Port Tobacco times, and Charles County advertiser., 1889-10-18
A Check to niZatiOn.


We are glad to observe that there is
at last disposition manifested on the
part Of the local authorities in the
counties of Maryland contiguous to
Washington, to place a check upon
the wholesale colonization of negro,
and other voters from the neutral
ground of the District of Columbia
into these counties, which has been
Systematically carried on by the Re
publican managers for several years
past. The TINES has repeatedly call
ed attention to this outrage upon the
suffrages of the resident people of
these counties and We are glad to OBJ
serve that the agitation of the matter
seems to be about to result in some
definite action.
Last week a colored gentleman from
Washington, who went out into Mont
gomery county, to register as a voter
of that county was promptly arrested
and lodged in the Rockville Jail where
he now awaits trial in the criminal
court of that county for fraudulent
registration. 1t is understood that the
local authorities of Montgomery coun-
ty also have list of colored voters
who have heretofore been unlawfully
registered in that county under the
several colonization enterprises. all of
whom will be arrested on election day,
if they present themselves and offer to
vote.
This will doubtless exercise salu-
tary effect in causing the colored resi-
dents of Washington to be little
more particular how they lend or hire
themselves to the Republican mana
gers for colonization into the neigh
boring counties Of Maryland. Bat the
chief good which will result from it,
will be in the fact that some of these
cases will no doubt form the basis of
an appeal TO the Court of Appeals,
whereby an authoritative interpreta-
tion of the law on this ve1ed question
will be obtained. This will furnish
reliable authority to the registration
officers of the several counties to re-
fuse registration to these invaders and
keep the voting lists henceforth free
from their wrongful intrusion.
The case of Gen. Beale, the Repub-
lican candidate for State Senator in
Prince Georges county, an account OF
whose appeal from registration Of
ficer is reported in our local columns,
will also, doubtless, furnish the basis
of an appeal to high her court. Should
the Circuit Court of Prince Georges
decide that he is entitled to vote, his
disability would no doubt, in the event
of his election, be made the ground
Of contest of the legality thereof;
and in any event it will should the cir
cult judges so decide,probably be made
the. basis of an appeal.
There can be little doubt, from his
own evidence as reported, that Gen.
Beale's claim to citizenship will be
ultimately refused but as he does
not claim. we believe, to be a native
of Maryland, although of Maryland
family, his case will not, on appeal,
present the vexed question to the
Courts in Its full scope. IA case should
be carried up from each of these coun-
ties that are subject to these unlawful
incurnons, which presents the case of
man formerly residant and citizen
of Maryland, who has established his
permanent abode in the District of
Columbia. Unless some steps are taken
to check thisunlawful practice, it will
be utterly useless for the resident peo-
pie in these counties to make any fight
at all for the control of their local af-
fairs; for unquestionably the material
exists in Washington to carry on these
colonization schemes to any extent
that the exigencies of the Republican
cause in this section may ever require.