Saint Mary's beacon. [volume] (Leonard Town, Md.) 1867-1983, 1884-02-07
(For the Beacon,)
January 26th, 1884.

offense to "Senex," 1 sincerely regret
it but viewed in the full light of
nineteenth century civilization, and
the practical workings of politics,
many of his recommendations border
on the ridiculous. Il hope this will
not force the old gentlemen to initiate
Icarus and soar too high for safety.)
He Gays that there were no fools
or corrupt men" among those he
names as having served in official po-
sitions. In this he has an advantage
over me. He names to praise. In
order to show the contrary, / must
condemn. None Of us like or care to
pointedly and personally designate
individuals as fools or corrupt. Yet,
if Senex will carefully examine the
journals of our General Assembly,
read over many Of the laws enacted,
re-read his list and scrutinize the po-
litical career of each man separately,
think he will somewhat modify
his views concerning some of them.
Nor will this long array of names
prove that any other than men of
wealth, high social position, derived
from wealth, or high birth, regardless
of merit or those connected with the
wealthy, or so-called aristocratic fam
lilies, could obtain any office, either
elective or appointed, unless it was a
mental one. Even the noble James
S. Downs had established himself up
on a firm foundation and had become
useful, in fact his purse had, before he
dared aspire to'lead, When we re-
call the fact, that such brutal assaults
were made spon him, because of his
humble birth, we wonder at the tenn
Gritty Of Senex in his attempt to forti
fly his position with his name. "How
often has the boy of the humblest and
poorest parents risen from the lowest
to the highest position in society and
filled the loftiest stations in the gift
of the people p Alas, how often in
st. Mary's or wherever the slave oil
garchy held full sway? His children
or his grandchildren might rise, but
he could seldom do it. 1t is the veriest
nonsense to talk of cultured laboring
men with the miserable farces called
public schools in operation Is or even
20 years ago. Wealth, birth, social
position and culture are not draw
backs, nor are they all or any of them
requisite for an intelligent perform
ance of official duties. We need no
"brainIess wealth" and much less do
we need brainless "daddyism," with
the social positions resulting there
from, and mental culture is not so
necessary or useful as force of charac-
ter. In order to judge intelligently
of a man merit, or fitness for Office,
we should separate him entirely from
all his surroundings. In fact, look
only at him, and not his wealth, birth
or position. View his life, past and
present, and all the acts thereof, and
judge thereby.
Can Senex intelligently and truth
fully assert that the gentlemen he
names, who failed in the last few
years to secure the positions they as
pired to, would have performed the
duties required Of them in any better
manner than those VINO were elected !?
1t is ridiculous to say, that because
party leaders counsel their followers
to stand firm, they are attempting to
create a race prejudice. 1t is done
in all parties. Besides the negroes
are not fools. They know that every
right Of citizenship they now hold has
been obtained through repnblicanism
and over the persistent and outspoGen
opposition of democracy. There is
no race prejudice in the matter, simp-
ly fight against party organiza-
ton and its principles. There is but
one sensible way by which the negro
vote can be divided l am aware
that it will be bitter pill to Bour-
bonism, but come it must sooner or
later, and the longer it is put off the
less show will democracy have to OBJ
tain any respectable number of their
votes. 1t must as an organized party
recognize the fact that negroes are
men and citizens and entitled to every
right the law accordes to white men.
Let the party speak out on this mat
ter, not feebly and surreptitiously, but
boldly. Let it proceed Immediately
to wipe from our Statute books every
vestige of law, that says or intimates
the contrary. And last, bnt not least,
let it place our colored schools upon
a firm foundation and support them
not grudgingly, as heretofore, but