The aegis & intelligencer. [volume] (Bel Air, Md.) 1864-1923, 1882-10-20

Hiitihi hS lnC Chnl'iud'c oi tile DeinOcrallC
party for the Office of Chief Judge of the
Circuit"
The pressure OF official business must he
my apology f Withholding n reply until the
present date ] accept the nomination, ut
find it wholly beyond my power to express in
adequate terms the grateful feelings nwak-
ened by this mark of APPRECIATION on the part
OF my fcllo w.citiZeDs. must content myself
by saying that if elected TO the high and re-
sponsble Office for which am designated,
shall endeavor to merit their confidence by
faithful application to the discharge of the
important duties dcvoving upon its incum.
bent.
might here, very properly, close this cor
respondcnce, were il not that have been
automatically informed that it is the design of
certain enemies of Democratic principles to
strike at the party through me, one of its
nominees. Their object is TO weaken, by
creating dissatisfaction and consequent dis
organization. 1t would be improper for me
to enter the political arena. Unjust therefore
make this reply to your letter my medium of
communication with the public.
AS / refused to take part in the appoint
nlent of School Commissioners for Baltimore
county, there has been an intimation that
am opposed to the School system itself. It
would, perhaps, be difficult to find man in
Maryland more strongly in favor of popular
education than am. have been its most
strenuous advocate during the whole course
of my life. AS early as January 3D. 1874
when very young man, was called upon
to deliver an address before literary asso
citation in Hartford county. At the close of
my address, which afterwards appeared in
print, ventured to predict what would he
witnessed by the young man of that day he
fore the end of his earthly career, and used the
following languages
But above all, as the greatest glory of
America, as her highest boast, and the chief
element of her power, he shall behold,
crowded in every corner of the land, open to
all, amd cherished and Supported By tie supreme
authority, the semnarcs of learning, lifting
their lofty structures towards the heavens,
from whose portals annually issue throngs of
educated frcemcn to maintain the in titutIons
of their country, and inscrhc on the columns
of the Capitol, este pelpct,ta."
This was the prophetic language of an
enthusiastic youth of 1914, The prophecy
has been fulfilled. The Public School sys-
ten, then but n dream, is now u glorious
reality; and as | was then, so am | now, its
unwavcring advocate. In II recent cOmmnni
cation to the President of the School Board |
used this language "Strongly in favor of a
proper School system, but just as strongly
opposed to its being controlled by politicians,
| refused to act" Since !hcn the President
has assured me by published letter that the
suspicious of political action on the part of
the board are unfoundcd. This assurance
has afforded me great pleasure, for l know
the President TO be n gentleman and the
word of n gentleman imparts verify.
Warmly attached to, and firmly impressed
with the great good to be accomplished by
the public schools, properly conducted, be.
lieve them to belong to the people, prospect
i've of creed or party; and if the system is to
accomplish the high ends of its adoption, its
management must be wholly free from all no.
ltical influence. The school boards ofthe sew
eral counties should be as free from the faint
of political bias or prejudice as our Jury
boxes. If elected 10 the office for which
have been nominated, it will be my earnest
endeavor TO act upon this conviction and
recognize the right of minority representa-
ton so long as the Legislature of the State
holds it TO be wise to place the selection of
of School Commissioners in the hands of the
Judiciary.
1t is necessary that l should refer to my
official action in regard to the attempted
abridgemcnt of the privileges conferred by
the writ of habeas corpus and the trial by jury.
In my resistance to the attempt to deprive
our people of the writ Of habeas corpus, was
fully sustained by the Court of Appeals in
the Glenn case, which, that Court said came
before it in manner tout of the ordinary
course and not at all to be commended :" there
being no appeal from my decision, and the
Court of Appeals being required to sit in the
manner of moot court, and express an
opinion upon my opinion. The Judge who
delivered the opinion of the Court of Appeals
said: "That the attempted restriction upon
the power of the Judges over the writ of
habeds corpus is nugatory and without effect;
and that the Judge below had jurisdiction to
grant the writ, though directed to the super
intendcnt of prison beyond the limits of his
Circuit" was therefore successful in my
effort to save the writ of hdbeas corpus for the
people Of Maryland.
In my efforts to maintain the right of trial
by jury have only met with partial success,
being so unfortunate rs to differ in opinion
from the members of the Court Appeals who
sat in the Glenn case. AS the sovereign peo-
pie, the source of all power, are ut the present
time occupied in reorganization of the
Courts it is impossible to say what may be
the opinion of new Court on the constitll-
tionaity of laws depriving the citizen Of his
right of trial by jury.
lHc qucetioh vi NuHiUilCy Couiu uoJ pOSSl-
bly, have been determined by the Court of
Appeals In the Glenn case rs no such ques
ton was before "the judge below" Mrs
Glenn was not charged with vagrancy |
have, however, held in other cases that a law
prohibiting tramp, as he is now called. from
sleeping in barns and other out-houses is per.
fectly constitutional. To occupy mans
premises without his permission has always
been trespass, and can very properly be made
misdemeancr. But hold that principle of
the English vagrant laws are inapplicable to q
country where every man carries the ballot
in his hand and where there can be no priv
ileged class. England is the land of Arts
tocracy. America is the land of Democracy
and of perfect equality under her Constitu-
ton. The vagrant laws of England are APP
plicabe only to the pauper classes, q pauper
not being allowed to go beyond the limits oil
his own and become burden on another
parish. While he remains in his own parish
he cannot be arrested rs n vagrant. Under
the Constitution of the United States an
American citizens parish extends from Maine
to Texas. From ocean to ocean, and from
the Northern Lakes to the Mexican Gulf he
has the right to tread the soil of his country
as n freeman. Inherited or accumulated
wealth does not give him this privilege. II
is his birthright and he can only he deprived
! of IT by oppression. withstanding this O
law has been recently enacted which prohib
| its poor man, without pecuniary means
| from moving about at all. Ifhe ventures Ia
walk on the highway he is called a tramp
and Is liable to arrest and imprisonment
] More oppressive than the vagrant laws o.