The aegis & intelligencer. [volume] (Bel Air, Md.) 1864-1923, 1873-08-22
HALLS X RoAns Annnst ION 1879


M. Editor, Friends and FELLOW Citizens: In less
than two weeks we are called upon to select, at
Primary Election to be held on the Both inst,
the standard bearers of the Democratic party.
We are to vote by ballot, and select those
whom We think most worthy and reliable, and
most consistent Democrats, who will faithfully
and honestly serve the people, and further in
every honorable, honest way the principles of
the party they represent. How are we to know,
in the multiplicity of candidates whose names
are offered to the Party, who the proper ones are?
Some claim faithful adherence to the princi-
pies of the party they ask to honor them, through
all the trying past and this is certainly power
full inducement to do so-as there was day, not
long passed, when to he q Democrat required
not only thorough conviction of right and
principle, that they would not barter for place
and gold; but it also required nerves of iron
and back bone ofsteel. These men, all things
else being equal, should be chosen; and why?
First because they have adhered to their conyic-
tions of right and justice and opposed, faith
fully and consistently, the wrongs and outrages
OF powerful and unprincipled party, which has
brought tho HountrJ 20 tho ~e'y 'oISo Of ruin
and decentralization; which has exempted the
rich mans bonds and stocks from taxation, and
pays him his enormous interest in Cold while
the farmer and laborcr is taxed for government,
State, municipal and county expenses on every
item of value he owns; on goods, grain, earth
and yet, this party is constantly crying out about
taxation, when it has exempted from taxation
millions upon millions-and these millions in
the hands, too, of the very wealthiest and consc.
quently the most able to pay. The man who
did and does oppose oil these outrageous acts
certainly has powerful claim to our support.
There are others, and true men, too, who when
convinced of the true principles of Black Repub-
licanism left that abolition Union party and
fastened into the ranks ofthe Democratic party,
with an instructive dread of the ultimate inten-
tions and designs of the party that had enveigled
them into its ranks with false pretentions and
falser representations; and these men deserve
every consideration at our hands. They are ac-
tuated by principles of right and justice, and
prefer to associate themselves with men of their
own race and color, instead of those social equal
lists. All cannot be chosen to offices but all
can maintain their principles and convictions of
right, and feel proud consciousness of having
been actuated by principles.
Then there may be Others (and We hope there
are but few such) who are actuated by the
hope of personal benefits only, and We must be
very careful in selecting "the goats from the
Sheep" and l hope we may notmiss one. We
must be on the alert for all such, and consign
them to their proper place. We will be better
off without o man who is without hueprinciples
than with him; and if You will not close your
eyes on election day, and afterward you will
see who they are, and when you have seen, put
amark on them by which you will kmoW Men, in
Tie future.
All cannot be selected and chosen to the place
to which they aspire. Only one Senator, three
to the lower House, one Clerk, one Register one
Sheriff and five Commissioners are to be chosen,
together with the Executive Committee for the
county. Now let no one of the aspirants to the
different official positions feel aggrieved and irri-
table who may not succeed. Many must Of
course be disappointed-the most deserving can
not always succeed, but all have right (and q
laudable one tool to aspire to any position he
may be capable of filling.
The system adopted in this county ofchoosing
candidates, l sincerely regret as it makes
personal contest in the party between its men,
Ders instead OF one OF principles against its
enemies. The utmost magnanimity and strict
adherence to principles must govern those who
may feel the sting of disappointment. Prnci-
Piles, and not choice OF men, must govern
them and be their motto, as it has been Of the
party to which they may have given their early
love, or TO which they came when desolation
and dread surrounded them on every side. Let
them cling to their principles las the mariner
clings to the last plank, when the night and tenn
pest close around him." and let every oppo-
nent of Black Republicanism stand shoulder to
shoulder in this falls contest, listening to no
compromise of principle, and victory will
perch upon our banner.
Let the present condition of several of the
States be kept constantly before ourpeople. In
Louisiana they had a Pachback governor; in
her Legislature she has majority of negroes.
When the war ended she was in debt about seen
million dollars. Now with usurper for gov
ernor, put in the chair and sustained by Grant,
and his bayonets, in defiance of the wishes of |
VI tcH luOuSuuu NOJcTS, InaG StatC
owes about forty million dollars. Such is the
progress of that party of odOrs. Then other
States will be forced into bankruptcy, or repu-
diation. South Carolina has one hundred and one
negroes in her Legislature, and this is the "civ.
IL rights" of that gto-ho-ri-ous party.
Do the people of Hartford and of Maryland, |
desire such progress" and such "civil rights"
as these? If SO, let them sneak into fellowship |
if not into the principles of the INSCRIPTIONS
party that have brought tabout.
1--WE have nothing to guide us in the future !
except the experience of the past'-and taking
the past as our guide, l think but few if any
thinking, intelligent people will wish to attach
themselves to party which courts for its allies
and supports the free negroes of the country
who, as a reward for their party support, are
to be admitted to Social Equality May God for
bid the bans
The Democratic party can only be beaten in
this county by internal discord and disscnsion,
brought about by this Crawford County system,
as it is called, the fruit of which will be angry
personal discussions which will be remembered
and will rankle and tester in the bosoms of some
after the primaries have passed upon them.
Yours very respectfully II. 1T.
P. S.-Let all who have selected their candi-
dates to be voted for at the Primary elections re-
q,tire unqualified pledge from them that
they will support in good faith and with zeal
hose who may be chosen as the candidates of