The Democratic advocate. [volume] (Westminster, Md.) 1865-1972, 1883-05-05
MARYLAND Press Opinions.

springs into existence its accompanying GEM.
The situation of the Democratic party IN
the State is not what its friends could desire;
factions and individuals have wrought ITS dlS-
sensons and reverses, but the cardinal doc
trine of the professed politician is to forget
and bury the past, making friends of former
foes, difficult, often impossible for the ordinary
layman, in order to meet the common enemy,
striving always to avoid the sins of the past,
both of omission and commission.
This is common political prudence, is one
of the axioms of politics, and nothing less Is
expected of any man prominent enough to be
considered an influence in politics. When to
these considerations are added an unsolicited
masquerading before the public in the garb OF
peace-loving and peace-seeklng man; re-
firing man, who having held every offlce IN
the gift of the people, in his own language,
used in an interview with Sun reporter, rs
not seeking anything for himself, then de-
parture from prudent considerations and from
unnecessary public professions becomes most
noticeable and blameworthy for its hypocrisy
and bad faith to the party whichha rewarded
him far beyond his deserts.
In his organ, the Nail, of April 20, IN an
article headed, ''The Canal in Politics, dl-
rectly and indirectly he charges, with other
things, easy of refutation, all the ills of the
Democratic party in Western Maryland to
canal influence.
1t is certainly not prudent at this time, with
State officers to elect, and Legislature to be
returned which will elect new United States
Senator, to deliberately try to drag the canal
into politics, to fan into life the disagreements
and bitternesses by which canal and anti
canal are surrounded. 1t is undemOcratic, it
is imprudent, and above all is particularly I'M
fair to the present management of the canal,
which so far under its new direction is being
worked upon business principles. Last fall,
under the same management, both III our Con-
gressonal and Judicial struggle there was no
hand of the canal disturbing the peace of the
party. but there was such quiet and unanimity
of action throughout the party in Western
Maryland, and notably in Washington county,
as to be commented upon, and make the most
conservative hopeful of general success.
These are facts beyond dispute, and known
to none better than the Governor. He cries
peace and does not want it, and has carried
with him on the stage of state politics the
same disposition that has wrecked the Demo
cratic party of Western Maryland.
Says his organ: ''How little some of our
contemporaries know of the origin and con-
tinuance of our party troubles in the Western
or Canal countless To this we reply that
whether known or not to our contemporaries,
we. who have spent our lives here, know that
the misfertunes and reverses of the party in
Western Maryland are largely owing to his
selfish and impolitic methods, and that the
loss of Washington county by the Democrats
wear after wear is to be explained by the
strong handed. hard headed. unyielding, sell
fish control Of the party by this man, who
listened not to suggestions, dictated his
wishes, thrust his tavorites upon the party,
welcome or unwelcOme, and who finally,
stepping from one Office to another, still in
terfering with its least important movements,
whilst Congressman, dragging the Senatorial
robes in the mire of the pettiest conflicts,
carrying the same disposition into the Gov
errors chair, at last disguised and drove into
decided action against him and his meth
DDS many of its most active members.
They saw in the course pursued by him
nothing but continued disaster to the party,
denounced as belonging to the Ring, though
no ring was more complete and despotlc than
the one they broke in their own county, they
resolved that whatever the future might have
in store for them, one thing was certain, that
this sold man of the sea- who was riding
his party to death. must be thrown off first,
and that no matter who or what was dragged
into politics, he must be taken out of them.
We, too of Washington county, know that
the heaviest blow the party ever received, and
covered, was given it by our worthy Governor
in 1875, when, failing to receive the nOmina-
ton for the Office he now fills, he, who had
lived in office, traitorous to the party that
had done so much for him, encouraged by
words and acts disloyalty to his party on Il
scale never before or since witnessed in this
county and section of the state, sulking like
an OvergrOwn child, leaving his retirement to
make speech before that campaign closed,
a speech he had better left unSpOken, he did
what he could by example to defeat its stand
ard bearer. Governor Carroll. From such a
source, depreciation of disturbing elements in
politics comes with bad grace; far more in
keeping with his past career as a politician,
the effort he makes in his organ to rouse slum-
berng animoslhes.
We know him well, and we think our Peck
sniffian Governor is becoming understood
throughout the state, and whether we govern
ourselves by our private and personal knOwl-
edge of him and his acts i'll our own county,
by his public utterances breathed in such a
mild spirit into the ears of Il reporter, or
watch him upmasking in his organ, we are
apt to be deceived by his fair words, his pro-
fession of humility when mot seeking any
thing for HIMSELF his desire for retirement
to the quiet of private life, we hold him fast
through all these changes, as runs the fairy
story, and behold not to our surprise but
amusement, he takes at last his proper shape,
that of selfseeking, Office holding for-lite
politician, whose power for mischief, though
not so great as formerly is still disturbing
element, because practiced, whilst protesting
a desire for harmony, confirming US in our
Judgment that he has outlived his political
usefulness, and must be retired with other
equally obnoxious standing politicians.
From tie baltimore Dda:
The Hagerstown Ne1ns replies with indg-
nant wrath to the recent article in the Mail
of that town, charging all the difficulties in
the Democratic party i'll Western Maryland
to political influence in the canal. There is
no question in the mind of any impartial OBJ
server that the article in the Mail is animated
by bitter personal animosity and calculated
to intensity and prolong the differences it
processes to deprecate; but, on the other hand,
we greatly doubt the wisdom of attempting to
argue the matter with it. The Mail. like
Ephraim of old, is joined to its idol, and the
best thing to do with it is to let it alone Iii
the acknowledged personal organ of the Gov
ernor, and is doubtless seeking to promote
his denomination but it is unconsciously do
ing everything in its power to prevent such
nomination, even had it otherwise been
possible. We can readily infer the effect it
is having on others from that it has had on
us. Becoming interested in Maryland pol
tiles at period subsequent to the creation
of the bitter feelings which have divided the
party, the Day was absolutely without pre-
JUDGES or entanglements and only desired
to see peace and harmony established on a
basis of justice toward the body of the party
voters, without furnishing or ostracising any
body. Some of Governor Hamiltons best
friends in this city will bear witness that its
columns have always been open to them, and
that it has invariably treated them with co,r
tesy and respect.
In the beginning We were entirely open to
conviction that the Governor might be a man
who would more nearly than any other serve
as a rallying point for the several factions; but
we have steadily drifted toward the opposite
conclusion, and do not hesitate to say to day
that we consider his nomination impossible
and firmly believe it would if brought about
be absolutely fatal to any hope of union or
success. There is no other one thing that has
done so much to force this conclusion on us