The Cecil Whig. [volume] (Elkton, Md.) 1841-current, 1876-01-15
ANNAPOLIS CORRESPONDENCE,
January 10th, 1876.

oahhaiy lolI, lSib-
The composition of the two Houses is
supposed to be an improvement on that of
the two last legislatures. There are evil
IDENTIFY many members who are disposed to
retrench expenditures and reform existing
abuses. The Ring, however, is not thus
disposed, and will -aggrandize, as they
have hitherto done, if they can muster i
sufficient number of followers. Mr.. Dem
mis-, of Somerset, will be a thorn in their
sides, and will lead number of honest
Democrats who are favorable to reforming
the abuses complained Of in public manage
ment. DR.. Steiner, of Frederick, who is
ever on the alert, will lead the opposition,
and he, TOO, will hold the Ring Senators to
strict accountability. Between the two
the willy Ringleader, Mr.. German, child
like and bland will probably find himself
and his schemes for plumber most thor
oughly sandwiched. Mr.. Bannon, from
Anne Arundel, on account of his. fifteen
per cent notoriety is too odious for surface
work, and will, therefore, do the under
ground contriving. He possesses, in pre-
eminent degree. Boss Tweed's instinct
low cunning. The pair is of the Gould
Fisk type. Evidently from the number and
character of the leaves asked by Mr. Cor
man in the Senate on Friday, he has been
charged with the proposed legislation which
has been, and is still being prepared by
Ring lawyers at Observation-Disclosures of
voters assessment of property. creation
and regulation of incorporated companies,
and an inquiry of the cost of public print
ing since 1865, etc. If this means honest
reform, then change has certainly come
over the spirit of their dreams.
I1,1t
body than its last several predecessors
But the improvement comes from the rural
districts. Baltimore City being represent
ed by the same gang pretty much, whose
nominations the Baltimore Sun said We're
selections unfit to be made. The antagon-
lists of tue Ring drew the first blood on the
first day of the session, on the vote on the
order to change the mode of giving out the
public printing. This vote created quite a
t1utter among the Ringites, and was a test
of the integrity of the members. The
State printer, the artful George Cotton,
squilmed at this vote, and contemplates
"Othello occupations gone"
But the outrage of the session, so far
was the action of the majority on the Me-
mortal and Protest of Mr.. Harris, contest
iug the election of Mr.. Carroll for Gov
ernor. MIR. Hoblitzel, of Baltimore City,
who, it is alleged, holds his seat by fraud,
did not think the memorial entitled to the
consideration of "being read;'' and when
MIR. Naile, of Frederick, moved that the
memorial be spread on the jou. nal, in view
of the Importance and gravity of the con-
test, Mr.. Stewart, of the Baltimore City
delegation, whose seat is also contested on
the ground Of fraud, thought it would be a
reckless waste of money to print any of
the memorials of the contestants, and de-
nounced them as a mass of stuff"
1t was supposed a sense of delicacy would
have deferred the Baltimore City delegation
from either participating in the considera-
ton Of or voting upon, the question of the
Harris Carroll contest, their election being
alike involved. But the Democrats from
the counties seemed disinclned to espouse
the claims of MIR. Carroll to Gubernatorial
honors, and hence his cause was champion
ed by men whose election were secured by
the same iniqutieS as his own.
The usual messages passed between the
two Houses, preliminary to assembling to-
gether, and, at the hour agreed upon, @
o'clock p. NJ the Senate repaired to the
Hall of the House of Delegates to witness
the solemnity of opening the returns for
Governor. Instead of calling up Mr.. Har-
rs' Memorial, as previously agreed upon.
the Speaker at once proceeded to open the
said returns. When Baltimore City was
called, Mr.. Hinks of Frederick, arose and
objected and protested against the returns
from said city being counted; and proceed
ed to move that the returns from Baltimore
City be not counted until the frauds, &C.,
alleged in the memorials of Hon. J. Nor
rson Harris and others, be thoroughly in-
vestigated, when the Speaker interposed
and declared him out of order, and sum-
marily ordered the Clerk to proceed with
the count. Mr.. Baldwin, of Baltimore
county, then moved that the joint meeting
adjourn and the House proceed to consider
the protest of Mr.. Harris. He, like Mr..
Kinks, was peremptorily ruled out of order
and the Clerk was again directed to pro-
coed with the count. The count was gone
through with, the vote of each of the can
didates read, whereupon the Speaker in
dulged in the supererogation of formally
declaring that John Lee Carroll had Ie-
ceived SO many votes and that ]. Morrison
Harris had received SO many votes; and
that John Lee Carol having received a
majority of all the votes cast, he declared
him Governor of Maryland. This perform
ance of the Speaker was an assumption on
his part, without warrant or authority
Thus was enacted in the most farcial man
ner solemnity required by the Constitu-
ton; and the second step taken in a sys-
tematic attempt to deny to the sovereign
people of the State the freedom of election
January II, 1876.
Your readers are already aware that both
branches of the Legislature have been Or
ganized in the interest of the Ring, which
was instituted by that pink of politicians
"Pinkney Whyte-to secure his own ele-
walton to the L. S. Senate. Daniel Fields
of Caroline county, has been made Presi-
dent of the Senate, whilst Lewis G. Smith,
of Washington county, occupies the posi-
ton of Speaker of the House of Delegates
That there were several members in both
branches, and Ringites at that, who would
have filled these high positions with much
more dignity and fairness, there is no room
to doubt, if these presiding officers are to
be Judged by their actions, SO far, in these
high positions. But as dignity and fair
ness are not Ring capital, we suppose there
was purpose to be subserved in the max
ing Of these presiding officer. Was it that
the Eastern Shore having the President of
the Senate, and Western Maryland the
Speaker af the House, the State Treasurer
must come from Southern Mar land, and
the present incumbent retained
Those who have been conversant with,
or observed the proceedings of, our legisla-
tive bodies in years gone by, have cause to
blush for the degeneracy Of the times. 1t
is claimed that the majority of the people
have been robbed of their dearest rights
the elective franchise-and have no redress,
for the Court of Appeals say that the Gov
ernor cannot entertain a contest of the
election for Attorney General, although the
Constitution says it shall be his duty to de-
eide on the election and qualification Of
that officer. The Speaker of the House
declares John Lee Carroll to be Governor,
in the face of the allegations that his cleo
ton was the result of fraud, violence and
corruption unparalleled, and the President
of the Senate would deny the right of petit
ton and redress of grievances to citizens
Of the State, whose appeal is couched in
respectful terms. These things are not
calculated to inspire love and veneration
for our institutions, but, on the contrary,
to create distrust in them.
The suggestions and recommendations of
Gov. Groome in his message have been we'll
received, particularly those in regard to the