Port Tobacco times, and Charles County advertiser. (Port Tobacco, Md.) 1845-1898, 1881-09-09
The Judicial Convention.

Elsewhere we puDllSh 1ull report OF
the proceedings of the Judicial Conven-
ton for this circuit, which assembled at
Upper Marlboro on the 1st inst as taken
from the Marlboro Gazette. 1t will be
seen that, after a number of Intellectual
ballots for Chief Justice, the convention
adjourned sine die, without making any
nominations. The course pursued by the
convention was very unusual one, and
has been subject OF much comment and
criticism. We feel little disposition at
present to comment on its action. To
those who have so warmly commended that
the judicial ermine is toe pure to be drag
ged in the quagmire of politics, we sup
pose the action of the convention will be
entirely satisfactory. Others, who hold
that the political organization If the diff
ferent counties of the circuit will be in
complete without judicial nominations,
will doubtless regret and perhaps condemn
the conventions actlon--or rather its fail
ure to act.
Whatever may be said OF he result, we
do not think the delegation from Charles
can be held in any way responsible for it.
After laboring earnestly and persevering
for two whole days to reconcile discor-
dant elements in the convention, and fail
ing to do SO, cur delegates could not do
otherwise than vote for an adjournment.
Our county he'd no candidate to place be-
fore the convention. and the only duty of
our delegation, therefore, was to use their
best judgment and efforts for the preser-
walton of harmony in the convention, and
to secure the nomination of the most fit
and available candidates from among
those brought before the convention from
other counties
All men of any political judgment at
all must admit that nominations had to
be made for both the vacant judgships, or
e'se no nominations at all sheuld be made.
With this view the convention decided
that the nomination of Chief Justice should
first be made. The only name before the
convention for this position was that of
Hon. Daniel r. Magruder, of Calvert, the
present incumbent. Judge Magruder's
name was presented by a delegate from
st. Mary's at the first meeting. This gen
tleman's nomination was, from its first
mention to the time Of adjournment, ear
nestly. actively and persistentIy opposed
nv fba 81 l.;
who proc aimed that he could not receive
the support of the Calvert Democracy at
the polls. Il is, or ought to be, well known
that the principle of home rule is a cardi-
nal one in the Democratic party, and that
it would be quite extraordinary for con-
vention to assume to make a nomination
from county, over and against the ear
nest and unanimous protest of the delega-
ton from that county. Especially was
this course rendered more imperative up
on the late convention since Calvert gives
the Principal Democratic majority in the
circuit, without which 10 possible chance
of election would remain to the nominees |
tion persistently refused to allow Mr.. Will |
sons name to be presented as candidate
for Chief Justice, claiming for him the
nomination as associate Justice.
Such was the state of affairs, and such |
were the embarrassments that beset the !
convention. When it became apparent
that no agreement conld be effected in the
in the matter Of nominations, and that an
adjournment was inevitable, delegate
from Charles moved to adjourn the con-
vention to certain day, naming the 4th
of October next, and endeavored to i'm
press upon the convention the wisdom of
this course. This met with opposition
from both Calvert and Prince Georges,
and, at the request of the Prince Georges
delegation, the motion was withdrawn.
We think that all men ofjudgment must
admit that the Charles county delegation
did its whole duty at this convention, and
that no blame can be properly attached to
it either by our political brethren of any
Of the other counties of the circuit, or by
our home Democracy.
For the rest, without at present COM
menting on the injustice that may have
been done to Judge Masruder by his own
countys delegation, We would advise all
true Democrats to scrupulously and care
fully refrain from pledging their vote TO
any judicial candidate, and await further
developments in this vexed matter The
duty of all who recognize the call of duty
VIII soon be made manifest.
Tho ,snId CuorI