Montgomery County sentinel. [volume] (Rockville, Md.) 1855-1974, 1883-03-30
LETTERS FROM THE PEOPLE.

candidates for the suffrages of the people.
may not be amiss to go back 10 first princi
pies and look up the old landmarks tina
fixed the line of demarkation between tn
principles of public policy which distin
guished the administration of Thomas JET
ierson and his successors from those of Johl
Adams, which Immediately preceded
The primary articles of political faith o.
the Jeffersonian, then called the Republican
party, and which we claim as the founda
tion OF Democratic faith in our day, are th,
| following:
| A jealous regard for and solicitation tc
preserve intact all the privileges and i'm
munities which were secured to the citizens
OF the mother country by the provisions O
Magma Charta, and which have been en-
larged and engrafted into the organic laws
under which we live-provisions which 50
cure to the citizens the greatest liberty thai
may be enjoyed consistent with the gooC
order OF society and the enforcement OF tn,
laws. r
A jealous regard for the freedom of local
self-government, the right to which being
based upon the fact that, under the Consti.
tuition, while the General Government 4
supreme within the sphere OF its delegated
powers, the States are supreme within the
sphere OF their reserved powers, and regard.
ing any encroachment Of the one upon the
exclusive prerogatives of the other usur-
patton which, II persi sted in and tolerated
by our people, would by degrees blot out
the identity OF the States and destroy thai
balance OF power so essential to the preser.
walton of our republican form of govern.
ment. tfl -.lff
An opposition to monopolies and high
tariff system, which would tax the people
beyond the needs Of the government for rev.
enue, and enrich manufacturing companies
at their expense.
The maintenanceof circulating medium
based upon and secured by specie in the
treasury.
Holding that 'rhc just powers OF govern
ment are derived only from the consent of
the governed" which consent can only be
determined by the will Of the majority and
said will can only be ascertained by free
ballot and fair count.
The aforegoing will explain what is meant
when We speak Of Democrats and Demo-
cratic doctrine.
Many who upon these principles are Dem
ocrats have for years past either with great
reluctance voted the Democratic Conserva-
tive ticket, split that ti.ket or refused to
vote at ALL
This disaffection seemed to be increased
when, about two years ago, the Governor OF
the State, aggrieved that the Legislature of
1850 had failed TO redeem the pledges made
70 the people by the Democratic candidates
In the campaign Of 1879, made disclosures
not crcditable to the party, and thus the
breach upon which our political adversaries
predicated our speedy overthrow was appa-
rently widened. But careful investigation
Of the subject will disclose the fact that the
reverse has been the result. ~. ..
.. This appeal TO the people occasioned a
controversy, and as the parties TO 1t were,
from their official positions, very conspicu :
GUS and the subject-matter very important,
1t awakened general inquiry among patri-
otto Democrats who had the honor Of the
State and the interests of the people at heart,
and the situation seemed to be well under
stood by the Legislature of 1882
Although it was organized by an element
hostile to some of the views of the Execu-
tive, and as q consequence some of the meas
ures recommended looking TO a reduction OF
public expenditures were. not adopted, yet
that body, as whole, seemed fully to real
lie the fact that reform and retrenchment
were not unmeaning words as applied to
the administration Of public affairs, but in
this case they represented that which was
demanded by the people, and which justice
and conscientious discharge of duty upon
the part oil their Representatives required
should be accorded to them
Accordingly it proceeded, in order To
purge the registration lists of improper en-.
tries and TO protect the sanctity of the ballot
box, TO provide for re-precincting Baltimore
city and new registration throughout the
State.
From the beginning, measures were taken
to reduce legislative expenses as much as
possible and TO guard the treasury against
any unnecessary or illegal drains upon it.
Although, because the necessity for re-
trenchment did not seem 70 be realized by
some 1t required Q long and continuous
struggle, there was effected during the SEES.
sion q saving In legislative expenses, as com
pared with the next preceding session, OF
about $4,000.
Again, the publishing Of the laws, which
had heretofore cost the State $4,000, was
limited to such as should be designated by
the Governor and Attorney General as pro-
per for publication, and the cost thereof linn
tied to $500 for each county and 81 800 for
wards of $4,000. - "a
In regard to appropriations, there are con-
able institutions, which set up claims upon
the State Tor pecuniary aid, and nothing is
more natural than for their immediate rep
resentatives TO press their claims upon the
legislature, but it seemed to be well under
stood at the last session that these generous
impulses must be subordinated To the, inter-
ests of the State, and no donht could he left
upon the mind ofa close observer that every
possible care was taken To confne the APP
preparations to what the needs Of the State
government, good faith and sound policy abb
soutely required.
From This it will appear that although all
was not accomplished that may have been
possible or that could be desired, great
step has been taken In the direction OF re-
deeming pledges that had been made and
meeting the demands of the people.
The necessity for such economy which
seemed to have been overlooked by our
former Representatives, the majority Of whom
were doubtless thrown off their guard by
leaders who had selfish purposes 10 answer
or like many in the management Of theii
private affairs are reckless Of consequences
clearly appeared as the result OF an investi-
CATION to which the aforesaid controversy
led, and which revealed the fact that the
strain had been so severe upon the treasury
that when the current demands upon il
were met there was little or no surplus u
be annually invested in special sinking funds
for the redemption of our loan debts as. re-
quired by the laws under which they were
created and In obedience 70 section "a Of
article 3 Of the constitution. The conclu.
sion was therefore inevitable that II 10 the
future the constitution and the laws were 10
be regarded one of two things must be done
.ffk h. Hat fa4 h. ina oa1 -.