Saint Mary's beacon. [volume] (Leonard Town, Md.) 1867-1983, 1874-06-04

To my Fe'7o,C- C;t;z~ns Of The SizsA Con.
gressiosaf District Of Marlboro.

-
In stnouneine myself ssa caodidats.
- now do. to represent this district =
the next Congress. carry ont purposs
formed during the last Presidential ard
Congressional csnpaign and frequently
expressed since that time.
The National Democratic Conventisn
which convened in Baltimore in 1872 I'M
dertook. in the face Of their former pro-
LESSONS, the desperate experiment Of rad
fcoiising the masses OF our party. They
sat up Greeley sgainst Grant. They de-
mauded that Ne shosld vote for Greeley
upon Grants radical platform. and against
Grant rpon Gree'ey's no less radical Plat
form, and then dubbed their petition -
the least Of evils. in order that the people
might be deceived into support Of Il and
thus throw away all the great distinguish
ing principles ofthe party. This. Thought,
was asking too much Of men of-common
sense, and. in my opinion. nothing but
the prevailing idea that the action of q
Convention, however absurd. was binding
upon the party. could have induced any
large portion Of il to swallow what they cal
led ''fhe bitter piu." prepared for them BY
the learned Doctors. Frequently in my
dcnunciation Of Greeley have l been met
BY men of intelligence with the deelara-
ton, that If the Convention had nomiosted
. negro instead Of Greeley that the Dem
ocratic party would have been bound to
support him-and though shocked at the
declaration. yct-accordiDg to the idea that
the power Of Convention was despotie.
the conclusion was inevitable-and mas.
much as this Convention itself in its very
6rss resolution "Recoynised the equality
Of all men .fore the iac." it is clear that
the Democratic candidate for the Presiden-
cy might with as much propriety have been
a negro as Horace Greeley. The day has
passed, hope, when Conventions called
to represent our party and advance its
principles shall desert the men and aban-
don the principles Of that party aud ex-
poet or hope for success. We have good
and great men in our ranks to choose
from, and our principles must be estab-
lishcd or a" curse will light upon the
limbs Of men,"
Then let our principles be asserted clear
ly and distinctly. and let the man from
our own ranks be chosen with care and
judgment and God will protect the right
Why the Convention of 1879 did not thus
act. is to me inexp!icable.
For one it is known, / believe, that l
could not and would not obey the man.
date of that Convention. I did not take
either Of the evils. Greeley or Grant. and
| feel confident that most Of those who
submitted SO unwilIingly to the dicta.ion
of that conclave, rejoice with me aud 9th
crs who would not submit and who would
not vote for either of those radicals. at the
result between the two. If Greeley had
been elected with the consent and support
Of our party, the great distin; u'shing
principles of our party would have been
overthrown forever. His defeat. trust.
takes with it the ''shades Of night" which
would have enveloped our whole country
If he had been successful. Better great
deal that Grant should have been elected
with our opposition than that Greeley
should have been elected with our consent
and by our support. From defeat. the
Democratic ranks might rally. as think
they will, but a surrender, such as the
Convention of 1872 advised, would have
been fatal to our hopes forever.
have said thus much in regard to the
action Of that Convention in order to JUS
tify my course in refusing to vote for its
nominee and in now nominating myself
as candidate Cor Congress and appeal
ing directly to the people for their support.
My platform is built Of good American
material, and is one which should appeal
directly to the hearts of the rhie people
of this country aud cannot fail. consider.
ing the rights involved. to have the sane
ton Of their judgment. common sense and
patriotic feelings. l hold and will main
tain that the 14th and 18th so-called
amendments of the Constitution Of the
United States are utterly roid and not good
American law. having been avowedly and
VIGOROUSLY adopted in consequence Of
force and duress upon the Southern States
Of this Union, without which il is clear
they could never have been adopted.
When l swear to support the Constitution
Of the United States. swear not to sup.
port the said 14;h and 18th amendments,
and in every case in which I may come
in contact with them or any offspring from
them, whether as private citizen or pub
lie servant. 1 stall invariably maintain
those views.
The force bill under which 50 many Of
our citizens have so severely and illegally
suffered; the Ku- Klux bill under which a
reign Of terror prevailed among the white
people ofsome of the Southern States, aud
in consequence Of which so many have
been so unjustly and illegally imprisoned;
the Civil Rights bills BY which negroes
are forced as it were upon an equality with
white people IN all public institutions, en-
bracing public schools. juries. tax courts,
etc.. etc, etc.. in which the radicals have
determined the black anI white races shall
commingle and shall have equal chance
for powcr-thesc and other acts of oppres-
sion which are in reserve for rs. as IL to
try how basely We can submit. are all the
regular descendants Of these two amend
ments. Wherever and whenever any head
Of this venomous Hydra shall appear.
Hercules must boldly and strongly strike
until the whole cursed brood shall be ex-
tirpatcd. OF course nothing can be done
to relieve Us Of these outrageous acts Of
oppression unless genuine aud Esm demo-
Gratis shall be a majority in Congress or in
one House thereof at least. Ii We shall
then exercise the power VIC shall then le-
gally have with unfaltering decision. We
shall be able to place eur government in
the true position in which il was Intended
by our forefathers TO stand Ii shall