Montgomery County sentinel. [volume] (Rockville, Md.) 1855-1974, 1872-09-13
Political.
JUDGE BLACKS LETTER.

TO Wm II, Wish, Esq, Editor of Ae
Baltimore Gazette !:
Ny DEAR Sin: I promised tic gen.
tleman who delivered YOUR letter that ]
would answer It fully and soon as | could
consistently with other engagements. |
am fulfilling that promise. If | take
more time and space than might be ex-
pected, you will please to remember that
| and a great many other Democrats are
in position which requires something
more than mere definition We cannot
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 nobody
else were legally eligible. We must
weigh them against one another, and,
like practical men, decide the case be-
fore us in favor of the best. Even If we
find no good in either Of them, we must
take that one who shall appear to be least
lad.
It is nndeniablc that the leading meas
ures Of this Administration are not only
unconstitutional but Unconstitutional,
showing not merely eontemptuous in
difference to constitutional obligations.
but a settled hostility to those rights Of
the States, and those liberties Of the peo-
pie which the organic law was made to
secure. The Presidents appointment Of
officers and his general exercise Of pub
lie authority, under the influence Of men
who paid him large sums of money, arc
scandalous outrages; and the effort to
defend them has combined with other
like causes to extinguish among his SUBJ
ordinates all respect for those rules of
morality which used to be held sacred.
When We consider what these men have
done in the North, and add to it tile
large-handed robbcrics perpetrated in
the South by the retainers Of the Presi-
dent, with his direct aid and assistance,
we are compelled to acknowledge that no
other government now in the world is
administered so entirely for personal and
partisan purposes, or in such complete
disregard for the rights and interests Of
the general public This decentralization
ID 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 become de-
patched, let us hope not altogether, but
ccrtaihly in fearful degree. Acts which
in former times a hardened crimitial
would hesitate to whisper In the ear Of
his accomplice can now be openly adyo-
Gated by political leader, not only with
safety; but with d tolerable chance Of
being sustained By a sort Of public opin-
ion. That love Of liberty and justice
which used to pcrvade the whole COM
munity now "reneges Of temper" and
yields without resistance to the unprinci-
pied demagogues who would enthronc
fraud.
/" Make the boar ieprosy adored place thieves,
And give them title, knee and appreciation,
With Senators on the bench"
If General Grant had been equal in
mind and heart to the cxigenecs of the
times, he could easily have made him
selfa great public benefactor. He might
have purified official and political morals
by simply setting the example in his own
person Of clean handed devotion to du-
ty. His own obedience to the laws would
have restored them to universal suprc-
macy. All the objects Of the Constitu-
lion as rccited in the preamble would
have been accomplished but for the OBJ
with which he himself impedcd
them. Unfortunately the interests of
certain rings were in conflict with the
interests of the country, and they, by
large presents, seduced him into their
'ervice. The public contracted to give
him the salary which his predecessors
lad been content with the rings offered
aim more he accepted their bounty, fell
over to them, and took the Government
INTO his hands as "a Black Republican
OBJ"
Now, as to Greeley. It cannot be
pretended that his political life is very
symmetrical lie was in the ranks Of