Maryland independent. [volume] (Port Tobacco, Md.) 1874-current, 1889-04-26

Mr.. Coughs Letter.-We we're so PIE
shat surprised at Communication in th
last issue Ct the Times over the signatur o
Thomas B. Cough, in which the ISDEPss rs-
is charged with Intentionally falsifving vi
dence, taken Ia rebhttAl II. the Mudd hnC
Compton contest case, for political ef Sect
land to boost waning caase" Althe fugl
ii may be that Mr.. Cough came, as stated b.
him to Port Tobacco on a special trip to eat
the evidence in the case, yet the ISDEPES Es1
knows that be was persistently urged by fom'
Of his political friends to publish the evid Enc,
in full, a synopsis Of which appeared in last
weeks issue Of the INDEPENDENT, and to bonn.
ment on IL in a manner which would falsely
reflect on the ISDEPESEENT. And this vi be
lieve was done for political reasons and Il feet,
and not by Mr.. Cough alone, but, FIVE Ire to
judge by the ear marks so to speak, 4 the
communication, he had the assistance, 10 its
preparation, Of one more trained with the
pen and an adept at invective, Iespe-
cia.ly when discussing Republican citize ns or
Republican principles. As stated IN the
INDEPENDENT at the time, the evidence pub
lished was SYNOPSIS of that taken, and gave
the importans points sworn TO by the VI rious
witnesses, and was published as matter OF
news for the benefit of our readers, and ~ ex-
cluded what we thought unimportant, Jas we
did not think it matter of public intetest to
publish the fact that members ofa political or
ganEaton met together and pledged Them
selves, or swore for that matter, tina they
would stand by the nominees of their party.
That is something all free Ameri ANS Aye a
perfect right to do, although every effort has
been made to show by Mr.. Coughs party
that there was something henlous In so doing
We had no thought Of making Mr.. Cough out
a liar or falsely rejecting upon him, or any
other man, Tor political or any other n asons,
when we published the evidence given 10 re-
buttal, in fact he was not specially con-
siGered nor were his advisers who
doubtless believe that by making
false statements about the motives of
the INDEPENDENT, they might be enabled to
punish it for its determined stand
against crooked Democratic methods, such
as bribery, &c. And that reminds us that
the evidence disclosed the fact, as given by one
of the witnesses, that Mr.. Thomas b Cough
offered him two dollars if he would vote with
him. As Mr. Cough does not IN bis sommu-
nication deny the statement, thus virtually
admitting it, it goes, and is on record,
that he attempted to make citizen
commit an unlawful act That evidence laid
before a United States Court, not disproven,
would forever disbar Mr., Cough rom ali
rights Of citizenship. In view of tina portion
Of the evidence of the witness Payne as pub
lished in full in the Times, and not denied y
Mr.. Cough, we are willing to go before the
honest and honorable people of ouf county
among whom We have always lived, ind COM
pare regulations, motives and act9ns with
that gentleman, for we are convince that the
citizens Of our county condemn brbers, and
oppose bribery, and all other forms of law
breaking, and in that case, knowing the puri-
~ of our motives and the earnest Efforts we
have always made to uphold the Laws or our
land, we will be satisfied with Their verdict