Maryland independent. [volume] (Port Tobacco, Md.) 1874-current, 1878-04-25
Thc Judepcuacut.
PORT TOBACCO. MD:
Thursday, APP l.....".25, 1878.
HIGH HANDED.

HIGH HANDED.
Sometime since we called attention to
the doincs Of bogus caucus held at An
napolis, and denounced the whole pro-
eeeding as a high handed fraud and an
iusolent effort to prostitute party author
ity to the advancement Of professional
office seekers. We now have to call at
tentiou to the letter Of Mr. Lawrence, in
another column, in which that gentleman
undertakes to read us lesson in politl
cal ethics. 1t is an old, old saying tina
Large streams from little fountains flow
Tall oaks from little acorns grow.
but We really were not prepared to eX
pect so large stream from so small {
fountain, nor so tall an oak from so small
an acorn The letter is only remarkable
as a high handed effort to justify high
handed outrage. 1t is amusingly COO
in the call it makes for support to be
given an insolent measure; it is glaring
in its deficiencies in point Of force and
argument, and it is uncnvably conspic-
uous for the scf-adulation it hourishes
The long list of names it arrays is not
formidable and the names themselves arc
scarcely imposing 1t is not to the names
we object. nor do we demur to the right
and good judgment Of the individual,
who recommend Mr. Lawrence for the
coveted appointment. 1t is with the far,
Of Hc coUcus. however, and the manae,
of that recommendation that we deal =
It makes, according to our view, no diff.
ference by whom or in whose interest tho
caucus was called On that point Mr.
Lawrence makes bis statement, but we
Notwithstanding "are of the same opin
ion still. 1t is, however, an inmate
NAL issue aud not german to the man
question That "the caucus did not pre-
sumo to interfere with the central and
executive committees of any of the coun-
ties is probably true for the reason that
direct attempt to do 50 light have dis
astrousl y affected the purpose of the eau
Gus itself No, it did not presume to in
terfere with, it only mcantt to iignorc, these
c)mmittccs That the caucus gentlemen
had every right in their individual capa-
cities to recommend whomsoever they
pleased is of course too plain for serious
for debate. That they Ind right, how
ever, to abuse their representative char
actcrs and usurp powers for which they
were not delegated by giving their indi-
Nidual actions the weight and prestige of
= party caucus and plcdging the party to
this or that individual when the party it.
self has not been consulted is what we
deny, and is that for which we say they
deserve uncquivocal rebukc. Mr. Law
renee, no doubt, has perception enough
to understand the distinction between in
dividual and dele gated right, and we hope
he is not without the clevorncss and the
honesty to admit it. We are quite sure,
too, nothing was mid about Congress IN
the caucus Men do not always make
public ayowal of their motives. We
would like oe know, however, to what
Mr.. Lawrence attributes the attitude of
the caucus towards HIMSELF If he really
thinks, as he appears to do, that it was
out Of love OF or admiration for himself
then clearly bis ercdulity is something
marvellous The term for which the pre-
sent incumbent of the office sought by
MIR. Lawrence was appointed doesn't ex-
pre- before next December, as VIC are in
formed Before that time the question
Of the congressional nomination will have
been settled Does St Mnry's oxpect
'o'h me nomination and appointment ? |
we undertake to say she does not Is
u then re"son0bte to conclude that Nj |
Lawrence would seriously wish the nom
nation of Col. Crane at the cost of his
own opportunities for advancement =
Such course would be extreme in it's
spirit of Observation-Disclosures but would hard
y be sensible, and we predict that in
such an emergency Mr.. Lawrence. "who.
hes'des other items of merit. has the adj
vantage Of being from Ohio, would very
soon be found inclining to the opinion
that the common good of our party, cs-
pccialiy in lower Maryland, required
the sacrifice of Col Crane and the pro-
motion Of Mr.. Lawrence 1t is quite
plain to the most superficial observer of
political events that # st Mary's is given
so important place ss Appraiser at the
Custom House she will forfeit her claim
10 favorable consideration in the Con-
gressonal Nominating Convention, and
so, too, rice rcrsd In this, then. there
is unayoidably conflict between Col.
Crane and the Ohio gentleman. The
action of no bogus caucus can dissipate
this fact, nor eau the soft sophistry of
Mr. hS,xs.,RC