The Democratic advocate. [volume] (Westminster, Md.) 1865-1972, 1879-10-18
From The baltimore Gaseite, october II.
FACTS FOR THE PEOPLE.
A CHAPTER IN THE HISTORY OF RADl-
CALlSM IN MARYl AND.

Nhhr I'm IN IhE HISTORY OF RADl- |
CALISM IN MARYLAND.
How the Republican Leaders Sought TO Place the |
state under Bayonct Rnlc-stning Free speech |
a 4 Ballot-A Black Record Of CORRUPTION and |
After the overthrow and expulsion from |
power Of the Radical party in Maryland by an |
outraged and injured people, the Radicals |
suddenly affected 10 have discovered that |
there was no Republican government in the |
State and that the political system, though |
supported by overwhelming maiorities, was !
IAN engine of infamous tyranny and oppres.
sion which no free people should submit tor
Therefore, on the 2lst Of January, 1867, Mr.. |
Ward, Of New York, was urged by Mr..
John j.. Thomas and other Maryland Radi
Gals to introduce in the House OF Represen.
tatiyes resolution instructing the Judiciary
Committee to make an inquiry into the public
affairs Of Maryland, and to inquire whether
the people had "a State government Repub.
lican in form and such as Congress could
consistently with the Consultation recognize
and guarantee" Another startling novelty,
which was developed ct the FIRST session Of the
fortieth Congress was the following extraor-
binary memorial of the Radical minority of
the Legislature of Maryland, who grayely in
''f'eN NNhblNo9 W PoaC anu thht puoHtbf
sion of the State in the interest Of the hand
ful of partisans who aspired to govern and
rule the people, resorting without scruple to
any and every means for the purpose Of at
tanning that object:
TO The Honorable SenGte and House of
Representatives Of the United States The
undersigned, members Of the General Assem-.
bly, Of Maryland, respectfully present this
memorial to your honorable body on the con
diton OF public affairs in this State, to which
they ask the immediate consideration Of the
the National Legislature. The General As.
| sembly Of Maryland is about 10 adjourn after
a session as memorable for evil and as impor.
tant to the country as that which consigned
the Legislature Of 1861 to the classmates Of
Fort Warren. Elected in great part by
the deliberate violation of the election laws of
the State by the votes Of men who were in
active accord with the rebellion, and whose
hatred to the government rendered the pres.
ence of military force during the war neces.
sary to prevent their active aid to the rebels in
arms, and in spite Of which they did give large
aid in men and money, they have marked
their session by series Of acts to which we
desire to call your attention.
The rebels Of Maryland sent South during
the war some 20, 900 soldiers to the rebel army.
These men have nearly all returned and an
NhiiSihhuu lIbhl tit oouNu SINCE the war mas
largely added to their number. BY doubtful
construction OF n clause of the existing con.
stitution this General Assembly thus elected,
has enfranchised all white men, no matter
what treason they may have committed, and
has thus added to the voting population about
10000 persons who have only lately ceased
| an armed resistance TO the Government
Not satisfied with this, they have Just passed
militia bill which, in direct defiance of the
present constitution of the State, has made
all white rebels, no matter what their pre-.
yious treason, part Of the militia force. They
have, by deliberate vote, refused to exclude,
even from the highest Office under this law,
any person, no matter what his rank in the
rebel army, and they are about to put in force
this law, the effect Of which is against our
own constitution and the army laws of Con.
gress, and which puts in the rear Of the cap,
ital an armed force, composed largely of the
same men who have just been forced TO cease
armed attempts to capture the capital.
One great object Of this bill is to better
carry out the scheme Of revolutonizing The
government Of the State, abolishing the ex.
listing constitution and making another, still
more firmly fastening on the necks of loya
people the yoke OF rebel CONTROL The pres
ent constitution Of Maryland, while it doe
not allow cOlored suffrage, does not give Ia
the late masters the right to represent in ia,
Legislature their DISTINGUISHED freedmen. /
bases representation on white population
These conspirators, not satisfied with con
trolling the legislative and the executive de
partments, have passed bill calling an cleo
ton for constitutional convention on tn,
10th day Of April, the convention to meet OIL
the second Monday of May, 1867. This the
have done, although the constitution pro
vides that the Legislature shall pass no law
providing for change in the existing consti
tuition except in the mode therein prescribed
and although the constitution regulates th,
representation in any convention called I,
make new constitution, by fixing il thl
same as that of each county in the Genera
Assembly, they have fixed an arbitrary bash
OF representation, which, while it excludes
the colored man from the ballot box, gives Il
the old, WORKOUT counties, which were a.
rebellious as South Carolina, au increased
representation, by which the oppressor is Il
represent the oppressed against his will, anC
by which minority Of the people of the
State are to hold in their proposed convention
the same power as the majority. The Stat.
OF Maryland has at present coored popula,
ton Of at least 200,0 and by emigration
since the war perhaps 10000, making
voting population Of from 1900 TO 5000. Ii
most OF the counties whose representation
has been thus illegally increased the colored
population is equal to or greater than the
white. The House Of Representatives of the
United states has already passed resolution
OF inquiry whether the present constitution Of
this State is now republican and since the
col0red man is now a citizen, il may well be
doubtful whether State which excludes fol
no crime one fourth Of its population who are
citizens, is republican. This General Assem-.
bly, has inaugurated, however, movement
which, from the illegal representations made
in the bill itself, actually now accomplishes
not only the exclusion of this population
from suffrage, but also gives the disloyal pop.
nlation representation from them.
The present Judiciary of the State ia for the
most part loyal and one object Of this move.
ment is TO legislate out all the remaining
loyal officers whom they have not already re.
moved and place ex.rebels, perhaps briga.
dlers and colonies of the rebel army, in their
places. Not satisfied with the pardon aud
the charity which Union men have extended,
they have commenced a reaction against the
results of the war, and determined on a policy
which, if unchecked, destroys a loyal consti.
tuition and puts in its place one made by trail
tors and hagrantly anti.republican and places
an armed militia Of disloyal men and q mi.
/ hoAN1 VI EtDci anu
rebels in the complete possession of this
State. While the South isabout to commence
a career Of freedom and progress these men,
untaught by the lessons Of the past, have de.
termined, by the forms Of law but in real vic
lation Of both the State aud federal law, to
put this State back into a condition of dark.
ness and slavery. These acts, we submit, are
in violation Of State and national law, op.
pressiye, revolutionary and dangerous to the
order aud peace Of the nation. The Union
men Of Maryland are groaning under this
| tyranny.
They are now oppressed by verdicts Of
disloyal juries in many counties; immigration
to the State, except from the South, Is stop
ped, and many loyal men are celebrating
upon leaving the State The most, however,
are ready, by all personal means and at all
| personal hazards, to resist this Infamous at.
tempt at oppression. The danger Of blood
| shed is imminent and the times are perilous.
We call upon Congress not to adjourn be.
fore settling this grave matter, which, if not
settled, may startle them in their recess by