Maryland independent. [volume] (Port Tobacco, Md.) 1874-current, 1874-09-30
Fifth District Politics.

for Congress in this district, addressed
the people At -. Mary's on Tuesday, the
2lst inst, at Lronardtown We find a
sketch Of his speech in the Beocon Of the
9th inst. from which we take the fol-
lowing extract;
Upon the question Of black suffrage
and cognate subjects, DIR. Hcnklc said
he believed in the superiority Of the white
man. When left to itself the black race
had never advanced but always retro
graded-thc white man had ever pro-
crossed. This government was made by
white men, for white man and should
now be held and controlled by white men.
Notwithstanding this, the Dir. went on to
show, that the Democratic party of Mary
land had ever proved itself the best friend
the black race had ever had The 18th
and 10th Amendments next coming I'M
der review, Dr. IIenkle denounced them
as the offsprings Of force and fraud and
as outrageous anFronts to honest legsla-
ton. They were de tacto amendments,
however, and we are compelled to sub
NIT to them. he would blot them out if
he could. Reference was then made to
the Greeley convention of which the DIR.
had been member. Greeley had been
afsevere dose for him To swallow, but the
Greeley movement was policy affair
merely, though it turned out To be very
nearly a suicidal onc-it had killed Gree
ley and had come pretty near destroying
Tie Democratic party. Returning to the
consideration of the race issue, Dr. Hen
kle said he would not abridge the rights
Of the colored mamie had voted as Il
member of the Maryland Senate to allow
him to testify in the Courts--he had fav-
ored heayy donations to educate the black
children of the State-but these notwith-
standing, his doctrine was, the white man
shall rule, the white man superior, the
white man supreme
~ If Dr. Henkle is correctly reported in
that paper, we understand his position to
be this: that while he would allow the
colored man the right to testify in the
Courts, and favored appropriations for
his education, that he was opposed to
their right to vote. This is at least our
understanding of his position. He is re-
ported as saying that, They 9th and
right to vote in this State depends entire
by upon the 18th Amendment, we think
we are justified in assuming that when
the Doctor announces himselfas opposed
10 that amendment, he means he is op-
posed to their right to vote. We are
strengthened in our belief that VIC have
not misunderstood his position from the
fact that the Hon. b. G Harris presid-
ed over the meeting. The position of
this latter gentleman, as we all know, is
THAT white men shall exclusively rule
this country
None of the Democratic State or dis
trict platforms that we have seen an
nounccs this doctrine or favors the repeal
of the 18th Amendment There may be
such, but they have escaped our notice.
just two years ago. last June, the Dem
ocratic party Of the country, in National
Council assembled, at Baltimore, passed |
almost unanimously the following reso-
buttons:
l. We recognize the equality of all
men before the law. aud hold that it is
the duty of the government, in its deal
ing with the people, to mete out equal
and exact justice to ALL of whatever ma
tivity, race, color or persuasion, religious
or political,
2. We pledge ourselves to maintain
the union of these States. emancipation
and reimbursement, and to oppose any
reopening of the questions settled by the
18th, 14th and 10th amendments to the
Constitution.
&. Some Democrats refused to accept these
resolutions, but the great majority of that
party accepted them, and voted for the
candidate who stood upon them. We
believed then, and we believe now, that
they were accepted by most of those
who voted for them in good faith -
We do not question the right of any
man, or any party, to change his or
their opinion whenever they may think
1t right so to do But men hardly
ever change their opinions without some
reason. We confess that we are utterly
at a loss to account for the radical change
in the opinions of the Democrats of this
district between 1872 and 1874, if the
position of DIR. HenlSle. as we understand
Kim, ON this subject truly represents he
Spinious of the Democracy of this dis
gtrict. We see no evidence that the
.colored men are less competent to vote
now than they were two years ago. On
s1hc contrary, We think they are perhaps
more competent. We believe they have
harA something in those two years.