Maryland independent. [volume] (Port Tobacco, Md.) 1874-current, 1874-11-11

In the recent elections the Rcpubli-
cans have been routed, horse, foot and
Dungeons. Enough is known to show
that the Democratic majority in the next
House Of Representatives will be at least
sixty, and may likely exceed that num-
Der. The Republican majority in the
present House Of Representatives is over
one hundred The papers come to us
filed with various reasons given for this
extraordinary, and to most persons un-
expected, change in public sentiment -
Most of these reasons, so assigned, are
knged ami coForcd with the political
opinions of the respective editors. We
think the reason may be summed up in
a .s~y words, and will be found to be
tn The country was dissatisfied with
somcof the recent acts of the Republi-
can party, and determined to show that
dissatisfaction at the polls
The causes of this dissatisfaction. how
ever, varies in different localities, and
existed within the Republican party as
we'll as without it. It was, indeed, the
dissatisfaction within the party that Lee
10 its overthrow Take the States o
Maryland and Massachusetts, as exam
pies, where different causes produced the
same result In the State of Maryland
the civil rights bill was obnoxious to both
Democrats and Republicans, and that bill
probably influenced more votes against
the Republicans than any other one thing
charged against the party, In this State
there was decided and direct personal
hostility to that measure on the part of a
majority of the white Republicans, and
Of all the Democrats Now in Massa-
chusetts the civil rights bill was not felt
by any one as matter of personal inter-
est, but it was viewed as a mere piece of
party policy. not affecting them in the
least. But Massachusetts Republican
did feel it matter of direct personal in
tercst to him, when he found that all the
Federal power and patronage in that
State was handed over to Gen. Butler
and his ring. and Butlerism was as po-
tent an element for the overthrow Of Re-
F,AabIieanism in Massachusetts rs, tAs,g 3ficc
sctts IN the late elections with unqualified
approval The salary grab was a meas
ure entirely indefensible. Gen. Butler
introduced, advocated and defended it.
Through his wire-pullcrs in the Rcpub-
lican Convention he obtained the nomi-
nation. But when it come to the ballot.
in district where the Republican ma
jority is 5000. he was disgraeefully
beaten. This shows an independence of
political thought and action that may be
emulated, with advantage to the public,
elsewhere. 1t shows an increasing dis
position, on the part of the people. to
judge of men and measures, and not to
be led away by names only.
As the House of Representatives and
Senate will not be in political accord, it
will be safe to predict that nothing will
be Cione by the next Congress except to
pass the necessary appropriation bills,
and crowd the Congressional Record with
speeches for the next Presidential cam
paign. Indeed, the Democrats will be
very far from being harmonious among
themselves. There will be the hard
money Eastern Democrat, and the infa-
ton paper money Democrat from the
West There will be the Pennsylvania
high tariff and the Illinois free trader.
both belonging to the same party. SIM
liar differences exist on these subjects
among Republicans The difference be-
tween Maryland and Massachusetts,
Democrat on the question of colored suf-
frage can be well illustrated by the
speeches of Mr.. Thompson who defeated
Gen. Butler, and Dr. Henkle who de-
feated Mr. Hagner. Mr.. Thompson saws:
"You may ask me if am in favor of
the colored man. | answer. yes I am
in favor of the white man and the color
ed man. believe they are both entitled
to equal rights under the Constitution.
l believe in equality of rights and an
equality of duties. | would not 90 for
the law that would discriminate in favor
of white man or black man. want
the same law for all
DR.. Henkle says: These amend
ments 9th and 15th) were forced upon
the people by Federal bayonets, and he
would like to blot them out if he could.
He believed that it would have been bet
ter if the elective franchise had not been
conferred upon the colored man. His
race would have been better protected by
having a more intelligent race to legis-
late for them
i. 4