The Democratic advocate. [volume] (Westminster, Md.) 1865-1972, 1883-11-10

me Ills DOliCJ III tuduSuIdAs LnO WAOlC
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To the Editors Of the AdUOcate:
GENTLEMEN II received, some days before
the late election, circular or handful pur-
porting to be San appeal to the Christian
people of Carroll county, concerning local
option or temperance, christianity and the
duties of citizens. 1t was signed by thirty
two clergymen and others, and published, l
learn. not only in the form | have mentioned
above, but also in two newspapers in this
county. Whatever the purpose of this docu-
ment, or the design of those who wrote it,
signed it and published it, the ''true inward
ness of it was hard to make out, at first
blush, because it was written in general terms,
and its specific object was not altogether ap-
parent upon its face. After reading it over
twice, it began to be plain to my perception
that it was calculated, if not intended, to de-
feat the candidates for the Legislature on one
of the tickets presented for that position, and
it was not hard to tell which of the tickets it
was aimed at. 1t was a cunningly devised
thing, but the intended blow fell short of its
mark the political parsons, or those who
directed the movement, somehow missed their
aim. One portion of this extraordinary doc
ument struck me as not only sweeping IN its
character, but untrue | don't know how it
struck others, but that is the way it appeared
to me- give below the Objectionable words,
that others may determine whether my own
views are right or wrong. | don't want to do
any one injustice; certainly | would not wrong
the clergy. Therefore, l insert their own
words, as follows:
It's one of the saddest characteristics of our po-
litcal day that the management and control OF our
elections is assumed by evil men, and candidacy
has degenerated into dsgraceful scramble tor OF
flee and that merely fer its emouments, so thatany
immortality whatever is considered justihable, If 1t
but contributes to success in defeating honorable
men.
When read that sentence [ began to re-
fect-this is Carroll county document, writ
ten and published by men who live in Carroll,
and it must refer to the management and con-
troll of elections in this county. And then
began to consider, and to ask myself-who
are the men who take hand in the manage
ment and control of elections in Carroll coun-
ty? | am Democrat, and therefore l speak
not of the managers ofthe opposite party. But
of the Democrats | may speak with more free
dom and a better understanding. will name
some of the men who participate, in greater
or lesser degree, in the management of the
Democratic party in Carroll county, and ask
if it can truthfully be said of them that they
are ''evil men, hope these gentlemen will
pardon me for taking this freedom with their
names. l do it only in the interest of truth.
| mention, in part, DR.. +. l. Shaw, ID. n.
Henning, Hon. Chas. B. Roberts, Col. j. b.
Boyle, Hon. VIM. P. Maulsby, DR.. }. W..
Herring, Jas. A. c. Bond, Drs. Rinehart,
Martin, Waters, Crawford and Wells, Messrs.
Slingluff, Cover, Wadlow, Brown, Steele, La
motto. Spurrier, Anderson, Sellman, Wander
ford, Shriver, and others of equal respecta-
bility and merit. These are among the most
active and influential Democrats in the county.
If these are "evil men," l want to know
where the honorable and upright are to come
from. These clerical gentlemen should not
lose sight of the Commandments Thou shalt
not bear false witness against thy neighbor. :"
Again, this same extract says" Candidacy
has degenerated into disgraceful scramble
for office, merely for its emoluments, so that
any immortality, achate0er, is considered just
ifd6le, if it but contributes to success indie
feating honorable men," Here is another
broad and sweeping assertion OF which Its au-
thors ought to be ashamed, because 1t IS not
true. / have reason to believe that these
managers and controllers of the Democratic
party in this county are as conscientious men
as these clergymen themselves, who allege
such wholesale corruption against their fellow
citizens Isn't it monstrous that such doc
ument should have been signed and published
by men to whom the community is accus-
toned to look for guidance in all truth 1t
they mean what they say, it is monstrous. II
they did not mean it, they should not have
said it and affixed their signatures to it.
Other parts of this clerical ukase invite
criticism, but not now. 1t is chiefly the time
and the manner chosen for its publication
that excites suspicion thatit was intended not
exclusively as a temperance document, but as
''water upon the Wheel of one of the parties
to the contest. 1t is to be hoped that this
suspicion is not well founded, for, if 1t be
true, it is calculated to hinder the cause OF
temperance rather than to advance it. There
are honest temperance men in all parties who
will not brook a resort to trickery even to
serve so good cause, if trickery should be
invoked in such service. Let temperance and
party politics be kept separate. Only those
who are actuated by zeal without knowledge
will attempt to blend them. 1t is source OF
regret that questions of this character should
be clogged and weighted by the Unexpectedly
temperate, who are almost certain to do as
much harm as good. This, unfortunately,
has been the fate of the temperance cause,
not in Carroll county only, but everywhere
else it has suffered through indiscreet friends.
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