The Democratic advocate. [volume] (Westminster, Md.) 1865-1972, 1881-05-07
Senator Wells Able Speech.

DGlOW we pEeSGub III luiA1 '"hSAA 49, $3.50
Annapolis Republican, the admirable speech
of Senator Wells, in reply to charges of ex-
travagance and corruption made by Messrs.
Bannon and Henkle at the recent meeting OF
malcontents in that city:
NV fellow citizens, reluctantly accept the
challenge of DR.. Henkle, to engage III this
unprecedented discussion-l say reluctantly,
because as a Democrat | disapprove OF 1t. l
am, however, compelled to refute certain
charges unblushingly preferred against the
party and the last Legislature, IN the Senate
of which | had the high honor TO represent
you. 1t is the first time in the politics OF our
county. within my recollection at least, that
mass meetings had TO be resorted TO III the
vain attempt TO carry the primary meetings IN
the interest Of a certain faction, and II mis-
take not, fellow Democrats, you will Ind 1t a
most dangerous experiment. as personailues
cannot be avoided in such useless discussions,
and bitterness and bad feeling Will, as con-
sequence, be engendered, and to the detrl.
meat of the party. How much better would
it be to conduct this contest in the usual man.
ner, and after the primaries let the defeated
aspirants. their friends and all earnest, SIN
cere and unselish Democrats, entirely lose
sight of factions. buckle on their armor, and
by a united effort carry our grand old party
through the November contest to victory
(Appiausel This is said to be movement
in The interest of reform, and my fellow-citi-
zens, ask you, who are its recognized lead
ers in our county? Why, Messrs. Henkle,
Bannon 4 Co, all ex-members OF this terri
bly, corrupt ring, las they now are pleased to
sneeringly term it, which embraces every
freeman among you, my fellow citizens VINO
has the manhood to differ with them and re.
. r .ba,r laaHarShIn Cheers and
applause Knowing these gentlemen as IN.
timately as you do, without saying word
against their private charscter-with two OF
them candidates in the pending hight again
asking YOU for your SURFACES, do you believe
that thew are prompted by unselhsh motives
and are engaged in the so called reform
movement solely for the purpose OF purging
and purifying the Democratic party, as they
would have you believer Were they less
poiitically-iR ways that are dark
and tricks that are vain, they might readily
deceive YOU Laughter and applause As
il is. | give you credit for too much inielll-
eencs 10 be dipped by their sophistry. We're
voa TO select leaders for the Inauguration OF
a genuine reform. you surely would not be so
stupid as to select those who had long since
adopted politics as profession and who we're
until very recently the leaders OF the very
faction they new denounce in unmeasured
terms as the ring, and would yet be, had the
neople not grown tired Of them and tarned
them down. Applause aRd cheers Or.
Heskle, when last elected to Congress, which
vas but short time ago, IN . speech IN tins
city during that campaign, said that he had
been accused Of belonging to the rins, which
be condemns here to night-admiited the sott
Impeachment said that be was proud Of 1t,
that /, had The ring Of the true metal, and that
!, would riug him iRto the next Congress OF
the United States and 80 1t did. Dr.
Wells, upon making this assertion, turned TO
DR.. Heukle and ssked DO not quote you
correctly. sirg To which DIR. Henkls re
plied ayes yea do. % The ring II corrapt
SOW, bv his ova and his colleagues admis-
sion wAs equally corrupt az that time as they
charge that this corruption has existed Tor
wears, aud Il SUCH really Is the fact, as closely
and intimately associated with this rag as they
we're, antil the last year, and as familiar with
the minniesf details. as they aust Of necessity
have been-eharier members as they Were
applause constituting. as they did, The very
machine itself, are 10 day, my fellow citizens,
responsible to yoa FOE this Very condition Of
AFFAIRS, and aoW have the agdacity TO invite
you to unite With them 10 reclfyiug their owa
wilIful errors. Applause. most remark
able, vet eanaiug proposition iadeed. iAp-
rIauss They say that the Legislature did
net pass any ofthe reform measures, rs Promls-
cd n The platform 0fthe Democratic State Goa
yeniion, uhich respectfully, bat hfmiy deny.
The Boauty t.aS, propsriy styled By our
worshF Comptroller, as an Iaclbus upoa the
people. vas repealed, BY far the greatest
measure 81 rsfoTSn, tina; could Pssslbiy have
been adopted. Provision vas made for
funding the Defense Loaa, al a lower rate OF
iaterssi. Salaries Of certain Offices redaced,
VIZ .-Wsisher Of Lave Stock, Adjatsat Gen
erAl, Inspector Of Coal Mines, Oaicers and
Crew Of the Oyster Nav, and others that ]
miEht mention. ], howevor, plead guilty 10
the charge that ! voted against reducing the
ray OF ghe ercz Of the Oyster Navy, Is eoald
not hy nv vote, as NJ. kAunon did, epnSsat
10 cut poor MAS wages - per cent, when
originally il was but $40 per month and grab
themselves. Applause. A mere pittAner,
scarcely sufficient TO keep body and sosl to
Eethcr. The Registration Ball, over shisa
they make such = fuss, aud are trying 10 make
yoa believe vas defeated by The rag, passed
The Senate ia such shape, as 20 be Aeccpia-
be to = majority Of she Senators and 10 every
reasonable Democrat, after gallant and pro
tracted sghi in the Hose, vas killed By the
socalled Reform Democrats and kepabh
eaas, lacking bug two OF three Votes Of 4
constitutional majority Applause. The
House Journal Eiil prove What ! assert
The Legislature vas, perhaps, somewhAt cX-
travAEaHt, ia having just a. many officers -
when nuy friends Mr. Banasn and DR.. Hen-
lie represented yOa IN that body. (Ap-
plaase Why did they no, eoadema the sx-
traysgance AZ that iime9 although echo an
swers why, my felloW citizens, | think yoa
kaow the reason. laughter In eouelu-
Sos, how does our Stale compare, IN a hnaH-
ciAi point Of view, With the other States OF
the Union She is iound IN the front rank,
with q splcadid credit Her boHas At pre-
MUM asd eagerly sought after in the maTkst
With bat four Of all tho States with tax as
los, and with bat one Of the eutirs humber
/ aith loser rate, Applause and i ask you,
my fellow eitizens, and IN all candor, not as
a partisan, no, as a facsioaisi, bot as \ citizen
OF the State, i not this record that every
true Aarylander should be proud OF, and
could a more glowing aud just sribate be paid
the State managers? Applause aud cheer
ing.l No matter who are our nominees, It Is
needless fog me to say, that | shall most
eheeTfally support snd do all that can to
further their election, as ] never do anything
else. Applause.
Afterwards Senator Wells aud Mr.. BAnnon
had a discussion on local affairs, and the
mee,isg adjourned with cheers for Dr.. Wells