Saint Mary's beacon. [volume] (Leonard Town, Md.) 1867-1983, 1878-03-22

members 81 the convention oAu noA tol-
iou up the suggestion ofthe "BrAccs"
10 hold mass-meetings ofthe taxpayers
Tor The purpose Of taking the popular
sense upon local matters for Legislation.
aud Why they chose tolefsaid suggestion
die out and then proceed N peverse
manner TO give their views - those Of
the whole people. I had intended. until
tbe aicregoing questions we're answered.
not to 20 further in this controversy.
and I may be trsnscending propriety IL
self in dealing further in II; bat ~ Ctr
zen seemed 20 be 50 refractory. viii
again, though reluctantly. trespass upon
your time and space. As preface 10
my remarks, will say that my sole
purpose in reviewing the unauthorized
acts OF the taxpayers convention was
to show The Inconsistency Of some and
the impracticability OF others.
We ought to give tone Unpopular SEN
tIment. We are here, not As the mere
creatures Of particular party or class
Of men, to be driven against our con-
victions by the opinions Of few run
ming in this or in that direction. We
are placed here TO perform duties which
are to effect and rebound to the interest
Of ALL. Had the convention been an
authorized one. and in discharging its
duiies,. consulted the interest If the
masses, I would have had nothing to
say. My object. then, in abiding to
the acts have noticed was to express
my humble opinion. that such consider
atoms are paramountto the operations
of our minds in coming to conclusion
on those subjects. According to my
judgment, there has not been. there is
not, nor viii there be, any questions be-
fore us, which can in any degree be
compared with those which effect the
mass. / arm sensible that very strong
impressions have been INDUCED by
many, and equally sensible, that those
deep-seated and long INDUCED opinions
are sardly TO be changed. Still feel
il my duty TO give expression to my
best and most anxious reflections. Al
though there is nothing more / depre-
cate than controversy, yet when | see
the rights OF the people tramplrd upon,
I am quite willing to stand by them and
follow Citizen in this debate, and COM
mence with the original, elementary,
and universally acknowledged Princi-
pie. recognized by the Declaration Of
Rights as the doctrine of our Fathers
and worthy Of acceptance for all time.
as the foundation ola republican creed.
The first Article Of the Declaration
says: 'That all government Of right
originates from The people, is founded
in compact only, and intended solely
for the good of the whole" The Sc
cond distinctly declares, "that the peo-
pie ought 10 have the sole right Of reg
ulating and controlling the government"
Neither Citizen nor any other person
will avow as his own or propose to an
another any other political creed
Yet, in the face Of all this, body of
men (unauthorized) gets up and recon-
mends Legislation for the whole people
and is endorsed by no less a.personage
than Citizen. The prejudices and pas
sions of men, excited and operated upon
by motives of interest, ever have. ever
will, and necessarily must. occasion con-
Aicting opinions with their rights and
claims. Majorities are strong-they are
able to. and will, redress their wrongs
and enforce what they consider their
rights. The rules which protect the
rights of all are required for The protec-
ton, specially, OF the laborei, who con-
stitutes the majority Of community
The laborer has the right to redress
any wrong that may be perpetrated
upon him by Legislation, when the proper
time arrives. Experience has shown
that the collection Of men in masses
lessons materially, If it does not des-
troy. the sense Of responsibility. We
have all been taught this truth by ob-
servation, az well as by history. Then
why say, was not the masses censul-
ted? Citizen comes nearest to solu-
tion-through fear. A packed body,
packed for particular purpose The
his rights, or has Intentionally en-
croached upon those OF his poor neighbor
who is willing TO bear IL no longer
For The recommendation of the con-
vention and for legislation flowing there
from that does not prove fruitful 10 the
people, responsibility should attach to
said convention.
What was The principal cause Of sep
aFation from our mother countys Was
il not taxation without representation
II so, what right had the convention,
composed entirely Of taxpayers, TO insist
upon the taxstion party who was moi
allowed TO be represented Is this not
calculated to engender an i'll feeling be-
tween The party not and the party rep
resenteds
Citizen says. Heven into his own pas
siye home the news Of the intended
meeting of farmers was heralded week
prior 10 their gathering" but he fails
to tell US that there was no mass. meet