The Republican. [volume] (Oakland, Md.) 1877-current, 1889-10-19

This is very apparent, for in the
Democrat of last week we fail to find
any answer. or attempt to answer
the articles in the REPUBLICAN en-
titled "The Big Four" and "The
Three Platforms" No word in de-
NAL of the statements or charges
made, and not even a word in expla.
nation of the change made in the
Democratic resolutions. That no an.
sWer, denial or explanation can be
made seems to be conceded, and
therefore it falls back on its old style
and its old scribe, and among other
things it says:
"DaEiel Chisholm and his friends
tried hard to break the power of the
Big Four but in vain. Daniel CHS.
holm and his friends made gallant
fight against ring rule at the late
primaries and convention, but the
Hayden-Townshend syndicate was
too strong for them"
BY the same authority last year
and year before last, and always
heretofore, Daniel Chisholm was re.
garded as one of the worst men in
the county, he being then and now a
straight forward, answering Re-
publican, but comment is unneces-
sary. Everybody knows the source,
and the object and purpose of this
statement. 1t, however, calls to
mind some interesting incidents in
the history of the Democratic party
in this county, which may be un-
known ~ to the writer Of the above
paragraph, or if once known, because
of II Convenient memory, he fails to
recall. Does he not remember the
many strong efforts made year after
year by some score or more of the
very best, ablest and most loyal of
the mem bers of the Democratic party
in this county to break down the
domination of the party ring here,
and their failures. not because they
lacked either brains, moral worth or
political integrity, nor for the want
of devotion to the principles of their
party, but on account of the means
resorted to and the aid and assistance
received by that "ring" from those
outside the county VINO manipulated
the politics of the State? How often
in primaries and conventions have
desperate efforts been made to over.
come the combination? Can not the
Democrat recall how such men as
Bartlett, Dryden. Rawlings, John
son. Veitch, Miller, Hall, Peddicord
and others determinedly engaged in
the struggle. and at times succeeded
in part in frustrating the schemes of
the ring? How in the convention of
1877 such contest was made under
the leadership of some of these men.
Bartlett, Miller and Hall, resulting
in an alI-night session, and the fail
ure on the bart of the "ring" TO nom.
mate Getty and other favOrites be
cause of their efforts? But if these
things are not recalled, let the
writer's memory be as treacherous
as it may, it is fair to assume that he
has not forgotten the more fnemOr.
able and all but successful effort
which was made in that direction in
the year 1879, when District No. 7
went into the Democratic county
convention with perhaps the strong
est delegation which any district in
The county has ever sent to such a
convention. Every one will remem-
Der that contest, its failure and its re-
suits, when Thomas J. Peddicord,
ESQ.,, after having made most ener
getic and gallant fight against the
"ring," 1.-THE same "big four,") earn
estlv and zealously seconded by his
associates, came out of the conyen-
ton renOuncin9 his allegiance to the
party and refusing longer to be rec.
ognized as a Democrat, and, aggres-
sive and combative as ever, with
defiance, he at one leap plunged into
the deepest of the Republican waters,
and in the campaign that followed
made the woods of Garrett res0und
with his denunciations of the "ring."
the "Dig four" and the Democracy
of the powers that held sway.
Does not the writer of the Demo-
cratic editorials understand, or has
he indeed forgotten tie history OF
his party?
The contest was long continued.
but finally the ring overpowered all
organized efforts and now controls
the party at will and pleasure. Some
of those engaged in the opposition, by
the free application of the party lash.
have been brought back within the
corral of the "ring,"while some were
propitiated-soid their birthright for
a mess of potage--sour indeed though
it has proven but many, by far the
greater, who. not susceptible to either
of these influences, and holding fast