The Democratic advocate. [volume] (Westminster, Md.) 1865-1972, 1877-08-04
LOCAL AFFAIRS.

HE hAllRoAD IR0uBLES--GoN. CARROLL'S
PRocLANATIoS--TnE SHERIFFs OF TN CoUN.
TIES COMMANDED TO SUMMON THE POSSE Con-
lrATus-REsPoNs. IN CARROLL CouNTY-GREAT
EXCITEMENT IN WESTMINSTER. The Baltimore
papers of Saturday, July 2S, published the
proclamation of Gov. Carroll, calling upon
the sherifls of Baltimore, Carroll Anne
Arundel, Howard, Prince Georges, Freder
lex, Washington, Allegany and Garrett coun
ties, and Of Baltimore city, TO "summon forth
with to their aid all order-loving citizens, y
and to proceed with the posse to enforce
peace and good order, provide for the safety
Of property and secure free passage to trains
conveying passengers or merchandise on any
railroad within the limits Of such jurisdiction
by the arrest Of all wrong doers.h In pursu
ance Of this proclamation, Sheriff White pro.
ceeded to Baltimore on Saturday afternoon,
accompanied by ID. n. Henning, Esq. States
Attorney, TO have conference with the Gov
ernor. Returning in the evening, he appoin
ted eleven deputies, for the purpose OF pro-
ceeding to the several districts, to summon in
each their respective quotas Of two hundred
men. A meeting was held at the Court
! House, the same evening, and from the poll
books lists were made out of proper persons
to compose the posse. These were given to
the deputies, and on Sunday the summonses
were duly served, with instruction to report
in Westminster on Monday morning at O. elk.
Accordingly, long before that hour, the city
began 70 I'LL up rapidly with excited people
from the several districts. Not only the two
| hundred who had been summoned, but many
others came, attracted hither by the wild and
exaggerated rumors which obtained currency
on the day previous. Many of the men sup.
posed that Westminster was threatened by "a
mob, and that they were needed to defend it.
Sheriff White Immediately telegraphed to the
Governor that he had summoned 200 men, but
that they were without food, arms or trans.
| portation, asking for advice how to proceed.
| No reply being received, the Sheriff summon
ed the posse to the court house, where he
called the roll, all answering promptly to their
| names. The men, however, refused to march,
alleging that they were without arms, ammu-
milton, subsistence or transportation. The pro-
| position TO obtain substitutes was also reiec-
ted. AT this point States Attorney Henning
advised Sheriff White to procure as many
volunteers as possible and proceed at once to
the Baltimore and Ohio railroad. This course
was adopted, and the Sheriff, accompanied
| by about half dozen volunteers, proceeded
to Mt Airy, where other persons from Free
dom and Franklin districts joined the posse
to the number Of fifty. These gentlemen
were in charge of special deputy Sheritis NJ.
b. s. Dorsey, Joseph w. Berrett, Robert NJ.
| Hewitt, John Macintosh and Ed. W. Shriver.
The posse was discharged on Wednesday by
order Of the Governor, subject TO his call.
The example of disobedience to the civil
authority, however well grounded the pretext
for it, is to be regretted by all. 1t was prob
ably more the result of bad counsel by per.
sons not of the posse than the want of respect
for the civil authority, for our citizens gener.
ally are law.abiding people. 1t is possible
! there may have been no necessity for sum
moning so large number, but who was to
determine whether there was or not. The
Governor in his proclamation had ordered
the Sheriff to summon to his aid 'all order.
loving citizens and in the fulflment of his
duty the Sheriff had endeavored to comply
with the order. He yielded to their remon.
strances rather than occasion further irrita.
ton, and discharged all who had been sum.
moned, relying upon volunteers. The Sheriff
proceeded to Mount Airy in the afternoon,
and all who had been summoned, except those
who volunteered, returned to their homes.
The right way to look at this matter is for
each one TO ask himself the question-if his
own property and life were involved, would
he not deem the posse a very proper thing
And is it not the golden rule to do as we
would wish to be done by?