys bsgas. his epYosisi1a
: Ms AsRss or ths AholiE ossts sRsinst q
&~sT 49, - 80 - - ~ zxx -vH4e2k ~ ~