Saint Mary's beacon. [volume] (Leonard Town, Md.) 1867-1983, 1878-05-09
Fran the Maryland Independent.
Letter From NJ. Lawrence.
LEOxARDrowS. April laih. 1878.
-. 80 ~

20 an article in voHr issue Of the 9TH in-
slant, headed, "High Handed" Said
article eontains so much that is erron-
uous that believing you wish to publish
facts only and do not desire 20 do inius-
tice 20 any one, take the liberty Of
writing 70 you in regard 10 Il. In the
first place 'sthe caucus" dad not presume
10 interfere with the central and exc
cuiive committees" Of any county Or
rnunases. 1T oniy 10 exercise the right
which trust you will grant they bad,
Of recommending for 4 position under
the general government whom they saw
ft. Early in the past session it was
moved IN the caucus by DR.. Lancaster
that republican members refrain from
signing recommendations opposition for
any one until il was first agreed upon in
caucus for whom they would sign, and
his motion to that effect was adopted.
DR.. Lancaster and myself have, since
last year believe, been seeking GER
tain position and both desired the en-
dorsement Of the republican members Of
the legislature. A few days before the
caucus in question was held MIR. Wild
become was at Annapolis and in talking
with him about il he told me DR.. Lam
caster was willing to leave il TO the
caucus as to who should receive the en-
dorsement. l spoke TO DR.. Perkins,
secretary of the caucus, about calling IL
together and told him the object, and TO
see DR.. Lancaster, who was chairman,
and If the Doctor agreed to IL, as ] had
understood from Mr.. w. he would and
in fact had first proposed, then DR.. Per-
kins would call the caucus, which he
did. II was as above that the matter
came before the caucus and thus that
they did that which you. term such a
thigh handed" proceeding. 1t certain
ly must be very "high handed" piece
Of business for body of men, either
large or small, to agree among them
selves to recommend one man instead
Of some other for appointment. This
was simply what they did and all they
did, not presuming to dictate or decide
for any one but themselves and this
too only under circumstances as above
stated.
The article speaks Of only fifteen votes
having been cast in the caucus. Now
when you remember thattheFe was only
.wenty-one republicans in the legisla-
ture and that the Doctor and my
self were Of course absent you will per-
ceIve that but four others were absent
and that the caucus was quite full
one. The article bears very hard on
Mr.. Mitchell, and you will readily adj
init does him great injustice. for real
", believe he had nothing to do in the
matter except (ashe afterwards told me)
to do ali he could In "the caucus" for
his countyman, the Doctor, and to sign
nv recommendation afterwards, which
DR.. Lancaster also did.
In connection with this affair had
neither said or heard Of anything being
said about the coming nomination for
Congress in the fifth district until | saw
the article in your paper, and l know
that the said article again does injustice
TO some one when il inlimates that this
nomination had been dragged into this
matter. As TO who shall be our candi-
date for that honor this fall have no
particular preference and most assured
ly have not promised any one. As to
Col. Crane, he is one OF my intimate
friends and is deseIvedly very popular
with our party IN this county, and pre-
sumo, IL be desired, could easily gel
the vote Of st. Mary's in the conven-
ton. But have good reason to believe
that his greatest wish is the good of
the party and that he will a. any time
be found ready to do wha; he can to
that end. Col. Crane. as well as my
self and others, has taken an active part
in our national and congressional cam
paigns, and we can show majority for
Hagner and for Hayes and Sellman,
when but few years since, after q
very active campaign, the county gave
two hundred aud fifty majority for the
democrats. We still believe we can
give a majority for any good candidate
that our party may nominate, and have
faith that the conservative course Of our
President will result in Strengthening
the republican party in the country.
have endeavored TO be Of use 10 my
party. but not only to my party but TO
my county as citizen, and the best
proof can give OF this is that my fel-
low citizens have the third time elected
me to Office. After laboring so long here
and under somewhat adverse ciFcum-
stances, both in business and politics, ]
felt that would not be asking too mucL
TO ask for position under the general
government. Perhaps It was selfish.
but | certainly was not Gin advance
aware that | would not receive the en-
dorsement of those who are properly TO
be consulted in such affairs" but on the
contrary have the endorsement Of sew
eral of the State central committee from
the counties Of the fifth congressional
district and Of the prominent repabli-
cans in the district, and was surprised
at the attack in your paper, which
stiI must think was the result Of mis-
information. II is true that / have the
merit, or demerit, Of having been born
and raised in Ohio, and it Is also true
that went from there TO the Stale Of
Missouri Just twenty years ago last
month. There I enlisted in the Union
army from which I received my FINAL
discharge here in ST. Mary's county,
and have now been here eleven years,
1.-THE greater part Of nv manhood, and
ssiI eho~m hzd eot,0feA a. friends IN