Saint Mary's beacon. [volume] (Leonard Town, Md.) 1867-1983, 1883-05-24

claim ever having accepted is dog
mas. This will make many people
open their eyes who have had the
pleasure Of their personal acquain-
lance. "When maturer years had
brought light and truth TO our minds
we took q clear and defined position
and have held it ever since" Weare
not at all inclined to be malicious.
but we are tempted to ask, about what
time was this defined position taken?
Was it before or after the republican
party had secured an ascendancy in
our community? It makes or ought
to make some difference, but it is none
Of our funeral. only We take the lib
srty Of suggesting, that the republic
can party would be justified, in our
opinion, in making more marked
distinction in distributing its favors
between the republicans of yesterday
and the republicans Of tO-day-be-
tween the men who, taking their po-
litical life, 50 to speak. in their hands,
cast in their fortunes with that party
when victory was trembling in the
balance-between these and the ''elev-
enth-hour"' recruits who rushed furi-
ously upon the field of battle after
the fight was won. claiming and OBJ
tanning the lions share Of the spoils.
The next thing in order is our own
shortcomings. 1t appears that we
have been paying many compliments
OF late to republican leaders" and il
further appears that our brothers
don't like it. We have also, it seems,
"courted the favor Of many prominent
republicans by volunteering support
for political preferment 1t future cleo
tons. and ''since the introduction of
g new paper in the county" We nave
become "staunch advocates of the dem
ocratic party" Previous to this, how
ever, the BEACON deserted the dem
ocracy and sank to the condition of
neutrality, with a decided leaning
towards republication" How our
paper could be neutral with decided
leaning against neutrality at one and
the same time, we shall ask some
Irishman to explain on future oe-
casion. This, we believe, about sums
up the measure of our iniquities, our
brothers being the judges, and first
of the late compliments we have been
paying. The latest that we can recall
is that to Mr.. Hammett, our efficient
(the editors of the Enterprise permit
ting,) our efficient States Attorney
1t is to be remarked that the compli-
ment was in no sense political, but
was paid to the personal character
and legal qualifications of that able
(the Editors of the Enterprise still
permitting.) that able, faithful and
fearless public officer. What is wrong
about this? Should candor and cour-
tesy and kindly feeling be interdict-
ed between parties because one is a
democrat and the other republican ?
1t surprises us that republican jour
nalists, like our brothers, should dis
turb themselves about this matter.
Can it be possible that our friendly
mention of Mr.. Hammett could have
irritated anybody's corns in the En-
terPrise Office? We hope not, and GER
tainly such was not our intention.
We have also made kindly mention
of Col. Allston, Capt. Lawrence, Judge
Milburn and other republican gen.
tlemen of position in our county.
And Just here we would like to be ex-
cHsed for making reference personal
to the writer. When he returned
from school about two years ago, the
gentlemen named were the first prom
inent republicans to take friendly no.
tice Of him. and also were among the
earliest to encourage him in his news
paper venture. Kindly acts like these
beget kindly feelings in return. We
frankly acknowledge the existence Of
these feelings to-day, and we claim tc
owe no apology land shall certainly
make none) either to the Editors Of
the Enterprise or anyone else for what
we have written about these gentle
men. And now to the second count
in the indictment of the Enterprise
1t is a rule of logic that what is as
serted without proof may without
proof be denied. At present we nei.
Their deny nor affirm. We call fol
the proof. The EisteyPrise has our
full permission to make public the
name or names Of the prominent re.
publicans" whom we volunteered tc
support at future elections, and we
say this much in this connection, that
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