Saint Mary's beacon. [volume] (Leonard Town, Md.) 1867-1983, 1875-09-09
lCoHxuxIcArsD.
THE REFORM MOVEMENT IN
BALTIMORE CITY.

IdE 6EFOkM MOvEM EN- IN
BALTIMORE CITY.
Messu. Editors -Bslonging - I do
to q primitive section Of the State, to
that part where was first planted the
standard Of civil and religious liberty,
and belonging to q section where cor
ruption in high Office and politics has
never held sway, therefore I can look
dispassionately upon such things in 9TH
er sections, and can view with equal
dispassion any effort ut reform Of such
evils. Just now our friends in our
largest Town, Baltimore City, have in
augursted, as they pretend, q reform
movement, corrective Of such evils a.
above enumerated. We, of the coun-
try, have been thankful to the democ-
racy of Baltimore City for the aid given
in the elections Of our State, and be-
lieve that without its aid we could not
possibly be successful against the radi.
cal power of the State. But . short
time ago Democratic Convention was
held in the City Of Baltimore for the
purpose Of nominating candida les. for
the Offices of Governor, Attorne} Gene
raj and Comptroller. At that Conven.
ton the Hon. John Lee Carroll, the
Hon. Charles J. n. Gwinn and the Hon.
Levin Woolford were selected a. candi-
dates for these Offices. Since, it has
been claimed, that certain corruptions
and rings in Baltimore City secured
these nominations, and this reform
movement has been inaugurated for the
purpose, pretendingly, of putting down
this corruption and these rings. Bal
timore was entitled to twenty-one votes
in the Convention, while Mr.. Carroll re-
ceived sixty votes. Was there corrup-
ton and rings in the counties 2 Give
the counties their choice. The trouble
in this is, that putting down these
evils NOW is putting down the party
After the nominations have been made
the candidates must be elected if it is
wished that the pemocraticparty should
be successful. Why did not the voters
of Baltimore City turn out at the pri-
maries and vote and assert their senti.
ments? Allowing as they did these
preliminaries to 60 by default, they
seek now to defeat the nominees and
the party. Beat corruption and rings
within the party, but for Heavens sake,
do not beat the party. Do not join
with radicals who are bolstering you
up, and who are laughing in their
sleeves at this disafection in our ranks.
Some ether time better than this will
offer itself. Be patient and you may
be able to correct the evil if there be
evil. Surprised am to see the name
Of s. Teackle Wallis connected with this
movement. 1t was only necessary for
him to express hint for want of Office,
and who could have stood against him !?
We have venerated his name and know
that his motives have nothing of evil in
them. What he wished from the par
ty he could have gotten. We down
here wish the nominees of the party to
be triumphantly elected on the End day
of November. Democrats of Baltimore
City must think and know that a de-
feat Of the Party now is o radical vic.
tory, and if they are successful in this
reform movement, that they are flying
to evils "they know not Of"
But, Messrs. Editors, the Inaugural
tors of this movement disclosed in
their action spirit Of sectarian pro-
scription. I very much fear that this
is at the bottom of the whole thing. I
fear that the fiend of ow-Nothineism
is again stalking abroad. would be
willing tosay something upon this point,
but as distinguished countryman has
already given his views to the country in
language ndin spirit of such patriot
ism as should immortalize him, I
will forbear and simply quote him. I
allude to the Hon. Aleln G.. Thurman.
In speech recently at Cleveland, Ohio,
he used the following language:
To hear q radical stumper talk of the
Catholic church, you would think, if
you knew no better, that all the men,
bers of that church are under the abso-
lutte dominion of their priests; that the
priest has but to point his finger, and
his whole flock vote for the party to
which he points. There never was a
more unfounded assertion, never grea.
ter libel pronounced against body of
American freemen. In matters of reli-
gion the Catholic reverently receives
the instructions Of his spiritual guide;
in secular matters he acts, as other men
act. upon the dictates of his own judg-
ment. There are tens of thousands of
Catholics who vote, and have always
voted, the republican ticket, and if the
number of such votes is diminishing, il
is not because Of priestiy domination,
but because the spirit Of know-nothing-
ism again stalks abroad, and threatens
10 obtain complete possession of the re.
publican party.
1t is not many years since Archbish-
op Hughes, of New York, and Arch.